“Don’t be like that. Just because you’ve made your
Selection, it doesn’t mean anything has to change between us. How will they know?”
Rolling my eyes, I return to packing the things on my desk. “Miss Taylor, everything’s changed. The primary change being I can finally stop fucking you.” My voice is venomous when I make my next point. “Did you honestly think there was a future here?” I look and see the hurt in her eyes. “Oh, you did. Well, that’s too bad for you. After you not only fucked my father, but then married my former best friend, I think that ship has sailed. Now please get the fuck out of here so I can finish this in peace.”
“Sebastian!” She storms into the room shouting, “How can you speak to me like that? I’ve apologized.” She grabs me, trying to make me face her. “I had to.”
Turning my neck slightly, I peer down at where her hand grasps my arm, trailing my gaze slowly until our eyes connect. My stare is glacial, causing her to drop her hand immediately.
“Bash, baby. Please don’t do this. None of those girls have what you need. They can’t satisfy your hunger.”
“Step back, Vivian, and stop fucking begging. You look ridiculous,” I demand and return to packing.
“Sebastian, please?” she pleads, but I ignore her. Vivian Taylor had my heart once, and she crushed it. I’ll never trust another woman with it again.
That thought makes me think of how Karl and August look at Emma. That girl has them lost with no hope of return.
She intrigues me. All her fire and her refusal to accept anything Rowan or Liam dish out? It makes me look twice, something I haven’t done in years. But I can’t allow myself to be that vulnerable again. I’ll marry and procreate with anyone we choose, but loving them is not on the table.
“Sebastian! Did you hear me?” Vivian wails. I’ve had enough of her bullshit to last me five millennia.
A knock on my office door cuts off my pending words.
“I strongly suggest you accept your dismissal, use your fucking vibrator and imagination, and take your fucking leave,
Vivian,” Karl grits out, striding in her direction, stopping only once he’s standing in front of her and whipping out his knife faster than she can react. He holds it to her pulse point at her throat. “Or you won’t like the outcome.”
To say Karl has been on edge is an understatement. Emma’s kidnapping has impacted him and Liam in similar but different ways. Liam buries himself in every database and computer programming software to try and activate Emma’s tracker even while out of range. Karl, well, he has no true outlet until we find people to carve up. His other outlet is off the table.
Sex. He refuses to entertain anyone else.
A squeal interrupts my thoughts, and I turn in time to see Karl has Vivian scurrying to the door. She pauses at the threshold, turning, her eyes imploring me.
“Goodbye, Miss Taylor. I hope never to have to see you again,” I state, and water wells in her eyes, pooling before escaping down her cheeks, and with one more glance she finally exits the room.
“Too bad she decided to leave. I always wanted to see if she truly has a heart,” Karl quips.
Shaking my head- crazy knife-obsessed fucker
– I return to packing the last of my belongings.
* * *
“It’s been three fucking days! What do you mean you still haven’t found her? Why can’t we find anything new?” August shouts as he punches the bag.
We’ve had to bring him in here at least twice a day before he kills someone. The punching bag swings from the momentum of his strikes- left and right hooks in rapid succession- causing his pale skin to bloom red, not so much from exertion, but from his constant state of rage. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen August so angry.
Karl isn’t faring much better. I’m unsure how many more people he can slice up to get answers.
“I mean, until the chip comes back online, we won’t find her that way. I’m already running facial recognition on the driver of the van, and we’re tracking Madeline down now,” Liam states from his spot on the couch.
He looks haggard- his usually stubbled beard fuller from lack of shaving. The most the man has done in the last seventy-two-plus hours is shower and occasionally eat. He’s still not Team Emma, but he wants her out of the clutches of whoever took her.
Karl steps into the room, wiping the remnants of blood from his hands.
“What did he say?” Rowan asks, moving to the side so Karl can get to the bathroom.
The faucet turns on before Karl replies, “He wouldn’t say much else other than we’ll never find her in time.”
“This is getting out of hand. Why won’t anyone talk?” August mumbles as he hammers his fist into the punching bag, making the ring holding it to the ceiling creak at the impact of his blows.
“Take it easy on the bag,” Rowan quips.
His jibe grabs Liam’s attention, causing him to stop typing and train his gaze on Rowan. “Why? Are you worried he’s honing his skills for when he finds out about what happened in the hallway with Emma?”
Oh, this is going to be great.
“What scene in the hallway?” August’s face swivels mid-swing. “What. The fuck. Is he. Talking about, Rowan?”
“What the hell, Liam?” Rowan gripes, tossing his empty energy drink can at his back.
Shrugging, Liam tips his head to the side, and the can sails past. “What? You didn’t tell them?” he asks, a full-toothed grin lining his face, knowing the chaos he just unleashed.
I should step in, but this is just the outlet August needs. I unbutton the top buttons of my shirt and loosen my tie. This should be good.
“So what? I touched her pussy. How is that any different than what you and Karl did?” Rowan retorts.
I lift three fingers to rub the lines of my forehead.
I know Rowan isn’t always the wisest but talk about throwing gasoline on a fire.
Sighing, I groan, “Are you trying to die in here tonight, Rowan?”
August’s growl is almost feral. His lip lifts above his teeth, canines pronounced as his shoulder and neck muscles ripple. If I believed in the paranormal, I’d think he was shifting into a fucking wolf. The man might actually Hulk out.
“No, you dick. You don’t like her. So, you,” he points, taking his first step in Rowan’s direction, “don’t get to fucking touch her. Ever. Not until you respect her.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.