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Cracking a lopsided smirk, Josh lifted his hands. “Just saying,” he said. “You should go dance with her. She’d like that.”
Sebastian snorted. The ice cubes clinked in his glass as he swirled the liquid around and took another drink. “I’m not much of a dancer, and this type of music isn’t my thing. I’d look like a flopping fish in its death throes out there.”
Josh threw his head back with a loud laugh. “Now that I would pay to see. Seriously, Baas. It’s not that hard. If you can fuck, you can bang your body to these beats.”
“I’ll save it for the bedroom,” he stated dryly.
Seeking distraction, he searched for the girls. They’d migrated back together after the last song had ended. Daryl still lingered but maintained a respectable distance from Taylor’s gyrating rear end. A small smirk threatened. Perhaps he was a smart man after all. Sebastian watched his lover for a long moment, fighting the strong pull of desire as he watched her body bounce and sway. Maybe the music did have its merits. Perhaps later, he would pull his little minx into his study and demand a private show. His cock swelled with the prospect.
He reluctantly tore his eyes away as the smell of potent floral perfume washed over him. He’d been so immersed in Taylor that he hadn’t even noticed her friend approach. Glancing over, he regarded the redhead and forced a polite smile.
“Hello Irene. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Well hi there, Sebastian. Nice to see you, too. I gotta say this is one hell of a party you threw together. Thanks for the invite, sugar.”
He nodded, letting his focus drift back over the yard. “Taylor is worth it. I’m glad you are enjoying yourself.”
“Oh, I am, but it would be even better if you joined in the fun.”
Her hand curled around his forearm and closed in an intimate squeeze. Sebastian’s head snapped to the side. Tensing, his gaze flickered over her. She regarded him without a single ounce of shame. Offering a brazen smile, she proceeded to stroke his skin with a lacquered nail, her thick lashes batting with innocence well beyond her means. He jerked his arm away as Josh sniggered quietly into his vodka beside him.
“It’s very kind of you to ask, Irene,” he said softly, “but I’m fine where I am. I’m sure you can find yourself a willing partner.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be shy, stud. What’s the use of staying up here? Stop holding out and dance with me. I promise I’ll show you a good time.”
She reached for him again. Once was more than enough. Grinding his teeth, he shot Josh a look of exasperation, smoothed his clothes, and backed away before his temper got the better of him.
“Excuse me,” he stated, trying to step around the woman. “I should see if they are ready to start serving the food.”
“You’re in luck there, honey. Servicing people happens to be my area of expertise. Let me lend you a hand.”
Not missing the suggestive undertones in her sultry purr, his jaw tightened. “Yes, I am sure it is,” he said stiffly. “But I can handle it on my own and I would appreciate it if you didn’t touch me again.”
Shooting her a look of barely restrained irritation, he spun on his heels and strode away. He remained so focused on escaping her advances that he didn’t see Monique until it was too late. They collided as he rounded the bottom of the stairs, their bodies smacking together with enough force to send him staggering backwards. A curse exploded from his lips as he lunged for his sister. She flinched as he caught her teetering form and steadied her.
Fear and apologies branded her face. “I’m so sorry, Sebastian.”
“No. It’s my fault,” he said. “I didn’t see you. Are you okay?”
Nodding, Monique let out the breath she’d been holding. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
Sebastian squinted up at the deck and rolled his shoulders. He winced when the bones in his neck gave a stiff pop. “I’m trying for Taylor’s sake. I want her to have a nice day, but I don’t know how much more I can take. It’s bad enough having all these strangers around, but that redheaded hose beast is driving me crazy.”
“Irene?” she asked, turning to follow his frigid glare. “What did she do now?”
“Nothing. She’s just drunk and in heat.”
Monique smothered a laugh. Her expression shifted to one of sincerity when he scowled. “I’m sorry,” she said, her shoulders still shaking. “It’s just I don’t think it’s the booze in this case. That woman’s been eye raping you since the moment you walked through the door.”
He snorted. “It’s my money she wants, Monique. Not me.”
“Unless you started stuffing your cash down the front of your pants, I highly disagree.”
His cheeks flamed with the implication. “I don’t want to have this conversation. What the hell is wrong with people anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“No one has any sense of loyalty anymore. Friends, family, coworkers. None of it matters. Nothing is sacred. Everyone is just looking for a way to throw someone else under the bus and get what they want. It’s sickening.”
His sister frowned. “That’s not true, Sebastian.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked. “I wish I could say that’s been my experience with people lately, but it hasn’t.” Forcing a small smile, he backed away. “Go have fun. You worked hard to put all of this together. I don’t need you to hold my hand. I’ll behave.”
The last of their guests had just finished taking their seats when the catering staff started to make their rounds with steaming platters of meat. The smell of seared steak, barbequed pork, and prime rib rolled off the serving trays, making his mouth water. Grilled vegetables, baby red potatoes, and seafood skewers added bright splashes of color along with some options for their more health conscious guests. Sebastian’s shoulders sagged with relief as Taylor finally dropped into the chair beside him and snuggled closer. The fresh scent of sunshine clung to her, mingling with the familiar scent of her skin. Her nearness alone helped put a momentary lid on his turbulent emotions. Smiling, he leaned over to brush a light kiss across her cheek.
“There you are,” he murmured. “I’ve missed you.”
Her bright grey eyes danced with happiness as she peered up at him. “I missed you, too. Thank you so much, Sebby. This has been one of the best days of my entire life. I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I never had a birthday party before.”
His heart ached at the notion. Squelching a frown, he lifted her chin and stole another kiss. “You are more than welcome. You deserve the best, baby.”
“Everyone seems so happy. They’re having a great time. You should have heard Kelly and Jess going on about the house and how lucky I was to have a man like you.”
He lowered his head to hide the warmth he felt creeping into his cheeks. “They don’t know me. Your opinion is the only one that matters, Taylor. You’re the one who has to put up with me.”
She pressed her forehead against his, her voice coming in a soft murmur. “For the most part, that’s a challenge I enjoy, Agent Baas. I have no problem admitting I am a very lucky girl today.”
Cupping her face, he stroked his thumbs over the well-defined slopes of her cheekbones. “As long as you think so, sweetheart, that’s all that matters.”
Feeling the inquisitive stares of his teammates, he begrudgingly released her and turned his attention to his plate. His thoughts dulled as food, conversation, and liquor flowed freely around them. People seemed more than content to gorge on all three. Laughter and a loud cacophony of voices carried from every direction as their guests mingled. For the most part, the invasion of privacy had him on edge. His guard was heightened to the point of painful awareness, and much to his disappointment, he lost Taylor again before he’d even finished eating.
His eyes narrowed as two giggling women he didn’t recognize swept her out of her chair and proceeded to drag her back toward the dance floor. Sebastian tried to offer an encouraging smile when she glanced over her shoulder, but his
heart wasn’t in it. More than anything, he just wanted their home and their life to go back to normal.
After pitching the remainder of his food into the trash, he reluctantly settled onto one of the chaise loungers on the deck and nursed a gin and tonic. Closing his eyes, he pondered the past few weeks. There was no denying the anguish and frustration they’d inflicted. The past few months had left him reeling. He’d lost Christian, Lucian, and Mia all within a matter of weeks. While all of that cut far deeper than he cared to admit, what happened to Taylor—in his home—threatened to send him into a tailspin. A man’s home was his castle. It was supposed to be a place of safety and sanctity. He’d needed a haven to turn to, a place far away from SKALS and untouched by all of its horrors. Now, even that was tainted.
A soft curse escaped him. As much as he tried to rationalize everything and chalk it up to coincidence, he couldn’t. He wanted to believe otherwise, but his instincts screamed Marx was to blame. Every ounce of heartache and suffering he’d ever endured somehow landed smack dab in the middle of that smug bastard’s lap. And for what?
The cold, snow-covered graves of his half-brother and nephew resurfaced in his mind, along with the gut-wrenching images of Taylor’s battered body. They played and replayed, haunting him in an agonizing loop. The kaleidoscope like fragments shifted, but never disappeared as they tumbled through his memory. His fists clenched as Marx’s gloating face and taunting sneer burned behind his closed lids.
“Hey. You sure you’re okay, partner?”
