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Settling against him, she let her eyes drift shut once again and released a shaky sigh.
“I don’t know, Seb. I really don’t.” She bit the inside corner of her mouth for a second and shook her head as much as she could muster. “It’s kind of blurry, but I remember the car started acting funny. We hadn’t even made it halfway down the road yet and it started shimmying and shaking. I was trying to make it to the shopping plaza so I could pull over and pop the hood. I’m no expert, but I had to jimmy things in the pickup truck so many times I thought I might be able to figure it out. The stoplight changed, but when I tried to brake, nothing happened. I put the pedal to the floor, I tried pumping it, but nothing,” she said, her breath coming quicker as she remembered gliding through the open intersection and the absolute panic that came before the deafening crunch of metal and splintering glass. “I tried everything, but I just couldn’t stop, Sebby. I couldn’t stop…”
“Shh. Okay. It’s okay.” He frowned against her temple, his fingers never stopping their soothing massage. “I’m trying to understand here, but it doesn’t make any sense, baby. The car is brand new. It didn’t even have a hundred miles on it yet and an issue with the motor wouldn’t affect the brakes.”
“I know…but that’s what happened, Seb. I swear. I’m so sorry. The car is totaled, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. It is, but I don’t give a damn about that. All that matters is that you and the baby are okay. I’m just trying to figure out what happened here, Taylor. That’s all.”
“I don’t know. I really don’t.”
“Okay,” he murmured, his voice coming in a calming rumble. “I’m sorry I’m pushing, but this is important. I need you to think back for me. Think back to the beginning. Did you notice anything strange before you got in the car? Anything at all.”
She frowned. The throbbing inside her skull intensified as she struggled to fight her way through the hazy memories crowding her brain. Then she sat up, a cold trickle of fear crawling down her spine. Turning as much as she could against his chest, she searched his eyes through the shadows.
“This wasn’t just some freak accident, was it?”
“I don’t know. Right now, I just want to take every precaution. Think for me, sweetheart.”
Her brow knitted in concentration. She winced feeling the small beads of sweat condense on her forehead. It was bad enough being in the hospital without stewing in your own fluids.
“There was something strange,” she said, “but I don’t know if it has anything to do with what happened or not.”
“No detail is too small. Tell me what you remember,” Sebastian coaxed.
“There was a man who caught my attention when we were putting the cart away. I probably wouldn’t have noticed him, but his hair was a blindingly bright silver that glinted in the sun. He was walking at a brisk pace and he didn’t have any groceries that I could see. Just a funny briefcase. That’s what really caught my attention.”
“Funny how?”
“It wasn’t a typical business binder. It was boxy and looked like it was plastic. In fact, I remember standing there, almost half expecting the supermarket to blow. I felt silly afterwards when nothing happened. Like I had watched one too many Hollywood action movies. I even made a joke to Rupert about it when he asked what was wrong. I guess it wasn’t as farfetched as it seemed.”
Sebastian’s forehead knitted. She could almost see him skimming through his memory, seeing if anyone he knew fit that description. They must not have, because he sighed with a frustrated shake of his head.
“Did you see him get into his vehicle?”
“Yeah. It was a sleek SUV. Black, a Navigator I believe. Like I said, it was so typical it wasn’t funny.”
“What about a license plate? Do you remember anything about it? Any of the letters or digits?”
“No. I looked. I know I did, but I can’t remember now. I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore, Seb. I’m so tired and everything hurts.”
“Okay, sweetheart. You did good. I’ll look into it. I promise. You just rest and get better,” he said, rubbing her temples. “The only thing I want you to worry about is taking good care of yourself and our baby.”
Her heart sank upon hearing mention of their child. Her insides twisted as the cold reality of their situation settled over her like a wet blanket. Trying to still the tremble of nerves and pain shimmying through her, Taylor fought to find her voice.
“Do you think Marx might have had something to do with this?”
His hesitation and the deep creases forming in Sebastian’s brow gave her all the answers she needed. After a long moment, his shoulders fell with his exhale and he shook his head. “I don’t know, baby. I wouldn’t put anything past that smug bastard at this point, but one way or another, I swear to you, I will get to the bottom of this. I don’t care what it takes or what I have to do, I will find out who is to blame, and I will make them pay. I don’t care if it’s the dealership or Marx, himself. Someone is going to answer for what they’ve done.”
The vehemence and anger in his icy rasp sent a cold chill down her spine. Shivering, she draped her hand over his corded forearm and stroked the light dusting of hair there in an effort to soothe them both. “Don’t do this, Seb. Not now. Just stay here and hold me…please?”
He stiffened behind her. “Do what, Taylor?” he asked. “What is it you don’t want me to do?” He craned his head in an attempt to study her face.
She tried to turn away, but the gentle strength of his fingers wrapped around her chin and brought her gaze back to his.
“I won’t just let it go, Taylor. I’m not you. I’m not wired that way. You’re all about forgiveness and compassion, but I can’t afford that luxury. In my line of work, those sort of things will get you killed. I’m not weak, and I’m not going to look the other way. I protect what’s mine.”
Closing her eyes, she tucked her head beneath his chin and offered a mute nod. There was no point in arguing. Sebastian was smart. Deep down, he had to see it was nothing more than an ugly cycle they were both churning in. Violence and anger only perpetuated more of the same. Someone always had to do one better, to get the last laugh, until, in the end, there was no one left. He knew that. They both did, but there was no changing his mind.
As surprising as it was, it didn’t take much to still her thoughts. Pushing her frustrations aside, she contented herself with focusing on the strong, steady beat of his heart, the familiar comfort of his clean, woodsy smell, and the tiny life the two of them had created. As if sensing her thoughts, his hand spanned across her stomach in a protective cradle. His dimpled smile stretched against her hair in the darkness and his contented rumble vibrated against her.
“I love you, baby. Both of you. No matter what, please remember that.”
“I will,” she promised. “We love you too. That’s why I’m begging you to be careful.”
“Always, sweetheart,” he assured her softly. “Now close those beautiful eyes and get some sleep. I’ll be right here with you. I promise.”
Wrapped in his arms, knowing he was there and would let no harm come to her, the rest of the world seemed a million miles away. Nestling closer, she let Sebastian’s all-encompassing presence envelop her and lull her back into the blissful numbness of her dreams.
CHAPTER 2 ~
No amount of whiskey could tamp down the hatred and disgust battering his system from the inside out. There was no point in even trying. Every time he looked at Marx, accusations burned hot and flashes of an unspeakable future played out like a kaleidoscope of horror in his head. Lending voice to either right now or giving into the urge to pic
k up a bottle and dull his senses would only get him killed. He needed his mind sharp, even if that meant feeling every nuance of bitterness and pain. Until then, his only hope in all of this was to play along and continue to be an invaluable asset in their director’s eyes. Unfortunately, that was not an easy façade to maintain when he couldn’t even look at the man. Even a few feet away, Marx’s presence was smothering and Sebastian had to keep his back turned as he stared out the window.
“I will be docking your pay for skipping out early,” Marx warned.
“Do what you have to,” Sebastian countered dryly.
“This isn’t a personal vendetta against you, Baas. We have standards here and rules to maintain.”
“I am well aware of both. As I said, do what you have to.” He watched Marx’s stalwart nod in the reflective glare of the windowpane.
“How is she?” the director asked, crossing the room to settle his heavy bulk onto one of the leather armchairs.
Sebastian bit his cheeks to keep his sarcasm and hostility at bay. As much as he wanted to think Marx was innocent, he’d seen nothing so far to convince him the man was. Not with Taylor’s accident, and not with Project Blue. In fact, he could take the sudden act of concern and shove it straight up his ass as far as Sebastian was concerned.
“Let’s skip the friendly banter,” he growled, turning from the window with a cold gleam in his eye. “Taylor is alive and we both know that’s far from the outcome you desired.”
The guards stationed in the room shifted, but said nothing. Their presence alone was a good indication Marx knew where this conversation was going to go.
The commander’s lips twitched at the corners and he stroked a finger over his close-cropped moustache. “That may be true, but you are sorely mistaken if you think this botched assassination attempt had anything to do with me.”
“Am I?” Sebastian asked. A hard tremble ran through him and he locked his hands behind his back to keep from reaching for his gun. “This wouldn’t be the first time someone in my family has died at the hands of an unfortunate car accident.”
