Raelynn's chest tightened. Goddammit! She didn't want to part on bad terms with him.
" What's wrong?" she reluctantly asked.
Sebastian shook his head. " Nothing," he grumbled, turning to look out his window.
" Bullshit. Just tell me," Raelynn sighed.
" It's stupid...just go," Sebastian mumbled, not looking at her.
Raelynn growled in irritation. She unbuckled her seat belt then reached over and grabbed Sebastian's chin. She turned his head so he would look at her. " Stupid or not, it's bothering you and I want to know what it is," Raelynn said, looking into his bright green eyes. Green eyes that had looked at her last night like she was the only woman in the world.
Sebastian made a noise low in his throat before shaking free of her hand. " I just pictured this morning going differently that's all," he bit out. " But, whatever...doesn't matter now...so I'll see ya around Raelynn," he finished dismissively. The angry glint back in his eyes.
Raelynn blinked. " How did you picture this morning going?" she found herself asking. What the hell was she thinking? She should just go and be done with it.
Sebastian sent her a dry look, answering, " I don't know. Maybe another round of sex, some breakfast, a shower together? Then I would have taken you home."
" But why? I'm sure when you took me to bed last night you weren't thinking a relationship would come out of it," Raelynn scoffed.
Sebastian's eyes narrowed at her. " No, but that doesn't mean I wanted to treat you like some slut that's only good for one thing. I mean...shit Raelynn, I brought you to my apartment. You know I don't bring women home. Even if it was a one night thing, you still meant more than all the other bimbo's that I've gone home with."
" Oh," Raelynn said stupidly. She hadn't thought about it like that. She just wanted to get home before she did something else that was stupid...like have feelings for him.
" Yeah...‘Oh’," Sebastian mocked and shook his head.
Raelynn sat there for a moment looking at her hands. " Sorry," she said.
" Don't worry about it," Sebastian said quietly. " I'm sure I'll see you around"
" Uh...yeah...probably," Raelynn muttered and opened the door. " Bye."
" Bye," Sebastian replied.
Raelynn slipped out of the truck and headed to her front door. She could feel Sebastian watching her as she went. She stuck her keys in the front door then turned, giving Sebastian a little wave. His return wave was him just lifting his fingers off the steering wheel before backing up and pulling away. Raelynn's headache pounded harder and with a heavy heart she walked into her house, shutting the door and thoughts of Sebastian behind her.
Sebastian had been in a shit mood the rest of the weekend. He was still pissed about how it ended with Raelynn on Saturday morning. He felt like a fool. He totally acted like a woman. Getting pissed when she wanted to leave because he had wanted to spend more time with her. What the fuck was that about? He had wanted to make her breakfast. Jesus Christ! What a pussy! He was better off without her - that way he could grow a pair.
Now it was Monday and Sebastian had spent the day back in the shop, working by himself. It took his mind off her. Sebastian heard the bell to the front door chime and glanced at the clock. It was 7:30pm. The showroom was open until 8pm on Monday’s. Then the phone on the wall beeped and Bill's voice filled the shop.
" Hey Sebastian, can you go see who that is? I'm busy at the moment," he said.
" Yeah sure," Sebastian said, quickly getting up and washing his hands.
He opened the door to the showroom and bit back a curse. Victoria. Again. Sebastian moved behind the counter and walked down to where she was standing in front of it. She watched him, her expression sad. Sebastian felt nothing but contempt for her.
" What is it, Victoria?" Sebastian snapped.
" Please, Sebastian...can we just talk?" Victoria pleaded.
" I told you before, there is nothing to talk about." Sebastian replied coldly.
" I made a mistake, Sebastian. I realize that now," Victoria said, her eyes wide.
" Did Julian leave you?" Sebastian asked.
Victoria flinched. " Yes, but that has nothing..."
" It has everything to do with it. You don't want to be alone. Well, don't come crawling back to me. We're divorced. Done. Never again will I want to be with you. You broke my heart once, Victoria. You damn well better believe that I won't let that happen again," Sebastian said bitterly.
" You won't give me a second chance?" Victoria asked quietly.
" Nope. So you might as well go back to California," Sebastian said.
Victoria closed her eyes and the tears started down her face. Sebastian could care less.
The bell chimed as the shop door opened. Sebastian could see a couple guys walk in out of his peripheral. He didn't think anything of it really, but he tore his eyes away from Victoria and glanced at the two men. They were both Hispanic and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Dread twisted his gut. The first guy was only a foot away from Victoria by the time Sebastian realized he had a gun in his hand. Before Sebastian could do or say anything, the man lifted his arm and pulled the trigger.
Sebastian shouted in horror as Victoria dropped to the ground...dead...from a bullet to the temple. He flicked his eyes up to the man who just murdered his ex-wife. The man’s dark eyes were cold, hard and dead. He had no qualms about killing people - that much was clear. Sebastian’s heart stuttered when he heard Bill's office door open. His stomach rolled violently when he saw Bill rushing down the hall toward them.
" What the hell was that?!" Bill shouted then stopped dead when he spotted Victoria lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
The guy in front of Sebastian turned and pointed his gun at Bill while the older man wasn’t paying attention.
" NO!" Sebastian screamed, throwing out a useless hand in Bill’s direction just as the guy pulled the trigger.
Bill stumbled back clutching his lower stomach. He bumped into the shelves behind him, bringing down everything on them as he sunk to the floor. Bill’s eyes were wide and his mouth was open in shock. He blinked at Sebastian in confusion. It took everything Sebastian had not to throw up right then and there. Sebastian did at least have enough sense to hit the silent alarm button while the guys backs were turned. It was under the counter right next to him, thank god.
Sebastian took a couple deep breaths. He needed to focus. He needed to think. He needed to get out of this alive. For Bill, for his brothers, for his parents and his nephews. Sebastian had his gun in a holster at the small of his back. His shirt was tucked in in the back so there was nothing obstructing him from getting to it fast. But could he draw it fast enough to pop the guy in front of him and the second guy, who was standing closer to the door? The second guy would have plenty of time to raise his weapon and fire if Sebastian took out the first guy.
The guy in front of him swung back around...gun raised and pointing at Sebastian's face. " You killed my brother, you motherfucker!" he snarled hatefully.
" And you broke into my brother’s house," Sebastian replied calmly. He now knew that he was talking to Hector Marquez.
" I don't give a fuck! All I fucking care about is making you pay!" Hector yelled. The gun pointed at Sebastian's face shook slightly from the man's anger.
It was now or never. Do or Die. Sebastian was about to kill two more people. Could he do it? He wanted to live, so...yes. Making his decision...Sebastian felt the world slow just like it did the first time. He reached behind him...
Pop...pop-pop!
Sebastian stood frozen. His gun was still pointed one handed at where the second guy had been standing. He did it. He shot Hector in the head - killing him instantly - then he turned his gun on the second guy, shooting him twice in the chest. Sebastian let go of the breath he'd been holding and lowered his arm.
" Sebastian," Bill's pained plea snapped him back into reality.
" Oh Jesus! Bill!" Sebastian cried, scrambling over
the counter to get to him as fast as possible.
Sebastian skidded to a stop and dropped to his knees next to his boss. He dropped his gun to the floor and yanked his shirt over his head. He moved Bill's hands aside and pressed his shirt to the oozing wound. Bill yelped in pain but covered Sebastian's hands with his own, putting more pressure.
Bill looked up at Sebastian with glassy eyes. " That was amazing what you did, Sebastian. I thought you were going to be murdered...right in front of my eyes," he panted, grimacing in pain.
" Shh...don't talk. Save your strength," Sebastian whispered, not trusting his voice.
As the minutes passed, Bill grew paler and paler. Sebastian was now kneeling in Bill’s blood and his hands were covered with it. Bill's breathing became ragged and shallow. Where the fuck were the police?! Bill wasn't going to make it if they didn't hurry the hell up. Bill's hands slowly slipped from Sebastian's. Sebastian's eyes snapped up to look at his boss’ face. Bill’s eyes were closed and his head was hanging to the side.
" Bill?...Bill?!...Bill, wake up!" Sebastian yelled. Bill didn't move and Sebastian couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. He didn't want to move his hands and risk him bleeding out any more then he already was. Fuck! " HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME!" Sebastian screamed at the top of his lungs. He ended with a ragged sob. " Oh Jesus...someone help me...Bill...hang on man, you gotta hang on."
Sebastian rocked back and forth as he sobbed. He cried for Bill and he cried for Victoria. He might not have liked her, but she had been his wife at one time. He had loved her. She may have betrayed him but he didn't want her dead. He didn't want her dead.
Sebastian distantly heard the bell chime and voices filled the air. He heard some shouting and hands roughly grabbed him. They tried to drag him away from Bill, but he fought back. He bellowed and fought against the hands pulling him away. It wasn't until he heard Raelynn's voice yell for whoever had him to let him go - did he stop. Sebastian sat on his ass, hands and pants covered in blood, watching as the paramedics worked on Bill.
An arm slipped gently around his neck while a hand smoothed over his hair. Honeysuckle filled his nose so he knew it was Raelynn touching him. His hands rested on the tops of his thighs, palms up. Raelynn kept stroking his hair, whispering gentle words in his ear. The words didn’t even matter. He was so numb at the moment that nothing mattered. Once the paramedic's got Bill out of there, Raelynn helped him up and took him into the bathroom.
Sebastian stared blankly at his hands as Raelynn scrubbed away the blood. She was silent and tense. He had nothing reassuring to say to her either. He was completely numb. He just let her do whatever she wanted to him. He didn't care. He didn't care about anything at the moment. Once Raelynn got his hands clean, she dried them with a paper towel. She flipped down the toilet seat and guided him down onto it. Raelynn cupped his face and tilted it up towards her. She stood between his legs, her thumbs stroking his cheeks.
" Sebastian?" she asked softly.
" Hmm?" he replied, staring at nothing.
" Can you look at me?" Raelynn asked, ducking her head to put her eyes level with his.
Sebastian blinked slowly before lifting his eyes to hers.
" Are you injured? Is any of this blood yours?" She asked, the worry and fear sharp in her blue eyes.
" No," he swallowed.
Raelynn nodded. " Okay, good," she said, letting out a breath she had been apparently holding.
Raelynn leaned down and kissed him softly on the lips. It was short and sweet and said that she had been scared to death that he might have been hurt. After she pulled back, she helped him to his feet and led him out of the bathroom. Sebastian barely paid attention to what was going on and where she was taking him. But the next thing he knew he was in her car, sitting in the front passenger seat. He vaguely heard her tell someone that she was taking him home to get a change of clothes or something.
Chapter 6
Raelynn watched as Sebastian walked stiffly into his apartment. She had to dig his keys out of his pocket. When they stopped in front of his door, he just stood there staring at the floor. Raelynn had never been so scared in her life. When she got the call that there had been a shooting at Bill's, she almost had a panic attack. She swore she was going to find Sebastian dead on the floor. Instead, she found a woman and two men dead and one man seriously injured.
The way it looked was that the two men had walked in and shot the woman and Bill before Sebastian took them out. But she wanted to hear it from him before she jumped to conclusions. Sebastian though, was in no condition to talk. He was a walking zombie. Barely anything she said got through to him. He had been staring off into space most of the time and she knew he was in some kind of shock. His skin was cool to the touch and his pulse was elevated when she checked it in the car. She had taken his wrist in her hand and he didn't even flinch. She was really starting to worry about him.
Raelynn shut and locked the door then took Sebastian's hand and led him into the bathroom. Raelynn turned on the shower and let the water get hot. She knew Sebastian wasn't going to wash himself, so she stripped out of her clothes before getting him out of his blood soaked jeans. His knees and shins were caked with dry blood. The jeans he had been wearing were toast. She'd throw them in the trash when she was done.
Raelynn got in the shower and pulled Sebastian in. She backed him up under the hot spray then grabbed his soap. Raelynn bent down and scrubbed his legs clean. She stood when she was finished. After placing the soap back, Raelynn reached up and cupped his face in her hands. Sebastian lifted his eyes to hers. Devastation. That was the only word to describe what was in his eyes.
" Is Bill alive?" he whispered.
" Yes, he made it to surgery and should make a full recovery," Raelynn said softly.
Sebastian closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to hers. Raelynn sighed and closed her eyes too. Sebastian's hands snaked around her waist and hugged her to him. Then his mouth dropped to hers. He kissed her slowly at first. But then it seemed to grow more desperate and needy. He turned and pressed her against the tile under the shower-head. With his body pressed against hers, she could feel his growing erection rubbing against her stomach.
" Sebastian?" Raelynn gasped, unsure of where this was going.
" Please Rae...I need this...I need you...," Sebastian said in a broken whisper against her lips. " I need to feel you to make sure I’m alive."
Raelynn’s heart broke for him. He'd been through so much in such a short amount of time. How could she deny him the one thing that could take everything away - even if it was only for a short amount of time.
" Okay," Raelynn whispered in agreement.
Sebastian groaned low in his throat in response then picked her up. Raelynn wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Sebastian kissed her hard. His chest was smashed against hers, pressing her more firmly against the wall. The water beat down on Sebastian's back. Raelynn clutched the back of his neck as he hitched her a little higher so that he was positioned right at her core. Sebastian's hips surged forward, completely sheathing himself in one thrust.
" Fuck," Sebastian choked, his mouth hovering over hers as he started to rock his hips.
Sebastian moved slow. He seemed intent on making it last as long as possible. They moaned and cried out and gripped each other hard. Raelynn hadn't planned on ever sleeping with Sebastian again but there was no way she could deny him or herself. She needed this as much as he did, just to make sure he was alive too. Raelynn's orgasm hit her out of nowhere. She cried out against Sebastian's lips as her whole body seized up. Sebastian came just after her with a guttural shout that echoed in the small bathroom. They panted against each other for a moment before Sebastian set her down.
" Ah, shiiiit," Sebastian bit out.
" What?" Raelynn started, sending him a questioning look.
" No condom"
" Oh...well I'm clean and on birth control," Raelynn assured him.
" I'm clean too, I swear,
" Sebastian promised, stroking the backs of his fingers over her cheek.
Raelynn smiled softly. " I believe you."
Sebastian nodded. They quickly got washed then got out. After drying off, Raelynn put her clothes back on while Sebastian went to grab clothes from his room. Raelynn gathered up his jeans from the bathroom, put them in a trash bag, then put them in the kitchen trashcan. When she was done, she waited for him in his living room. Sebastian emerged from the hallway in a pair of faded jeans and a white polo shirt. He walked over and sat down next to her on the couch.
Raelynn took his hand and held it in both of hers. " I hate to do this to you right now, Sebastian...but you need to tell me what happened."
Sebastian nodded and went through the whole story. Raelynn hadn't realized that the dead woman was his ex-wife. All Raelynn had seen was the blood and dark hair. By the time he was finished his story, he was shaking. Sebastian pulled his hand away...probably so she wouldn't feel it. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees before dropping his head in his hands.
Sebastian (The Beck Brothers #2) Page 6