need all the energy you can get. I’m far from finished with you,” he warned.
She couldn’t contain her tired smile. “You have an insatiable appetite, Sebby. It’s a wonder I can still walk most days.”
His husky laughter rolled through the room. “That I do, baby. You have no one to blame but yourself though,” he mused, tracing the ridge of her bottom lip. “I was never like this until I met you. I could always take women or leave them. But you I can never get enough of. I can never get my fill.”
“ You fill me plenty, Special Agent Baas. Plenty and then some.”
He chortled under his breath and rocked to his feet. “Silly girl. Enjoy the break. I expect you ready again and waiting for me when I return.”
CHAPTER 6 ~
Moonlight spilled through the windows, bathing the study in a soft, silvery glow. Reluctance lined his forehead as Sebastian turned the flash drive in his fingers. He’d worn himself out earlier, but even the exhausting extent of their lovemaking had not been enough to lure him to sleep. Rest remained elusive. A taunting beast. His heart felt heavy as the cycle of the past continued to plague him. There had been a time when he’d believed the years of service and dedication he’d poured into SKALS had counted for something in Marx’s eyes. Now, he was no longer sure.
Growling beneath his breath, he flipped his laptop open and downed the rest of his scotch as he waited for the system to fire. A few seconds later, he jammed the key into the USB slot and braced himself. Josh was right. Some things he didn’t need to see, but as true as that was, he needed answers. Answers only the flash drive could give.
His stomach knotted as he watched the first of the blinding explosions detonate in his yard and Laychee’s men descend on his former security team in a shadowy horde. Gunfire ensued—most of it one sided due to the staggering effects of the flash bangs and, within a matter of seconds, the bastards engulfed his home. Bile rose, scalding his throat as the footage cut to the inside of the house and he watched Taylor try to scramble for safety. The only comfort he had was the pride he felt watching her fight back.
Even that dimmed beneath the crippling bite of anguish . As brave as she’d been, as hard as she’d tried, it hadn’t been enough. None of it had. Not his promises. Not the security. Not her fighting with every ounce of strength she had.
Swallowing against the uncomfortable surge of emotion, he watched them haul her into his study. A cold chill raced down his spine as he watched Laychee leer over her, and later, the men he’d seen on the video call in the warehouse. His teeth cut into the sides of his cheeks and flooded his mouth with the sweet coppery tang of blood as the rest of the puzzle slowly started to fall into place.
The neurotoxins they’d injected her with were a cold move. Completely paralyzed, she’d been unable to move, but the horror in her eyes was unmistakable. She was like a butterfly caught in a deadly spider’s clutches: alive, but mostly dead, and all too aware of the cruelty they inflicted. His fists balled, the short crescents of his nails biting deep into his palms as they beat her, but what happened next damn near destroyed him.
One of the men trailed the barrel of a pistol up the inside of Taylor’s thigh until it disappeared beneath the bloody and tattered hem of her tee. His insides burned as if they’d been doused in gasoline. Clamping a hand over his mouth, Sebastian dropped against the back of his chair. He ripped his gaze away, unable to bear the sight of them violating her. His breath came in labored spurts. It took him a moment to realize the anguished noises flooding the room came from his own throat.
Gouging his palms against his closed lids, he fought to keep the tears at bay. Dinner threatened to resurface and his heart shattered. She didn’t deserve that. No one did. Rape wasn’t an uncommon form of torture, but
She couldn’t contain her tired smile. “You have an insatiable appetite, Sebby. It’s a wonder I can still walk most days.”
His husky laughter rolled through the room. “That I do, baby. You have no one to blame but yourself though,” he mused, tracing the ridge of her bottom lip. “I was never like this until I met you. I could always take women or leave them. But you I can never get enough of. I can never get my fill.”
“ You fill me plenty, Special Agent Baas. Plenty and then some.”
He chortled under his breath and rocked to his feet. “Silly girl. Enjoy the break. I expect you ready again and waiting for me when I return.”
CHAPTER 6 ~
Moonlight spilled through the windows, bathing the study in a soft, silvery glow. Reluctance lined his forehead as Sebastian turned the flash drive in his fingers. He’d worn himself out earlier, but even the exhausting extent of their lovemaking had not been enough to lure him to sleep. Rest remained elusive. A taunting beast. His heart felt heavy as the cycle of the past continued to plague him. There had been a time when he’d believed the years of service and dedication he’d poured into SKALS had counted for something in Marx’s eyes. Now, he was no longer sure.
Growling beneath his breath, he flipped his laptop open and downed the rest of his scotch as he waited for the system to fire. A few seconds later, he jammed the key into the USB slot and braced himself. Josh was right. Some things he didn’t need to see, but as true as that was, he needed answers. Answers only the flash drive could give.
His stomach knotted as he watched the first of the blinding explosions detonate in his yard and Laychee’s men descend on his former security team in a shadowy horde. Gunfire ensued—most of it one sided due to the staggering effects of the flash bangs and, within a matter of seconds, the bastards engulfed his home. Bile rose, scalding his throat as the footage cut to the inside of the house and he watched Taylor try to scramble for safety. The only comfort he had was the pride he felt watching her fight back.
Even that dimmed beneath the crippling bite of anguish . As brave as she’d been, as hard as she’d tried, it hadn’t been enough. None of it had. Not his promises. Not the security. Not her fighting with every ounce of strength she had.
Swallowing against the uncomfortable surge of emotion, he watched them haul her into his study. A cold chill raced down his spine as he watched Laychee leer over her, and later, the men he’d seen on the video call in the warehouse. His teeth cut into the sides of his cheeks and flooded his mouth with the sweet coppery tang of blood as the rest of the puzzle slowly started to fall into place.
The neurotoxins they’d injected her with were a cold move. Completely paralyzed, she’d been unable to move, but the horror in her eyes was unmistakable. She was like a butterfly caught in a deadly spider’s clutches: alive, but mostly dead, and all too aware of the cruelty they inflicted. His fists balled, the short crescents of his nails biting deep into his palms as they beat her, but what happened next damn near destroyed him.
One of the men trailed the barrel of a pistol up the inside of Taylor’s thigh until it disappeared beneath the bloody and tattered hem of her tee. His insides burned as if they’d been doused in gasoline. Clamping a hand over his mouth, Sebastian dropped against the back of his chair. He ripped his gaze away, unable to bear the sight of them violating her. His breath came in labored spurts. It took him a moment to realize the anguished noises flooding the room came from his own throat.
Gouging his palms against his closed lids, he fought to keep the tears at bay. Dinner threatened to resurface and his heart shattered. She didn’t deserve that. No one did. Rape wasn’t an uncommon form of torture, but
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