Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO
LUKE
“ W here?” Sebastian casually asks into his earpiece as he scans the room.
“White male, black hair, near the east entrance. The verified owner of the photo ID he stole is at the front with security and would really like it back,” Ryan explains.
My eyes snap to the doorway, and I watch as a shorter man makes his way over to one of the buffet tables at the far end of the room. Then I notice Leena, who is only a few paces behind, discreetly following after him.
Fuck.
My eyes quickly find Sebastian’s and we give each other a knowing look. We didn’t want her anywhere near the op tonight, we never do. But she had to get out of the van eventually, and we know better than to try and keep our woman down once she’s made up her mind. I remind myself again that she has her weapon and knows how to use it, but I hope to fuck it never comes to that.
Not again.
We make our way as quickly as possible through the crowded room, smiling, apologizing and trying not to draw attention.
“Leena,” Sebastian growls a warning over the radio, but she doesn’t reply.
“Chase, Campbell, need I remind you of your own rules? You just need to get him alone and talk to him. Do not engage unless there’s a confirmed weapon. He made it past the metal detectors, so there’s no need to ruffle feathers if we don’t have to,” Ryan lectures. I hear Sebastian snort out a grunt from beside me.
“Fuck the damn feathers,” he mumbles, but not into the comm. This time.
Classy as always, I think, shaking my head, but I can’t help the smile that tugs at my mouth. I love how gruff he is.
I also love him in that suit. So much, in fact, I’ve been actively avoiding looking at him all evening. Then Leena walked in wearing that dress, and fuck. Me.
I don’t know how much longer I can take it with these two before I wind up dragging them both out of here and–
“Hart’s moving in,” Ryan updates us from the van, but we’re nearly to her now. We slow our pace, already feeling better now that we have a clear visual on the woman in the sexy as fuck silk dress.
Our sexy as fuck woman in the silk dress. No matter how many times I tell myself that it’s true, I still find it impossible to believe that she’s ours.
That we get to be hers.
I’m feeling very protective of that right at this moment.
She’s near where the man is wandering along one of the large buffet tables, picking food off the communal plates with his damn fingers.
If this man isn’t supposed to be here, then there’s a very real possibility that he will make a scene if we try to remove him. We need to be subtle so as not to start a panic, and so no one gets hurt.
There are just too many goddamn people in here.
I guess we could try and calmly ask him to come with us, but then I look at Sebastian, who’s tense beside me, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Great. Maybe this is just him overreacting because it’s Leena’s first time in the field, but the second this guy gets a look at him or me, he’ll most likely freak the fuck out.
I honestly don’t see any scenario in which this goes down without Sebastian shooting someone.
And I don’t blame him. I’ll shoot the bastard myself if I see even the slightest hint that Leena’s in danger.
We’re about to move in closer when Colton stops us. “Chase, Campbell, she’s got this.”
I glare at where he’s standing against the far wall, but I know he’s right.
Leena knows what she’s doing.
She stumbles toward the man, unsteady on her heels, the champagne sloshing in her glass. She places one hand on his shoulder and leans in close, too fucking close. He turns, frowning, then smiles once he actually gets a look at her.
Sebastian makes some sort of noise and I glance at him, a look telling him to calm the fuck down.
They’re far enough away that we wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation, except that Leena was clever enough to switch on her comm device before approaching him.
“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry,” she giggles out the words. “I must have lost my balance, it’s these damn heels.” She smiles, then gives the man a seductive look as she takes a long slow sip.
“That’s quite alright,” the man says, smiling as he places his fucking hand on her waist to steady her. Then he stares straight down to all the places the dress doesn’t cover, without even the courtesy of being subtle about it.
I grind my teeth.
Sebastian probably doesn’t have any teeth left to grind.
“I was looking for the restroom, do you happen to know where it’s at?” she asks, letting her fingers trail from his shoulder over to straighten his tie, biting her lip. Even pretending to be drunk, her motions are seductive as all hell. The man glances around the room, then checks his phone before relaxing a little.
“I don’t, but I can help ya find it.” He gives her a wicked smile, then glances around one more time before leading her out into the hallway.
I blink, then look over at Sebastian. He blinks too. In our anger over the whole situation, we failed to realize how she just got him out into the hallway and away from the crowd.
Like a fucking pro.
We follow after them, the man is completely oblivious that we’re trailing a few yards behind in an otherwise empty hallway.
“Oh! There it is!” Leena exclaims, still hanging all over him, as she points to a door clearly marked as one of the facilities.
The man leads her toward it and she presses a hand firmly to his chest, stopping him in his tracks when he tries to follow her in.
Bastard.
She leans in close, her body swaying just a little to reinforce that she’s drunk, while letting on that she’s really into him.
It’s convincing as fuck.
“Wait for me?” she says seductively, handing him her empty champagne glass and running her hands down his chest.
The man mumbles out some sort of protest, but she just turns on her heel and quickly disappears through the doorway, leaving him alone.
With us.
“Knife. Left, inside pocket. Likely no other weapons,” Leena informs us, her steady clear voice a stark contrast from her little drunken act.
Fucking asshole must have swiped it from the buffet table.
And that’s all we need.
“Chase and Campbell, moving in. Team One stand-by for backup,” Sebastian states, and we’re on him in a second.
“Team One copy,” Colton quickly replies.
“What the–” the man starts to say, but Sebastian has already grabbed him, securing his struggling arms behind his back. Leena’s empty champagne glass shatters on the floor while I relieve him of his weapon and slap the cuffs on his wrists.
The entire thing takes Sebastian and I less than five seconds. It always does. The way we work together is seamless, always has been.
Once the man is detained, we walk him to where Colton and Jace are running toward us down the hall. Sebastian shoves the man at our team, and they each grab an arm.
Then I feel familiar, delicate fingers lace around my bicep. I bend my arm, letting her hand slide down to rest in a posture befitting of our black tie attire.
“You fucking whore!” The man lurches forward and I instinctively pull Leena back, but he immediately stalls, letting out a grunt as he catches Sebastian’s fist straight to the stomach. He tries to crumple over in pain, but Sebastian quickly grabs the man’s face hard, leaning in close.
“What did you just fucking call her?” he grits out.
The man mumbles something in response, his words incoherent through Sebastian’s grip.
“What was that? I can’t fucking hear you. What. Did. You. Call. Her?” Sebastian growls again, and I shift uncomfortably, trying to hide my arousal brought on from this entire situation.
“Nothing,” the man finally spits out. Sebastian shoves his face backwards so hard that if Colton and Jace weren’t holding him, he probably would’ve fallen over.
I tuck Leena safely into my side. Not because she’s in danger, but because I just don’t like her being around this sort of aggression, these types of low-lifes. Not after all she’s been through.
I let my hand trail down her back, my thumb brushing back and forth over her bare skin. I take in a steadying breath. She’s so fucking soft. And after watching Sebastian get all aggressive and protective over her? Fuck . These two are really doing a number on me tonight.
And this evening is just getting started.