“Do you really want to help me?” he asked.
“Yes. Of course I do, Sebastian.”
Nodding, he cast a quick look toward the archway to make sure no one else was within earshot. “Taylor missed her birthday when we were recuperating at SKALS’ headquarters. She hasn’t said anything about it. She’s far too sweet to do that, but I want to do something special for her. Something…I don’t know…nice. She deserves that much.”
“What are you thinking here, Seb?”
He frowned, his shoulders rolling with a helpless shrug. “I don’t know, Monique. A party? A cookout? You tell me.”
“We’ll do both,” she said. “I’ll take care of everything. Right now, you need to focus on yourself and Taylor. Do you have a list of her family and friends or some people she would like invited?”
Plowing a hand through his curls, he tugged and shook his head. “No, and I haven’t had time to replace her phone.”
Monique’s face scrunched with confusion, but she didn’t ask. It was just as well. He didn’t feel like going in to the how and why he’d broken her phone.
“There’s some redhead, Irene, who worked with Taylor in the truck stop diner on the other side of town,” he continued. “They still talk. She might know a few more of Taylor’s friends, but her family is not welcome here. I don’t want those worthless degenerates anywhere near her. That’s the last thing she needs right now.”
His sister winced at the assessment, but nodded. “Understood. I’ll see what I can do. Is this weekend okay?”
“That will be fine. Thank you.” One side of his mouth lifted with a tired smile as he reached for her and smoothed the top of her honeyed blonde hair. “I appreciate your loyalty, Monique. I spent the entire ride home trying to brace myself for what I might see. I fully expected to walk in to a warzone and find my house turned upside down. There is no way I can ever repay you or Josh for everything you’ve done. I appreciate it more than you know.”
She graced him with an affectionate smile. “There’s no need to thank me. You’ve taken care of me my entire life. I wish the circumstances were a little different, but I’m grateful for the chance to give something back, Sebastian. No matter how small.”
Biting the insides of his cheeks, he stared down at her for a long minute, uncertain of what to say or how to respond. A strained swallow pushed past his throat. Forcing his attention elsewhere, he managed a mute nod. Her gratitude made him uncomfortable, and for a moment, he grappled with the memories of their past. Images of their father and his gnarled fists loomed before his mind, along with all the times he’d urged Monique to run and hide while he’d stood his ground.
She was twelve when their father passed away and thirteen when their mother followed eight short months later. He’d taken the first flight home and, after the funeral, he secured his guardianship, found base housing, and taken his little sister with him.
Things had been so different then. More often than not, he’d barely had two dollars to rub together, but they’d had each other and that was the only thing that had mattered. It had been rough when he’d served his tours, but thanks to the help of some fellow Marines and their families, Monique was well cared for in his absence. They’d made it through. After his discharge, he’d focused on working and getting his degree so he could put his sister through college. Then, the FBI showed interest; SKALS recruited him, and life, as they knew it, was forever changed. Now, he had more money than he knew what to do with, but he would always fall under the shadow of SKALS’ authority.
There was no escape, and as his family, Monique would always fall under the same dark cloud. The burden fell on him to protect her and see that she stayed in line. It was never far from Sebastian’s mind that if he failed, she would join the rest of their family in the ground. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he forced a small smile for his sister’s benefit.
“It has been a crazy ride,” he admitted, tracing the black granite countertop with his finger. “But I don’t regret it. You’re my family. It’s my job to look out for you.”
“Maybe that’s true, but you didn’t have to do it so well. You’ve always done everything for me,” she said, reaching for his shoulder. “You’ve always went above and beyond.”
Steeling his jaw, Sebastian pulled away with a firm shake of his head. “Stop it, Monique.”
“Sebastian…”
“No,” he said edging away. “I’m not looking for a pat on the back, and I don’t need you to coddle me.”
“I wasn’t trying to,” she whispered, lowering her head to hide the hurt. “I was just trying to say I love you.”
His shoulders shook as he spread his palms. “Then say it. Why beat around the bush? Is it really that hard?”
Monique’s reply was so soft he almost missed it. “You seem to accept that you’re good at your job, but not that there is any good left inside you. You’re a good person.”
He pinned her with a pointed stare. “You’re remembering the man I was, not the one I am.”
“I love you regardless, Sebastian. Please remember that.”
His eyes narrowed as he studied her for a moment trying to figure out her angle. It wasn’t like her to be so persistent. Was he coming across as soft or just that wounded and desperate? Ever since he’d walked through the door, he’d felt like a damn zoo exhibit put on display for someone else’s amusement. He was tired of everyone watching and analyzing his every move.
Sighing beneath his breath, he nodded. “I’ll try,” he stated in a quiet rasp. “I love you, too.”
“Aw, isn’t that sweet? How about a group hug?”
He whirled at the sound of his partner’s voice. Seeing Josh standing there with his arms outstretched, Sebastian leveled him with a fierce glare and brushed past, not caring that he jarred the other man’s shoulder.
He prowled down the foyer, stopping when he spotted Taylor still seated at the dining room table. She looked so small and lost, huddled in the high-backed padded seat. Her eyes were troubled as she stared at the candles much as he had during dinner, the dancing flames casting shadows across her delicate features.
Frowning, he walked in to the room and eased in to the seat beside her. Taylor glanced up as he poured some wine in her empty glass. “You’re legal now,” he whispered, leaning over to nuzzle the side of her neck.
She arched a brow, some of the light returning to her grey eyes as they met his. “Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me, Agent Baas?”
He snared her chin with a low chuckle. “I’d say there is a very definite problem if I need to ply you with liquor in order to do that. What part of my job am I not doing right, Miss McAvay?”
She squirmed, cheeks flushing as he brushed his lips across hers in a feather light caress. Her warm breath fanned his skin, luring him away from the temptations of bitterness and rage. Threading his fingers through the soft silk of her hair, he pulled her head closer and kissed her again.
“I missed you,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. “Just being here and sharing simple moments like this.”
“Me too.”
He glanced up as Josh’s raised voice carried from the kitchen. Seeing Taylor’s smile falter, he sighed. The playfulness lighting her face gave way to a fearful grimace as she tried to peer down the foyer. Tightening his hold on her hair, Sebastian brought her focus back to him with a gentle tug. “No, baby,” he said, with a slow shake of his head. “It’s none of our business. Let them work out their problems on their own. We have enough to deal with.”
“He sounds upset,” she whispered.
Sebastian rubbed the back of her scalp. “Monique probably jumped his case. He tried to lighten things up earlier, but I’m not very good company tonight and I’m afraid my humor is lacking. They’ll work it out.” Taking her hand, he pulled her from her chair. “Grab your drink and come on,” he said.
The small tremble worming through her was not lost on him. Part of him wondered if it wa
s out of fear for Monique or herself. The thought only led to more guilt. Leading her through the house, he pulled open the sliding glass doors off the kitchen and ushered her onto the deck. Fortunately, Josh and Monique had taken their argument into the living room, away from the rest of the house.
The crisp night air washed over them in a cooling wave. He breathed deep as he steered her toward the wooden rail, relishing the invigorating scent of spring as it rolled down off the mountains. Easing behind Taylor, he pulled the glass from her hand and set it on the banister. He rested his chin on her shoulder as they shared in the view of the forest and snow-covered peaks looming in the distance. The gold and deep purple shades of twilight painted the sky in lazy swirls.
“Better?”
She nodded and leaned into him, escaping the chill. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he drew her closer.
“I forgot how beautiful it was here.”
He smoothed her hair as the wind stirred it and a stray wisp tickled his nose. “It’s nothing compared to you.”
“You’re so full of it,” she said with an amused snort.
“Mm. No. I believe that’s your lot to bear in life, darling, not mine.”
She choked on her laughter. “Real nice, Sebastian!”
He grinned into her hair and emphasized his point by snaring her hips and grinding against them in a suggestive bump. “It’s true. So very full of it.”
A slight prickle on the nape of his neck alerted him to the fact that they were no longer alone. On edge, Sebastian searched the shadows below with narrowed eyes. Some of the tension fled him as he watched one of the security guards stroll by with a polite nod in their direction. He didn’t return the gesture. Instead, he returned his chin to its perch on Taylor’s shoulder and breathed in her scent, searching for the peace only she seemed to bring. Another cool breeze lifted her hair and she snuggled deeper against his chest. He tightened his embrace, his heart sinking when her slender form rose and fell with a soft sigh.
“What are you thinking?”