Taylor repeated his name in a series of hushed whispers, repeating it as if it were some sacred and well-versed mantra. He followed the sound to the corner of their bedroom, but the glint of a matching Desert Eagle brought him up short.
Huddled in the far corner, Taylor trembled and fought to keep the gun leveled in a steady aim. Tears streaked down her cheeks. Her eyes were clamped shut and another boom of thunder almost brought her out of her skin.
“Come any closer, and I’ll kill you. I’ll pull this trigger. I swear I will.”
Though her voice wobbled with fear and uncertainty, Sebastian felt his stare narrow in response. He didn’t take kindly to threats, and having a loaded pistol pointed at his chest even less. Had it been anyone else, he would have shot first and asked questions later. Disbelief warred with fury, and he regarded her with a curious tilt of his head. So this is what it’d come down to.
Reholstering his weapon, he released a humorless snort before flinging his arms open. “What do you think you are you going to do, Taylor? Are you going to shoot me? Pull the trigger then, sweetheart. Let’s see what you got.”
She shrank deeper into the shadows. The barrel of the gun jumped dangerously in her shaking hands. Hatred and an innate instinct to kill gripped him, constricting his chest, as the seconds ticked by. Before it could sink its claws in further, he sprung across the room. Speed and stealth served him well. Taylor’s eyes flew open as he snared her wrist and twisted it in a sharp wrench until she cried out and dropped the gun. She struggled, her nails gouging his forearms in an attempt to break free until his other hand locked around her throat with enough force to bounce her head off the wall as he pinned her against it.
Clenching his jaw so hard it hurt, his fingers tightened. Another round of lightning and thunder detonated through the room. Taylor’s teeth chattered. Instant terror stamped her face, and for one heartbreaking instant, he realized where she was. It wasn’t their bedroom. It wasn’t lightning or thunder that she was seeing but the blinding explosions of flash grenades and the impending onslaught of Laychee and his men. She was like a shell-shocked war vet trapped in the nightmare of their past with no way to escape.
A tremble wormed through him and his rage slowly ebbed. Swallowing against the burn in his throat, he released her. Sebastian’s shoulders slumped and he gave a sorrowful shake of his head. Another few seconds, and he might have ended it all. The thought chilled him to his core.
“It’s okay, Taylor. It’s just me,” he murmured, stroking the top of her head before pulling her into his arms. “It’s alright. You’re safe, baby. It’s just a storm.”
She stiffened, her entire body tensing as she sought enough leverage to pull free. His training threatened to resurface. Words like target, escape, and kill flittered through his mind. Squeezing his eyes shut, he buried his nose in her hair and fought to hold on.
“Shh, baby, no. Stop. Stop it. It’s okay,” he soothed, drawing her closer. Rocking her slowly, he pressed his lips against the top of her head. “Stop fighting me…please.”
Maybe it was the sheer desperation in his voice or his nearness, but she finally stilled. Relief swept through him in a cooling tide.
“Sebby…”
His name left her lips in a pleading whimper as he continued rocking her in the shadows.
“I’m right here, sweetheart. Everything is okay. Calm down.”
Her attention flickered to the gun laying a few inches away. A low groan broke the silence and her terrified grey eyes flew to his. Holding her stare in the darkness, he felt her fear return in spades. It snapped through her system, forcing her to grow rigid in his arms.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean…” Her teeth chattered violently.
“I know. If I suspected otherwise, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Taylor shivered when the implication behind his words hit home. She stroked the buttons on the front of his shirt in an attempt to soothe him until a sudden clap of thunder startled her. Her fingers twisted in his uniform, almost tearing the buttons free. Gathering her hands, he cradled them against his chest with a wince. Peering into the bathroom, he eyeballed the shower with a fierce stab of longing.
He’d hit an open stall before coming home, but work still clung to his skin and embedded itself in his clothes. It was the smell of desperation, blood, murder, and rage. Remnants of torture and death still crawled across his flesh. He ached for the more soothing aromas of home, but another wicked bout of lightning warned it wouldn’t be wise.
Lifting Taylor in his arms, he carried her back to the bed and lowered her onto the mattress. He retrieved the gun off the floor and returned it to its rightful place in the nightstand before padding into the bathroom and stripping out of his clothes. A quick wash-up in the sink at least had him feeling a little more human. After brushing his teeth, he popped a handful of aspirin, spritzed on a light dusting of cologne, and wandered back into the bedroom.
Taylor remained huddled in the center of their bed, her knees drawn to her chest. Worry lined her brow and she looked forlorn as she stared out the window. Frowning, he crossed the room and peeled the curtain back to give her a better view.
“See, it’s not so bad,” he said, easing into bed beside her. “It’s actually kind of beautiful once you get past the noise and how deadly lightning is.”
She turned to him with bewildered eyes. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
A wry smirk twisted his lips as he sagged against his pillows. “You did just point a gun at me, darling. I would say more than a little torment is in order.”
“Wasn’t the past ten days enough?” she asked. “You said you would be late, Sebastian, not missing for a week and a half. I was worried sick.”
Hurt ravaged her beautiful features. Reaching for her, he tucked her glossy sable hair behind her ears. “I’m sorry Taylor. I really am,” he said softly. “I have no control over these things. Believe me, there is no place in the world I would rather be than here with you.”
“Did they hurt you?”
“It was nothing I couldn’t take.” Steeling his jaw, he forced his attention back to the ceiling and fought to keep the memories at bay. If they took hold now, he wouldn’t find his way back. He would lose control again, and this time, he would hurt her.
“What happened?” she asked, searching his face. “Did you get in trouble for spending time with me?”
Forcing himself to breathe, he pulled her down with him and rested his forehead against hers. The alluring aroma of cashmere and warm vanilla washed over him, along with the crisp scent of fresh linen and fabric softener clinging to the sheets. “No. It’s a long story, Taylor, and one I would rather not get into. I’m here now. That’s all that matters.”
“It’s not all that matters. I didn’t know what to do. I was scared something happened to you. I didn’t even know where to call to find out. I thought you were dead.”
Nodding, he kissed the tip of her nose and cupped her face between his hands. “Someone would let you know if that was the case. If not Josh, then someone else. Second of all, if something were to happen to me, you would be more than cared for. This house, everything in it, and all of my savings would go to you except for a small monthly stipend that would go to my sister. I promised I would always take care of you and I meant that. I’ve already had the papers drawn up.”
She blinked in confusion, the fine arches of her brows gathering in time with the sullen pout of her lips. “None of that would make up for the fact that you weren’t here.”
“Either way, it is a little added security you didn’t have before.”
“Do you have any idea how big and empty this place feels without you? It felt like it going to swallow me whole. I was lost, Sebastian. I can’t breathe without you here. I have no idea how you lived here for so long on your own.”
Sebastian shrugged. “I like the isolation. You could always sell it if I die. I won’t mind.”
She
shook her head, her eyes glazing over with unshed tears. “But that would be like selling all of our memories.” Her voice cracked and she clamped her eyes shut. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I can’t.”