The next time he glanced at his watch it was eight-fifteen. He stood up and decided to go and get Arielle. He heard noise in the kitchen, so he headed that direction. He saw her before he entered, and a shiver of passion rushed through him. Arielle turned and gave him a slanted gaze as she lifted the toast to her mouth. A palpable silence fell and stretched until it reached a painful point.
He cleared his throat and smiled sweetly. “Are you still mad at me?”
She stopped herself from scoffing outwardly. “Whatever for?” she muttered, unable to hide her sullenness. “Because I want you and you turn me down at every turn?” she snapped.
Sebastian winced at her words and his smile faltered. He met and searched her gaze, and all he could see was sizzling passion. Her words didn’t match the emotions that were touching her eyes. He had centuries of experience with women and he was sure he was reading her senses correctly. He sensed turmoil and heard her gasps of breath. He was affecting her and he was going to use that to calm her down.
He took a few steps into the room and halted in front of her. Their gaze was still locked. Pleasure took her breath away and she gasped, feeling a bit lightheaded. He moved even closer and she drew a shuddering breath. His lips kicked up again and spread into a dazzling smile across his face. Arielle blinked, and her heartbeat increased, and the blood rushed through her veins like thunder. She is not as mad as she wants me to think, he thought, and a wave of arousal washed over him.
Awareness crackled between them and intensity peaked. He put his finger under her chin and tipped her head up. His mouth came down on hers, and she parted her lips, drawing him in with hunger. Passion swelled as their tongues swirled in a wild dance, tasting, savoring, rejoicing, and relishing each other. He raised his hands, and gently framing her face, he tilted it slightly and deepened the kiss.
“I love you,” he murmured into the kiss. “I…”
“I know,” she interrupted lightly.
Sebastian tilted his head to the side and his eyebrows furrowed. “Then why are you so upset?” His arms came about her and pulled her softly into his embrace, breathing in the sweet freesia fragrance in her hair.
“Because I missed your touch,” she whimpered.
“You missed me?” He tried hard to keep the amusement hidden.
She gave a little snort. “You know better than to ask me a question like that.”
Sebastian shook his head and closed his eyes tightly. “Oh God, Arielle, you have absolutely no idea what these past two weeks have been for me.”
“For you?” she exclaimed. “What about me?” Lifting herself on her tippy toes, she reached up and touched his lips with the tip of her tongue. Sebastian groaned with pleasure, and bending down, he took her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss.
“There is nothing in this world that I want more than you.”
Arielle closed her eyes, desire flooding every part of her body. After a long moment, he pulled back and let her go. “Please, baby, finish with your breakfast and go put some clothes on so I can take you to class.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“No, not today. I have a very important meeting at ten.”
“Okay,” she said gently. She seemed to mull over his reply, and the next statement came out of nowhere. “But after we see the doctor, I expect you to make it up to me,” she said, significance flashing through her eyes.
“I promise,” he said wittily.
“See that you do.” She gave him a sexy look and smiled.
Sebastian couldn’t help it. He laughed out loud. He sank back into the softness of her mouth stealing her breath away, and leaving her witless, mindless. Eventually he drew back again. “I promise,” he repeated. She laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes nothing more needed to be said.
After a few moments, she pulled away from his embrace and went back to finish buttering her toast. Sebastian took a seat at the counter picked up the newspaper and turned to the sports page to wait for her to finish her breakfast. She then grabbed a glass of milk, walked around the counter, pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, and headed toward the bedroom. “I’ll be ready in a few,” she said with her mouth full.
Sebastian watched her retreading naked back until she disappeared into the bedroom and chuckled out loud.
“Not funny!” she yelled back
Sebastian ran a hand through his sandy hair and snorted. She took his breath away. No power on earth could ever keep him away from her. She stirred feelings in him beyond simple desire. She was a drug more powerful than Salve that he needed daily in order to survive. He closed his eyes and stroked his chin thoughtfully. He finally opened his eyes and proceeded to finish the article in the newspaper.
Barely fifteen minutes passed before she walked right back into the kitchen, dressed and ready to go. He flipped the paper shut and rose to his feet. He turned his emerald eyes to her, and she inhaled deeply. She held his gaze and lifted a quizzical brow.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
He grinned and made a low bow. “At your services, my lady.”
Her only response was a wide smile that warmed his heart.
They rode to school in a comfortable silence. Sebastian placed her hand on his thigh and covered it with his. His thumb stroked her knuckles gently back and forth. As they approached the parking lot, he gave her a sidelong glance. Arielle swallowed and pressed her lips together. Sebastian noticed the tension on her face and sensed her discomfort. This was going to be her first day back to school since the horrible incident.
He squeezed her hand softly. “Are you going to be all right?” he asked.
A light, reluctant smile touched her eyes. “Yes, I’ll be fine,” she said quietly.
Sebastian stepped out of the car and surveyed the area around them carefully. Arielle couldn’t stop herself, and she glanced about as well. The odds of something happening while Sebastian was with her were remote. They walked across the parking lot with his arm wrapped around her protectively. Arielle was not completely surprised that she made it to class with very little fear. She always felt safe in Sebastian’s presence.
“I’ll be here to pick you up. Please stay close to Eva and Loren.” Bending down, he pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. He escorted her into the auditorium and left after he saw her safely seated between her friends.
Sebastian saw Christian on his way to the car and asked him to make sure he kept an eye on Arielle.
“Sebastian, I’m going with you to that meeting,” Christian insisted. “Isabella will take care of Arielle. She will go to every class she has today, and I know that Loren and Eva are keeping a close eye on her. So I’m going with you. I want to be part of this job.”
“All right, Christian, let’s go.”
“What about Troy and Ian?”
“I’m to meet them in my office. Do you want to ride with me?”
“Yes, I left the car for Isabella, in case I’m not back by the time she’s ready to go home.”
“All right then. Let’s go.” In the car, Sebastian smiled blissfully. He was on the way to start a war against the people who wanted to see him destroyed. He already knew the outcome of that fight, but he was excited about the feeling of satisfaction of delivering and witnessing their demise.
Chapter 17
AT THE SOUND of the elevator door, Madeline turned and fell into a pair of startling green eyes. Those eyes had haunted her dreams ever since she accepted the job as Sebastian’s private secretary.
He stepped out of the elevator in his usual graceful way, followed by Christian. Madeline swallowed hard as millions of butterflies invaded her stomach.
“Good morning, Madeline.”
His musical voice traveled through her body and settled deep into her soul. Her eyes were locked on his, unable to keep the heat from rising and changing her cheeks from pale to crimson. She had spent entire nights tossing and turning, thinking about Sebastian and what it would be like to spend one night with him. Sile
ntly, she thanked God that she was sitting down, because her knees began to tremble.
Sebastian’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are you okay?”
Overcome by both embarrassment and desire, she struggled to find the voice that was buried under her inappropriate thoughts.
What in the world is wrong with me?
“Yes…yes, I’m fine,” she replied, her voice breathy. “Good morning, sir,” she mumbled.
His lips quirked in response, knowing exactly why Madeline was a bit lost. To Sebastian, her thoughts were an open book. He could read every human thought. This was the same expression she held each and every time he came to the office.
Madeline blushed again, and her gaze drifted to Christian. “Good morning,” she said, her voice more stable.
Christian gave her a full smile, and she gasped. “Good morning to you, too,” he said in that soft, musical immortal voice.
Good God, he is just as beautiful as Sebastian.
“Any messages?” Sebastian’s voice broke her errant thoughts.
“Yes, sir.” She grabbed a handful of notes from the top tray and handed them to Sebastian with a soft smile. “Mr. Vasser, Mr. Bristow, and Mr. Shilton are waiting in your office.”
Sebastian fingers brushed hers lightly as he took the messages, and she shivered. He thumbed through them and her thoughts ran wild again. She could have placed them on his desk for him to find. She could have sent his daily schedule to his computer, but she did neither. She wanted—needed—that small interaction with him. She was living and breathing for that small connection, no matter how senseless it was.
Sebastian was absolutely the perfect man. She drank him in and waited until he was through going over each one of the notes. He finally placed the pile back on her desk.
“Please make the appropriate phone calls and set up meetings with everyone except for Focal Industries. I am not interested in meeting with them, so make up some excuse.” Tapping lightly on her desk, he added. “Also, please hold all my calls this morning.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sebastian and Christian left her desk and walked with that seamless immortal walk toward his office. Before he entered, he turned around and said, “Madeline, hold all my calls but for Arielle. If she calls, pass them through to me right away.”
Madeline nodded. “I will.”
She gaped at the closed door for a long time. How strange! Clearly unable to stop her overwhelming thoughts from swirling wildly, she forced her mind to concentrate on a few bothersome questions. What about the uncanny similarity between the five men in Sebastian’s office? They had perfect physical appearances, seamless walks, and magical voices. And what about the fact that Sebastian never had anything to drink? Her brain was recollecting the fact that he never asked for coffee or tea or any other refreshment for that matter.
The few times that he had asked for refreshments for visitors, they were not part of his group of friends. She shook her head. She couldn’t keep her mind from drifting toward Sebastian’s gorgeous muscled physique, his snug fit jeans, and his stunning smile. She was daydreaming over a man that she would never have in this lifetime. Inwardly, she groaned and turned back to the computer screen. She didn’t want to work, but she had to if she was going to keep her job. Her fingers started running over the keyboard as she let out a deep sigh.
Christian followed Sebastian into his office and shut the door behind them. The instant the door closed, three pairs of eyes turned and focused on them. “Ah, there you are,” Troy said, rising to his feet. Ian and Nathan moved to stand on either side of Troy.
“Good morning,” Sebastian said and flashed a grateful smile to his friends. They were there to selflessly offer their support.
Christian had only visited Sebastian’s office once before. The first time was under very stressful conditions, so this time he took a minute to take in his surroundings.
Sebastian’s vast office was elegantly decorated, providing a comfy but masculine environment. His desk was decorated in classic molding with fluted columns and acanthus carved trim. It was made out of different kinds of exotic woods —ebony and Carpathian elm--and took up a large portion of the east side of the room. Three enormous leather sofas and four massive recliners anchored the lounge area, along with five armchairs with numerous side tables to support a drink. A mahogany table stood at west side of the room, twelve similar chairs surrounding it. The paneling made this masculine space inviting. A huge flat screen TV was set high on the wall above the table and directly across from the sofas. The north wall was a solid sheet of thick glass from floor to ceiling, overlooking Parliament St and the river Thames.
Sebastian paused for a short moment then waved everyone to sit. He crossed the room, and rounding the vast desk, he sat behind it. The only emotions lingering in his eyes were those of pure determination mixed with frustration. He bent down and unlocked the bottom drawer. He pulled out a brown folder and set it on the top of his desk.
“More photos?” Nathan exclaimed.
Sebastian pushed away from the desk and rose to his feet. He swung on his heels grabbed the folder and crossed the room. He sunk into one of the cushioned chairs and let his gaze linger on Nathan’s face. “No, not photos. It’s a video.”
Nathan’s eyes widened. “A video!”
“Yes, a video.”
Glancing around, he could see the quizzical expression on his friend’s faces, but he didn’t expound. He set the folder on the small table next to him and stood up. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to the window. He stared down at the river and his eyes squinted against the sun’s brilliance. He longed to be rid of this problem today, but he knew he had to establish a plan. Hundreds of scenarios raced through his mind, as he turned and glanced between his friends. “We all know what needs to be done,” he said calmly. “Now we have to have to establish a bulletproof plan.”
Troy stood up and walked to stand next to him. “So what’s on your mind?” he asked.
Sebastian’s lips pinched and he frowned. “I’ve been climbing the walls for over two weeks now, ever since Arielle’s abduction, trying to come up with the best method to handle this situation. I’m not happy right now with the results, but I know that I will be once we are done.”
Christian’s turn to interject. “What does that mean?”
“Christian, I’m not happy that the goons that want to destroy my company and those I love are still alive and planning their next move against me. I want everyone involved in this dirty quest abolished from the face of the earth.” The tension that flashed through his eyes momentarily gripped Nathan.
“All in good time, Sebastian,” he said coolly.
Sebastian studied his face for a moment, and then he nodded. He pushed away from the window and halted in front of the small table where the brown envelope rested. He picked it up and waved it in front of his friends. “We need to review the contents and make a strategic decision.”
“Have you receive anything from Jorrit’s team lately?” Nathan asked.
“No, not since the last extortion note prior to Arielle’s abduction. I think he’s trying to find out what happened to his men and what happened to Arielle.”
Troy’s lips lifted and arched a brow. “Oh, I’m sure there is chaos in their headquarters. There have been two incidents that keep them utterly perplexed. They think that the three men they lost in Brussels was a revenge killing. But they can’t explain the disappearance of the four men in Brighton. They are never going to find their remains, and that will create a troublesome unsolvable puzzle for them. This makes me giddy.”
They all nodded in agreement, and wide smiles spread across their immortal faces.
“Are the investigators immortals?” Christian asked quizzically.
“Yes, they work for my parents.”
“Are we going to view the video this morning?” he further probed.
“I think we should wait until the rest of the guys are here and that should be first of next w
eek.”
“Oh! Who else is coming besides Jon, Pier, and Jacques?”
“There are three more guys coming from Italy. They are Troy’s friends who have become my friends as well. They came to help with Annabel at St. Jean de Luz. A total of eleven men will partake in this endeavor, but I think we will have to include Loren and Isabella because there are thirteen central locations that we will have to invade.”
“What about Eva?” Ian asked.
“No, not Eva. I want her with Arielle while we are gone. I never know Annabel’s whereabouts, and I can’t trust her. I can’t imagine leaving Arielle completely unprotected.”
“Yes, I agree,” Ian replied. “I didn’t think about that.”
Nathan let out a slow whistle. “With that number, we can take on a whole army. When are you planning1 this invasion?”
“It will be sometime next week. I hope that you’ll be here, Nathan. I have included you in the count.”
Nathan grinned. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world. When do we ever experience this kind of excitement?”
“I want us all to view the video and then work out a plan, because the Mafia cells are spread around the globe, and we will have to split up and make sure we carry our attack on the same day and at the same time. They will have no idea what hit them, and we will give them no time to communicate with each other.”
“Sebastian, it will make absolutely no difference if they speak to each other and if they warn each other. There will be no escape for any of them when we are done.” Troy’s words were firm.
“I understand,” he said, “but I think a plan is what we need to do this right. I will be the one to take on Jorrit and Rainer.”
“What about their boss?”
“That goes without saying. I will move up until the last guy is down.”
“Do we know where they are all located?”
“Yes, I have a detailed list, not only of the locations but of the number of people in each location, their names and addresses, their offices and ranks, and a video of their activities.”
Arielle Immortal Struggle (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 7) Page 18