Inferno (SKALS)

by Adriana Noir

  “I was just trying to understand where you’re coming from, Tay. I wasn’t trying to offend either of you.”

  “Well, you did,” Taylor shot back. She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but judging from Sebastian’s wince, she failed miserably.

  “I can see that and I’m sorry. I was just trying to learn more about you. The only things I know are what your uncle has told me.”

  “Whose fault is that? You walked out on me. It’s been ten years, Mom. I can’t even remember the last time you bothered to call. If you really cared about me, you would have been there. You would have made an effort. You would have done something.”

  “Taylor,” Sebastian cautioned softly.

  “What? She has no right to walk into my life after all that time and question me. You haven’t even bothered to ask me how I am doing or if I am happy,” she accused, staring across the table at her mother. “You already tore my life apart once. You don’t get to do that again. Either drop the interrogation act or get out of our house!”

  Elaine opened her mouth as if she meant to answer but clamped it shut with enough force to make her teeth clack. Glancing between them, Sebastian dragged a hand through his hair. His bewildered stare swung to Taylor before drifting back to her mother again.

  “I am at a loss for words here,” he stated quietly. “I don’t think this is quite the evening either of you had planned.”

  “No,” Taylor agreed. “It’s not.”

  She started to push away from the table, only to have his hand close around her wrist.

  “Sit down, Taylor. You need to eat.”

  “Sebastian, please.”

  “Don’t make me repeat myself. You are going to eat. This is not open for debate.”

  She held his gaze for a long moment before she reluctantly obeyed and dropped onto her seat. His stare didn’t waver until she picked up her fork again and speared a bite of pasta and zucchini onto the end. A forced nod of approval was all she got before Sebastian picked up his wine glass and turned his undivided attention to her mother.

  “I’ve had a very long day, Elaine, and my dinner is getting cold. Let’s skip the formalities and get to the point. It’s obvious you don’t intend to mend any fences with your daughter, so why are you really here?”

  Taylor stopped chewing, her breath catching as she waited for an answer. Her heart seemed to twist, wringing like a wet dishtowel in her chest, as she prayed the response would be one her battered emotions could handle.

  Her mother remained regal and composed, unflappable despite the potential storm brewing. “You are quite perceptive, Agent Baas.”

  “It’s a job requirement,” he stated flatly. “Answer the question.”

  Taylor’s mother smoothed the lapel of her crisp linen suit. The cream silk shimmered in the luminous glow of the candlelight. Raising her fork, she took a bite of squash and met Sebastian’s condemning stare with a serenity few men could muster.

  “What does the name Colleen James mean to you?”

  Confused, Taylor knitted her brow as she watched Sebastian’s eyes narrow into dangerous slits. They seethed, the pale green now smoldering with barely checked anger.

  “Next to nothing,” he ground out, his tone bitter.

  “That’s a shame. I can fill you in if you would like.”

  “I would rather you didn’t.”

  Unable to help it, Taylor glanced between the two of them. “I think I remember that name, but I can’t place it. Who’s Colleen?”

  “No one.”

  “That’s not true,” her mother argued. “She is a very dear friend of mine and has been for a number of years. Your fiancé seems to think she’s a person of interest as of late.”

  Numb, Taylor tried to wrap her mind around the conversation. It hurt to know her mother had other intentions, other reasons for this long overdue visit. She wondered how she was supposed to respond to something like that, but Sebastian spared her the trouble.

  “I had my reasons,” he said. “Given her situation, I helped her as much as I could, but I am not going to sit here and justify myself or my actions to you, Elaine.”

  “She’s just a housewife. She’s been heartbroken and struggling to hold on ever since her husband abandoned her. I fail to see how she could be of any help to you, let alone any interest. I don’t know what your people are hoping to get out of her, but you need to leave the poor woman alone and let her grieve.”

  Sebastian dropped his chin to his chest and laughed. The low, hoarse sound made the tiny hairs on Taylor’s arms lift and stand on end. A shiver coursed through her as she watched him confront her mother again, his expression turning to one of pure malice.

  “Where the hell do you get off coming into my home and speaking to me like that?” he asked, leaning closer. “You turned your back on your own child, yet you have the audacity to sit here and talk to me about the pain of abandonment? You want me to let someone else grieve so you can help them work through their pain? What about Taylor? Not once have I heard you apologize or try to make things right. How is it that you can show so much concern for this woman’s feelings and none for your daughter’s? Did you even stop to think about how any of this conversation would impact her and make her feel?”

  “I do care about my daughter, Agent Baas.”

  “No,” he interrupted. “You don’t. That much is painfully clear. This conversation is finished. I want you out of my house.”

  “Please, Colleen means a great deal to me and she--”

  “I don’t give a damn what she means to you, and I highly suggest you stop talking while you’re still ahead.”

  “That’s fine,” Elaine said. “Just bear in mind she has a number of powerful friends. You need to be careful. These aren’t the kind of people you want to have breathing down your neck. Find a different avenue and leave the woman out of it. She’s innocent and doesn’t deserve to get hurt.”

  Taylor hung her head as the words sank in, each one stabbing and shedding her soul like a knife. The final blow struck somewhere too deep to register. The pain so devastating it left her numb. She couldn’t cry. She refused to relinquish what little remained of her pride. She wouldn’t give her mother the satisfaction of knowing the McAvay clan had just broken her heart and extinguished her dreams all over again.

  Clamping her eyes shut, she listened to the telltale scrape of wood as her mother pushed to her feet and stood. Her body trembled with her efforts to convince herself it didn’t matter if the woman left. None of it mattered. She’d made it this long without her parents. She could do it all again.

  “Taylor…”

  Her mother’s voice broke through her mantra, shattering the delicate walls she’d built.

  “Leave her alone.” Sebastian’s warning carried authority, along with an unmistakable chill. “See yourself out, Elaine, or I will escort you. Believe me that is not the decision you want to make.”

  The stillness that followed rattled her clear down to Taylor’s bones. Seeking a way to distract herself and break away from the heaviness cloaking the room, she stood to clear the table.

  White-hot pain ripped along the underside of her belly, the searing pain tearing through her abdomen without warning. Biting back a cry, she gripped the table ledge with one hand and tried to cradle her stomach with the other. Sebastian whipped around at the sound of her agonized cry. He lunged toward her, securing her under his arm. His eyes dark and fearful, his face branded with deep lines of worry as he pulled her into the protective cradle of his side. His hand covered hers, his fingers following along as she rubbed the underside of her abdomen and grimaced.

  “Baby, what is it?” His voice was shaky, uneven, and bordering on panic. Looming closer, he searched her face. “Are you okay?”

  She sucked in an experimental breath, terrified it would trigger the lessening pain. When nothing else happened, she pulled in another gulp of air to steady herself and nodded.

  “Yeah, Sebs. I’m fine. I don’t know wh
at happened. Everything was great until I stood. Then, it felt like someone was suddenly twisting a hot knife into the side of my groin. It seems to be gone now.”

  “We should get you checked out,” he suggested, brushing a kiss against the side of her head. “Sit down. I’m going to grab my keys.”

  She grabbed his hand and held tight, stilling his retreat. “No. It stopped, Sebby. Honestly…I’m okay.”

  “How far along are you?”

  Taylor winced as Sebastian snapped to full attention. His spine went ramrod straight, his body growing as rigid and unyielding as iron or stone. His fists coiled and his chest heaved, rising and falling like a bellows, as he glared her mother’s way. There was no mistaking his mood or intentions. The muscles along his jaw stood out in white knots and every labored breath made his nostrils flare. He stiffened against her and Taylor gripped his wrist, hoping to hold him in place, as she looked to her mother in panic.

  “It sounds like it was just a ligament stretching. It’s a common side effect in pregnancy, especially in first-time mothers,” Elaine offered. “It’s painful but harmless. No need for either of you to be concerned.”

  Sebastian quivered at her side, the lean lines of his body growing even tenser. She could feel the hard cords of muscles ripple and condense as if bracing for a lethal strike. She swallowed against the lump lodged in the back of her throat when the cool landscape of her mother’s eyes softened and, for the first time that night, empathy and something close to affection shone in those eloquent grey pools while Elaine stared back at them.

  “I’m happy for you, Taylor. Truly, I am. I’m happy for you both.”

  “H-how did you know?” she whispered.

  “I’m a woman, honey. We tend to know these things. I suspected as much when I saw you, but your fiancé’s reactions cemented those beliefs. That was the concern of a very attentive and worried father-to-be.” Her round lips curved into an apologetic smile. “Besides, I was pregnant once myself. When are you due?

  “A few days before Christmas. I’m fifteen weeks.”

  Elaine nodded. “Congratulations. You’ll both have an extra holiday blessing then.” A soft sigh escaped her and her shoulders slumped ever so slightly as she turned to Sebastian. “I don’t agree with the methods, but I understand your reasons and why you’ve been so ferocious in getting the information you need. You’ll find what you are looking for in Hawaii. Take good care of my daughter, Agent Baas. She deserves much more than the life I was able to give.”

  ~*~*~*~

  Few things in life managed to throw him for a loop anymore, but staring after Elaine McAvay while she made her casual escape, Sebastian found himself at a definite loss for words. Confusion swept over him, only to become worsened by the onslaught of questions tumbling through his mind. The front door opened then closed while he stood there still trying to process what had just happened. It was honestly more than he could comprehend or digest.

  A slight shimmy drew his attention and he glanced down to find Taylor ashen-white, the hold on his wrist tightening to an almost painful intensity in the wake of her mother’s absence. He frowned. Up until the woman’s parting words, he’d thought the title a loose fit at best. Now…he wasn’t so sure.

  Shaking thoughts of Elaine for a moment, he focused on Taylor and ran his thumb over the sloping curve of her cheek. “I don’t suppose I can talk you into finishing the rest of your dinner?”

  Lowering her eyes, she gave a miserable shake of her head. “If I try right now, it will make me sick.”

  He nodded, hating the impact the night was having. “Maybe later then,” he said gently. “It’s been a difficult day for you. You need to relax and unwind. Go soak in the tub for a bit, baby. I’ll clean up down here.”

  “I can handle it, Sebastian. I need the distraction.”

  Cupping her chin, he tilted her face up to his. “Distract yourself with bubbles and a good book then. I will be up in a little bit.”

  She sighed, but offered a reluctant smile. Rocking up on her toes, she placated him with a quick kiss. Relief mingled with the brief flash of gratitude in her eyes, easing some of the tension from her beautiful face. The heavy remnants of sorrow and regret still lingered in his chest, smothering him, as he watched her head for the stairs.

  She’d been through so much lately. It was his job to protect her, to shield her from the heartaches and monstrosities in life and, so far, he had failed miserably. Bitterness clung to him, dousing his spirits as he cleared the dishes from the table.

  He listened to the gentle rush of water churning overhead as he scraped the remainder of their food into the trash. For the most part, their meals had gone untouched. Another fact that didn’t sit well with him. His ears strained, tracking Taylor’s actions overhead. She was being so strong in light of what happened. Too strong perhaps. The thought troubled him as he started to rinse the dishes and the clock callously ticked off the seconds from the mantle in the other room. It was like listening to his life and all of the precious moments wasted slowly slip away.

  His brow furrowed, creeping lower, as he pondered her mother. The fact that she knew Colleen James was upsetting to say the least. Her parting words, though a gift, had also packed the punch of buckshot to the gut. She knew who he was looking for and why. The only questions were how and what side was she playing? How much did she know about him and SKALS? He frowned. It was doubtful Colleen would have talked about their encounters. Not with her brother’s life on the line. So how was it that Taylor’s mother knew so much about him and what his objectives were? Who in the hell was that woman and what was she after? His lips settled into a grim press as he stacked the plates into the dishwasher.

  Far too many questions remained.

  Sebastian dropped a soap pod into the dispenser and dried his hands. The situation was one he was going to have to look into, but not tonight.

  Taylor was huddled in the middle of their king-sized bed by the time he climbed the stairs. Still clad in a towel, her damp hair shielded her face like a curtain as she hugged her knees to her chest. She looked so lost and forlorn it made his chest ache.

  Shutting the doors, he then crossed the room to gather her in his arms. The fragile dam of her composure broke, and hot tears seeped through the thin cotton of his shirt where they scalded his chest. Settling against the headboard, he leaned back and tenderly ran his palms over her cheeks, drying her tears away.

  “Shhh, baby,” he soothed, lowering his head to rest it against hers. “Don’t do that. Everything is going to be okay.”

  “I can’t help it. I’m trying so hard not to, Seb. I don’t even know why I’m letting her or this thing get to me. Who the hell cares why she came?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose and tried to force a reassuring smile. “You do. You expected more from your mother and she let you down. You have a big heart, Taylor. You’re always so kind and forgiving. You always try to look past the mistakes people make. Tonight was no different.”

  Her laugh was sad and empty as she roughly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. Sniffing, she shrugged. “I really need to quit doing that.”

  Palming the back of her head, he tugged her closer and pulled her up the front of him. “No. You don’t. Not many people are willing to love as deeply as you do. I hate that it leaves you open to this kind of pain, but it’s also something I admire about you. You feel. You put yourself out there, come what may, and that takes strength. Falling down is nothing to be ashamed of as long as you find a way to pick yourself up again. Don’t ever change the way you love, darling. That’s what makes you, you.”

  The mercurial pools of her eyes held such sorrow. They felt like leaden weights tethered to his heart. He could feel himself drowning in those tragic depths. Still flooded with tears they shimmered like quicksilver, begging him to make it all go away.

  “I don’t feel strong, Sebastian. I feel lost.”

  “Then hold onto me, baby. I’ll bring you home again.”

&
nbsp; Threading his fingers through her hair, he kissed her. She was hesitant at first, but he moved slowly until she grew more pliant in his arms. The salty taste of her tears clung to her lips as he traced the plush swells with the tip of his tongue. Her arms wound around his neck in a gesture full of pleading and acceptance. Using his weight to guide her, he pushed her down, urging her to lie back on the bed.

  “What was my mother talking about? What will you find in Hawaii?” she whispered once he pulled his mouth away.

  Sebastian froze, uncertain of how to respond. Though he understood her reasons for wanting to know, it was still his first instinct to maintain a distinct line between work and family.

  “I deserve an answer,” she said, staring up at him. “This visit wasn’t about reconnecting with me, Sebby. It was about my mother protecting Colleen. I deserve to know what makes her more important than me.”

  Dropping his chin to his chest, he gave a sorrowful shake of his head. “She’s not, baby. Not to me,” he said, lifting his gaze back up to hers. “Her friend was married to a man we’ve been looking for. That’s all.”

  “How does she know what you’re after?”

  “I don’t know, Taylor. I wish I had an answer for that.”

  “Seb...she knows things about you. She knows about the baby.” She trailed off, her swallow sounding pained and uncertain in the silent confines of their room. “Are you going to…”

  His mind filled in the blanks of what she was trying to say and he closed his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, that had been the first thought to flicker through his mind. But that was before. Bracing his weight on his elbows, he stared down at her and cupped her face between his hands.

  “No.”

  The lone word hung between him and doubt clouded her face.

  “I am not going to kill your mother, Taylor. No matter what, she is still a part of you. I couldn’t do that.”

  Her delectable mouth twisted into a moue of thought. Reaching up, she trailed her fingers through his hair. “I know how things work. I need a better reassurance, Sebastian. Don’t sugarcoat or talk around it. Just tell me the truth.”