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He burst into the director’s office unannounced. Several weapons cocked and took aim how way in unison. Marx’s mouth twitched at the corners as he stared back at him, debating how their next course of action would play. Unfazed, Sebastian kept his pistol trained as well, unwilling to back down. His gaze, however, did dart to Josh.
His partner stood to the side, his steely blue eyes revealing nothing as he watched the action unfold. A slight tremble worked its way through Sebastian’s hand upon seeing him. Hurt battled with the anger coursing through him as he saw the man he once trusted edge closer to their director and take a visible stand. This seemed to please Marx and he gestured for the guards in the room to lower their rifles with a slight wave of his hand.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Agent Baas,” he stated calmly. He raised a brow as he settled his substantial bulk back down onto his seat. “I figured you would have some funeral arrangements to make.”
The words cut him to the quick, but he refused to let it show. “Where is she?” he asked, still keeping the barrel of his Desert Eagle aimed at the man’s chest.
Sighing, Marx peered back at him before shrugging and lifting his palms in a questioning spread. “You tell me. I sent you home two nights ago with the ashes. What you did with them after that isn’t for me to say. Through I will admit some small part of me was hoping you would toss them in the trash and move past this.”
He clenched his teeth so hard they hurt. His molars throbbed and a dull ache branched through both sides of his jaw. The muscles in his arm knotted and he could feel his finger tighten on the trigger. It took effort, but he finally managed to calm down just enough to speak his mind.
“I am done playing games with you, you son-of-a-bitch. I know you are lying to me. There’s no proof. Nothing backing your claims that Taylor’s dead. I want her back, Marx, and I swear to God I won’t stop until I find her. I will level this organization and burn your empire to the fucking ground if that’s what I have to do. I will rip away everything anyone in this godforsaken pit has ever cared about. I’m going to ask you this one more time, and one time only…WHERE IS SHE?”
Again, the smug bastard merely spread his hands in quiet supplication, though Josh shifted uneasily on his feet, his gaze darting between the two of them and filling with something close to pleading. Sebastian didn’t care. The prick was lucky he was still breathing. His entire life was unraveling, falling apart at the seams, and not once had Josh called or stopped by to visit. Not even when he was laid up in recovery. The reasons why were all too clear now. He was too busy cozying up to Marx’s side, garnering favor and trying to take his place. The thought was almost enough to make him laugh. If he wanted to reside over the steaming pile of shit Marx was leaving in his wake, the asshole was more than welcome to it.
Still, it hurt to watch him stick that knife in his back and twist. He forced his attention back to Marx.
The commander regarded him with a disgusted shake of his head. “You are more than welcome to search every inch of this place if you insist. Search the black sites, too, if that will make you feel better. Then, when you are finished, I want you to turn your shit in. You’re officially on leave until further notice. If I see you before then, I won’t hesitate to have an entire squad empty their clips in your head. Is that clear?”
A terse sneer inched across his face and his lip hitched on a snarl. “Crystal.”
“If I were you, I would keep that temper of yours and your instincts under wraps, Agent Baas. If your fiancée is alive, as you seem so inclined to insist, I may be the last link to her you have. Keep your finger off the trigger and bear that in mind.”
He wanted to blow the smug look right off the bastard’s face. He wanted to paint the walls with a fresh coat of Marx’s blood, or rip the heart from his chest and slowly skin him alive. It took effort not to do those things, especially when the sadistic leader’s words sank in and rang with the heavy echoes of truth. When it came to retaliation, for the moment at least, his hands were tied. That also meant he had to do everything in his power to make sure the other agencies stood down and bided their time.
It was such a cruel and ironic twist of fate. The one person he wanted dead more than anything was the one person he needed to keep alive...and that was going to be no easy feat. The government wanted Marx shut down and they wanted it now.
Unless he could find Taylor’s location or come up with some sort of leverage to use, they were all living on borrowed time.
CHAPTER 15 ~
Sebastian sat shrouded in the dark shadows of the house. A few quick seconds was all it had taken to pick the lock. Now, his fingers drummed a light beat against the back of the leather couch as he bided his time and waited. Monique had done quite well for herself with the money he’d given her over the years. Of course, that was such a small part of their deal. Now it was time to put up or shut up. The time for payment had come.
A slow smile split his face at the telltale jingle of keys outside the door.
He shook his head as Monique made it halfway across the living room with the groceries she was toting before the little alarm bells went off in her head and told her something was wrong. She froze. A small tremble of uncertainty worked its way through her as she turned her head, scanning the familiar shapes of her home. Knowing she sensed him, Sebastian saw no point in dragging the game out any further.
“Hello, Monique.”
She cried out. The bags she’d been clutching tumbled to the floor as he stood. Plastic split against hardwood, and a thin ribbon of milk dribbled through the slit with a soft gurgle. Sebastian trapped a rolling orange beneath the hard sole of his shoe, his eyes locking on the startled blonde. She edged back, her body shaking as she struggled to maintain the last bits of her composure.
“Sebastian.”
Using the toe of his shoe, he kicked the orange into the air and caught it. He turned it slowly in his hand before returning his gaze to her. “You don’t sound that surprised to see me.”
She gave a shaky exhale. “I’m so sorry about what happened to Taylor.”
“Right,” he stated. “What happened to Taylor. It’s unfortunate. I’m assuming you have been busy and that’s why you haven’t bothered to call or come see me.”
Reaching over, he flipped on the lights. The recessed tracks flooded the kitchen with a warm glow. Using the mess to distract herself, Monique gathered up her groceries and dropped them on the counter. Her hands shook as he approached.
“What do you want from me?”
His lips curled with a ghost of a smile. Leaning over, he trapped her between his body and the unyielding spread of the counter.
“I made the mistake of ignoring my intuition once, Monique, and I ended up losing something very important to me. I lost it, and now it’s gone. Or so I’ve been led to believe.” She opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a look and the press of his finger. “I know what you are going to say. Don’t insult me by trying to speak.”
She nodded in mute compliance. Her body sagged with visible relief as he turned away. Tension radiated from Monique’s slender form while he paced the room in front of her. He whirled without warning, grasping the slender column of her throat. Her green eyes locked with his, pleading, as he squeezed until the delicate column of her windpipe threatened to cave.
“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you, Monique?” His voice remained calm and collected.
She shook her head in adamant denial. Sebastian released her slowly, his gaze boring into her as she gripped the counter behind her to keep from hitting her knees.
“The only reason I allowed the two of you to become friends is because I thought that bond might be useful. I wanted a family. I wanted those ties. I did everything for you. I have taken care of you and provided for you, not to mention doing everything I could to assure you were happy. I did that for you, Monique, and for Josh, but the two of you betrayed me. You turned your backs on me, and still, I was kind enough to let you live. Do you re
ally think I am stupid enough to fall for it twice?”
“Seb-Sebastain, I don’t know what you are talking about, I swear.”
“No?” he asked quietly. “I held up my end of the bargain. I went out of my way to make sure you could still see your daughter. I put a roof over your head and paid your bills. Looking around, I would say I have been more than generous in those accommodations. All of this,” he said, gesturing to the lavish space around them. “And yet, I still don’t have what I asked you for.”
She lifted her hands as he prowled closer. “Sebastian, please, just listen to me.”
