Sebastian
“You ready to go?” Aria said as she walked into my office.
“Logan should be waiting in reception for you. I’ve got a few things I need to finish up here.”
I looked over my desk at all the files that had piled up recently that I needed to get through, despite the exhaustion slowly creeping up on me.
It wasn’t like me to have my desk so messy.
I was aware I’d pushed some of my responsibilities with Luxe Corp to the side recently with everything going on at the Organisation.
I just needed time to get back on top of it all.
She stepped further into the office. “You mean to say you’re palming me off to Logan again?”
Had I really been neglecting her so much that she felt that way?
“I’m not palming you off. I’ve just got too much to get done.”
She crossed her arms. “I miss the way we were, Sebastian. I miss you.”
I rubbed my face and stood from my desk, making my way around to her. Her body softened when I touched her arms.
“It’s temporary. It won’t be forever.”
She placed her hand on my cheek, and I kissed her palm. “Is it, though? It’ll be something else next.”
“Do you not get how much I want to be with you right now?”
“Then let’s go home.”
I wanted to be with her all the fucking time, but it was the meeting with Callum tonight, and I wanted to see if he was going to make good on his promise.
I didn’t trust him, I never fully would, but if he could supply better products for the Organisation, then I wasn’t about to let that business opportunity pass us by.
I cleared my throat. “I can’t. There’s too much to do.” I made my way back to sit down and pulled some paperwork out.
“What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing.” I didn’t even look at her; I just fixed my eyes on the work in front of me.
“You’ve been acting like a complete asshole recently, and I’m getting fed up with it,” she spat.
I let out a heavy sigh and met her eyes. “I’m sorry, Nyx. There’s a lot of pressure coming from all ends at me, and I’m sorry it’s you who’s having to suffer from it.”
“You look tired. I can stay and help so we can get it done quicker,” she offered, her voice softening.
I was tired. Tired of lying about everything. But I’d been doing it for so long now, I just couldn’t tell her. Everything was starting to feel heavy as I tried to keep the most important parts of my life balanced.
Those scales didn’t need to tip now, because if one fell, they’d all follow.
“No, you go home and get some rest. I won’t be long, I promise.”
Another lie.
She rolled her eyes at me. “Fine. Just don’t stay too late.”
“I won’t.”
She gave me a half-smile, and I watched her leave, grab her things from her desk, and make her way through into the main office. It wouldn’t be long before she was down at reception. Logan had said he’d text once she was with him.
I leaned back in the chair. “You’re a fucking idiot, do you know that, Sebastian?” I mumbled to myself.
Aria was the best part of me. She made me feel human. She made my heart beat, so I knew I had one. Because I was convinced it was hollow before. My throat was tight, and I loosened my tie. I never once questioned the things I did before her. But now, it felt different.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Logan asked as he turned to face me.
It would be foolish not to. “Yeah. Be on your guard—even the slightest shift …”
“All right. Kai, Zane, Rhys and Luca are in position, ready if we need them. Harry has eyes on everything.”
I gave Logan a curt nod as we stepped out of the car and closed the doors.
Pausing for a beat, I looked up at the industrial lockup on the Thames in Deptford.
It looked like the type of building you entered but never left.
The sound of the water whooshing around from the cool March wind filled the eerie silence of the night. My heart rate quickened.
What if this was a trap?
I wouldn’t put it past Callum.
Pulling my Glock from the holster, I checked it, making sure it was ready to use if need be, then placed it back and started to make my way over.
When we reached the front, I let out a quick breath, cracking my neck, trying to psych myself up for what I was about to walk into. I knew the guys had my back, ready to pounce at any moment if things went sideways.
I banged the metal front, the sound echoing through the air.
Within a few minutes, Callum’s right-hand man, Jamie, stood there. He was about an inch shorter than me.
“Sebastian.” He nodded, then brushed back his sandy blonde hair and gave Logan a nod to acknowledge him.
He moved aside, allowing us to step in. The door rattled as he shut it behind him, and he set off walking.
We followed closely, my eyes darting around the area.
The only sound was the click of our shoes on the concrete.
It had that new construction smell, as if something had just been plastered.
However, this place was far from new. These lockups by the Thames had been here for years.
We reached a wooden door, and Jamie turned to me. “It’s just through here.”
I gave him a nod, and he opened it to a spacious area. The smell soon changed as it hit my nostrils. That damp mould with a hint of algae floated through the air. A table with six chairs sat around it. Callum sat in one of them, a few of his men standing watch.
“Sebastian,” Callum said, rising. “Brought someone with you, I see.” His eyes drifted over Logan.
I stalked over, looking at his men, then back to him. He held his hand out, and I shook it.
“What is it you want, Callum? I’m a busy man.”
He let out a silent laugh. “Yes, a busy CEO and all. Take a seat.” He gestured with his hand, and we both sat.
“Drink?” he offered, pouring a whisky.
“No.”
“Suit yourself.”
Callum picked up the glass and swirled it before taking a sip. The air was thick as we sat there for a moment. I glared at him, wondering what he was up to.
“I was serious when I said I wanted us to work together,” he said, breaking the silence.
“And Aria?”
“She’s very important to me. All I want is what’s best for her, and if she thinks that’s you, then I support that. I’m not here to cause trouble. I’d never do that to her.”
I scrubbed a hand over my stubble, pursing my lips.
“How do I know I can trust you?”
“Do any of us really trust anyone in this line of work?”
I snorted. I trusted my men with my life. That’s why we worked so well together.
“I’ll take that as a no.” I went to stand, but he placed his hand on my shoulder to stop me.
Logan was quick off the mark, pulling his Glock straight away and pointing it at Callum, followed by Jamie on him.
My eyes flicked to it, then to meet his as they widened, that fire starting to burn through my veins.
“Take your fucking hand off me,” I said through gritted teeth.
He removed it, holding it up, and took another sip of his drink and gestured to Jamie to lower his weapon. He did as he was told. I gave Logan a look, and he did the same. “Look, I brought you here tonight to let me show you that I’m serious.”
He gave the four men a nod. My pulse quickened, and my hand flinched to where my Glock was.
“Relax,” Callum said, amusement in his voice. “I’ve got a present for you.”
The men disappeared for a few moments, then returned, each dragging …
a man behind them. They were bound at their feet and hands, with silver tape covering their mouths.
As they reached us, they were pushed to their knees.
They looked like they’d already gone a few rounds—their faces were sweaty, red, caked with dirt.
“Do you know who these men are?”
I rose from the chair, taking a few steps forward.
I knew who the first one was straight away.
Jack. My jaw clenched, and I cracked my knuckles.
He was Jason’s right-hand man. He wasn’t in London with him, so I never got the chance to make him suffer.
I felt a tightness in my chest as my heart ached, thinking about Aria and everything she had gone through.
My eyes darted to the next man. Daniel. He was one of Jason’s as well. They’d worked closely together. The other two I hadn’t met before, but if I were to take a wild guess, they were probably Jason’s as well.
I looked back towards Callum, my eyes burning into him. Why did he bring these men here?
He rose and stood next to me. “My gift to you. I’ve spent the last four months clearing out Jason’s men for what he did to Aria. I wasn’t going to allow any of them to get away with it. These four, well, they were the worst ones.” He paused for a moment. “Do you know what they did to her?”
Aria had told me a lot about what had happened to her in Leeds, but I knew she’d never told me everything. I think she felt ashamed that she’d allowed it to happen. She didn’t need to feel that way at all. None of it was her fault.
He strolled over to one of the men I didn’t know. “This is Dane.” Callum kicked him in the stomach, causing him to hunch over as a muffled grunt came from his taped mouth. “This fucker turned a blind eye when Jason laid his hands on her.”
My jaw tightened. Callum walked over to the next man and grabbed him by his hair, pulling his face up.
“This is Jacob.” Sweat dripped down his forehead as fear ran through his eyes.
“Aria ran away once. Did you know that?” Callum looked over at me.
“It was at the beginning of her time in Leeds. She didn’t get far, because this piece of shit made out that he was going to keep her safe.
” Callum punched him straight in the nose, and blood started to pour out.
“He didn’t. He’d set her up to toy with her, knowing full well what Jason would do to her. ”
I swallowed hard, trying to push down that rage that was festering in my stomach.
“You know Daniel,” Callum said as he reached him. “He used to make things up about Aria and tell Jason she’d done things she hadn’t to get him angry with her.” Callum kicked his face, and he let out a muffled cry.
Acid swirled in my stomach as that rage of fog started to roll through my body.
She’d never told me any of this. I didn’t expect her to tell me every single detail, but I wish I’d known.
“And then there’s Jack. The worst of the four. Jack was Jason’s right-hand man. He administered beatings when Jason told him to.”
Callum took a step back, glancing back at me. “And all four of them.” He paused for a beat. “They all stayed there and watched as Jason forced himself on her.”
My breathing started to quicken as that fog fully took over my mind. I was going to kill him. All of them. My sweet Nyx had endured all of that for over four years. A tightness filled my chest. It felt like my heart was suffocating.
“Do it,” Callum said.
His men pulled knives and slit their throats. They tried to gasp for air, the sound of wet gargling filling the room. Blood pooled around them as one by one, their bodies slumped to the floor, lifeless.
“Now.” Callum walked back over, but my eyes were burning into those four bodies on the floor. “That was my gift to you. The worst of Jason’s men, those who hurt Aria, are now dead.” He then sat back down. “Take a seat. We’ve got business to discuss.”
Cautiously, I lowered my body back into the chair as I caught a glimpse of Logan’s face, and I knew he was feeling the same as I was about Aria.
I sat there for a moment, gathering my thoughts, then turned to face Callum. “What do you have in mind?”
“I can show you what I have to offer. Bring your arms guy. He can look everything over and see what he thinks.”
I pressed my lips together, contemplating whether this was the right thing to do. Working with him meant less conflict, and right now, I was trying to keep that side of me locked away.
“I’ll set it up for tomorrow night.”