Cruel Seduction (Underground Kings 2)

SEBASTIAN

I have no idea what came over me when I saw her scars. First, I was mortified, and it was like I couldn’t get close enough to see all the damage Kendrick left behind. He beat her, relentlessly. I felt this overwhelming urge to claim her. I needed her to know I loved her and that she was mine, regardless of what Kendrick did.

I am going to kill him. I will whip him just like he whipped her. I’ll leave him in the dark and then maybe I’ll waterboard him until he chokes, almost drowning like she did in the ocean.

He is going to die by my hands.

It isn’t a threat. It is a promise, a fact.

“Ready?” She opens the bedroom door and steps out into the hallway. She’s wearing black sweatpants and a simple tank top. Her hair is twisted in a braid, falling over her shoulder, and her cheeks are flushed from the quick round of fucking against the wall.

She is gorgeous.

I suddenly don’t want her to go out there to the living looking freshly ravished. This is my masterpiece to look at.

“The cop is here, Sebastian. We can’t make him wait. Why are you staring at me?”

“Because you’re beautiful, and I can’t stop looking at you, will never stop looking at you, ever. You need to get used to it.” I shut the door behind me and slide my arm over her shoulder, tucking her to my side as we walk down the hall. Her arms are crossed as if she is cold, but I know that isn’t it. She is nervous.

We pass the reading room and I see her trying to get a good look at all the novels. I know she wants to spend days in here reading if she wanted. I’m not sure if I ever want her to work again or leave the house. I’m too afraid that something might happen to her again and she doesn’t need to work. I am rich. I can take care of all her needs, but that isn’t fair of me to do. If she wants to go back out in the real world, then that is her choice. She deserves to have independence, and the last thing I want to do is try to take that away or control her.

When we get to the living room, a guy around our age is on the couch. He isn’t in uniform. He wears denim jeans and a plain faded red t-shirt. His hair is brown, a bit of early graying around the temples, which is unusual for a man his age. His job is a stressful one, though.

When he sees Gabriella, he stands from the couch and smiles. “You must be Gabriella. I’m Officer Howard. I was the arresting officer in Grayson’s case. I’m sure he told you that.”

“Yep, I did,” Grayson says as he points the remote toward the TV and shuts it off.

“If it makes you feel any better, I know he didn’t do what he was accused of. And I also know how important it is to keep my mouth shut about where I am.” Officer Howard glances around at everyone, and he knows if he fucks up, the last thing he’ll have to worry about is his job. He’ll need to worry about his life.

“Okay,” she says quietly, as she sits down on the couch, moving around uncomfortably. Gabriella starts picking at her nails, and I rest my hands over hers and stare at her. I take a deep breath in and she does the same, following the beat of my chest. “Okay,” she repeats and relaxed. “I’m going to be honest; I don’t know what to do.”

“That’s okay. We are here to talk. I have my recorder, but I have it placed in the room so you can’t see it and get uncomfortable. I find people get intimidated when they see it.”

“Yeah, that helps. Thank you,” I say, and Gabby agrees with me by nodding her head.

“Grayson tells me you want to put a restraining order on Kendrick Knight. Is that correct? Possibly charge him with assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon?” Grayson reads the list off the top of his head without a pen and paper. He has been doing this for a long time, then. That makes me feel better.

“Yeah.” It is a simple one-worded answer that does the trick, but she doesn’t give any explanations or go into detail about anything yet.

“Okay, that’s good. I know Sebastian Knight, Kendrick’s brother, the man standing next to you, has warrant out for his arrest for kidnapping you. Is that true?”

“No! It’s Kendrick who’s the monster. Sebastian saved me! Kendrick did horrible things to me over the years. Horrible! You must believe me. It isn’t Sebastian.”

Officer Howard places his elbows on his knees as he sits forward. “When did you meet Kendrick?”

“Seven years ago? I think. I was going to break up with him to be with Kendrick because I found him controlling, but then as punishment, he sent Sebastian to prison for a crime he didn’t commit.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” I know Kendrick sent her to me to pass the word along to threaten me, but I didn’t know about her wanting to break up with Kendrick.

“I was afraid you’d hate me, Sebastian. If you knew the real reason you were in there was because of me, you wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with me, friend or otherwise, and I couldn’t lose that.”

“I’d never hate you, baby. Ever.” I tuck her head to my shoulder and run my fingers down her braid, and she gathers herself. She seems to be falling apart with the cop here. Authority figures are intimidating, and he probably reminds her of Kendrick in some way. The officer is just as big as Kendrick, but he is kinder. He isn’t a bully. He is just a guy who wants to do his job and bring justice to the right person.

“I need you to tell me everything,” Officer Howard finally says. “Don’t leave anything out.” The phone on his hip dings, but he doesn’t even look at it. His eyes are focused on Gabriella.

She sits back and rubs her neck. “All the years kind of blur together. Sebastian got me out that relationship for a little bit. I went to Spain. I was free. I was divorced. Sebastian made all that happen.”

“I’m not going to ask details on how he made that happen.” Officer Howard gives me a glare, raising his eyebrows to get his silent point across.