by Adriana Noir
He tensed, the blood draining from his face. His entire body went numb with shock and fear. Jesus, would this nightmare ever end?
“What? How…how is she?”
Josh shook his head. “I don’t know, Baas.”
“Why the hell didn’t you ask?” he snapped.
The car jerked to the right with a hard swerve as Sebastian’s phone bounced off the side of the other man’s arm. Backing and battery alike broke free and tumbled to the floorboards. Straightening the Benz, Josh grunted and rubbed the side of his bicep.
“Ouch! Jesus Christ! What the fuck, Sebastian? Are you trying to get us both killed?”
“Just you,” he stated coldly. “Don’t talk to me. Don’t even look at me. Just drive.”
Chapter 14 ~
Taylor stared at the big bull of a man with a combination of fear and dread. His heavy muscles strained against his black dress shirt and slacks as he strode down the hall beside the gurney. Sebastian’s boss was the last person she’d expected to see when the door to the backseat of her car had swung open. She wasn’t too sure death wouldn’t have been a more merciful end.
He’d said nothing, not even when he’d hauled her out of her car and carried her to the back of a waiting van.
Her only relief came from the fact that they’d laid Henderson there on the floor beside her, and even that was short lived. Blood pooled from his abdomen and an angry side wound on his head, soaking the metal beneath them.
Once they’d shut the doors, he’d turned his face toward hers with a sad smile. Fresh and dried blood alike stained the salt and pepper stubble smattering his cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” he’d whispered.
That simple declaration had hung between them the entire time. Unable to respond, she’d stared at him while tears leaked over her cheeks. Even now, it continued to haunt her and she glanced around in search of the wounded guard.
He was nowhere in sight.
Worry and fear clenched her heart like a fist. Her surroundings chilled her to the bone. The concrete walls shone a glossy painted grey, and dim strips of fluorescent light tubes flickered overhead as the stretcher passed beneath them. She was all too aware of the thick straps pinning her against the gurney. After being bound at home, the sensation made her want to scream. A whimper stuck in her throat when her eyes grazed over the massive skull and crossbones emblem stretched across one wall, the toothy leer sending a jolt of terror straight down her spine as she realized where she was.
She’d seen the same tarnished silver insignia on Sebastian’s lapel enough times to know what it stood for, even if she wished she didn’t.
Marx glanced down at her. A smug grin curved the full spread of his lips, and a spark of amusement danced in the dark pools of his eyes. “Welcome to SKALS, Miss McAvay.”
Her chest shuddered as she fought to breathe. Why? Why was she here? A sick ball of dread churned in her stomach. Did they think she had talked? She felt a slight quiver rattle her chin as she struggled to find her voice. It still wouldn’t come. Inside she screamed, railing against the complete and utter helplessness of her situation.
Why hadn’t Laychee’s men just killed her? As chilling as the thought was, she was certain it would have been a million times quicker and less painful than whatever lay in store for her now.
Marx’s smile faded. His hard eyes bore into her as he leaned down and studied her. “I’m not sure if you’re being rude or if you just aren’t much of a talker. Either way, I doubt Sebastian would approve. I certainly don’t.”
Though her lover’s fate was still uncertain, the threat was enough to send a raw surge of panic down her spine. Her pleading gaze darted to the director’s, silently begging him to understand.
“Good,” he said, straightening. One big hand patted her knee as he winked. “I’m glad to see you’re still in there after all. Now let’s see what we can do about helping you find your tongue again, shall we?”
The pleading in her eyes intensified as she wondered if that meant he understood her situation, or if that was a veiled threat. Her fingers curled on the stretcher beside her, and she tried desperately to pump her fist.
He pulled the gurney in silence until they reached the end of the corridor. Taylor stared at the massive interlocking metal doors, her terror reaching an all-new level of extreme. Sweat beaded along her brow and slicked her hands. Her heart slammed against the walls of her chest and stutter skipped as Marx scanned his thumb, then his retina. He punched in a brief code and the hiss of decompressing air filled the hall as the doors slid open. If she could have clawed her way to freedom when they glided back shut, she would have.
They made a quick right. Straight metal doors with no windows and thick numbers stenciled in black lined the long corridor. They reminded her of the solitary cells in the prison shows she’d seen. Somewhere, she thought she heard someone scream. She tried her best to forget they tortured people here and get her raging pulse under control.
Marx turned left, dragging her along with him. Gooseflesh erupted as the air grew colder. All of the twists and turns made Taylor think of the infamous catacombs. The irony was not lost on her. Grim, grey, and hidden out of sight from the rest of the world, this too was a place of death.
Another set of interlocking doors waited at the end of the hall. The light inside that room was bright, blinding, after the comfortable dimness of the corridors. Her eyes darted around and a low, pleading noise rose in the base of her throat. Thin fluorescent strips dangled from the metal beams overhead, along with the same massive metallic spotlights they had in hospitals. The glossy white walls lent to the cold sterility of the room, and the harsh smell of antiseptics and disinfectants hung in the air, making her nostrils sting. Seeing the stainless steel trays and sinister looking medical contraptions, she shook with an imploring moan.
Marx barely shot her a second glance. He strode across the room and pressed a button she could only assume was an intercom.
“Where the hell is the medical team? I need them in here STAT,” he barked.
Something deep inside her winced and tried to burrow into whatever protective shell it could find. Despite the man’s imposing size, his footsteps fell silently against the floor as he approached. His heavy brow furrowed as he took note of the tremors wracking her from the inside out.
Taylor stared at him through a shaky haze. Her heart thudded even harder when he reached for her and pried back an eyelid, his gaze narrowing.
“No,” the director snapped in a forceful voice that vibrated clear through her. A scowl stamped his expansive face. “You aren’t taking the easy way out. Do you hear me, Taylor? You’re going to fight.”
Sebastian stalked through the halls with as much speed as his battered body could muster. He’d squinted several times trying to clear his vision enough to keep from running into a corner when they turned. Beside him, Josh said nothing, though a nervous tension radiated off the man.
They’d heard security announce his arrival, meaning Marx was here, and he was smart enough to be on the defensive. A blackened frown rode his face as they turned down the hall toward the infirmary. Caution wasn’t going to be enough to save him. Not this time. He barely caught sight of the slender sheet-clad body on the other side before their director stepped between them and the doors slid shut behind them.
Sebastian felt the muscles beneath his right eye twitch and jump in response. “Where is she, you son-of-a-bitch?” he growled. “Where is Taylor? Is that her lying in there? Is it?”
He prowled closer, his head cocking in question.
Marx frowned, his square jaw lifting an authoritative notch. “Stand down and calm yourself, Baas.”
Rage blinded him, eclipsing all else. His fists curled at his sides as Marx’s dark stare drilled into him.
“Calm myself?” he asked with a soft laugh. “I warned you. I told you something like this was going to happen. Did you even care or was this your intention all along? Was this your way of trying to get her out
of my life?”
“Sebastian…”
“No,” he interrupted with a slow shake of his head. He took another step forward and whipped his pistol free. The brushed chrome glinted beneath the lights.
“Whoa!” Josh yelled. “Whoa! Baas, put the gun down.”
Ignoring him, he kept his sights trained on their director. Surprise flickered in the big man’s eyes. “What do you think, Marx?” he asked in a cold rasp. “Is today the fucking day?”
“Baas! Seriously, put that damn thing down!” Josh exclaimed, reaching for him.
He spun out of reach, his eyes hardening, but never leaving his target. “What did I say, Marx? What did I tell you would happen if they went after my family?”
“Reevers, I strongly suggest you get your boy under control…”
“I am not his boy. I’m not anyone’s boy. You better get that straight right now,” Sebastian warned, his body trembling with fury.
His jaw tensed as Josh boldly stepped into the line of fire, his hands outstretched and pleading.
“Baas, give me the gun. Don’t do this. Please. Come on, man. Your head’s all fucked up and you aren’t thinking straight. It’s not worth it.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Josh.”
“Then don’t. Come on. Put that fucking thing down. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“Do you think I care?” he asked, tilting his head. “What am I supposed to do, huh? Just go back on my word? Pretend none of this ever happened? No…get out of the way. Now.”
“You might not value your own life at the moment, Sebastian,” Marx stated flatly, “but you seem to place a great deal of importance on Miss McAvay’s. I’m going to chalk this unpleasantness up to a head injury, and you are going to understand that Taylor is under our care. She’s receiving treatment from our medical staff, one of the finest teams in the world. I can easily pull the plug on that generosity and leave her to die like your security guard. The choice is yours.”
His jaw clenched, the muscles beneath knotting with hatred and rage.
“Seb…Seb, listen to me,” Josh soothed, stepping closer. “Taylor needs you. She’s right there on the other side of those doors. You’re not doing either one of you any good standing out here having a pissing match with Marx. Just calm down and give me the gun…please.”
His lip curled. Lean body shaking with fury and disgust, he shook his head, locked the safety, and slammed the pistol into his partner’s waiting palm. The smug smile and gleam in Marx’s eyes made him regret that decision. He brushed past their director with a glower.
“After you,” Marx said with a sweeping bow.
The red-hot anger pumping through his veins fell beneath a wave of concern as he spotted Taylor. She looked so small and fragile strapped to one of the gurneys with a team of medical personnel swarming around her. Swallowing against the lump in his throat, he rushed across the room. His eyes burned as he took in the bloody, tattered remnants of her clothes and the electrodes stuck to her chest. One of the doctors nudged him out of the way. Shooting the short, chubby man a brief glare, Sebastian made his way to the head of the stretcher.
The angry purple bruises mottling her face and sides broke his heart. That delectable bottom lip was going to need stitches, as was a tiny cut above her eye. His body trembled as he tried to keep his emotions in check. It was hard. Too damn hard. All he wanted was to snatch her off the bed, hold her close, and beg her to open her eyes. He’d promise her the world if it meant having her back at his side.
“Taylor?” he asked, his voice coming in a choked whisper. His hand shook as he trailed it over the bruised slope of her cheek.
“Come on, Baas. Get out of the way,” one of the medics urged.
“Taylor, baby, wake up. Please wake up,” he begged. “I’m here now, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay. Don’t do this to me. Please don’t do this to me.”
“Baas, get out of the way!”
He whirled on the short, bearded doctor with a snarl. The man stumbled back only to collide with the solid wall of Marx’s chest. He fumbled with his wire rim glasses, panic stamping his owl-like face as he tried to decide which man was the bigger threat.
A soft whimper broke the silence and Sebastian spun, his attention swinging back to Taylor. Eyes wide and terrified, she struggled against the restraints as she came out of sedation. Her muffled sobs tore at what was left of his heart.
“No, baby. Stop,” he pleaded hoarsely. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Her gaze swung up to his and the pleading on her face forced a lump to his throat. Reaching down, he smoothed the hair from her brow, fighting the tears that threatened. He fought to keep his emotions in check as her face crumpled with pity and a low moan broke past her lips.
Taylor shook her head. “Seb…”
“Shh. It’s okay. I’m fine. This is nothing,” he soothed. “Everything’s going to be okay. We need to focus on you.”
“Alright,” Marx interrupted. The deep thunder of his voice rolled through the room. “That’s enough. Do what needs to be done here.”
Taylor jerked as one of the doctors stuck her arm. Fear washed over her and she snapped against the restraints with a low howl. Sebastian swallowed hard, fighting to find his voice. His vision blurred.
“Taylor, shh, no. It’s okay,” he choked. “Don’t fight them.”
His pleas went unheeded in her panic. Understanding broke as he watched her buck and fight against the thick leather restraints holding her down. She didn’t understand where she was or what was happening. All she knew was she was strapped down and strange people were coming at her with needles and God knew what else. Unfortunately, her thrashing was unsettling Marx and putting the medical team on edge. Taylor’s panic intensified and the table nearly capsized as she bucked violently. One of the medical attendants fought to steady her and reach the IV.
Displeasure rode Marx’s craggy features as he approached. Sebastian planted himself between them and reached out, trying to ward the director off with one hand. He roared at the doctor as the little man tried to slip past.
“Just stop for a minute! You’re scaring her!”
“That’s enough, Baas!”
He stiffened at Marx’s curt bellow. Josh reached for his arm, but he veered out of the way. The sudden shift in movement caused the room to pitch in a dangerous swirl. He backpedaled and stumbled to the side, still attempting to steady himself, but it was too late. Sebastian crashed into one of the medical trays. Before he could reach it, the stand tipped and the stainless steel instruments tumbled and scattered, clattering loudly against the linoleum floor. Once again, he found himself stumbling out of his partner’s reach.
“I’m okay,” he said, shaking his head to clear his vision.
“Like hell you are,” Marx barked. “I’m not willing to risk losing you. Get in that bed.”
Sebastian squinted in the direction Marx pointed. He opened his mouth to argue, but the director cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand.
“I allowed you to see your little girlfriend. Either you get your ass in that bed or I’ll put you both in separate rooms until you leave,” Marx snapped. “End of discussion.”
Taylor was crying. He winced at the increasing tempo of her heart monitor. The high-pitched beeps seemed to echo and reverberate through his skull. His stomach churned at her panic and the concern riding the faces of the team around her.
“Please, Taylor. You have to calm down. It’s going to be okay. Everything will be okay now. Trust me,” he begged, moving aside to give the doctor a clear path. As much as he wanted to stay with her, he knew Marx would make good on his threat.
At an adamant snap of his fingers and an emphatic point from the SKALS commander, he backed toward the other gurney. Annoyed and frustrated, he tried batting Josh away. His partner helped steady him, his dark brow gathering with worry. For the second time that day, he felt another man’s arm slip around him and shame suffused his core. Embarra
ssed heat stung his cheeks as Josh eased him onto the side of the bed.
Laying down, he craned his head to keep a close eye on what was happening to Taylor. Tight panic settled across his chest and squeezed the air from his lungs as he watched a small swarm of trained professionals scramble to assess and fix whatever was wrong. His eyes darted to Josh’s, almost begging the man to do something to make it right.
“Easy, Baas,” his partner coaxed.
“Stay with her.”
“You got it. Just take it easy. Let the staff do their job.”
Sighing, he sagged back against the stretcher. His jaw clenched as one of the attendants moved to secure his wrists. Restraints were no longer optional in the infirmary. One too many men had come through those doors feral and crazed after reconditioning, all too willing to lash out at the first thing that moved. Now, they were all considered armed and extremely dangerous. He clenched his teeth. While he was no longer the first, he was most certainly still the second.
Sebastian grunted as one of the leather straps cinched a little too tight for comfort and a rubber tourniquet bit into his arm, pinching the flesh as someone sought to find a vein. His eyes remained locked on Taylor, as the evening spun through his head in a rapid, but agonizing, loop. Cool liquid seeped through his system, and he fought with all he had to stay awake as the sedatives started to kick in. He felt his breathing slow and his lids start to grow heavy. Much like everything else tonight, it was a battle he wasn’t going to win.
Rhythmic ticking pulled Sebastian from the blissful cocoon of his slumber. Blinking several times against the gloom, his vision slowly came back into focus and he stared at the steady progression of the second hand as it marched across the face of the wall clock. He had no idea how much time had passed, but the cool, silent surroundings and the windowless metal door assured him he’d made it into recovery.
His throat felt dry and scratchy, his tongue thick and sticky in his mouth. Grimacing, he tried to swallow as his gaze darted around the room in a frantic quest for Taylor. The pounding in his chest and head intensified as he found the room empty except for Josh, who sat in a silent vigil beside him.
