by Adriana Noir
Maybe had never felt like such a long shot before…
Sebastian stiffened in annoyance as his phone shattered the tense silence in the car. The unfamiliar tone set him even further on edge. Pulling it from his pocket, he swiped a finger across the screen with a blackened scowl. His blood turned to ice and crawled through his veins as he stared at the application and the bold red letters flashing back at him. Security breach! Those two words dimmed and brightened repeatedly, their meaning sucking the air straight out of his lungs. His eyes flickered over the floor plan, taking in the ominous glow highlighting both front and rear exits. Dominic shifted beside him, leaning closer to peer over at the phone.
“What is it?” he asked, concern riding the smooth notes of his voice.
Numbing horror held him in its thrall. Shaking his head to silence the man, Sebastian swiped out of the home security app. Staring at it wasn’t going to do him any good. He needed to call the authorities, Josh, someone. His chest tightened. Wounded rage clawed its way through his system. Tonight wasn’t about setting him up. Not in the way he’d thought. It was about getting him out of the house—getting to Taylor, hitting him in the one place it would hurt the most. His heart. His home.
He’d just swiped into his call log when a sharp sting branched through his neck. Jerking to the side, Sebastian dropped the phone. Understanding brought a new wave of fury.
Murderous venom sparked in his eyes as they clashed with darker ones full of gloating. One hand lifted, groping for the syringe Dominic jerked free. The other reached for his gun, but the world was already starting to stutter and spin. His limbs felt heavy and forged from lead. The muscle paralyzer was working too fast and the sedatives were already starting to kick in. Fighting against them with all he had, Sebastian wrenched his pistol free, upholstery be damned.
It never made it across his lap. It, too, fell to clatter against the floorboard by his feet. His head lolled against the headrest and he regarded his teammate with a blistering stare.
The son-of-a-bitch better pray that was a lethal dose.
“Night, night, Sebastian,” Dominic whispered, administering a taunting stroke to his curls.
Taylor trembled as heavy footsteps fell outside the wine room. She’d almost made it back to the kitchen when a sudden eruption of voices sent her scurrying for quick cover. Thankfully, Sebastian wasn’t much of a drinker and, after ducking behind the small island bar, she’d crawled into one of the empty cabinets beneath and eased it shut. Shaking, she tensed as the footfalls grew louder and she could hear one of the intruders breathing raggedly above her. Clamping her eyes shut, she forced herself to hold the air in her aching lungs and prayed.
“Where the hell is the bitch?”
Taylor’s chest jerked, the ache growing unbearable. The blood roared in her ears, joining the frantic hammer of her heart. Doors slammed in the distance, and she winced at the sound of breaking glass as the men ransacked the house in a frenzied search.
“She was here when the asshole left and she sure as hell didn’t make it out before we got in. I don’t care if you have to burn this place to the ground. Fuckin’ find her!” a gravelly voice barked.
The rage and authority in his tone made her stomach clench with raw dread. Whoever it was, he was the one in charge and he was pissed. Her mind scrambled, searching for reason in the chaos. What sort of crazed madmen broke into someone’s house with explosives? The answer came back to her with staggering clarity and only served to heighten her terror. Laychee.
Where was the security team? Had any of them survived the assault? If they had, were they coming to help or did they run for cover?
She jumped, clamping both hands over her mouth and sinking her teeth into her cheeks to smother her cry when a fist slammed on the island. It struck with enough force to topple a bottle of wine. She heard it hit the floor and shatter. Cursing to himself, the man rounded the corner. Every muscle in her body cramped into rigid agony as his footsteps grew closer and she heard him walk around the bar, the remnants of the wine bottle crunching beneath his boots. She could feel him studying the small area, assessing it. Unable to hold it anymore, she released the breath she’d been holding as slowly and silently as possible while listening to the man toss the wrought iron stools across the intimate space.
Another loud curse marked his departure. Taylor waited until she could no longer hear him moving before easing the cabinet door open. She had to get out of there. Knowing she had been cornered and trapped in that tiny space with nowhere to run had almost killed her. She flinched, biting back a whimper as sharp shards gouged her skin, sinking deep into her knees and the soles of her feet. The crunch of glass sounded deafening to her hyperactive senses.
Poking her head around the corner, she noticed a shadowy figure prowling through the kitchen. She waited until he turned for the hall leading toward the garage before twisting on the balls of her feet and bolting for the study.
“Hey!”
Her heart threatened to stop at the fierce bellow, but she didn’t falter. She didn’t pause. She didn’t dare stop. Blood made her feet slick and her soles lost traction, sliding against the hardwood floors, hindering her mad dash for the study. The voices seemed to come from everywhere at once. She slipped, skidding into the wall. Thrusting her arm out, Taylor propelled herself using the palm of her hand. She somehow kept her balance enough to keep running, but the door seemed to move farther and farther away. A hulking beast of a man stepped into the hall from the darkness of the living room and she stumbled to a stop. Before she could turn to run the other way, two arms wrapped around her from behind, lifting her feet clear off the floor.
Panicked and enraged, Taylor threw her head back with a frustrated scream. Pain exploded through her skull, accompanied by a sickening crunch as white-hot light flashed before her eyes. Her captor howled in pain and dropped her.
“The cunt broke my nose!”
She couldn’t help but feel a small glimmer of satisfaction. It quickly faded.
The man who’d come out of the living room approached in rapid strides. Even in the shadows, she could see the harsh press of his mouth and the fury stamping his sharp features. Her heart thudded in what felt like one continual earthquake. People were closing in on her from all sides.
Once again, she was wrested off the floor from behind. This one was smart enough to keep his head cocked to the side. Thrashing in the iron grip, she struggled and snarled, still fighting to break free. When that didn’t work, she used his hold to rear back and kick at the other men as they drew near. The butt end of an assault rifle closed in quick from the corner of her vision. Knowing she had nowhere to go, Taylor clenched her jaw and braced herself for the blow. Blackness mingled with pain as she tried to fight her way through the haze.
In the end, the darkness won.
Chapter 11 ~
Muffled voices droned in and out, luring her out of the gray haze that surrounded her. Taylor was vaguely aware of the way her head bobbed as she fought to claw her way out of unconsciousness. As tempting as the escape of oblivion was, she feared the unknown even more. It took effort and several tries, but she finally managed to fight the weight of her lids enough to slit her eyes open.
For a moment, she blinked, squinting against the double vision that blurred her surroundings until one single, terrifying face came into focus. She could only assume that man was Laychee.
He sat perched on the edge of a chair across from her. His broad, flat face was impassive but his flint-like eyes were sharp and curious. The stocky blond shifted, leaning closer, and she realized he bore a striking resemblance to his brother. Right down to the way the tip of his nose turned up in an impertinent salute. A chilling smile rode his lips as he regarded her. Straight white teeth flashed like a beacon in the dim light of the study.
Taylor jerked away, flattening against the back of the chair as he reached for her. Thin restraints bit deep into her wrists, making her wince. She couldn’t be sure, but they felt like zip ti
es. Her eyes narrowed with hatred as he reached out and snared her jaw in a brutal vise. Thick fingers encased in gloves sank into tendons and bone, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a whimper.
“So,” he said, breaking the silence with a flat whisper. “You’re the reason my brother had to die.”
It was a statement, not a question. Ignoring him, her gaze darted to Sebastian’s desk. Her heart sank when she spotted the vast array of papers and office supplies strewn across the gleaming mahogany surface. If they’d rummaged through his drawers, they’d surely found his gun. She swallowed against a wave of nausea and disappointment.
The coppery tang of blood slid across her tongue as Laychee jerked her face toward his. Her breath came loud and forceful through her nose as she glared back at him. He pressed closer, but she had nowhere to go.
“I don’t get it,” he speculated with a shake of his head. “Don’t get me wrong, toots. You’re a hot little number, and I’m sure you feel real good in the sack, but is that reason enough for a man to die?” he asked. “No piece of ass is worth that. Fuckin’ twats are a dime a dozen.”
“I’m sure it makes you feel better to blame me, but it was alcohol or stupidity that killed your brother. Take your pick. All he had to do was shut up and back down, but he didn’t have the sense to do it.”
Laychee’s eyes narrowed, but his lips twitched in amusement.
“Todd never was very smart. Unfortunately for you, he was my brother.”
Steeling her jaw, Taylor lifted her chin and wrested it from his grasp. “Unfortunately for you, you’ll be joining him soon.”
Confusion swept through her as his gravelly chuckle flooded the room.
“Are you sure about that one, honey?” Laychee asked. “I hope you aren’t banking on that hotheaded lover of yours charging through these doors to save your ass anytime soon. In fact, right about now he’s probably fast asleep and dreaming about that sweet little face of yours. Too bad he’s never going to see it again.”
Fear coiled around her heart like a snake, slowly squeezing the life out of her. Her eyes darted to Laychee’s and studied the cold, iron depths in search of the truth. Tears threatened, but she tamped them down. He was lying. He had to be. Sebastian was okay. He was too strong, too smart for the likes of this man, and Josh would never let anything happen to him. Her chest heaved as she lowered her gaze and struggled to get her breathing under control.
“Don’t believe me?” he asked. “Hold on. You can see for yourself.”
The confidence in his voice struck a deep cord of dread. She bit her lip hard enough to draw a new wave of blood. Alternating bouts of absolute rage and terror battered her without mercy, making her shake against the cruel bite of the restraints. Everything in her wanted to turn away when Laychee’s phone went off and he swung it in her direction with a cold sneer. Afraid some small part of him was telling the truth, she forced herself to glance his way. Her heart shattered and sank, the fragments falling clear down to the pit of her stomach.
Bright fluorescent lights lit the scene, giving her a glimpse of the dank concrete walls surrounding Sebastian. Thick spirals of duct tape wound around his forearms binding him to a sturdy metal chair. They’d stripped him of the outer layers of his uniform, leaving only the thin black tee shirt he’d worn beneath and his slacks. True to Laychee’s word, his head rested against his shoulder.
She took comfort in the slow but steady rise of his chest. He was just sleeping, she told herself, not dead. Her chin trembled as Laychee cruelly wrenched the phone away. Knowing it could be the last time she ever saw the man she loved was almost more than she could bear. Her body shook with her efforts not to cry, but she didn’t want to give him that kind of pleasure. He was taking enough from them already.
Closing her eyes, she straightened in her chair. Sebastian would want her to be strong.
“You can help him, Taylor,” Laychee said in a soothing tone. “Give me what I want, and I will let Sebastian live.”
Her shoulders and stomach jerked with genuine laughter. It sounded maddened, crazed, even to her. She dropped her chin to her chest with a slow shake of her head. “You’re a liar.”
“No, precious. I’m telling you the truth. I’d much rather that murdering son-of-a-bitch be alive to suffer the consequences. It’s much more fun that way.”
“By killing me.”
He shrugged. “It has to be one or the other. At least you have a choice in the matter. What’s it going to be, cupcake?”
Forcing her attention to the small fireplace lining the wall and the wild fern spilling over the top of the mantle, she struggled to get her temper under control. For the moment, it was winning over her fear. Grinding her teeth, she ignored him. Laychee stood with a nod.
“Think it over. I’m going to leave you in the care of my associates while I pay your lover a visit. I’d play nice if I were you. My aversion for Sebastian is way too strong to enjoy his sloppy seconds, but I assure you the other men here have no such reservations.”
Her stomach rolled, and the bitter scald of acid splashed the back of her throat. Straining against the ties binding her hands behind her back, Taylor thrashed in her chair. “What the hell do you want from me?” she screamed.
He regarded her with a soulless smile. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
His tongue felt thick and swollen. Fighting to shake the metallic taste clinging to the inside of his mouth, Sebastian grimaced. Everything ached. His entire body felt tense and sore. Cold, he tried to roll over in search of Taylor. Confusion spiraled through him when he found himself immobilized and unable to turn. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the fact he wasn’t in his bed. He was sitting up.
As strength and comprehension started to return, he jerked his arms only to find them useless. Pain shot through the stiff muscles of his neck as Sebastian flung his head back. Holding it up was a battle he lost several times. His eyes kept drifting closed, his vision too blurred to make out his surroundings. A familiar voice called from his right, the sound helping to coax him from his dazed cocoon.
“There you are,” Dominic said. “I was starting to think we’d lost you. Did you have a nice nap?”
Sebastian squinted, trying to focus on the man’s wide features.
Nap? What the hell was he talking about?
The question and triumphant leer his teammate boasted threw him for a loop. His head threatened to fall backwards. The sudden instability made him feel like he was falling and he jolted in an attempt to steady himself. This time, Sebastian became all too aware of the tight restraints securing his arms. Glancing down, he stared at the thick coils of duct tape winding in sections from his wrists to just before his elbows. Fury and disbelief grappled for control. Lifting his gaze, he pinned Dominic with a murderous glare.
“I’m going to kill you for this,” he warned in a strained whisper. His pale eyes narrowed with hatred and rage swelled as the memories slowly filtered back to him. Dominic laughed.
“Spare me the bravado, Baas. You’re in no position to make threats. In fact, now would be a good time for you to start begging.”
“I don’t make threats and I don’t beg, Dominic. Not for you. Not for anyone.”
“Oh, I think you’re wrong there, Sebastian. You’re right about one thing. You’d never beg for your own life. You’re way too stubborn and prideful for that, but I’m willing to bet all of that goes out the window when it comes to Taylor.”
His head snapped up at the sound of her name. Blinding fury bubbled through his veins just hearing the bastard mention her. A sick sense of dread pulsed beneath the surface as he remembered his phone going off right before the traitorous son-of-a-bitch stuck him in the neck. If they hurt her….
He clenched his jaw, his heart sinking. It wasn’t a question of if—it was a matter of how bad. Tamping down a wave of panic, he fought to keep his expression neutral and scanned the walls in search of a clock.
“What, no answer for that
one, Baas?” Dominic taunted.
Forcing his attention back to his teammate, he shrugged as much as the compromised position would allow. “She’s a good lay, but that’s nothing that can’t be replaced. I think you overestimate my capacity for emotion.”
“You’re full of shit,” Dominic countered.
“Am I?” Sebastian asked, his stare tracking the hefty man as he strode back and forth in front of him. “I pawned my sister off on the first man I could find because I didn’t want the hassle. My niece is living with her grandparents because that was the most convenient arrangement I could think of and one less problem I’d have to deal with. My half-brother and nephew are lying in the ground. Did I ever bother to ask who was responsible or seek revenge? If that wasn’t enough to break me, what makes you think I would crack over a piece of tail?”
Doubt flickered across his teammate’s stony face before he shook his head and pointed with a reproachful wag of his finger. “No, Sebastian. That’s not going to work. See, I work for the same organization you do. I know what you are up to here. No one is that cold and heartless, not even you.”
“Think what you want. Just remember there is a reason Marx prefers me over the rest of you, men with more time and experience under their belts.”
Dominic whirled and drove a meaty fist into his gut. The force doubled him over and propelled the chair across the concrete floor. The sound of scraping metal grated in his ears while the air left his lungs in an excruciating whoosh. Another blow followed in quick suit, forcing the chair back another foot. Gasping and snorting through his nose, Sebastian hung against his restraints, reminding himself not to let the man catch him off guard again. His ragged coughs bounced off the walls, reverberating through the vast warehouse.