Chapter 22 – Alec
ALEC
Sebastian is late.
And Sebastian is never late.
I glance at the wall clock again, frowning as the seconds tick by into minutes. On the couch, Ashton shifts nervously, his leg bouncing up and down.
“Where the fuck is he?” he asks, looking around. “It’s not like him to—”
The door opens suddenly, and a flushed Sebastian ducks inside. “Sorry,” he mutters, shutting the door behind him and running a hand through his hair. “I had a phone call I had to take.”
He looks flustered. And flustered isn’t a word I usually associate with him.
“Do you want to tell me what phone call could possibly be important enough to keep us waiting?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
He looks at me, and I can see his mind working, can see him deciding exactly what to say and what not to say.
“I was talking to Sydney,” he admits.
Ashton tenses, going still on the couch.
“Bullshit,” he snaps. “No you weren’t.”
Sebastian doesn’t say anything. But he holds my gaze, chin raised, looking almost…smug.
Oh. This wasn’t just a phone call.
Surprised, I take in all the nuances of his appearance, noting the slight pink in his cheek, the disorder to his clothing. Sebastian is immaculate, perfectly dressed and composed.
Usually.
A small ember of jealousy burns in my gut. This is good, I try to convince myself. It means she’s opening back up to us. It means we haven’t lost her, not entirely, not yet. It means there’s a world in which she might trust us again.
This is good.
I clench my hand under the desk to stop myself from punching him in the dick.
“Why would she call you?” Ashton asks, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
“I don’t think we need to discuss this,” I say, trying to put a halt to a sibling fight before it begins. “We’re already behind, and—”
“What could she possibly get from you that she can’t get from us?” Ash interrupts.
“Guess she was feeling lonely,” Sebastian volunteers, his mouth quirking up into the barest hint of a smile. “And looking for a little fun.”
Great.
I let out a long, exasperated breath.
On the couch, Ashton’s entire body goes tense. He looks at me, then back to his brother quickly.
“You’re lying,” he accuses, eyes boring into Sebastian. “Stop it. You’re fucking lying just to get a rise out of me.”
This time, Sebastian does smile, turning to look at his brother and grinning widely.
“Sure,” he says coldly. “Whatever you need to believe, brother.”
And cue the temper tantrum in three…
Two…
“Fuck!” Ashton yells, slamming his hands against the couch. “FUCK! You mother fucker!”
Sebastian just shrugs, still smiling.
“Ashton, that’s enough,” I say, holding up a hand to stop him. But I already know trying to calm him down is useless.
“No. No, this isn’t happening.” Ashton mutters, standing up from the couch and pulling at his hair as he paces. “Jesus Christ, what’s next? Is she going to fuck Viper? Before me?”
“What makes you think she hasn’t already?” Sebastian asks, casually straightening his glasses.
“Don’t even joke about that,” Ashton hisses, stepping forward. He shoves a finger against Sebastian’s chest. To his credit, Sebastian doesn’t move an inch. “Don’t even fucking joke, you prick!”
“Who’s joking? He’s been spending time with her, hanging out at the shop, all alone with no one supervising. And you already know she likes a little pain.” He smiles again, sharp as a knife. “Or maybe you’re the only one who doesn’t know that yet.”
“I’ll fucking kill you,” Ashton spits out. “You fucker!”
“Enough,” I snap, slamming my palm against my desk. “Ashton, sit the fuck down.”
He hesitates, torn between obeying a direct order and his brother’s shit-stirring grin. But finally, he sits back down, glaring at Sebastian the whole time.
“I’m getting sick of this shit,” I snap. “If neither of you can grow up and handle this like adults, I’ll—"
Sebastian interrupts me with an abrupt laugh.
“You’ll what? Take your ball and go home?
” He shakes his head, lip curling in a sneer.
“When you met her, you gave her the option of picking what she wants from us. And she is. How do you think she’ll react if you try to take that choice away from her now?
Think that will go down easy with her? You’re just angry that you’re not the one she picked. ”
“Has she really fucked Viper?” Ashton asks him in a small voice, ignoring the conversation entirely. “Be real with me, bro. Has she really?”
Sebastian snorts derisively, shaking his head. “You’re fucking pathological, you know that? You can’t handle the possibility that she might not want you.”
“Doc, I said that’s enough,” I snarl.
Lips pursed, he stops. But the damage is already done.
“What if she doesn’t want me?” Ashton says, tonelessly, eyes fixed on the carpet.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I swear, running a hand over my face before glaring at Sebastian. “There. Are you happy now?”
Sebastian gnashes his teeth together. “Ashton, she wants you, okay?” he snaps. “But you keep getting in your own fucking way with her. I’ve been telling you—ad nauseum, I might add—to leave her alone. Let her decide to come back to you.”
Ashton takes a deep breath.
I know that he’s struggling with this, and he’s not alone. I’ve done everything that Sydney has asked of us, and my phone still sits silently next to me day after day. I haven’t talked to her, seen her, touched her…
And I’m fucking losing it.
To go from burying myself deep between her thighs to sitting alone at night just remembering what she tastes like is pure torture.
I’m a patient man, usually. Happy to wait.
But I’ve never wanted anything more than to wrap my hand around her delicate neck and to hear her soft little moans while I pound into her sweet pussy.
Never wanted anything more than to hold her, just one more time.
What if I never experience it again?
It’s enough to drive the strongest man to the brink of insanity.
“Let it go,” I tell Ash when he opens his mouth again. “I didn’t call this meeting to deal with your fucking squabbling. We have a real threat to deal with. A threat to Sydney. Suck it up and do something useful if you really care about her.”
Ashton glares at me but stays quiet.
“Give me an update on the Tony situation,” I say, sitting back in my chair.
“I talked to him. We’re getting a new shipment, just a little late. But there’s another problem.” Ashton shifts on the couch. “Someone else reached out to him, offering double what we’re paying for it.”
“Dante?” I ask.
Ashton shrugs. “Can’t imagine it would be anyone else.
No one here is brave enough to fuck with us like that.
Either he doesn’t have a weapons contact here and is trying to steal ours, or he’s just trying to upset our supply.
Either way, he’s shit out of luck. Tony isn’t going anywhere, and he sure as shit isn’t selling to anyone but us. ”
“You know that for sure? Did he give his assurances?” I press.
“Boss, he’s terrified of us. Remember when he watched Viper dismember that guy last year?” Ashton side eyes me. “No way he’s going to fuck us over.”
“Great. Let’s hope he stays that way,” I say. “Did he give you any information about the guys who approached him?”
Ashton shakes his head. “No, but I have a meeting with him about it tomorrow.”
“Good.” I turn my attention back to Sebastian. “Security on Sydney’s building is installed?”
He nods. “Nothing unusual so far. They have a new employee, but I doubt he’s anyone we need to worry about.
There is something, though. I keep thinking about what she said a few days ago, about a traffic incident.
It scared her. I want to investigate it more, check the police reports from that day. I’ll update if I find anything.”
“Great.” I dismiss them with a wave. “And children, let’s play nice. I’m sick of the bickering during these meetings.”
Ash gives me a sarcastic salute as he and his brother stalk out of the room.