Edge of Obsession (SKALS 3)

CHAPTER 1~

Sebastian stared into the flickering candlelight flames, his thoughts distant and disjointed despite the laughter echoing around the table. His food sat mostly untouched before him. Leaning back in his seat, he took a long sip of wine and turned his attention to Taylor, watching her, gauging her mood and reactions while Monique regaled her with stories of their childhood. His jaw tightened as he tried to pull his focus back to the present, but it seemed determined to linger in the past. The smell of fresh paint and new carpet lingered in the air, overriding the spicy Chinese blend wafting from the table. He shifted uneasily in his seat, not caring for the changes around him. They were reminders, no matter how subtle, of his pain and failure to protect what he held most dear.

Though Josh and Monique had done a wonderful job of cleaning things up and keeping the rest of the house the same, the dining room chairs surrounding the table were different. A necessity after Laychee’s men had ransacked his home and broken one of the previous set while they’d brutalized Taylor.

Guilt and rage seethed below the surface. Deep down, he hoped Josh and Henderson had made those bastards pay. Fists clenched beneath the table, his lean hard muscles trembled with silent fury.

“Sebastian?”

He glanced over at Taylor. His brow furrowed with concern as he watched her smile falter. Swallowing, he fought to pull away from the dark tide of his emotions. She’d been through so much over the past few weeks. The last thing she needed was to suffer through one of his violent moods. He regretted their audience, wanting nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hold her close. Instead, he settled for tucking her hair behind her ear and forcing a smile.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Worry lined her face as she nibbled her lower lip in uncertainty.

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” he soothed. “I’m just not very hungry.”

She leaned into his touch before turning her head to kiss his palm. Creaking wood drew his attention, and he glanced up to see his sister squirming across from him. Even Josh gaped his way, his dark blue stare full of questions. Sebastian sighed and pushed away from the table with a quiet apology. Shaking his head, he strode out of the room, carrying only his wine glass with him.

“Do you want me to heat you up something else?” his sister asked.

Turning, he found she’d followed him into the kitchen. “No, Monique. I ordered what I wanted. Dinner was fine. I promise.”

Nodding, she wrung her hands. Apprehension creased her usually flawless features as she draped a tentative hand over his forearm. He tensed, looking at her in inquiry, but he made no move to pull away.

“I won’t insult you by pretending to know what you are going through, Sebastian. I don’t, but I do know how strong you are and how much you hate not being in control.” She lowered her head, her next words coming in a plea. “You aren’t going to be either of those things if you don’t take care of yourself.”

Backing away from her, he raked a hand down his face and squeezed the bridge of his nose. “I know that, Monique,” he said in a measured tone. “But I assure you, one night of not eating isn’t going to kill me.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to tell you what you should do. I’m just worried about you.”

He dumped the rest of his wine in the sink and rinsed his glass before setting it on the counter. Needing to stay busy, he snagged a checkered dishtowel out of the drawer and started wiping down the faucet and handles even though the brushed stainless steel already gleamed. He felt his sister looming behind him, watching him as she waited for some kind of reaction. Flinging the towel over his shoulder, he spun on his heel to face her.

Monique staggered back a quick step. Her already pale skin lightened even further.

“Do you really want to help me?” he asked.

“Yes. Of course I do, Sebastian.”

Nodding, he cast a quick look toward the archway to make sure no one else was within earshot. “Taylor missed her birthday when we were recuperating at SKALS’ headquarters. She hasn’t said anything about it. She’s far too sweet to do that, but I want to do something special for her. Something…I don’t know…nice. She deserves that much.”

“What are you thinking here, Seb?”

He frowned, his shoulders rolling with a helpless shrug. “I don’t know, Monique. A party? A cookout? You tell me.”

“We’ll do both,” she said. “I’ll take care of everything. Right now, you need to focus on yourself and Taylor. Do you have a list of her family and friends or some people she would like invited?”

“No. She hasn’t had any contact with her parents in years. I don’t know who she would want to come and I haven’t ha

d time to replace her phone, so I can’t exactly scroll through it and find out.”

Monique’s face scrunched with confusion, but she didn’t ask. It was just as well. He didn’t feel like going in to the how and why he’d broken it.

“There’s some redhead, Irene, who worked with Taylor in the truck stop diner on the other side of town,” he said. “They still talk. She might know a few more of Taylor’s friends, but her uncle and cousin are not welcome here. I don’t want those lowlife degenerates anywhere near her. That’s the last thing she needs right now.”

His sister winced at the assessment, but nodded. “Understood. I’ll see what I can do. Is this weekend okay?”

“That will be fine.” One side of his mouth lifted with a tired smile as he reached for her and smoothed the top of her honey blonde hair. “Thank you. I spent the entire ride home trying to brace myself for what I might see. I fully expected to walk in to a warzone and find my house turned upside down. There is no way I can ever repay you or Josh for everything you’ve done. I appreciate it more than you know.”

She graced him with an affectionate smile. “There’s no need to thank me, Sebastian. You’ve taken care of me my entire life. I wish the circumstances were a little different, but I’m grateful for the chance to give something back. No matter how small.”

Biting the insides of his cheeks, he stared down at her for a long minute, uncertain of what to say or how to respond. A strained swallow pushed past his throat. Forcing his attention elsewhere, he managed a mute nod. Her gratitude made him uncomfortable, and for a moment, he grappled with the memories of their past. Images of their father and his gnarled fists loomed before his mind, along with all the times he’d urged Monique to run and hide while he’d stood his ground.

She was twelve when their father passed away and thirteen when their mother followed eight short months later. He’d taken the first flight home and, after the funeral, he’d secured guardianship, found base housing, and taken his little sister with him.

Things had been so different then. More often than not, he’d barely had two dollars to rub together, but they’d had each other and that was the only thing that had mattered. It had been rough when he’d served his tours, but thanks to the help of some fellow Marines and their families, Monique was well cared for in his absence.

Now, he had more money than he knew what to do with, but happiness and days of carefree living were gone. He would always fall under the shadow of SKALS’ authority, and as his family, Monique would always fall under the same dark cloud. The burden fell on him. It was never far from his mind that if he failed to protect her, she would join the rest of their family in the ground. Pulling himself from his thoughts, he forced a small smile for his sister’s benefit.

“It has been a crazy ride,” he admitted, tracing the black granite countertop with his finger. “But I don’t regret it. You’re my family. It’s my job to look out for you.”

“Maybe that’s true, but you didn’t have to do it so well. You’ve always done everything for me,” she said, reaching for his shoulder. “You’ve always went above and beyond the call of duty.”

Steeling his jaw, Sebastian jerked back, eluding a touch that might damn well be shattering. “Stop it, Monique.”

“Sebastian…”

“No,” he said, edging away. “I’m not looking for a pat on the back, and I don’t need you to coddle me.”

“I wasn’t trying to,” she whispered, lowering her head to hide the hurt. “I was just trying to say I love you.”

He cast his arms open and spread his palms. “Then say it. Why beat around the bush? Is it really that hard?”

Monique’s reply was so soft he almost missed it. “You seem to accept that you’re good at your job, but not that there is any good left inside you. Deep down, you’re still a decent person.”

He pinned her with a pointed stare. “You’re remembering the man I was, not the one I am.”

“I love you regardless, Sebastian. Please remember that.”

His eyes narrowed as he studied her for a moment trying to figure out her angle. It wasn’t like her to be so persistent. Was he coming across as soft or just that wounded and desperate? Ever since he’d walked through the door, he’d felt like a damn zoo exhibit put on display for someone else’s amusement. He was tired of everyone watching and analyzing his every move.

Sighing beneath his breath, he nodded. “I’ll try,” he stated in a quiet rasp. “I love you, too.”

“Aw, isn’t that sweet? How about a group hug?”

He whirled at the sound of his partner’s voice. Seeing Josh standing there with his arms outstretched, Sebastian leveled him with a fierce glare and brushed past.

He prowled down the foyer, stopping when he spotted Taylor still seated at the dining room table. She looked so small and lost huddled in the high-backed seat. Her eyes were troubled as she stared into the candlelight, much as he had during dinner, the dancing flames casting shadows across her delicate features.

Frowning, he walked into the room and eased into the seat beside her. Taylor glanced up as he poured some wine in her empty glass.

“You’re legal now,” he whispered, leaning over to nuzzle the side of her neck.

She arched a brow, some of the light returning to her grey eyes as they met his. “Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me, Agent Baas?”

He snared her chin with a disapproving rumble. “I’d say there is a serious problem if I need to ply you with liquor in order to do that. What part of my job am I not doing right, Miss McAvay?”

She squirmed, cheeks flushing, as he brushed his lips across hers in a feather light caress. Her warm breath fanned his skin, luring him away from the temptations of bitterness and rage. Threading his fingers through the soft silk of her hair, he pulled her head closer and kissed her again.

“I missed you,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. “Just being here and sharing simple moments like this.”

“Me too.”

He glanced up as Josh’s raised voice carried from the kitchen. Seeing Taylor’s smile falter, he sighed. The playfulness lighting her face shifted to a worried grimace as she tried to peer down the foyer. Tightening his hold on her hair, Sebastian brought her focus back to him with a gentle tug.

“No, baby,” he said, with a slow shake of his head. “It’s none of our business. Let them work out their problems on their own. We have enough to deal with.”

“He sounds upset.”

Sebastian rubbed the back of her scalp. “Monique probably jumped his case. He tried to lighten things up earlier, but I’m afraid I’m not very good company tonight and my humor is lacking. They’ll work it out.” Taking her hand, he pulled her from her chair. “Grab your drink and come on,” he said.

The small tremble worming through her was not lost on him. Part of him wondered if it was out of fear for Monique or herself. The thought only led to more guilt. Leading her through the house, he pulled open the sliding glass doors off the kitchen and ushered her onto the deck. Fortunately, Josh and Monique had taken their argument into the living room, away from the central hub of the house.

The crisp night air washed over them in a cooling wave. He breathed deep as he steered Taylor toward the wooden rail, relishing the invigorating scent of spring as it rolled down off the mountains. Easing behind her, he pulled the glass from Taylor’s hand and set it on the banister. He rested his chin on her shoulder, content to share in the view of the forest and snow-covered peaks looming in the distance. Gold and deep purple streaks brushed the twilight sky in lazy swirls.

“Better?”

Taylor nodded and leaned against him to escape the chill. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he drew her closer.

“I forgot how beautiful it was here.”

He smoothed her hair down as the wind kicked it up and stray wisps tickled his nose. “It’s nothing compared to you.”

“You’re so full of it,” she said with an

amused snort.

“Mm. No. I believe that’s your lot to bear in life, darling, not mine.” He emphasized his point by bumping his hips against her.

She choked on her laughter. “Real nice, Sebastian!”

“It’s true. I like nothing better than when you are full of it…of me. The way you look, the way you feel when I’m buried deep inside you…”

A slight prickle on the nape of his neck alerted him to the fact that they were no longer alone. On edge, Sebastian searched the shadows below with narrowed eyes. Some of the tension fled him as he watched one of the security guards stroll past with a polite nod in their direction. He didn’t return the gesture. Instead, he returned his chin to its previous perch on Taylor’s shoulder and breathed in her scent, searching for the peace only she could bring. Another cool breeze lifted her hair and she snuggled deeper against his chest in search of warmth. He tightened his hold, his heart sinking when her slender form rose and fell with a soft sigh.

“What are you thinking?”

Taylor shrugged. “Honestly? It’s going to sound stupid, but I was just thinking about how lucky we are.”

Lucky? His brow furrowed as he tried to wrap his mind around her words. After everything they’d just been through, that assessment didn’t add up. Needing to see her face, he turned her around.

“What do you mean?”

The blush staining her cheeks deepened. “It’s hard to explain. Despite what happened, we still have so much. Those men could have taken everything from us…but they didn’t.” She reached up to run her fingers through the thick tumbles of his curls. “What happened was horrible, but we still have each other. We have a gorgeous house, a breathtaking view, and you have a family who loves you enough to make sure we didn’t have to come home and pick up the pieces. Some people will live their entire lives without experiencing a fraction of what we have. We have everything, Sebby.”