21. Sebastian
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
SEBASTIAN
Stevie and I are back in the room a couple of hours later.
The barrel room conversations revolved around who’s dick is bigger type of talk, and honestly, it angered me because if they knew the size of my cock, there would be no competition.
The deeper into the evening we went, the more sinister the dialog became.
Each time I sensed Stevie’s agitation, I tried to soothe her by rubbing her leg or squeezing her hand, but she’s tough and showed it.
What I hadn’t planned for was the way my body responded to how she held her own during the night. I’m growing more infatuated with her with each passing day, and I’m perplexed on whether that’s a good or bad thing.
After closing the door behind us, I case the room, checking out each area for hidden cameras, microphones, or doors. This is a retreat for serial killers who are supposed to trust each other, so I doubt there’d be anything to worry about regarding our security, but I can never be too careful.
“How are you holding up?” I ask as soon as I feel more comfortable.
Only a few steps away from me, Stevie stops and pauses before turning around. “It was compelling, to say the least. And obviously not in a good way.”
“Compelling?”
She purses her lips together. “It kept my interest the entire time. Terrified me, but I was deeply interested in their sick introductions.”
“No matter how many monsters I’ve heard speak, it never gets easier.” I slowly close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her shoulders from behind to give her some comfort after all that we heard tonight. She leans into me. “I know it was hard, but you did incredibly well.”
Her body relaxes under my embrace. “Thanks, Sebastian.”
I hold her tight for only a second longer, then release right before things get weird. Stevie turns to face me, her expression troubled. “These people are out of their damn minds.”
“Yeah, I’d say that.”
“I need a drink.”
“Well, you’re in luck, because there is an unopened bottle of cabernet in the fridge,” I say, walking over to the minibar.
“I thought we weren’t allowed to drink?” A smirk playing on her lips.
“Around them,” I correct, placing the bottle onto the counter and grabbing an opener from a side drawer. “But it’s just us, and it’s a sealed bottle. Tampering with it is unlikely.”
Stevie arches a brow. “You have trust issues, don’t you?”
“In my world, you can never be too careful.” I grab two glasses from the cupboard and pour us each one. I don’t drink when on the job, but tonight was a lot to take, even for me.
“I’ve been dying for a glass all night.” She kicks off her heels and sashays over to the bar. “Watching everyone enjoy that expensive wine was torture.”
I hand her a crystal wineglass, cocking my head at the interesting choice of words, considering the situation we’re in. “I would use that term loosely.”
“Which one?”
“Torture.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” She laughs and takes a larger-than-average swig.
“I didn’t think they’d let you off the hook with that vague answer about your process,” I admit, swirling the red liquid. “But they did.”
Stevie sits on the white satin couch, crossing her legs under her. “I was nervous until you stepped in.”
I smile and take the spot across from her. “So was I.”
Her eyes flick to mine. “You spoke the truth, didn’t you?”
“I think you know the answer.”
We sit in silence for a beat.
“Why do you do what you do, Sebastian?” she asks earnestly. “Lux has told me a little about your and River’s upbringing and what happened to your parents, but why this?”
I’m unsure of how to respond, because no one has asked me a direct question like that before. I know it runs deeper than watching my parents get murdered as a young kid. I always felt this darkness inside me, one that is fueled by a vast belief in the injustice we see in everyday life.
Am I the only one who can provide it? No, but most, like those who are part of the Black Veil Society, lack the moral compass and self-control to do what my cousin and I do. We’re unique—anomalies.
I rub my palms back and forth on the tops of my thighs. “I do what I do because I have a desire to kill, Stevie. But I don’t believe in taking the lives of good, innocent people. So, I channel that hunger for something that benefits humanity and does not hurt it.”
“So, you only kill those who deserve it?”
“Yes. I believe in law enforcement and honest police work, but that’s only the start of justice,” I admit.
“To me, justice begins and ends in a courtroom. When I began using Thompson Innovations’ resources to do research on how many predators get off with only serving minimal time or serving no time at all, I was outraged. ”
Stevie nods in between sips of wine.
“Often, they walk free because of the charges being brought, loopholes in the system, or clerical errors. Or even sometimes, if the suspect is wealthy, they can get off, too. And that is where River and I come in.” I lean forward on bent knees. “We take out the trash.”
“Have you ever killed someone who was innocent?”
Valid question.
“Yes, but not by choice.”
Stevie gets up, walks up to the bar, and grabs the bottle of wine. Instead of pouring it into her empty glass, she chugs right from the source.
I release a full belly laugh that erupts into the room. “It’s going to be that sort of night, is it?”
She glides her tongue along the rim, making my dick jump. “It’s been a long evening.”
“Make sure you’re up for working tomorrow.” I lean back on the couch, letting one arm rest over the back. She rejoins me, but this time she sits on the seat cushion next to me.
“Should I be scared of you, Sebastian?” Stevie grips the base of the bottle with one hand and picks at the label with the other. She picks at things when she’s nervous.
Even though she knows she shouldn’t be frightened or worried, she wants verbal confirmation, and I understand her need for it. If she only knew how my affection toward her is changing.
I lean in, eating up the space between us. Then I take two fingers and gently lift her chin upward so our eyes connect. “You will never have to fear me. Because with me, you are the safest person on earth. If anyone ever tried to hurt you, I’d fucking kill them.”
Her lungs rise with a sharp breath.
Suddenly, a muffled voice cuts through the room.
“Is that from next door?” Stevie asks.
“I don’t know.” I jump over the back of the couch, heading toward the sounds. It’s coming from the suitcase. It’s the earpieces! “It’s my earpiece,” I tell her, ripping at the inner lining of my bag.
“Oh!” She drops behind the couch and reaches for her bag. “I forgot about mine.”
“Sebastian,” Hayden’s voice comes through, pulling my attention away from Stevie’s dress inching up. I grab the clipped speaker and put it on.
I clear my throat. “Hey, man.”
“How’d it go?”
“It went as well as it could have.”
“So, do you know who you’ll take out first?” Hayden asks.
I glance at Stevie, whose bright eyes are fixed on me. She must have put her earpiece on while I wasn’t looking. “Um, Stevie and I haven’t discussed it yet, but I’m thinking either the one who calls himself The Poisoner or the one who refers to himself as The Lurker.”
Stevie lowers to her knees at my side, her sweet scent floating past my nostrils, causing my eyes to squeeze shut to focus.
“Look, we’ll talk it over and get back to you guys. But I think one of them would be an easy first target,” I say.
“Sounds good, man.”
“Oh, and the tracking devices?”
“They’re working. We’ve clocked both your asses on the tracking system,” he assures me before we end the communication.
I turn to Stevie. She’s smirking, and a calmer expression has transformed her face. Looks like the wine is hitting her, and it sends many inappropriate thoughts into my mind. None of which I can act on. “You seem better.”
Her nose twitches a little. “I’m much better. Can you believe we had a cocktail slash wine slash dinner experience with a bunch of crazy serial killers?”
“Yeah, we did. And now we have to talk about who we’re offing first.”
Stevie brings an unstable finger up to her lips. “Hmm. I think Larry, our lurker friend.”
That’s what I was thinking. Her confident input makes my chest feel lighter, but I need more information. “What makes you say that?”
“He looks weak, maybe even insecure,” she states.
A single corkscrew curl falls over her eye.
I gently push it away with the back of my fingers. “I agree. He’ll be an easy first target.”
Stevie’s eyes close as the back of my knuckles glide down her jawline. “I need to shower,” she whispers.
“Okay.” I drop my hand and remember one of the items I brought in my bag. “But I want to show you something first.”
Her face suddenly lights up. “Mm-hmm?”
I reach around to the back of my suitcase and pull on a few more loose pieces of fabric, exposing a vial, liquid, and syringe.
“What is all this?”
“Drugs.”
“Oh, man.” She breathes through a yawn. “You’re intense, Sebastian. But I guess we can do some tonight.”
I smile, taking it as a compliment. “Thanks? But they’re not for us.”
“Oh. Of course, of course,” Stevie says, scrambling to her feet. “I’m going to get ready for bed.”
I look up at her, confused, but amused by her flustered demeanor.
“You don’t want me to tell you what they’re for?”
She shakes her head. “Nah, I trust you,” she rushes out as she walks away toward the bedroom.
“Okay,” I say. “I was planning on using them to help us—”
“When I get out of the bathroom, you can use it,” she tells me before disappearing into the bathroom and closing the door.
“Good night?” I say to the empty space.
Should I go after her? She’s acting weird, but this is something she should be aware of. She asked me to tell her about our plans…and she just disappears?
I decide to let it go and turn in for the night. But first, I take a quick inventory of the things we might need while we’re here, then tuck them back into the safety of the lining of my suitcase.
After some time, I no longer hear Stevie moving around the room, and it alarms me, so I give the wooden bedroom door a quick knock, but there’s no response.
“Stevie?” She left it ajar, so I take it upon myself to enter, pushing slowly. “Stevie?”
The room is dark except for one small lamp on the nightstand.
And to my surprise, I find her sprawled out on top of the covers.
She’s wearing a pair of matching silk pajamas.
My eyes drag up her smooth legs until they land on the bottom half of her exposed ass cheek from the fabric riding high. Goose bumps cover her skin. She’s cold.
Feeling like this is another invasion of her privacy, I squeeze my eyes shut and kill every dirty thought popping into my mind. But as I’m ready to walk back into the living room, I stop.
I can’t let her sleep in the cold.
The wooden floor creaks under my feet as I walk to the edge of the bed. Will she be pissed I’m in here?
“Sebastian?” she mumbles, her eyes still closed. “Is that you?”
Shit.
“Yeah, it’s me. I was checking on you.”
“Oh,” she says.
I move to walk out when she meets my gaze and says, “Will you stay with me?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Please?”
I think of turning her down again, but I want to. I want to stay with her. I need to make sure she is safe, and the closer she is to me, the better I feel.
“Sure.” I bend to lift the covers. “But you look cold, so let’s get you under the blankets first.”
Stevie wriggles her body until she’s tucked into the bed before closing her eyes once again.
I flick the lamp off, then walk around the bed to the other side. Reluctantly, I drop my pants, leaving only my boxers, then pull off my shirt and climb into the bed next to her.
My pulse is racing. I clasp my hands behind my head and stare up at the ceiling, trying to ignore that she’s lying less than a foot away from me.
It’s ensuring her safety, I remind myself.
But then, the bed slightly moves as Stevie flips her body around, sliding it into the space under my arm.
My limbs lock into place. Her subtle sweet scent engulfs me, and I desperately fight the urge to jump out of bed and go to the couch.
But as I’m ready to give up, her hand glides across my bare chest and a soft whimper escapes her lips.
Fuck.
This is hard.
“Thank you,” she mutters, half asleep.
I can’t leave her now.
“Of course,” I say, lowering my arm to the middle of her back, and with a gentle nudge, she scoots closer.
I lie awake for what feels like a while, aware of every little sound she makes. The way her lungs rise and fall with each breath and the way she feels perfect in my arms—because nothing can get to her here. But her comfort and warmth eventually let me fall into a deep sleep.