She giggled. “Mmm…that’s good to know.”
“I try to keep it slow and sensual to please you, but believe me, that is the hardest thing to do when I’d rather devour you whole,” he said. He chuckled, and she laughed. She pulled herself closer to his warm body, and he held her tightly. Completely spent, she pressed her lips against his, asking for a goodnight kiss. The hunger he demonstrated kissing her back left her certain that his tireless self could keep going for the rest of the night. That was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep, a huge smile on her face.
Sebastian stayed awake, watching her sleep. He felt her warmth and pulled her even closer to him. He was worried about the situation at work, and he was extremely concerned about the black car outside the house. He didn’t know what to make of it, but he knew he would have to get to the bottom of both issues. Troy, Nathan, and he would have to be involved in determining what they needed to do next to make sure the business was safe. He was going to have Christian and his wife, Isabella, watch Arielle at school. Ian, Eva, and Loren had offered to watch her while shopping or going about her business outside the school perimeters. That would have to be enough.
Chapter 12
THE BOARDROOM on the twenty-fifth floor of the huge IIRL building was getting louder as the executives that Sebastian had carefully handpicked slowly trickled in. Taking their seats around the elegant oval table, they waited for Sebastian to come in. Sebastian was the sole owner of the IIRL and the only one with the authority to approve recommendations made by his executives. In his absence, Troy or Nathan could make those decisions when necessary.
The head engineer with the vice president of the systems administration were prepared to introduce new security measures. Both reported directly to Troy. Their presentation was to show their expert plan for preventing unauthorized access to any of the computer systems throughout the international company. They already had in place what was thought of as a state-of-the-art system. To this date, no one had been able to fully break the security codes.
Everyone there understood that criminals working long hours with the sole determination to infiltrate the company’s security systems would eventually succeed. Access to Sebastian’s company would jeopardize highly dangerous substances. IIRL was ready to revolutionize the way people did business around the world.
All twenty seats at the table were finally taken except the three at the head. Conversations were being directed across the table and laughter was in the air. Silence fell across the room as Sebastian, Nathan, and Troy entered and sat down.
“Good morning, ladies and gentleman.” Sebastian’s voice was soft and clear. He smiled, gazing around the table, attempting to make the atmosphere lighter. The executives greeted the three politely, but everyone’s attention was focused on Sebastian.
Paul Callahan, the head engineer, walked in holding a pointer in one hand and an envelope in the other. Madeline Ross, Sebastian’s private secretary, walked behind him, clutching several folders in her arms. She moved quickly and silently, setting a folder in front of each board member while holding a pleasant smile. She then took a seat behind Sebastian with a pad and a pen, ready to take notes.
The presentation was long, and most members seemed engaged. However, a couple of the executives appeared to be struggling to pay attention. Sebastian read their minds and knew that they were good men who were trying desperately to understand the technology, but they were having difficulty absorbing the information. Sebastian also understood that their strengths lay in other fields, and not everyone in that room was gifted with skills to follow the latest technology. Nothing escaped immortals as their senses were highly attuned to everything around them.
Sebastian liked what he heard from Paul’s presentation. Next, he needed to get skilled people to put the system in place and make it tough for hackers to get through their codes and passwords. Any delay would potentially cause of large-scale destruction. Sebastian looked at Nathan and Troy with a smile. He stood, ending the meeting. The three of them walked to Sebastian’s office. He asked them to sit as he pressed Dylan’s number on the desk phone and put the call on speaker.
A female voice answered on the second ring. “Chief Wilson’s office.”
“May I please speak to inspector Dylan Wilson?” Sebastian asked.
“You mean Chief Wilson, sir,” she corrected him.
“All right, Chief Wilson,” Sebastian repeated, suppressing a chuckle.
“One moment, please,” she said politely while putting him on hold. Sebastian muted the phone as he and Nathan broke out into laughter. Troy looked at both of them with a clueless expression. Nathan walked over to the window of the sixty-fifth floor that overlooked the city of London and murmured under his breath.
“Chief Dylan? How about that? I wonder how he got the promotion?”
“Dylan here,” Dylan said, his voice was loud and commanding.
Sebastian unmuted the phone, suddenly serious. “Hey, Dylan. It’s Sebastian Gaulle.”
“Sebastian, it’s good to hear from you, old chap! How are you?”
“Doing well,” Sebastian said. “I understand that you’ve been trying to get a hold of me.”
“Yes, it’s important that we meet as soon as possible. I have documentation that is important to your safety, your family’s safety, and the welfare of your business.”
“Oh…go on.” The words “your family’s safety” peaked Sebastian’s interest.
“Well, we’ll discuss this in more detail when we meet, but to make a long story short, it’s the same men from the Russian mafia that were involved in stealing your documents last year.”
“But Dylan, you took the men into custody, and you were going to solve that problem,” Sebastian said with irritation before he could stop himself. Nathan and Troy exchanged glances and then looked at Sebastian. He was frowning. Dylan heard Sebastian’s frustration over the phone and tried to explain his position.
“Sebastian, the core of the mafia is hard to expose.” Dylan’s voice boomed through the speakerphone. “The big boss is unknown. We questioned every thug that we had in custody, but they either chose to remain silent or end their lives rather than divulge any names. One thing that I know for sure is that they are still very interested in your company and your secret documents. They are prepared to go the distance to obtain what they want.”
“What do you mean?'” Sebastian fought to reason with his irritation.
“Well, your business seems to be their number one concern right now. I’m worried about you and your loved ones. You all may be in serious danger. They’ve set up cells everywhere. Even though they aren’t inside your company anymore, they are finding other ways to achieve their dirty goal. ”
“So what are you doing about this?” Sebastian asked flatly.
“We’ve zeroed in on the main cell, which is located in Brussels, and we’ve set up surveillance across the street from the apartment they are occupying. The group’s name is now Vlast’ Narodu, or 'Power to the People.'”
Sebastian snorted at the group’s name and ran his hand across his forehead thoughtfully. He glanced over at his friends and noticed that they were watching him warily. For a short moment, he thought to end the conversation and just take care of the problem in his own way. He pinched the tip of his nose again and shook his head as if he was trying to get rid of his thoughts. Pushing aside the thought of leaving Dylan and the Interpol out of his business, he gritted his teeth and asked pointedly, “When do you want to meet?”
“How about this afternoon around three?”
“Where?”
“Would you like to come down to my office?” Dylan offered.
“Indeed. I’ll be there,” Sebastian said emphatically. He hung up and slumped into the large chair behind his desk.
He sat there for a long moment, trying to process what Dylan said about the safety of his family. Arielle was the single point of his reflection. She was the rotational axis of his world. She was the only f
amily member that could be hurt. He couldn’t allow anyone to get close to Arielle. He couldn’t allow anyone to destroy his reverie.
The long silence that followed was intense. Troy and Nathan watched their friend’s temperamental surge through narrowed eyes. Finally, Sebastian sat up, leaned forward, and set his elbows on his desk. He
“Sebastian, what’s going on in there?” Nathan asked pointing toward his head. Sebastian eyes held his for a moment. Pushing back his chair, he rose from the desk and walked around it to stand in front of his two friends.
“I’m thinking that after we meet with Dylan and find out the details, we should move in and see what that group is doing. I’m sure Dylan has a few guys monitoring their activities remotely, but I think we could do more damage if we handle this issue on our own,” Sebastian said, his face set in determination.
“How so?” Nathan pressed on.
Sebastian blinked. He clasped his hands behind his back and started pacing in front of his desk. Shaking his head, he stopped pacing and started to say something, but he was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. All three men turned together, their gazes fixed at the door.
“Come in,” said Sebastian. Madeline, his secretary, walked in with a soft smile on her face. She handed Sebastian a brown envelope.
“What’s this?” Sebastian asked, glancing down at her.
“I don’t know, sir,” she said, her voice a bit shaken. It didn’t escape Sebastian, but he remained silent waiting for her to speak. “A gentleman delivered it, and he told me to make sure that I give it to you in person.”
Sebastian reached out and took the envelope. His fingers brushed hers, and her heart skipped a beat while her breathing suspended. All three immortals noticed the disarray of her emotions. They knew how she felt about Sebastian.
“Thank you,” Sebastian said softly. “You may go.”
She blinked, smiled, and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. Even from the other side of the door, Sebastian could read her mind. He knew that she stood there for a short moment, leaning against the massive door trying to slow down her heartbeat. She had been working for Sebastian for more than a year, and she just couldn’t help the way she felt. She had lusted for him from the moment she had set eyes on him. Getting to the office every day in the hope of seeing Sebastian and spending time with him had become her whole world.
Sebastian listened in as she recalled the first time she had met Nathan and Troy. Her jaw had dropped, and she had been unable to find her voice for a long moment. She remembered Troy and Nathan looking at each other and trying to suppress laughter. She had recovered quickly, but she was sure that they were not your normal, everyday men. They were beyond beautiful; they were fascinating and the epitome of gentlemen. She was anxious every time one of them spoke to her, especially Sebastian. There was something extraordinary about the three of them, but it was nothing she could put her finger on. However, she was sure that she was the luckiest girl on earth to get to deal with them on a daily basis.
Sebastian was aware of Madeline’s feelings, but he had never given her any reason to think that he might be in the least interested in her—not in that way.
The guys stared at the closed door for a few moments and then finally turned around chuckling.
“She’s the best secretary I have ever had,” Sebastian said. “I would hate to lose her. She understands the business and is highly educated. It would be pretty hard to replace her.”
Troy and Nathan nodded in agreement. They seemed to have the same issues with their own secretaries.
Sebastian walked behind his enormous desk and stood in front of his chair. He stared at the envelope for a few moments. He flipped it around in his hands a couple of times looking for a return address, but the envelope was simply addressed to Sebastian Gaulle. No return address. His eyes narrowed. He felt hesitant about opening it but eventually pulled it open. He reached inside and pulled out a handful of 8x10 photos.
Sebastian stiffened, and his jaw dropped. Shock wiped the expression from his face. He stood unmoving for a very long time, too troubled to speak. He simply stared. Nathan and Troy moved away from the window and strolled across the room to stand in front of Sebastian’s desk. Nathan frowned with clear concern. Troy looked like he was thinking hard.
He drew a deep breath and asked alertly, “Are you all right, Sebastian?”
Sebastian’s hands were shaking slightly. He was clenching the photos tightly, and his eyes were fixed on the top photo. He barely heard Troy’s question and didn't give any indication that he was listening. Suddenly, he grimaced painfully, and his body fell limp into his chair. His limbs went numb. The photos released from his hand and trickled downward. Some spread across the top of his desk; others scattered across the floor. Both Nathan and Troy ran to his side.
“Sebastian, what in bloody hell is going on?” Nathan asked. Sebastian raised his gaze and looked at them with an inaccessible expression. Nathan and Troy exchanged troubled glances.
Sebastian pointed to the photos. Nathan and Troy picked them up slowly and stared at them in astonishment. They were all photos of Arielle. They looked as if they were taken at different times and different places. Some pictured her walking between classes, clenching her books in her hands. Others were taken in the school parking lot, showing Arielle getting into her car. Some were of her at the grocery store or pulling her car into the garage at their home. She was clearly being followed.
“What in bloody hell are these?” Troy asked, his voice barely a murmur. They were trying to understand the meaning of all the photos when suddenly Nathan noticed a piece of paper on the floor that was stuck between the photos. He bent down and picked it up. He scowled at what he read.
Sebastian was still quiet. He was cloaked in distress, stomach muscles tightened and unable to move. Without reading the note, Sebastian recognized the threat behind the photos.
“Sebastian, come on man,” Nathan said firmly. “We need to find out what this is all about. We can’t do that if you’re in this state of mind.”
Sebastian finally looked up at Nathan and nodded, but he didn’t move. He just turned and stared out the window with a dark expression on his face. Nathan set his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder and shook him lightly. “Sebastian,” he urged. “There is something you need to see.” Nathan handed Sebastian the note.
He looked at it.
Cooperate if you want her alive! You’ll be contacted with our demands.
-Vlast’ narodu
Sebastian cursed aloud and came to his feet in fury. He glanced between his two friends, his body shaking in a savage rage. It was an emotion that he couldn’t shackle, and he couldn’t make it vanish. The fear had grabbed a hold of every muscle in his body, and he channeled it into the only useful emotion he could. He dashed to the door and yanked it wide open.
“Madeline, please come here.”
She came in quickly, startled by Sebastian’s stern voice. Her face displayed shock as she noticed Sebastian’s tight jaw and severe expression.
“Yes, sir?” she mumbled.
“What did the man look like?”
“What man?”
“The man that gave you the envelope.”
“Oh, he was average height, blond hair, blue eyes, and had a very heavy accent.”
“Did you recognize the accent?”
“Yes, sir; he was Russian.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I speak a little Russian. He said ‘spasibo’ just before he walked away, which means thank you.”
“Thank you, Madeline. I am quite familiar with the word,” Sebastian said dryly. “That will be all.” He turned and walked back toward his desk. He waited until she had closed the door closed behind her before pinching the tip of his nose. Anguish shattered his face.
He slammed his fist on the top of the desk and cursed again with such fury that Nathan and Troy became speechless. “Son of a bitch…I knew it.”
He looked up, r
evulsion boiling behind his eyes. He pressed his lips together and pinched the tip on his nose again as he started to pace back and forth, mumbling inaudibly. He finally crashed down on the sofa. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair over and over again.
“What the devil is going on?” Troy asked restlessly. He had never seen Sebastian this upset. After a few minutes, he finally looked up and glanced between his friends.
When he spoke, his voice was a bit shaky. “Last evening when I got home Arielle was hysterical.” He paused. The words seemed to unsettle him.
“Because?” Nathan prompted him.
Sebastian took a deep breath. “A black Mercedes followed her from school all the way home.”
“Was she sure?”
“Yes, she first noticed the car when she left school, but soon she forgot about it. She made several stops, and while sitting at the red light close to home, she noticed the same car a few cars back. She was terrified thinking that it was either Annabel or someone working for her. She said that the car went straight when she turned onto our street, but then while in the house, she noticed the same black car parked right across the street from the house. The weird thing is that I actually saw the car when I drove in, but I didn’t think anything of it until she nearly mowed me over as I tried to enter the house. She was completely shaken up.”
“Did she notice the driver or how many people were in the car?”
“No, she didn’t. It had tinted windows, so she couldn’t see the driver or if there was more than one person was inside. By the time I looked outside, the car was gone. I honestly believed that it had something to do with Dylan’s call about the company. I never in my wildest dreams could imagine that they were going to threaten me with Arielle’s life.”
Arielle Immortal Fury (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 6) Page 13
