Sinister Kisses (The SKALS Series) Read online

  “Get your fucking hands off of her!”

  The blunt end of a pistol greeted the tip of his nose and brought him up short.

  “You might want to rethink that bravado, kid. It’s about to get you shot,” Josh warned.

  The low, menacing snarl of his voice sent a shiver racing down Taylor’s spine. Whimpering, she lifted a shaking hand to her mouth. Her body shuddered with her efforts not to get sick. The empty cavern of her stomach churned dangerously, and an acidic scald splashed the back of her throat. Glancing at Daryl, her heart broke. He looked even more terrified than she felt. His expression was forlorn, pleading, as he glanced around in a frantic search for help.

  “It’s okay, D,” she muttered. “I know him.”

  “Taylor?”

  “He’s—he’s my boyfriend’s partner. It’s okay, Daryl, really.”

  Josh’s snort did nothing to bolster her confidence. Maybe it wasn’t okay after all. Struggling to keep up with the man’s rapid stride, Taylor tipped her head back and cast an imploring glance to the heavens. It had never worked much in her favor in the past, but if ever the Big Guy was going to listen, she prayed now would be the time. Her heart skidded to a stop in her chest as Josh marched her over to the car, ripped open the back door, and shoved her inside. She flinched when he slammed it shut with enough force to rock the vehicle. Shifting, she watched him round the trunk. Nervous laughter threatened. At least he hadn’t stuffed her in there.

  The heated leather did nothing to thaw her fear. Her eyes met Josh’s in the rearview mirror as he slid into the driver’s seat. His gaze narrowed slightly, and Taylor flattened against the backseat of the car as he whirled around to confront her.

  “What the hell are you thinking?” he snapped.

  “Me?” She blinked, unable to stop the indignant laugh that bubbled from her throat. “You are the one acting a like a madman and waving a gun around in public!”

  “I was doing you a favor, princess.”

  “You pointed a gun in my friend’s face!”

  Sebastian’s partner regarded her with a slow shake of his head.

  “He shouldn’t have interfered.” His voice was soft and disturbingly calm. “If you want to be mad at someone, sweetheart, take a good look at yourself. You’re the one running around making lunch dates with other men. You can be glad it was me who checked in on you and not Sebastian. Had it been him, your little friend back there might not be breathing.”

  Her mouth opened and snapped shut. Taylor’s fists balled. She pressed them deep against her thighs as a staggering amount of anger and confusion swept through her. “First of all, it wasn’t a date. I went to school with Daryl. We grew up together. For fuck’s sake, he’s like a brother to me.”

  Josh’s eyebrows shot up at her choice of words, but he said nothing.

  “Secondly, how exactly is it that you know what I’m doing and saying? What did you guys do, bug me?”

  His gaze hardened. “We don’t need to, though with that attitude, maybe Sebastian should. Let me fill you in on a little something. One push of a button and your government can zero in on anything, and our reach extends even farther than theirs so now would be a really good time to cut the crap. Sebastian’s a very possessive man. He doesn’t share, and he will take out anything he sees as a threat.”

  Taylor tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry, her throat too constricted. All she managed to accomplish was an awkward squelching sound that echoed throughout the car. “Take out?”

  “You seem like a smart girl. Figure it out. Look, I’m trying to tell you in a nice way that this little arrangement would make him very unhappy. When Sebastian is unhappy, I’m unhappy. Do you see how this works? If you’re going to be with him—be with him, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too.”

  Her gaze darted to the window. Frowning, she watched Daryl gather the spilled contents of her bags off the street. The poor guy had just had a gun shoved in his face, and here he was, still trying to help her. She sighed. Nothing was making any sense. A low throb was starting to bud behind her temples. She just wanted to go home. Taylor hung her head with a sorrowful shake.

  “I wasn’t trying to do anything…”

  Josh rubbed his chin and nodded. “I believe you, but I doubt Baas would see it that way. I’m going to do everyone a favor here and keep this incident between you and me.” His gaze locked with hers in the mirror. “I’m going to let you out now. You can get your stuff, but then you are going to walk away. For both our sakes, see to it that we never have this talk again.”

  Stepping out of the car, Taylor shut the door behind her and closed her eyes with a shiver. The man was nuts. If he wasn’t certifiable, he was at the very least bipolar. Rubbing her arm, she crossed the sidewalk and approached Daryl. Tears threatened to blind her as she offered an apologetic smile. He stepped forward and tried to comfort her, empathy and concern riding his face, but all too aware of Josh’s stare, she twisted out of reach.

  “I’m so sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay. Are you all right, Taylor? What’s going on?”

  Taking the bags from him, she shook her head and backed away. “I’m really sorry. I have to go.”

  “At least let me walk you to your truck. I don’t know what kind of people you are mixed up with, Tay, but this is some scary shit. What the hell did that guy want with you anyway?”

  She couldn’t even look him in the eye. She was too ashamed, too humiliated, and confused. Right now, she couldn’t even say if those feelings stemmed from the situation she’d just been placed in, or her own actions. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt or upset Sebastian, but her heart also wrenched for Daryl. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Forcing a swallow, Taylor blinked against the scalding burn of her tears. With her arms full, she couldn’t even reach up to wipe them away.

  “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need your help, D. I got it.”

  “Can I at least call you later?”

  She winced. Was this what thirteen years of friendship was going to boil down to? It hardly seemed fair. Casting one last look over her shoulder at Josh, she shook her head. “I’d rather you didn’t, and unless you want that man to get out of the car again, I need to go. Take care of yourself, okay?”

  He nodded mutely, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his faded Wrangler jeans. The hurt on his face was something she would carry with her for a long time, and as Taylor made her way back to her truck, she started to cry.

  Taylor sat huddled in the center of the plaid couch, idly picking the tattered hem of her jeans. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but daylight was starting to give way to dusk on the other side of the blinds and the skin beneath her eyes was chapped. Guilt continued to gnaw at her with gnashing teeth, the pain festering and raw. Maybe it would eat away the person she was becoming. Whoever this new woman was, she didn’t like her. She didn’t like the secrets and lies, and this chilling newfound ability to turn her back on her friends. The shrill ring of her cell phone made her jump. Glancing down at the caller ID, Taylor dashed away her tears with the sleeve of her sweater and hit mute. She wasn’t in the mood to talk right now. Not to her uncle, not to Bryce, not even to Sebastian. Right now, she just wanted some space and time to think.

  Combing her fingers through her hair, she abandoned both phone and couch in favor of feeling quasi human again. She padded into the hall and rummaged through the slatted linen closet, pulling out a plush towel and bath beads. A few minutes later, the sound of roaring water rolled through the apartment, along with the sweet aroma of mango and pineapple. Her stomach cramped as she peeled off her clothes, and she rubbed her belly in confusion before remembering that she’d forgotten to eat. Shrugging, she stepped into the tub and sank into its scalding depths with a sigh.

  Her gaze roamed around the cramped bathroom for a minute, taking in the rust and lime saturated porcelain sink and odd stucco walls. No amount of CLR managed to make the battered basin look any better, and she’
d given up long ago. Even the shaggy burgundy bathmat was in sore need of replacement. Taylor snorted to herself. After seeing Sebastian’s house, no amount of five-and-dime purchases was ever going to cut the definition of beautiful again. She could buy out the entire store and still not come close.

  Bathing was a bit more exhausting than she remembered, even though her last one had been less than ten hours ago. By the time she’d scrubbed and conditioned her hair, washed, and shaved, it was all she could do to keep her heavy eyelids from drifting shut. It had been a long day. The crisp spread of her sheets and the rhythmic whir of the fan had never sounded so appealing. If she could just bring herself to move…

  Taylor came up out of the tub with a start. Her heart pounded—the sound deafening in her ears as she glanced around. The water had shifted from unbearably hot to cold, and she wondered how long she had been dozing. She startled as the pounding grew louder, and as the translucent cobwebs of sleep fell away, she realized it wasn’t her heart thudding so adamantly, but her front door.

  Muttering, she pulled the plug and struggled to rise to her feet. After being submerged for so long, her body felt like it was made of lead. She snagged her robe off the back of the door and threw it on, wrapping it around herself as she stumbled to the front door. A quick look through the peephole revealed a very agitated looking Sebastian. She thudded her forehead lightly against the barrier.

  Taylor barely managed to crack the open the door before he pushed his way inside. His eyes were wide, almost wild, as he glanced around and plowed a hand through his curls. By the looks of the tousled things, he’d been at it for hours.

  “Where have you been?” he asked. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all night. Are you okay?”

  Shutting the door, she nodded and crossed the room to drop onto the couch. “I fell asleep in the tub,” she admitted sheepishly.

  He blew out a deep breath and scrubbed his hand over his face several times before pinching his sinuses. Casting the ceiling a frustrated look, he sighed and took a seat beside her. “I was worried sick. I didn’t know what happened to you.”

  Taylor winced as he lifted her chin and ran a thumb over her raw cheek.

  “Have you been crying?”

  Shame suffused her. She tried to lower her head, but he gingerly cupped her face between his palms. His expression was one of genuine concern, his intense green eyes gentle, but probing.

  “Taylor, talk to me. What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

  She shivered at the sudden cold glint in his stare. Pulling back, she played with the end of her robe sash, twirling it in her lap.

  “I hurt myself,” she mumbled. “I screwed up today, and somehow, I ended up hurting a good friend in the process and pissing yours off. I don’t know what to do, Sebastian. I’m so hurt and frustrated, and I don’t want to lie to you.”

  He straightened, his lean form becoming visibly stiffer as he stroked the stubbly traces of the light golden goatee on his chin.

  “What did you do?” he asked in a quiet rasp.

  Taylor pressed her lips together so hard they hurt. Her body trembled as she remembered Josh’s fury. She didn’t think she could bear that kind of reaction from the man sitting across from her. The muscles along his jaw knotted with impatience as he waited for an answer.

  “Daryl and I grew up together. For most of my life, he was my best friend. We were practically joined at the hip, but I haven’t seen him since last fall when he left for college. We bumped into each other today when I was shopping downtown. All he did was ask if I wanted to grab some lunch and catch up. I was hungry and I did, so I said yes.”

  She dared a quick peek at Sebastian, but the slight flare of his nostrils made her reassess the benefits of confession.

  “You said yes,” he repeated softly. His jaw worked as long fingers wrapped around her chin. Sebastian stared at her for a long moment. His right eye twitched ever so slightly, the muscle flexing beneath the surface. “Do you have feelings for this man?”

  “No! Daryl was like the brother I never had. I could never look at him that way, but it doesn’t matter because your friend came out of nowhere, jumped the curb, and pointed a gun in his face when he tried to defend me.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Defend you from what?”

  “Josh. He was so angry, so cold…he just grabbed my arm and started dragging me to the car. Daryl was scared. I was scared. Neither one of us had any idea what was going on. I’ve never been more petrified or humiliated in my entire life.”

  Sebastian’s lips flattened in a grim press. His chest rumbled with a growl as he reached up to rub the space above his eyebrows. “Let me see your arm.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  “Let me see it.”

  She winced at the harsh insistence in his voice. Pushing up the loose terrycloth sleeve, Taylor refused to look his way. His touch was surprisingly light and his fingers cool as they trailed over her skin, assessing the red marks circling her bicep. A dark frown tightened his features before Sebastian eased her sleeve back down.

  “I will have a talk with him.”

  Taylor grimaced at the displeasure riding the smooth notes of his voice. “Please don’t. After I explained what was going on, he said he believed me. He was just trying to look after you. He said just this once we could keep what happened between ourselves, and I…” she faltered upon seeing a humorless smirk stretch his lips.

  “Is that so?” he asked.

  Taylor swallowed. He was anything but amused. “I don’t want to get Josh in trouble or cause any problems. Please, that’s not why I said anything.”

  “Then why did you?” Sebastian asked, lifting his eyebrows in question.

  She licked her lips and hung her head. Her tongue felt thick and swollen against the roof of her mouth. She would have killed for a drink of water, or a break from the rigorous cross-examination. Taking a deep breath, she shrugged.

  “I don’t want to lie or keep things from you. That’s not the way I want to start our relationship. I really like you, Sebastian, but I’m not okay with what happened today. I just wanted you to know what was going on and get some kind of reassurance that it won’t happen again. I can’t…I won’t live like that.”

  Sebastian shifted to rest against the back of the couch. Reaching up, he rubbed at one shoulder, his face contorting with discomfort before he turned his head to look at her. Taylor studied him, searching his expression for some clue as to where his thoughts lie, but his face was an unreadable mask. She held her breath as she waited for him to speak. The tension and suspense were unbearable.

  “I am not without blame.” His jaw tensed. “I asked Josh to look in on you. He’s a loyal man, sometimes to a fault. I’m sure his heart was in the right place, even if his actions fell short.”

  “What does that mean?”

  The pale depths of Sebastian’s stare took on a menacing glint that sent a cold shock down her spine.

  “You are mine, Taylor, and I protect what is mine. I am the only one that should ever touch you. Josh was out of line, and I will handle it.”

  She shivered as much from the steely determination in his voice as the intensity of his words. Hugging herself, Taylor studied the worn patch of carpet beneath her feet. Maybe she had been wrong to say something. It was obvious Sebastian was not about to let things go. Her stomach twisted at the thought. She already topped the list of Josh’s least favorite people. This wasn’t going to help matters any, and that man’s bad side was one place she really didn’t want to be.

  She glanced up as Sebastian leaned over her. His face softened as he ran his fingers through the damp tangles of her hair.

  “I will take care of you,” he murmured. “I will give you everything, be everything you need. Don’t walk away because of a stupid mistake.”

  “Don’t you trust me? It’s not fair to me, and it’s not fair to my friends to have random people breaking up our talks and threatening to shoot them.”

  The muscl
es beneath his jaw knotted for a brief second, but he nodded. His palm smoothed the side of her head.

  “I trust you, Taylor. It’s the rest of the world that has me concerned. I should have checked in on you myself, but I was busy and just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “Have you ever heard of a phone?”

  One corner of his mouth lifted with a dry smile. “Why do that and miss out on a chance to see your beautiful face?”

  “I don’t like it. I don’t need you checking in on me like that.”

  Sebastian sighed. The hard lines of his body strained against the leather coat he wore as he sat up. “Then maybe it is time to reassess our relationship. There are many drawbacks to my profession. I do things that paint a target on my back. If my cover were to get blown, or if someone were to discover who I was or my involvement in certain things, there is a strong possibility they would come after me or what means the most. It’s selfish to put you in that position, Taylor, but I want what I want, and I am willing to take that risk. That means I may need to check in on you from time to time for my own peace of mind. Desperation robs people of sanity. It also makes them do stupid things. I can protect you. I will protect you. The question here isn’t if I trust you—it’s if you trust me.”

  Taylor flinched. Her stomach sank. As terrifying as the possibilities were, she believed him when he said he would keep her safe. His eyes promised as much as they bore into her waiting for an answer. She sighed. There were a lot of risks, but he was worth it. She couldn’t imagine losing him now. The last few weeks had been heaven. Albeit an exhausting one, but she craved everything about this man from his smile to his touch. When they were apart, she counted the hours until she would see him again. She hung her head with a sorrowful shake.

  “I trust you, Sebastian. I’m sorry.”

  “Then don’t question my actions again.” He lifted her head, his face questioning when a tear slid over her cheek to splash against the back of her hand. “Why are you crying?”