“You’re dating a billionaire tech douchebag?”
“Dad!” Abby said as she placed her arm on the crook of her dad’s elbow and leaned into him. She pecked his cheek and smiled at his familiar cologne. “I missed you.”
Ahmed grunted. “I missed you too. That’s not going to distract me.”
“Would it make you feel better to know we’re not in a relationship?”
“I don’t know if that’s better or worse. He’s not good enough for you.”
This was a familiar conversation. “Then who is?”
“I don’t know, but not him.”
“Well, I’ll be the one to decide, won’t I?”
Abby walked into the estate and right into chaos. Her mother was introducing Sebastian to all of the people from Keeneston as Abby’s special friend. But by the way she said friend, she was implying way more than a friendship.
“Abigail. I’m so glad you could make it.”
Abby looked up at the blonde knockout and smiled. She might look beautiful but she was deadly. She was the inspiration behind Abby’s CIA cover story—Mallory Westin Simpson, bodyguard and security expert extraordinaire.
Abby let go of her father, who instantly went to harass Sebastian as she and Mallory hugged. “This is my husband, Reid. And the rest of the Simpson family. Elle and Drake, Bree and Logan, and Allegra and Finn. This is Abigail Mueez, a friend from Keeneston who now does security in DC.”
Abby shook hands with Mallory’s family and soon they were all talking with her friends from Keeneston. Sebastian was wide-eyed as he was cornered by her father, Deacon, Aiden, and Wyatt so Abby did the only thing she could. She grabbed another glass of champagne and downed it. The night was already a disaster.
“So, who’s the hottie?” Sydney asked as she and Piper finally got Abby away from the group.
“A friend.”
Sydney snorted with disbelief. “A friend who has seen you naked.”
“Is he really Sebastian Able?” Piper asked.
“Yup. And I’ve seen him naked too.”
“I knew it!” Sydney laughed as the three turned to look at Sebastian. She was sure they were imagining what he looked like naked. It was a glorious sight, but it was still nothing more than two lonely people finding common ground.
“Don’t read anything into it. It was just once,” Abby said, turning back to the group.
“You think he’d be interested in expanding into bulletproof clothing?” Piper asked as she kept her eyes on him. “I have this new line I want to develop, and I’m looking for a single partner to work with. Do you trust him for business?”
“He’s my dad of the business world,” Abby said. There was no one she’d trust more.
“Then introduce me!”
“And you said he’s donating? I think we both need to be introduced,” Sydney chimed in.
Abby leaned back against the leather couch in Sebastian’s private plane and tried not to laugh. Sebastian tossed back his third bourbon. He’d been quiet the entire drive to the airport.
“I’m a scary man. People never cross me. I’ve done bad things,” Sebastian finally said softly. “But nothing, and I repeat, nothing has been scarier than tonight.”
Abby gave up trying to hide it and burst out laughing. “Sebastian Able, felled by an overprotective father.”
Sebastian shook his head. “It wasn’t just your dad. I’m surprised I still have my company. Those two friends of yours . . . they were relentless. I ended up donating five million dollars to Sydney tonight. And I signed something that I think made me partners with Piper. I don’t even know how much money I gave her. I think I just left the check blank. Then don’t get me started on the guys. Aiden is almost as scary as your dad. And Deacon . . . I’d written him off as a private eye, but he knew things. I mean he knew things about me no one else did. And then there was Wyatt. I thought he’d be the weak one because he’s handsome, but did you know what he does to cows? Your father just laughed at that. They went into graphic detail about castration. I need to hire them. I need to hire your whole town.”
Abby was laughing so hard now that her sides hurt. “You didn’t run away. That counts for something. All the others, except for Nolan, have run away.”
“But I’m not an other. I mean, maybe I am. I don’t know what we are, but I think I’ve seriously misjudged you if you grew up with all that. You didn’t even blink an eye.”
“I’m my father’s daughter.”
“And that scares the shit out of me.”
Abby laughed again. “It should.”
Sebastian tossed back another drink and shivered. Abby got up and kissed his cheek. “I’m going to change.”
“Don’t kiss me!” Sebastian shot up and looked around the cabin of the plane. “He could be watching,” he whispered.
Abby didn’t stop laughing until she fell asleep. Poor Sebastian. He thought he was so tough. Bless his heart.
6
Costa Rica . . .
* * *
Abby slid the weapons into their hiding places as the light rain began to fall outside of the hotel room. The suite she and Sebastian were in had a wall of French doors that were now open to the night and filling the room with the smell of rain and leaves.
Abby looked up as Sebastian walked in from his room, looking every inch the business powerhouse he was—blood-red tie, crisp gray shirt that matched his eyes, and a suit the color of the darkest nights. “Are you ready?”
The knife slid into its holder between her breasts. “I am now. It’s raining,” she said as she grabbed her coat. It wasn’t fashionable, but it would keep her dry and safe. “This is one of Piper’s coats. You know, the one you’re now invested in. You should wear the one she gave you.”
“I don’t plan on being shot tonight.”
Back was the badass billionaire. “No one plans on being shot . . . well, I do. Which is probably why you should wear it,” Abby said, tossing the bulletproof coat at him. “It’s even black.”
“Wear the damn coat, Seb,” Birch yelled over the coms they had hidden deep in their ears.
“Fine,” Sebastian muttered as he slid into the coat.
“Now,” Birch said into the coms, “we have good video from your hair pin, Abby. Lewis will run the mission, but I’ll be in constant contact. If anything feels off, get out.”
“Yes, sir,” Abby said as she zipped up her coat.
“This is Lewis,” her boss said. Abby knew from the past experiences working with Lewis there would be a drone following them from high altitude and feeding her all the information they could. He would have blueprints of the house, access to live video feed, and anything else they could want at his fingertips. “Your primary objective is to take out Omar Wasti and Juan Carolinto. Your secondary objective is to apprehend Chet Pottinger. This is a joint operation—”
“What?” Abby almost yelled. “Joint with who?”
“We have a rescue team on standby. They will be three minutes out if you need them. I’m hoping they’ll round up whoever comes running out if things get noisy.”
“I’m using a slow-acting poison. It won’t get messy unless this event goes on for more than four hours,” Abby said, trying not to be pissed that the military had weaseled their way in her operation.
“They are your backup. Don’t get into a pissing match when there’s no need to get wet,” Lewis ordered.
“Fine,” Abby snapped as she and Sebastian made their way to the limousine.
* * *
The coms were quiet as Sebastian and Abby sat quietly in the back of the limo. The town passed them by, and soon they were pulling into the tree-lined drive of Chet’s mansion. Somewhere in those trees was her backup. They better just stay there.
“Ready?” Abby asked as she pulled a gun from between the seats and handed it to him.
“I can’t carry that in there.”
“Put it behind your back and keep your coat on. It’s another perk. They won’t pick it up if
they wand you. If they do find it, then just shrug. Everyone in there is carrying a weapon. “
Sebastian took the gun, checked it, and slid it under his suit coat.
“Good thing you know how to use that,” Abby said.
“Grew up on military bases, remember?”
The door opened and Sebastian got out. It was go time. Abby smiled as she took his hand and walked along the torch-lit pathway in the gentle rain. The pathway was lined with men holding umbrellas as they made their way to the heavy carved wooden door. As she expected, a man stepped out with a metal detector.
“Raise your arms, please,” he said politely, but it was a command nonetheless.
Abby smiled and held out her arms and was wanded. She could see the surprise flicker in Sebastian’s eyes as the wand indicated she was clean. He’d seen her strap on an arsenal of weapons before they left the hotel.
“Welcome, Mr. Able. Countess,” the man said with a bow of his head as the door was opened for them. “Would you like me to take your coats?”
“No, thank you. I’m still a little bit chilly,” Abby said as they continued to walk past him.
They walked into the mansion, which was once again filled with people. The members she had met at the recruitment event were serving drinks and finger foods. Besides her, there were only two other women Abby could identify as guests. The rest were staff or prostitutes.
“Remind me to increase my investment in your friend’s company,” Sebastian said for her ears only as they scanned the crowd. Abby smirked in response before her eyes settled on a short man with a comb-over.
“I have eyes on Juan,” Abby said with a smile on her face.
“I’ll introduce you,” Sebastian said as they made their way to her first target.
“You know him?” Abby shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was.
“I know everyone in power. I have to keep them happy to make sure my equipment or my hotels or my hardware or anything else I need gets to its destination. They might be bad men, but they are bad men in control.”
Juan turned and a grin stretched across his face, showing his teeth clamped down on a cigar. “Able. I should have known you were going to be here. And who is this? Is she available later?”
Abby hid the grimace as Juan’s hand squeezed her ass.
“Sorry, but this one is bought and paid for already. Plus she’s costing me a pretty penny,” Sebastian said with a leer as Abby swatted him playfully, as if offended. “This is the Countess of Tila.”
Abby held out her hand. When Juan took it, she squeezed and he gave a little yelp. “I am so sorry,” Abby gushed as she pulled her hand back and held it up. “My ring got turned around. Are you okay?”
Abby turned the metal ring shaped as a flower with many sharp petals on it back to the top of her finger. The poison on the petals was now entering Juan’s bloodstream from the prick. He’d be dead before midnight.
“I am fine, my dear. I look forward to getting to know you more. I’ve learned royalty has been so hampered by etiquette that once they’re let free, they’re a wild ride.”
Abby smiled as if that would be a great honor when she really wanted to throw up. “Darling,” Abby said as she looked up to Sebastian, “isn’t that your friend over there? I remember him being at your house once.”
“Yes, it is. Excuse me, Juan. I look forward to talking you later about my resort. I have plans for expansion.” Sebastian effortlessly pulled her from the conversation as they made their way toward Omar. The man was tall, thin, and had a long black beard. His eyes were bottomless pits of black evil. What was surprising was how evil he was for how young he was. He couldn’t be more than thirty-five.
“We haven’t met yet, but I’m Sebastian Able,” Sebastian said with so much confidence Abby was impressed. Sebastian walked up to a terrorist sounding as if the terrorist should know who he is.
“SA Tech,” Omar said in very heavily accented English. Omar had hideouts all over the Middle East. He’d killed American and Allied troops, indoctrinated thousands of teenagers who then blew themselves up to harm as many civilians as possible.
“That’s correct. I’ve heard you’re the person to talk to about getting my technology into Iran. But, before we talk business”—Sebastian turned and smiled down at Abby—“let’s start with pleasure. This is my particular friend”—Abby almost snorted when he used her mother’s words—“the Countess of Tila.”
Abby held out her hand and Omar looked her over. “It’s nice to meet you.” Abby spoke in her best Bermalian. It was similar to Rahmi, so she’d been able to pick up some the slight differences very easily. It was not unlike the differences between English spoken in New York and that spoken Kentucky—there were just some sayings one used that the other didn’t. Omar might not pick up on the nuances, but it was enough like his language that he’d understand her.
Omar held out his hand and shook it. He didn’t flinch as the ring cut into him. Instead he gripped her hand tighter. “Bermalia. I believe there’s someone else here from there. Shall we meet him?”
“Prince Tariq,” Abby replied, not trying to pull her hand from his. She was letting all the poison from her ring enter his bloodstream. “I know of him. And I have heard great things from some friends about his future plans. I’d love to talk to him.”
Finally Omar loosened his grip but didn’t let go of her hand. He turned her hand palm up and looked down at the flowered ring. “Beautiful,” he said before he turned the ring the right way up.
“Thank you. I need to get it resized. It was a gift,” Abby said smoothly as she looked up at Sebastian.
“Anything for my flower. Now, about Iran—”
Sebastian was about to speak when the deep vibration of a gong filled the room. Lemon stood smiling, almost obnoxiously, at everyone from where she stood in front of the outdoor bar, which Chet had climbed onto. Behind them was the pool and Chet’s helicopter. The rain was still coming down, but the outdoor bar was covered, keeping Lemon and Chet dry. Everyone turned their attention to them. Abby felt her body tense as Lemon introduced Chet and stepped off to the side.
“Gentlemen, and a few ladies, welcome!”
Everyone clapped at Chet’s greeting and then quieted down again.
“I have been honored to work with each of you and hope to work with those I haven’t met in the very near future. Now, as you’ve learned, Relief for the Earth has done a lot of good. Earned you all points and good press in the eyes of the public. By partnering with me, I’ve supplied you with the clean, freshly laundered funds you needed to do the things you needed to do. We’ve formed a partnership. I’ve learned so much from working closely with you, and this is my gift to you.”
Chet looked down at Lemon who hit the gong again. The servers and staff members dropped their serving platters. Before Abby knew it, knives where plunged into everyone around them.
Chet tossed back his head and laughed. “I learned that with money comes power, and I learned from each of you how to ruthlessly take that power!”
“Evac, now,” Abby hissed as she grabbed Sebastian’s hand and turned only to have Omar’s body shoved at her.
Chet laughed louder as the sounds of a helicopter starting mixed with the gurgling sounds of lives slipping away all around them. “Sebastian! Leaving so soon with your spy?”
Sebastian stopped following and Abby felt as if she’d been flung backward when he yanked on her arm. “What is this all about, Chet?”
“Reinforcements on their way. Three minutes out,” she heard Lewis say. “There’s an exit through the kitchen behind you and to the left if you think you can make it.”
“This is about a higher calling,” Chet yelled from where he stood on his bar. Abby looked around at the fifteen men and women now bleeding out on the beautiful slate tiles at her feet. Fifteen waitresses were closing in on them, knives in hands. “It’s about influence and power. Something you have and I want.”
“So you took their lives because
you couldn’t be them?” Sebastian asked.
“But I can be them. I’ll be their new leader and no one will be wiser. I’ll run the largest black market terror group in the world and everyone will think I’m a saint. How fucking messed up is that?” Chet laughed so hard he wrapped an arm around his middle.
“Why? Why would you want that? You were helping people, Chet. Now you’re killing them,” Sebastian asked while Abby put her back to his. She could take five, maybe six, since they were mostly women, before the others took her down. They were armed, and she didn’t know how well Sebastian could defend himself.
“Two minutes and thirty seconds,” Lewis said calmly in her ear.
“As you said, you became powerful because you didn’t play nice. I was tired of always getting in trouble . . . everyone always lecturing me. ‘Why did you flunk out of NYU? What are you doing with your life? Why do you drink so much? Is that cocaine?’” Chet jumped from the bar and landed on the patio. “When I was sitting in prison, it came to me. I want people to remember my name. Only those who do horrendous things or extraordinary things get remembered. So why not do both? I’m a god. A saint. The earth’s Good Samaritan. I am a savior by day and the devil by night. I’ll be praised by the people and bowed to by the criminals. I’ll have it all. I’ll be worshipped.”
“Two minutes,” Lewis said into their earpieces.
Chet came to stand on the other side of the ring of his armed staff. “The question is: Sebastian, will you join me? Will you take me to the next level? To do that, I need to access your systems and your contacts, especially in the government. It’s helpful when you’re best friends with the president and on a first-name basis with many kings and queens. I need Relief for the Earth to be legitimized and you can do that for me.”
“I help you and you let us live?” Sebastian asked.
Chet shook his head and Abby looked over her shoulder and shivered at the cold smile on his face. “You’ll live. She’s a spy and must die. Did you know she was a spy?”
Forever Notorious: Forever Bluegrass #11 Page 6
