He grabs my arm and turns me to face him, his eyes shining with sincerity. “I shouldn’t have contacted her, okay? I don’t want anything to do with her. Not anymore. But like I said, it’s complicated.”
“How complicated?” The question slips past my defenses without permission.
He doesn’t respond, only holds my gaze, the clue to my answer flickering in his tight expression.
“Tell me,” I demand, “before I find a phone and call Cole.”
He sighs. “She isn’t someone who can be denied. She always gets what she wants. One way or another.”
I hate her already. Even more than I already did. “And what she wants is you?”
“Today, yes. Who knows what she’ll want tomorrow.” He shrugs. “But I’m not interested in her. I promise.”
I should’ve scratched her eyes out instead of running to her aid. Only problem is, that’s another point I can’t ignore. “You were threatening her with a gun.”
“Because she was threatening you. I’m not going to apologize for being possessive. I’ll shut down anyone who contemplates putting you in harm’s way. I’ve told you this a hundred times.”
The words sink deep, the sincerity in his eyes sinking deeper. He’s trying to weave me under his spell again.
He reaches out, stroking his thumb over my cheek. “I’ll stop at nothing to keep you safe.”
“And what if it’s you I need to be kept safe from?”
His hand falls. “Is that how you feel?”
I don’t know how to answer. Strategy or honesty. Truth or lies. “Getting involved with you was a mistake.”
“Bullshit. You don’t believe that.”
I don’t know what I believe anymore.
“Keira.” He whispers my name, the syllables drowning in sorrow. “Deep down, you know this is real. What we’ve got isn’t something that should be thrown away.”
I scoff. “That’s awfully poetic.”
His fingers loosen around mine, his touch climbing my arm, moving along my shoulder, burning a frantic trail until he gently clasps the back of my neck. He demands my attention with the possessive hold. He commands my eyes to meet his without a single word.
I blink back at his fierce expression, my breathing growing ragged. I lick my lip. I shudder. All my responses are involuntary. When it comes to Sebastian, I guess they always are.
“It’s not poetic. It’s the fucking truth.” His fingers stroke back and forth along my sensitive skin. “Neither one of us wanted this. But it happened. And I’m not going to let you convince me it doesn’t mean anything to you. Because I know it does.”
I clamp my lips tight.
I’m not going to confirm or deny.
“Keira. Please.” His face is scrunched in pain. “I’m—”
His sentence is cut short by the melodic sound of his cell, the loud ring echoing through the alley.
“Shit.” He lowers his hand from my neck to retrieve a phone from his pocket. “I need to answer this. It’ll be Hunter.”
I nod. “Go ahead.”
He stares at me, the cell palmed in his hand. “Not until you tell me we’re good.”
The phone continues to ring, the annoying tone forever tattooed in my brain to remind me of the moment I made a decision that would either make me sink or swim.
“We’re good,” I whisper.
His features relax, the slightest smile tugging at his lips as he connects the call and raises it to his ear. “Hunt? Where are you?”
He wraps a hand around my waist, and I don’t deny the touch. I’ve made my decision. I need to stick to it.
“How far away?” He backs me into the wall as he speaks, his hips pressing into mine. “Yeah. We’re already here. After you take the turn off, you’ll see the Porsche parked on the side of the road.”
His heat sinks into me, the exposed skin of his chest tempting.
“I’ll see you in a minute.” He disconnects the call and places the cell into his pocket. “They’re almost here.”
“They?” Has my brother come to save me from making more poor decisions? Or would he pressure me to make more?
“Hunt and Sarah. We need to meet them at the car.”
“Okay.” I inch along the wall, only to have him stop me with a strong hand on my waist.
“Say it again,” he begs. “Tell me I didn’t fuck things up.”
My stomach churns. There’s no right answer when there’s too much wrong in this situation.
“I’ll get over it.” I swallow and force myself to follow the path I’ve chosen. “We’re good, Sebastian.”
That smile returns a second before he steals a kiss. His lips are harsh and possessive. They claim me, taking me over, dragging me under. Then, just as quick, they’re gone.
“You’re killing me, you know that?” He grins. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I swear you’re slaying me one slow inch at a time.”
Maybe I am.
Maybe he’s doing the same to me.
I guess only time will tell.
“We better get going.” I maneuver out from against him and lead the way. “Hunter doesn’t seem like the type to appreciate waiting.”
“Hunter’s not the type to appreciate much of anything.” He catches up to me, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
We walk to the car, and neither of us has words to fill the uncomfortable void as we pause to lean side-by-side against the hood. It’s my fault. I went from zero to sixty in a heartbeat with this man. I pulled all the stops. Then had to swerve off course when that woman showed up.
Which sparks to life an important question. “How did she find us?”
He stares at the road, not a single flicker marring his expression. “My guess? She put some tracking app on my phone.”
I frown. “You let her mess around with your cell?”
He keeps ogling the same spot of asphalt near his feet. “I think she’s used it once or twice to make a call. Who knows what she did during that time. I’ll have to ditch it and buy a burner until we get back to Portland.”
My brows knit tighter. He’s too calm. He doesn’t understand what all this means. “Sebastian…” I don’t know how to broach the consequences.
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Let it go.”
I can’t. Tracking him means she’d have a wealth of information. Every job he’s done for my family would be traceable. Any alibi we gave him could be exposed as a lie. And the safe house… Shit. She would know the exact location of where we’re staying, now and when my family needs to hide in the future. “You don’t understand what this means.”
“I know exactly what it means, Keira.” His voice is barely audible. “And I know what needs to be done, too. Let me handle it.”
My heart squeezes. We’re both talking about the same thing. About killing a woman because of her infatuation. Nausea swirls in my gut, the sensation multiplying the longer we stand in silence.
I can’t drag my gaze away from him. I watch his profile as he raises his attention to the oncoming traffic, his disposition calm despite the death that’s about to lay at his feet.
He fits into my family better than I thought. His puzzle piece slides in right beside mine. I don’t know if it’s a good thing, or bad. Should I appreciate his familiarity or be disappointed that he’s so similar to Cole?
“They’re here.” He pushes from the hood and stands tall as a black Chevy Suburban pulls in behind us.
I join him, greeting Hunter and Sarah with a faux smile while they climb from the car.
“I’m glad you’re safe,” Sarah says in greeting. If those words came from any other person, I’d expect a hug to come with it, but she’s not the type. She cares to the fullest and despises shows of affection in equal measure.
On the outside, she’s a total badass. Entirely dark, from her black tank, skirt, and fuck-me boots. But on the inside, I know she isn’t that tough.
Then there’s Hunter, who approaches with the sam
e scowl that’s been tattooed on his face from the first moment we met.
“Thanks for the concern, sweetness,” Sebastian drawls. “I knew you’d miss me.”
She turns her attention to him, eyeing his clothes with derision. “What’s with the shirt? Did you become a stripper and forget to tell me?”
“Sure did.” He grins. “Want a lap dance?”
I bristle, all the hairs on the back of my neck rising in jealousy.
“Quit the shit,” Hunter scolds. “And why the fuck are you dressed like that?”
“I’m setting a new—”
“It’s my fault,” I admit, already sick of the playful joker. Minutes ago Sebastian had been someone else. Someone brutal and honest. The guy beside me is different, and I have no clue which personality is the fake one. “I shrunk his shirt, and we haven’t had a chance to buy him any new clothes.”
Hunter juts his chin in acknowledgement, then focuses on Sebastian as if I no longer exist. “We need to go somewhere and talk.”
Sebastian nods. “There’s a diner further up the road. We can go there.”
“The women can,” Hunter clarifies. “You and I are going to find someplace private.”
There’s a pause of silence, the beat of contemplation slipping through us all.
They’re going to leave me behind. Alone. Unprotected.
I’m not overly concerned. Nobody is likely to find me out here. Except Sebastian’s formidable ex. And even if she did approach me, there’s a thing or two I’d like to get off my chest as far as she’s concerned.
“I’m not going anywhere without Keira.” Sebastian’s brows pull tight. “She stays with me.”
“Sarah can take over for a while. We won’t be gone long. We’ll take a short drive. We don’t need to go far.”
“Sarah?” Sebastian scoffs.
“Yeah, me.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Please be dumb enough to tell me you don’t think I’m capable.”
“Well, okay, seeing as though you—”
“Seriously, shut the fuck up,” Hunter snaps, his viciousness making me jolt. “We need to get moving.”
“No.” Sebastian loses the playful expression. “I said I’m not leaving her. We can have a private conversation wherever the hell you like, but I’m keeping her in my sights.”
There’s an emotional standoff. One fierce man staring down another.
“You’re not thinking straight,” Hunter snarls through clenched teeth. “We need to talk. In private.”
This is never going to end. Not without a fistfight. Or worse.
Sarah meets my gaze and raises a brow in question. I know what she’s asking. And I guess I should’ve opened my mouth sooner, but the display of overbearing protection is hard to ignore. It penetrates the drama-filled thoughts from earlier and leaves me a little more susceptible to Sebastian’s charm.
“I’ll be fine.” I incline my head in the direction of the diner and start striding out the distance. “I can take care of myself until you get back.”
“Keira, wait.” Sebastian jogs after me, rounds me up to walk backward in an effort to hold my gaze. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know. But Hunter isn’t giving you a choice.” I paste on a smile. “Go. Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be waiting for you once you get back.”
He stops and grabs my arms, his eyes filling with furious concern. “I don’t—”
“It’s not a big deal.” I place a hand over his and squeeze. “The sooner you go, the sooner you come back.”
“Are you sure?” He scrutinizes me.
“She’s sure.” Sarah approaches my side. “Hurry up and get out of here before my man bursts an artery.” She grabs my wrist and tugs. “Come on, Kee. Let’s have some girl bonding time.”
She leads me away, my hand falling from Sebastian’s arm as he stands tall in defiance.
“I’ll be right back,” he mutters.
“Take your time,” Sarah calls out over her shoulder. “The two of us have a lot to discuss.”
I feel him watching me as I leave. The warm tingle follows my every step. When I’m about to turn the corner, I glance over my shoulder, and there he is, still in the same spot, staring at me.
“You two hooked up, didn’t you?” Sarah drops my arm. “I thought Hunter was joking when he mentioned it this morning.”
“Excuse me?” My attention snaps to her. “Hunter said something?”
“He speculated that Decker couldn’t keep his dick in his pants. But now it’s obvious. That right there went above and beyond protection. He’s hooked.”
“No comment.” I increase my pace. I’m not sure why.
I guess I’m trying to outrun the conversation. Or Sarah entirely. And she lets me. For the most part. She hangs back a little, allowing me to walk a few steps in front, until we reach the diner.
I push the door wide, letting her enter before me.
“There’s no outrunning this conversation.” She smirks as she passes. “I’ll buy you a coffee so we can settle in and discuss you and Decker fucking.”
She says it loud enough to draw attention. Loud enough to turn my cheeks to flame. Then struts those boots to the far wall to claim a booth.
I should leave. I seriously doubt anyone nearby is going to make me more uncomfortable then she is. Coffee be damned. Waterboarding would be more enjoyable than this.
It’s no secret I don’t talk sex with friends. For starters, I don’t have a lot of people I can confide in, and second, I don’t have a lot of sex.
Who the hell am I kidding? I have none of either.
Not until Sebastian, who seems to be trying to fulfil my needs on both.
“Are you waiting to be seated?” A waitress asks.
I cringe. “No, I’m waiting for hell to open up and swallow me whole.”
She frowns.
“I’m fine,” I mutter and drag my feet toward the booth.
Sarah still has the smug expression plastered on her pretty face. It brings me chills as I slide into the opposite seat.
“We’re not discussing it.” I place my hands on the table and look her straight in the eye. “Anything about Sebastian is off limits.”
“Sebastian?” She purses her lips. “Is that his name?”
I ignore her and glance at the waitress approaching our table.
“What would you like to or—”
“A strong coffee, please. Very strong. And a bagel, too.”
Sarah chuckles. “I’ll have the same.”
“Why don’t you try decaf?” I taunt. Caffeine is the last thing this interrogator needs.
Her lips quirk in amusement as the waitress finishes writing up our order and leaves us alone.
“You’re edgy. Why?” She scrutinizes me. “It’s just sex, right?”
Yeah. There’s nothing else going on. Not at all.
Not one damn thing.
“That’s exactly right.” I grab a salt shaker to keep my hands busy. “So drop it.”
Her mouth continues to provoke me. “You like him.” It comes out as an accusation. “I mean you really like him.”
“The only thing I’d like at the moment is an end to this conversation.”
“Why?” She relaxes back into her seat, her expression losing its humor. “What’s the big deal?”
“That’s exactly it, there is no big deal. We had sex. That’s it. End of story.”
“Wow.” Her eyes widen. “Was he that bad?”
“No. He wasn’t bad at all.” I can’t help defending him. “He was good.”
“Good?” she rants. “That’s not really a glowing reference.”
“Jesus.” I throw my hands in the air. “He was mind-blowing. He rocked my world. I saw stars and unicorns, and maybe a baby llama, too. Is that better?”
She laughs. “Yeah. Better. Although the mention of farm animals is a little disturbing.”
I hang my head. “You’re killing me.”
The laughter cont
inues. It’s uncharacteristic for her. She’s not usually an overtly happy person. It must be her sadistic side coming out to play.
“So, tell me,” she starts, “if you saw stars and frogs and fairies, why isn’t this a big deal?”
I drag in a deep breath and hold it tight in my lungs, letting the burn distract me. “Because nothing can come of it.”
“Why?”
I scoff. “Sebastian isn’t the best poster boy for a healthy relationship.”
“And you think Hunter and I are?”
“I…”
She has a point.
Her relationship with her fiancé seems flawless. They’re perfect together. Happy. In sync. Committed. But my issues are far deeper than I let on.
“It’s not that easy.” Nothing about this situation is. It’s messy and complicated. It’s downright scary at times.
“I know.” She nods. “There’s your brother, who will wear Sebastian’s skin like a coat. And the two of you being together will draw attention. You’ll be his weakness and become a bigger target for anyone wanting to mess with the family. But he’s obviously infatuated with you.”
“I don’t know what he is.” That’s the problem. He has secrets. Lots of them. And after this morning, it’s clear he’s hiding things that are dangerous.
“Then find out. Ask him. Or just sit back and see where this llama sex takes you.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you twist Hunter’s words as much as you twist mine?”
She ponders the question. “Yeah, I guess I do.” She shrugs. “See, no relationship is perfect.”
I smile through my contemplation. She’s right. No relationship is perfect. But most aren’t built entirely on lies, either.
14
Decker
“Get in the Porsche,” Hunter demands as he strides for the passenger door. “You’re driving.”
“Is that really necessary? Why the fuck can’t we just stay here?”
He doesn’t answer, just keeps pounding out the steps around the hood. He’s more volatile than I anticipated, which isn’t good.
I thought he’d be edgy from the news—an upcoming power struggle isn’t something anyone wants to be involved in—but we can make a plan. We can get in front of this before it blows in our faces. “Do you have a destination in mind?”
Decker Page 14