21. Sebastian
CHAPTER 21
SEBASTIAN
W e both wake before the sun peeks into the windows, and from the moment Ely’s eyes open, I know today is going to be hard. An aura of anxiety surrounds her, and I try my best to let it go, but by the time we reach the kitchen I’m ready to come out of my skin.
I pass Ely a cup of coffee and then lean across the counter and take a sip of my own.
"Talk to me. It’s too early in the morning to be as anxious as you are. Do I need to take you back upstairs and help you work some of it off?” I wink, trying to be playful, but Elyse isn’t having it.
She tenses, casting her gaze away, even though I can still see by the set of her shoulders and the clench of her fists inside her hoodie sleeves that she’s anxious. "Not all of us can be cool as cucumbers.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means not everyone can talk about committing murder without having some type of fear of being caught, or worse, fear of it failing.”
“Do you really doubt we can do this?”
She shrugs, “I don’t doubt that you can do anything. I just wonder…he’s the sheriff. People will notice if he goes missing, and they’ll start asking questions.”
I give her a lazy smile and stand, adjusting the collar of my pressed white shirt so it lays the way I want. "Let them ask questions. Proof is what they need, and unless they can prove someone did something malicious, they have nothing.”
“I’m not a good liar, Sebastian.”
“I don’t need you to lie. Anyone who knows your father will know he had a list of enemies a mile long. It could be anyone. The likelihood of them sniffing around us is slim to none. Not with the money we have, and everyone knows money is power. The more money you have, the more control you have. Your father might be the sheriff, but that kind of power is superficial, otherwise known as authority. He’s replaceable. All I have to do is flash around enough cash, and all our problems will disappear. Those stupid enough to ask questions or dig deeper can be taken care of, too.”
"I can’t carry that kind of weight on my conscience.” She whispers. “Besides the one time, I don’t make a habit of murdering people.”
“I know, Little Prey, and I’m not asking you to carry that weight. Let me do it. Just know there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect those I love and care about, including murder.”
Elyse takes a sip of her coffee and then frowns, “Do you think there is another way? Something not involving death? Could we pay him off? Make him disappear?”
"I know you don’t want to think about it, and I understand why, but there isn’t any other way to remove him from our lives. Money isn’t a big enough motivator for him, and we both know he’ll never disappear. As long as he’s alive, we will have the threat of him hanging over our heads, and the thought of living like that…of letting you live like that…not fucking happening.”
She tugs her sleeves tighter over her knuckles. "What type of person does it make me, that even after all the things he’s done to me, all the hateful words he’s said, I still don’t want anything bad to happen to him?”
“It makes you human, baby. It makes you a good fucking person.”
She pauses for a moment, seeming to ponder a little harder. “And Tanya? What about her?”
I barely stifle the flinch her name brings out. "She'll get what's coming to her, too. Anything and anyone standing in the way of us having a future together is a threat I will extinguish."
“Then you have a plan, right?”
I give her a smile right as a soft knock sounds at the backdoor. Right on time.
“Come in.” I announce, and the entire crew funnels into the kitchen like marching ants.
Elyse looks at me, her eyes wide. “Did you know they were coming?”
“Yes. We decided it would be smarter to discuss our plans in person versus even a secure email. If anyone ever got hold of that kind of information, it would incriminate all of us.”
“I never even considered that.”
Bel comes stomping in, brushing away a few lingering snowflakes sticking to her coat. Drew is right behind her, followed by Lee and Aries.
Lee splits off and slumps into a chair at the table near the other end of the kitchen. Aries zips his coat, stuffs his hands in his pockets, and stays near the door. Drew, of course, follows Bel over to the counter when Bel climbs onto a stool next to Ely.
Turning, she pins me with a glare, "Let's do this so we can get back to regular programming.”
"Yes, this whole murder the sheriff business is really cutting into my day drinking," Lee quips, his body slumped down in the chair while he hangs his head over the back of it.
Drew spreads his hands out on the counter. "What's the plan?"
My brain has been going nonstop, the ideas bouncing around inside. I haven’t spoken to anyone about them, haven’t put them down on paper, haven’t done anything but considered all sides inside my own mind, and I think I’ve come up with something decent. Now to see if we can execute it.
I grab Ely's phone off the counter and wave it, the screen lighting up with a text.
"I’ve been thinking about this for hours, but before we move forward with any of it I want your opinions.” Everyone nods, so I continue, “Her father has been blowing up her phone since she missed their agreed upon meeting. At this point, I think our best option is to get him to the house, and take care of things here. We can tell him that since he took out his aggression on Lee, he didn’t stick to the agreement, so we’ve altered it a bit. Now we need him to bring Tanya’s police report with him, as additional security.”
Drew’s gaze fastens on nothing in particular, and I know he’s thinking through it all. Seeing the pieces move in his mind. "Okay, but I don't want Bel here. Aries can stay with her and Ely at our place."
Ely immediately interrupts. "What? No. That makes no sense. I have to be here. If he shows up and realizes I’m not here, he’ll know it’s a set up, and then it won’t matter what our next steps are. If we want this to work I have to be here.”
I nod my head in agreement, “She’s right. As much as I hate it, if she’s not here when he shows up, all of this was for nothing. We need him inside the house to get the job done.”
“Fine, then Bel will stay with Aries.” Drew announces.
Bel doesn't even look at Drew, but I can sense the anger rolling off of her. "Bel is an adult who can make her own choices, which, by the way, will be staying to support her friends.”
“You’re so fucking stubborn.” Drew shakes his head in frustration.
“Trouble in paradise already?” Lee muses.
“I think you want me to kick your ass? Is that what you just said?”
Aries chuckles, “I think we should take bets on who gets their ass beat first. My guess is that Bel beats both of your asses.”
Bel gives Aries a cheeky grin, and Drew rolls his eyes. Lee, on the other hand, smirks and says, “I have something she can beat, but it ain’t my ass.”
“You really want me to kill you, don’t you?” Drew growls, ready to explode. I need to stop this before it gets out of hand, even if I do enjoy watching Lee bait Drew into peculiar situations.
“Stop. We’re here to discuss the plan. Afterward, you can kill each other; I don’t care. Just take the mess outside.”
“Okay, dad….” Lee mocks with a frown.
“Such a buzzkill, man,” Aries shakes his head.
I notice Ely shifting on the stool like she’s uncomfortable. I can understand why she feels this way, and if I could pull the plan off without including her in it I would, but I can’t. Which means I’ll have to help her through the process and find ways to ease the fear and anxiety she has. I think I have the perfect plan for that.
Addressing the room, I say, "For this to work, we will need to act as a team, with each person doing their part. First step is for Drew and Bel. I need both of you to go to the Mill. Start a party, big enough that the police get called.”
Lee grumbles,. "Uh, I can do that; why are you asking them to do it?"
"They’ll start the party. You’ll ensure it gets the publicity it needs. Think you can make some calls and get the press there?”
Lee smiles. "Is that even a question? I’m a professional at fucking things up. I've got a friend on speed dial who will draw some cameras. I'll just take him out to dinner. Piss my family off in the process."
"Okay, good. Then the three of you sneak away, making sure no one notices and get back here. The point of it is we want the Sheriff thinking Ely is here alone, and unprotected. I'll also be making a big show of leaving. If he agrees to come to the house we know he’ll be watching the place, and want to make certain I’m gone before his arrival. I’ll sneak back in without anyone noticing.”
Ely reaches for the coffee mug, but I tug it closer to me with a raised eyebrow. "I don’t know if you need any more coffee. You’re anxious as it is.”
Bel snatches the mug from me and hands it to Ely. "You're not her keeper. If she's anxious, give her a Xanax like a normal person. Don't withhold the goods."
I can't help but smile. Bel has been a firecracker since she and Drew got together, and I kind of love her all the more for it.
“We can have the meeting take place in the den. I’ll have Ely get in touch with her father, and set everything up for tonight. We’ll wait until he’s inside the room before we ambush him.”
“Got it!” Drew nods.
“But first,” I say to Ely, ignoring Bel's glare, "I made some plans for just us tonight. Once we get back, I'll make a show of leaving. Anything you want to do in the meantime?"
She shakes her head. "I don't know..."
Bel stands and drags Ely off the stool. "Come on, why don't we go for a walk? Mr. Broody over here can take us over to the Mill," she hikes her thumb at Drew, "we can hike the property, and he can follow us. It'll give us a chance to talk; plus fresh air always helps expel anxiety."
I almost want to volunteer to come with, but maybe Ely needs this. A little bit of time to talk to her friend, to move her body. She hasn't been running or even walking as much as she used to with the danger and kidnapping that took place. This is good for her.
Ely looks from me to Bel. “I mean, a walk would be nice. I’m getting a little claustrophobic with all of you here.”
“Same. Go get a coat and put some jeans on. It’s cold outside.” Bel exclaims.
I take a small sip of coffee and watch as she climbs off the stool and goes to get some warmer clothes on. Soon there won’t be anyone for her to fear. All the monsters she’s spent her entire life running from will be dead, and she’ll finally be free.
“Has it hit her yet that her father is going to die?” Drew asks.
I shrug, “I think so. She knows there isn’t any other option. It's either we kill him or deal with his scheming for the rest of our lives, and she knows I’m not going to let her go through that. I can handle it, but Ely can’t; nor should she have to. She deserves to be happy, and as unfortunate as it might be, the only way for her to truly be happy is if he’s gone.”
“Sometimes you’ve got to cut the toxic out so it doesn’t eat away at all the good. Otherwise you’ll be left with nothing but bones,” Lee interjects.
“That’s pretty deep.” I nod. “Almost like you’ve experienced this shit yourself.”
“I’ve got a little experience.” Lee smiles and shows me with two fingers how much experience he has. Ely walks into the kitchen then, and my full attention locks on her. I can’t help but smile at her presence. She’s the light I never knew I needed in my life, and fuck, am I grateful to have her by my side. She looks adorable bundled up in a jacket with a knit cap on her head.
“Ready to go?” I quip.
“I think so.” She smiles, her green eyes a little brighter.
“Let's go get some fresh air, and then when we get back to the Mill we can have some hot chocolate.” Bel says, hopping off the stool.
“Oh, that sounds good.” Elyse beams back at her.
“See you guys later.” Bel waves as she takes Ely by the arm and guides her out the back door.
“Bye!” Ely squeaks.
“Bye. I’ll see you a little bit later.” They disappear out the door and even if it’s the last thing I want to do I know I need to let her go. Let her have freedom to explore.
Drew rolls his eyes and starts after them. I stop him dead in his tracks by placing a hand on his shoulder. “Anything happens to either of them, and you know the deal.”
In typical Drew fashion, he’s unphased by my threat of violence, “I’m not scared of you, Seb. You’re a suit-wearing prick. But need I remind you—if anything were to happen to either of them, I’d do everything short of killing myself to make sure they were okay.”
“I know.” I tell him and lift my hand off his shoulder.
He continues forward, disappearing out the back door. I know he’s telling the truth. When it comes to Bel there is nothing Drew wouldn’t do. And I know he wouldn’t let anything happen to Elyse by extension of his devotion to both Bel and me.
Aries is still braced by the back door, his big arms crossed over his chest. "What’s my job in this grand plan of yours?"
“I thought you’d never ask.” I grin. “You’re the muscle. If anything happens to us, you’ll step in, and if by some fucking miracle Ely’s dad gets away, you’ll catch him.”
There's a hard set to his jaw but he nods. "I'll be taking care of that bitch, as well."
"If Ely's dad gets out of this house alive it'll mean I'm as good as dead, so I won't give a shit."
“Chin up, Buttercup, the only one dying today is Ely’s dad.” Lee exclaims, squeezing my shoulder hard. Even as confident as I am in this plan, I still have my doubts and fears, and my friends see that. I have to make sure this happens: the reign of terror Elyse endured her entire life ends.