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“Yes, sir.”
“That’s my good girl.”
She flushed seeing his gaze settle on the glistening juncture between her legs. She could feel the dampness still coating her and the cool chill of the air as it slid across her skin. Embarrassed, she tried to close herself off and shield herself from his view. His eyes snapped to hers, a harsh look of displeasure instantly stamping his face. Wrenching her knees back apart, Sebastian leaned over her, his fingers tightening.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Biting back a whimper, she shook her head, unable to voice an explanation.
“Look at me,” he commanded, his voice sharp. He waited until he had her full attention before speaking. “You know better. Don’t ever do that again. Do you understand me?”
His tone was slow and measured, making her heart pound.
“Yes, but I was just--”
His smile was less than forgiving. “I don’t want to hear it. You are mine, Taylor. I will look at you and touch you whenever I want. Those have always been the terms between us. Don’t expect that to change. If you want me to crack down or punish you, all you have to do is ask. Do not push me to that point, sweetheart. Do I make myself clear?”
She swallowed and lowered her eyes. “Yes, sir. Very.”
“Good,” he said, cupping her chin. “Bear that in mind.”
This time his smile was a bit more genuine and faint traces of his dimples bloomed against his cheeks as he helped her into a sitting position. Still frustrated and aching, she grabbed his hands, catching them between hers. Sebastian paused, his head tipping in silent question. She didn’t understand how she could still feel so shy around him sometimes. He’d explored every single inch of her body several times over. He knew every flaw, every detail, every secret she had and yet something about him still managed to tie her in knots.
“I want you,” she whispered, avoiding his curious gaze. “I need more, Sebastian. It’s not enough. I need you inside me.”
His expression crumpled, reflecting both pain and empathy as he threaded his fingers through her hair and tugged her head closer to his. Closing his eyes, he pressed a kiss against the top of her head. “You have no idea how much I want to. I would give damn near anything to throw you down right now.”
She wound her fingers in the warm folds of his tee-shirt and tugged the soft white cotton in a fit of desperation. “So do it,” she urged, her voice breaking. “Please.”
He kissed her softly, his lips lingering in gentle promise. Meeting her eyes, he captured her face between his hands. “I want to, baby. So much, but I don’t trust myself. Let me get some work done. Give me a chance to gather my thoughts and cool down. After that, I’m all yours. ”
“Sebastian…”
“Shh,” he soothed, laying a finger against her lips. “It’s only an hour or two. You will live.”
She pouted, her shoulders dropping with her heavy sigh. There was no point in arguing. The only thing she would accomplish by pushing the matter was provoking his temper. When Sebastian set his mind to something that was it. No amount of begging or pleading would sway his decision. Frowning, she reached down and toyed with the front of his zipper.
“At least let me do something for you,” she suggested, tugging him forward by the seam. “I’d be more than happy to take off the edge.”
“Mmm, baby, as tempting as that is, I told you I have some things I need to do. I’ll tell you what,” he said, scooping her into his arms and lifting her with ease. “I’m going to take you upstairs and get you settled. Relax a little. Take a nice long bath and do what you need to do. When I’m finished working, I expect to find you naked and waiting in our bed. No excuses. Is that clear?”
Smiling, she nodded happily against the side of his neck. “Yes, sir. Your wishes are my command.”
Chuckling, he gave her ass a playful swat as he carried her up the stairs. “Good girl. That is exactly the kind of response I like to hear.”
CHAPTER 10 ~
Sebastian slammed his laptop shut. A full week had passed since his conversation with Jack Gill, but he was no closer to getting what either of them needed. Seven whole days of scouring one end of the country to the next. Seven days of watching and waiting for the other shoe to drop and living on constant edge. When not consumed with wondering when their plans would fall into action, files, memos, and agendas filled his days. Every hour, more of them poured in, littering the surface of his desk. The workload was starting to feel like an insurmountable mountain. One he couldn’t scale.
It took effort to force his attention back to his reports. The outline for Operation Blackout wasn’t pretty, and it made the light breakfast he’d scarfed down before leaving the house sour in his gut. The whiskey he kept tossing back didn’t help matters any, but it was the only way he could dull the dim voices of conscience and protest screaming in the back of his mind.
Weakness, compassion, and mercy weren’t an option here. They were things that got a man killed or tossed in a reconditioning cell for weeks on end. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a brief twinge of terror and disgust. The civilians living outside the black site had no idea what was coming. They were mere lambs heading to their slaughter.
Polishing off his drink, he lowered his glass with a grimace.
They would cut all forms of communication with a single push of the button and set up perimeter. Nothing would be able to get in or out of the target area. Once the lines and signals were down, the units would descend and cordon the people off like sheep. From there, they were to round the tiny population up and transport them to various black sites where they would undergo rigorous evaluation.
Letting his head fall back to rest against the top of his chair, Sebastian scrubbed his hands roughly over his face. Marx could dress it up any way he wanted. They both knew it was just a nice way of saying brainwashing or torture that would either mold the group or break them. Marx would spare the ones he found useful and exterminate the rest. Sebastian frowned. That was their agenda. That was the mission he was facing, yet he’d been forced to deliver a slightly different version with a prettier spin to his team.
A stiff knock on the door drew his attention. Glancing up, he watched the guard stationed outside his office keep Josh at bay until he offered a slight nod of consent. Rolling his eyes at the man as if he should have known better, Josh pushed past the security detail and shut the door with a little more force than was necessary. Fighting to keep his amusement veiled, Sebastian poured another drink and watched his partner drop into his usual
seat.
“TGIF. I can’t wait to get the fuck out of here tonight,” Josh said. “I swear to Christ Marx is riding my ass worse than a bad pair of jeans.”
Sebastian offered a dismissive shrug. “That’s his right. Did you turn in your reports?”
“Yeah. It’s handled Baas. You might want to check in with young blood though. Our guppy’s been looking a little green under the gills lately.”
“Are we referring to Jackson or is someone else’s competence in question?”
Josh spread his hands with a disgruntled snort. “Does it really matter? They’re all floundering. Half of them won’t make it six months here and that’s being fucking generous. It reminds me of when I was a kid. I begged my old man constantly for a puppy. It was a cycle. He’d cave and give in, but the first time the mutt chewed something it wasn’t supposed to, he’d boot it right out the door. That shit happened three times. Eventually I learned not to get attached.”
“Charming,” Sebastian quipped. “Why didn’t you just stop asking?”
“I don’t know. Sheer tenacity I guess. Sometimes we’re so blinded by what we want that we can’t see the bigger picture.”
The comment struck far too close to home. Mouth pursed into a firm line of displeasure and jaw set, Sebastian studied his partner. Josh’s face revealed nothing. Per usual, the man exuded a carefree and laid-back attitude that he’d come to envy all too often as of late. He almost resented it at times, especially when it felt as if the world itself was bearing down on his shoulders. Josh glanced away, seeking distraction from the scrutiny. Sebastian let a few more seconds pass before returning his focus to the files stacked on his desk.
“Is there a reason for this visit?” he asked without looking up.
“Yeah. Actually, there is. This past week or so has been rough. I don’t like all the tension and distance between us. I know a lot of that is my fault, but I get the feeling you’re keeping something from me. Something big. I know I screwed up. I’m sorry I broke your trust. Hell, I deserve the cold shoulder, but I don’t deserve to be shut out. This shit between you and Vince is really starting to rub me the wrong way. He’s not your partner, Baas. I am.”
