“This is going to sound stupid, but is there something I can do to help?”
He peeked over at her, his expression tired and strained. “Thank you but no. There’s not much anyone can do with this,” he said, tossing his workload to the far end of the couch. “Not even me. It’s a goose chase. I got nothing.”
A brief stab of panic lanced Taylor’s chest. She tried not to think about the possible implications if he went back to work empty handed. Words like reconditioning and torture flickered through her mind, making her stomach churn. Resisting the urge to chew her bottom lip, she reached over and covered his hand with a reassuring squeeze.
“You’ll find something, Sebby.”
Turning on the couch, he leaned over and plucked the bowl of popcorn from the cushion beside her. After setting it on the rustic storage chest that doubled as a table, he pinned her against the back of the couch and trailed his fingers over her cheekbone as his eyes searched hers.
“Such confidence,” he murmured. “You never stop believing in me, Taylor. You never stop loving me, even when everybody else does. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve someone like you.”
“I don’t know either,” she teased, cracking a small smile. “You should count yourself lucky though.”
The sorrow in his eyes lessened and his hoarse laugh rang through the room. “I might not say it often, but believe me, sweetheart, I do.” Twining his fingers through hers, he lifted her hand and kissed the top of her ring. “You don’t just see the best in people, Taylor. You do the impossible every single day. You bring out the best in me.”
Tears stung her eyes and she lowered her head with an embarrassed shake. “Stop it. You’re going to make me cry.”
She shivered as he wrapped a hand around her throat and pulled her closer. His breath fanned her ear as he nosed her hair out of the way. “I could make you scream my name instead,” he whispered.
“I don’t recall agreeing to those terms either, Special Agent Baas,” she said, fighting to keep the telltale tremble of desire out of her voice.
He gave a low chuckle as he snared her hips and dragged her into his lap. “I’m afraid you are all out of options, darling.”
Raw intensity and hunger fueled his pale gaze, leaving her numb. She shifted against the hard ridge of his arousal, drawing a tortured groan from his throat. Spearing his hands through her hair, he fisted the sable locks and wrenched with a sharp tug. Her startled gasp filled the room. Smirking, Sebastian ground against her, a hint of challenge rising in his eyes. Using the hold on her hair, he pulled until her body splayed against his.
“You’re going to pay for that,” he promised in a raspy whisper. “By the time I’m done with you, you won’t even have a voice left to scream with. I’m going to ravage you in ways that will make you forget who you are, but I guarantee you’ll remember me. Say it, Taylor. Say my name…”
The air left her in a shallow exhale and her heart thundered in her chest. Still, there was no denying the thrill of excitement his words elicited.
“Sebby,” she breathed.
The sound of rending fabric filled her ears, and her eyes flared as he wrenched the tattered remnants of her tank top away and tossed it across the room. The smooth, firm expanse of his palms slid beneath her bra and cupped the full mounds beneath. Kneading them, he strummed his thumbs over her nipples until they hardened. His piercing green stare locked with hers as he twisted the stiff peaks until she whimpered and arched her back, bowing into his touch.
“Mmm. That’s my girl,” he murmured. “You are so damn beautiful. I’m warning you, I’m not stopping until I’ve finally had my fill. Say it again.”
Her insides responded with a warm rush of desire. The ache winding through her was beyond unbearable. It was a desperate, aching pulse. Her nails sank into his shoulders in a silent plea. “Seb, please. I need you. I can’t take anymore teasing tonight.”
“You have no idea how hot it makes me to hear you beg.”
Before she could respond, he stripped her bra and sealed his mouth against her breast in a possessive clamp. The swift dart of his tongue pantomimed his hips as he ground against her and sucked her nipple with painful zeal. Release danced just out of reach, the delicious torment driving her mad.
“Oh God. Please, Sebastian…please. I’ll do anything.”
“Not yet. Say it again,” he breathed.
The firm bulge behind his zipper rocked upwards, sending a wicked jolt of pleasure through her starving system. She bit her lip. Her body trembled with strain, wanting so much to please him. Sebastian continued his ruthless assault, each powerful plunge grazing the sweet spot that threatened to explode. Her fingers tightened, a surprised cry breaking from her lips when he seized her hair with a forceful tug.
“No coming. Say my name, Taylor,” he growled.
“Sebby, pleeeassee.”
She didn’t know how much longer she could hold on. Her entire body tensed with the desperate need for release. Her nerve endings were on fire, scorched by unfulfilled promises. Taylor searched for something, anything to distract her, but she was all too aware of him grinding and stroking against her, the sear of his lips on her skin. The death-grip she had on his shoulders tightened as she clung to the fragile threads of self-control. The world threatened to shatter and give way beneath her. Holding on for dear life, his name fell from her lips in a keening cry. Sebastian stilled, his eyes tracking her expression intently. She loved the man and cursed him in the same breath, knowing in that moment, he would make good on every single one of his promises before the night was through.
Sebastian eyed the cold cup of coffee in front of him. Loose grounds floated along the top, sticking to the side of the mug. His fists balled, and steeling his jaw, he made a mental note to track down whoever was responsible for making the disaster later. It was the wrong morning to cross him, let alone try to serve up grainy, disgusting swill. His gaze drifted across the table and narrowed on the new guy with more than a shred of suspicion. Even Josh pushed his mug away, his face screwing into a disgusted grimace after taking a sip. If Marx noticed, the big man showed little care. He remained stationed at the front of the head of the conference table, ham-sized fists balled and pressing against the dark wood, his ebony stare drilling into them from across the room. Vince shifted his weight uncomfortably. The discordant creak of his chair was he only sound to shatter the sickening tension flooding the atmosphere.
Wes hung his head, refusing to look up from the table. His left cheek was swollen and already starting to mottle with an angry bruise. Casting him a curious glance, Sebastian wondered what had happened there. His patience wavered. No longer willing to play games and wait, he met their director’s glower head on.
One side of Marx’s wide mouth jumped in a venomous twitch. “Do you finally have something useful you wish to contribute this morning, or is this just another blatant display of your testicular fortitude, Agent Baas?”
“With all due respect, even I can’t work miracles, Marx,” he bit out evenly. “The reports you gave me were inconclusive at best.”
“I see.” Accusations and scorn blazed in the commander’s eyes as he shifted his attention to Josh. “Are you in agreement with this assessment, Agent Reevers?”
His partner rolled his shoulders in a casual shrug.
“Baas is the best we have. If he says the reports suck, I’m inclined to agree.”
Marx tapped the mahogany table with the end of his pen until the noise threatened to drive Sebastian mad. A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth he envisioned plowing the dull end through the pompous asshole’s throat.
“I see nothing humorous about the situation,” the big man warned. Tossing the pen aside, he folded his colossal arms, making his heavy biceps strain against the rolled up cuffs of his uniform. “In fact, I find it rather unsettling that I assigned three of you to this case and you come back to me with nothing.”
“We come back with what you gave us to work with,” Sebasti
an pointed out. “I stayed up all night pouring over those files.”
Marx grunted in dry acknowledgement. “Are you sure it was the files you were pouring over and not the inside of your pet’s creamy little thighs, Agent Baas? I believe you’ve made your addiction to her quite clear.”
One of the new guys tittered. His amusement quickly faded as Sebastian swung a furious scowl his way. Clearing his throat, the rookie sank lower in his seat. He let his glare bore into the man a minute longer before returning his attention to their director.
“My sex life is none of your business,” he stated coldly.