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She shook her head. “I don’t have much of an appetite this morning.”
He frowned and caressed her hair. “You need to eat, darling.”
“What happened to the Benz?”
His shoulders shook, making him wince. “It had a slight accident. Don’t trouble yourself, love. We’re getting a new and improved model. Everything is going to be fine.” He sighed and stared down at her for a long moment. “How’s that for karma? I threaten to beat your ass and get mine handed to me a few hours later.”
She knew he was looking for a laugh, but all it did was make her brow twist and her face crumple with concern. The rueful press of his mouth told her he regretted the statement. “I love you, Sebastian. I don’t ever want to see you get hurt. It breaks my heart.”
His eyes drifted shut for a brief second as he kissed her forehead. “I love you, too. You’re my motivation in this world. You have no idea how hard I would fight just to see you again.”
“Is it worth it?” she whispered.
A low rumble stirred in his chest as he held her close. “Every single time.”
She walked him upstairs and helped ease him out of his clothes. He sat on the edge of the corner tub, holding himself up against one of the decorative pillars as she grabbed a washcloth from the drawer and ran it under some hot water. Her hands shook as she gingerly trailed the cloth over his skin and cleaned him up as best as she could. Tears burned her eyes, blurring her vision. Angry bruises mottled Sebastian’s side and a deep cut marred the pale scape of his shoulder. He assured her someone had disinfected it and the wound was clean enough to heal on its own, but she wasn’t so sure. Pressing her lips together, she tried to still the tremble of her chin. He wouldn’t want her to cry. He would want her to be strong. She knew that, but it was hard. Leaning over, she dropped a tender kiss on his brow.
Sebastian tilted his head back with a lazy smile and ran his hands over the curve of her hips. “You’re so good to me.”
“It’s nothing compared to what you do for me.”
He shrugged. Anguish contorted his handsome features and Sebastian lowered his head with a growl when he stood. His frustrated huff echoed off the stone tiled walls. After a few seconds, he released his white-knuckled grip on the pillar and edged toward the bedroom. Taylor hurried to throw the blankets back and adjust the pillows so he could lie down. His shamrock stare locked with hers as she drew the blankets over him. Reluctance and pleading shone in their pale depths. Though the words were unspoken, she understood. A strained show of gratitude played on his face as she climbed into bed beside him. Sebastian cradled her against his uninjured side and dragged her leg up over the top of his thighs. His eyes drifted shut with a contented sigh as she ran her fingers through his curls and, within minutes, she’d managed to lull him into a peaceful sleep.
Taylor hummed to herself and struggled to dust the tops of the built-ins and plant shelf spanning the fireplace wall. As gorgeous as the house design was, some of it wasn’t very practical when it came to cleaning. Her legs trembled beneath her as her balance shifted and the ladder wobbled. When she realized she was essentially two stories high, her white-knuckled hold turned into a frantic death grip. Blowing out a shaky breath, she weighed the merits of a spotless home versus broken bones. It wasn’t as if Sebastian could drive her to the hospital if she had a typical moment of good old-fashioned Irish grace. He wasn’t in the condition to do much of anything at the moment, besides sleep. Biting her lip in concentration, she gingerly eased her way down the ladder. Sometimes safe was much better than sorry.
She’d barely set foot on the bottom rung when a chorus of shouts erupted up front. Furrowing her brow, she slung the dust rag over her shoulder and hurried through the foyer to peer out the front windows. The last thing she needed was the security team waking Sebastian up over something stupid. Peeling aside the thin gossamer curtains in the living room, Taylor sighed and shook her head.
The sporty blue Celica and spirited redhead standing beside it were all too familiar. She could see the fury and frustration stamping her friend’s face, even from her vantage point inside the house, and knew Irene wasn’t going to go anywhere without a fight.
After casting a quick peek up the steps, she disabled the alarm and crept out onto the porch. She eased the doors until they remained open just a crack and bolted off the porch.
The head of security, Henderson, whirled at the sound of her footsteps. Shifting his weapon, he regarded her with a curious but determined stare.
“You should head back inside, Miss McAvay.”
Prying her gaze away from his assault rifle, she shook her head. “It’s okay. I know that woman,” she said, pointing to Irene. “She’s my friend.”
Surprise flickered across his face, making his eyes flare, but he quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat. “Ma’am, I have strict orders not to let you leave the premises, and no one but Mr. Baas’ partner or sister is to set foot inside these gates without his permission.”
She bristled at the reminder. Her lips pursed, despite the embarrassed flush warming her cheeks. Lifting her chin a notch, she held the guard’s steady gaze, not missing the spark of amusement in his brown eyes.
“I understand that, Henderson,” she said coolly. “And I promise you I won’t set one foot on the other side of this fence or Irene in, but I don’t remember there being any orders in regards to me talking to someone no matter what side they stood on—right?”
He shifted his rifle as a confused grimace rode his creased face. “No, Ma’am, I don’t suppose there was,” he admitted.
“Then please, sir, let me handle this. Trust me, the only thing standing here and arguing with her is going to accomplish is you waking Sebastian up, and right now, he needs his rest.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
He stepped aside, though uncertainty and apprehension still lined his weathered expression. Offering him a pleasant smile, Taylor walked around him and approached the wrought iron gate where Irene stood waiting. The spunky redhead surged closer, wrapping her pale hands around the posts.
“Taylor,” she breathed. “Thank God. You have no idea how worried I’ve been. What the hell happened last night, sugar? Are you okay?”
Wincing, she shifted her socked feet in an attempt to shake the cold seeping into them. In her efforts to hurry outside and diffuse the situation, she hadn’t had the time or presence of mind to put on a pair of shoes.
“What are you talking about?” she asked. “I’m fine.”
Irene’s glaring ruby lips flattened with doubt. “Honey, I heard him grilling you when he got home. The man sounded anything but pleased. Then, there was a god-awful noise on my end, and next thing I knew, you were gone. I tried calling you back all night, but it kept going right to voicemail.”
Deep shame flooded her. In the chaos that followed, she’d all but forgotten what her friend must have heard before Sebastian had taken her phone and smashed it. Not to mention how the exchange must have sounded. A quick glance at Henderson assured her he was listening to the conversation. Curiosity burned in his stare, but his face remained passive and he said nothing. Lowering her head, she tucked her hair behind her ears.
“I’m fine, Irene. Really. I don’t know what happened. My battery must have died or something.”
“Taylor, sweetie…you can talk to me. You know that, baby girl. I just heard everything this guard here said. You’re not allowed out, and no one else is allowed in? What kind of fucked up deal do you have going on here, honey? Are you in trouble?”
She wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. Humiliation and anger warred inside her, each fighting for the upper hand. “No! It’s not like that, Irene! You have no idea what’s going on around here. Sebastian’s had some complications at work. The guards are here to keep us safe. It’s just a safety precaution, that’s all.”
“Sounds like he’s trying to control you if you ask me.”
“Well, I didn’t,” Taylor muttered,
glancing back toward the house.
“All right, Tay. I don’t mean to be pushy, but you have to understand, you’re like a little sister to me, and I know you ain’t got no Mama to look after you. Don’t be mad at me for worrying, okay?”
A reluctant smile played on her lips as she turned her attention back to her friend. “Okay.”
“Now let me see that rock.”
Sticking her hand through the gate, Irene beckoned for her fingers with mock impatience. Her eyes widened as she twisted and turned the three-stoned platinum band with an admiring gasp. “Jesus, girl. Be careful when you go outside. People might think you’re throwing out the bat signal. Seriously,” she said, “you could blind someone with that thing. It’s gorgeous!”
“Thank you,” Taylor said, blushing.
“I mean it. I’ve never seen a ring sparkle like that before unless it was under the jewelry store lights. The diamonds are perfect. Big enough that you can’t miss them, but not so big as to be gaudy. They look pretty flawless, too.”
She laughed, arching a brow at her friend. “I had no idea you were such an expert gemologist.”
“There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, sugar,” Irene confessed with a lecherous grin. “My mom always scolded me growing up. She said I had champagne tastes and a beer budget. I guess some things never change.”
