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He stiffened and let out a long breath. "And miss this fine excuse for a motion picture?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, hey, if you don't want to..."

The intensity returned to those emerald eyes. "You know what I want?" he said, his voice a dry rasp. "I want you to watch the rest of the film and think about how hard I'm going to **** you when it's over. I want you squirming in your seat, so wet for me I can smell it."

I swallowed loudly. Yeah, like there was any chance I could think about anything else now. "Okay," I said softly.

We did watch the rest of the film, but I'll be damned if I could tell you a single thing about it.

* * * * *

Sebastian's insistence on waiting had the desired effect. By the time we left the cinema, I was a flustered mess. Judging by the urgency in his walk, I wasn't the only one.

The moment we stepped through the door to our hotel room, I felt his body press up behind mine. My neck lolled to one side automatically, exposing the curve of my neck that I knew he was longing to kiss. He didn't disappoint, ducking his head to brush his lips softly across my skin. I let out a gentle sigh. It was an intimate position; sensual and tender. I used to think ***ual familiarity was a sign that things were getting stale, but I loved those little moments with Sebastian, the understanding our bodies shared. If anything, that connection excited me more.

With reverent delicacy his mouth traced a path down one shoulder, and then the other, his fingers stroking my hips, before slinking upwards to toy with my dress straps.

"I want to look at you," he said.

"By all means," I replied.

With two gentle flicks of his wrist, my dress was tumbling to the floor. My bra followed moments later. There was a sharp intake of breath behind me, and then his arms were around me once more.

"Christ I love this position," he said, echoing my earlier thoughts. His hands moved up to cup my breasts, kneading gently, rolling my nipples between his fingers. The yearning in my veins surged, rushing to pool between my legs. "I love having your ass pressed against me while I play with you, knowing I just have to unzip myself and I'd be inside you."

I twisted my hips in response, grinding myself against him, causing his breath to falter. He was certainly ready. I could feel the strength of his excitement, hot and needy, pressing urgently through his pants. "Well I love feeling what I'm doing to you back there," I replied.

"Hmm, is that so?" he said in amusement. "Well, I would be remiss if I didn't check what I'm doing to you."

One of his hands stayed to roam my chest, but the other began to inch slowly, tantalisingly, down my stomach. He slipped inside my panties, parting my folds, my clit swelling with electricity at his touch.

"I do seem to be having the desired effect," he teased.

"That you are," I replied, squirming against him. Although there were no bonds involved, with our bodies arranged that way I was strangely helpless. I couldn't explore him as he explored me. My hands had nowhere to go but to curl around his powerful forearms while he pleasured me. He moved slowly, more a tease than anything else, but I still found my legs growing shaky beneath me.

He withdrew and spun me to face him, silencing my protest with a kiss. Now free to touch him, my hands began to roam, revelling in the coiled power of his body. I wanted to take my time, but I couldn't help but be drawn to the trembling bulge between his legs. I stroked him through the material, generating a deep vibration in the centre of his chest.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's something else I want you to do before I **** you."

"Oh?"

"I want you to take a shower."

I gazed at him in bewilderment. "Do I really smell that bad?"

He favoured me with a small smile, but something in the air had shifted. This wasn't a request, it was a command. My skin prickled with anticipation.

"Not at all, I'd just prefer you were clean." There was a heaviness to his tone now, an edge I knew all too well.

"Okay," I said, the sudden rush of endorphins stealing the strength from my voice. I still found it amazing how he could do that with just a slight change in intonation, like a snake charmer mesmerising his cast.

Giving him one final squeeze, I slipped from his arms and sauntered to the bathroom, glancing back over my shoulder, enjoying watching him watch me. The lust in his eyes when he looked at my body never ceased to thrill me.

Once inside, I shut the door and removed my panties. I set the water running and adjusted the temperature before stepping inside. I knew he'd be joining me soon.

However, what happened next managed *****rprise me. I heard the click of the door handle, but before I could even turn, the room was plunged into darkness. For a split second I felt a bolt of fear, but then Sebastian spoke. "On second thoughts, we're both rather filthy if you ask me. I believe we could both use a shower."

I laughed. "In the dark?"

"I don't need to see you to make you come, Sophia."

A shiver rolled down my spine. I wasn't sure I'd ever get sick of that dirty mouth. "We'll see about that," I replied, trying to sound coy. "Come on in, then. I'll wash you if you wash me."

"Deal."

In a moment, the glass door was opening and then his hard form was pressing against mine once more, only now he was naked too. The moment we touched, my confusion about the lack of light melted away. Feeling but not seeing him lent the experience a whole new kind of tactility. With my sight stolen, even the slightest contact seemed magnified a hundred times. It was like the blindfold all over again, only this time, both of us were blind.

His kiss was fiercer this time, hungrier, his hands seizing my shoulders while his tongue plundered my mouth. The pressure of his assault drove me backwards until I was pressed up against the wall, the coldness of the tiles contrasting wonderfully with the warmth of the water. He seemed at ease in the dark, but my heart was racing. Every movement, every brush of his hand, was an unexpected surprise. My body was thrumming, every nerve tingling.

Some indeterminable time later, he broke away. "I believe I promised to clean you."

"Oh, you did. You know how much of a dirty girl I am," I said in my best porno voice.

He chuckled. "That I do. Now hold still." I heard the squeeze of a lotion bottle and then something soft yet coarse began stroking my collarbone. Apparently the room came with a wash cloth.

He took his time, working his way gradually down one arm and then the other, scrubbing me with tiny circular motions. The cloth felt wonderful against my skin, a gentle scrape tempered by soap and water. I loved the sense of just being lavished upon. Sebastian may have called the shots in the bedroom, but he certainly never left me feeling neglected.

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Soon, he turned his attention to my chest. "This area needs a more personal touch."

I made a little noise of encouragement, my body already yearning for him to accelerate proceedings.

Squeezing more soap onto his hands he began to massage my breasts. The sensation of them sliding between his fingers, his slickened skin against mine, was exquisite. Judging by the low rumble emanating from the darkness, he was enjoying it too.

He picked up the sponge again to work my stomach, back, and legs, lathering me with a thick layer of suds that he made no effort to wash off. I soon learned why when the stream of water suddenly vanished from above, only to reappear moments later in front of me. I hadn't realised that shower head was detachable.

"I've heard it said that a shower head is a girl's best friend," Sebastian murmured.

"I've never had the chance to try one," I replied, although I was already beginning to believe it might be true. You'd think after a life time of showers, you'd pretty much understand what they're capable of. They're pleasant, soothing, warming, but that's about the extent of it. Only in Sebastian's hands, this became something else entirely. The way he danced the jet across my skin, constantly alternating the pressure, distance, and angle, was incredible. I don't know if it was just the sensuality of the experience, or the darkness, or Sebastian's expert technique, but it left my entire body tingling.

"Then allow me." With obvious relish, he began working his way slowly down my torso, meticulously washing every part. The closer he drew to my aching ***, the more I began to squirm.

"Widen your stance," he ordered, and then suddenly, the stream was between my legs.

"Oh Jesus," I cried. The warmth of it, the relentless rhythm, was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. It was like a thousand tiny fingers, all stroking me at once, and they weren't easing me towards orgasm, they were hurling me through the door as fast as humanely possible.

While the water strummed my clit, he leaned in close, bracing my ass with one hand and drawing my nipple into his mouth, swirling and sucking and nipping softly. I felt my knees begin to buckle, but he held me firmly, bringing the nozzle closer still. The stimulation was almost too much — it rode that impossibly thin line between pleasure and discomfort — but I was beyond caring. Already, everything was beginning to tighten inside me. It was like I could feel each and every drop of water vibrate all the way into my core.

"I'm coming, Sebastian. I'm coming."

He let out an affirmative grunt and sealed his mouth over mine as my climax took hold. Everything seemed to shrink away, then explode outward in a giant, rolling wave of ecstasy. I was glad he was supporting me, because I'm quite sure I would have ended up splayed on the tiles, if he hadn't been.

"So, there may be some merit to that rumour," he said, my body sagging against his.

"I believe so," I replied. "Especially if you're pressed for time. What was that, one minute?"

He laughed. "Something like that."

I felt utterly drained, but being pressed up against him again reminded me that only half our bargain had been fulfilled. "I think it may be my turn with that," I said, fumbling along his arm until I found the shower head. "I'm not the only one that needs a thorough wash."

"If you insist."

Partly out of a desire for revenge, but mostly because I wanted to savour his body, I took my time, painstakingly soaping and rinsing every inch of him. I was getting used to my blindness now, used to the amplified sense of touch it lent me. In the past, with the blindfold, I'd always been in a position of submission, but here I was free to explore. I loved the way his body felt in the water, hard and soft and slick all at once. With only my hands to guide me I roamed across his skin, running them gently over the firm rises of his triceps, the thick slabs of his chest, revelling in every perfect ridge.

Even in the dark, I was constantly aware of his ****. Every so often as I shifted position it would graze against me, sending a bolt of lust shooting through my veins. I enjoyed those little moments of contact, the sharp breaths and soft noises they drew from him.

Soon, I abandoned soap and water all together, slipping in close until my face was against his chest. "I have a special cleaning implement I think would be very effective on you," I purred.

"Is that so?" he said, more than a little strain evident in his voice. I could tell he was close to breaking point.

"It is. Allow me to show you."

Wrapping my hands around the hard globes of his ass, I drew his nipple into my mouth. He gasped and rocked against me, pushing his shaft firmly against my stomach. I teased him like that for half a minute, but soon, I was unable to contain myself any longer. Kissing a trail down his stomach I dropped to my knees and seized his length in my hand. He felt impossibly thick, and seemed to be growing more with every passing moment. I loved how, even with no visual stimulation, he was utterly ready for me; a perfect picture of virility.

He let out a long groan as I took him into my mouth, pumping him from the base and sliding my lips up and down with painstaking slowness. He felt fleshy and soft and I took my time tasting every inch of him, dragging my tongue along the trembling ridge underneath. Heat rushed through his shaft as he swelled further still, but I took it in stride, gradually easing him deeper down my throat.

"Your lips are ****ing magic," he said.

I loved being in that position. It was submissive, yet utterly empowering. For the first time since we'd started, I wished the lights were on. I wanted to look at him, to see the pleasure I was giving, to watch his face contort as I gradually brought him undone.

His fingers found my head, tightening around my hair, guiding me and quickening my pace, and for a while I gave control over to him.

Eventually, an idea came to me. "I wonder if this is just for women," I mused, pulling back momentarily, and before he could reply, I aimed the jet of water at his balls and resumed sucking him. The effect was instantaneous. He sunk back against the wall, a long, throaty sound falling from his mouth. Continuing to stroke him with one hand, I began experimenting with the shower head, teasing every part of him as he had me.

"****, Sophia, that's incredible. Don't stop."

Sensing that he was close, I focused my efforts, locking my lips just below his crown and stroking rapidly, keeping the shower head focused strong and close. His body stiffened and he let out a single guttural roar, then spurted down my throat. His orgasm seemed to last forever, and I pumped furiously, milking every drop.

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"Jesus Christ," he said, his voice ragged. "That was a huge load."

I giggled and nodded, still tasting him on my tongue.

"I may have to have one of these installed," he said.

"You won't hear me object."

He reached out to take my arms, pulling me to my feet. "Put it back for now. I want to **** you under the water."

I was only too happy to oblige. My exploration of his body had left me aching for him.

Once the nozzle was back in place, he spun me around and positioned himself behind me. "Brace yourself against the wall," he said. "I'm done being gentle." The way he said that made my *** clench.

I did as commanded, laying my hands on the tiles, and in a moment he was pushing inside me. I let out a long breath. There was no initial sting now, no moment of accommodation. He fit inside me as though he'd always been there, as though he'd never left. There was a sense of completeness to that moment that I'd never felt with anyone else. A transcendence, where physical pleasure rose up and became something more.

From the moment he entered me, I could tell he was going to be true to his word. Each thrust of his hips was long and hard, and my body shook with the impact. After such exquisite foreplay, it was exactly what I wanted. An explosion of all of our pent up desire.

With my body angled upward, each punishing thrust stroked the bundle of nerves at my core, sending ripples of pleasure rolling through me. The air around us was heavy with steam, and I drew it into my lungs, savouring the warmth as it flowed through me.

Wrapping one hand around my hip, he seized my hair with the other, tugging my head backwards and sending a delicious sting through my scalp. There was something so raw about being ****ed like that, standing up, darkness all around, my body trapped roughly in his grip. The ferocity of his movements hurt a little, but that only excited me more.

The sounds emanating from his throat were low, almost bestial, as he took from me what I'd been teasing all night. His size meant I could feel every pulse of lust, every firm ridge and soft edge.

"I promised I was going to **** you hard," he said, pausing momentarily only to hammer back into me again.

"You did," I replied, although they barely sounded like words.

"Is this what you wanted?"

"You know it is."

The heat inside me continued to build. It was a raging fire. Impossible to ignore. My muscles began to contract, but there was nowhere for them to go. His hardness was everywhere, filling me, stretching me, claiming me. As my moans sunk lower in my throat there was a flooding sensation in my brain and that fire suddenly exploded. It shot out from my toes to my head, leaving me trembling and gasping for air.

A few moments later, he came too. There was a rush of heat, then a roar, and then his fingers were biting into my side as he slammed himself into me, forcing my whole body against the wall.

"Christ," he said, when his hips finally slowed.

"Mmmm."

He pulled out of me, and despite the slight sting of my now raw flesh, my body complained at the absence. Spinning me around, he trapped my lips in a kiss.

"And that is why we wait."

I laughed. "That's easy to say now."

His hands found my ass, and he gave a little squeeze. "I wouldn't worry too much. If I'm being totally honest I can never resist you for very long. And when this is all over, I plan on spending more time inside you than out."

"Well now, that's exactly what a girl wants to hear."

CHAPTER TWELVE

Sophia

When I woke the next morning, Sebastian was already up. He was sitting in the room's only chair already fully dressed, idly thumbing his chin and staring off into space.

"Morning," I said.

He jolted a little. "Oh. Good morning."

"Everything okay?" I asked, stretching lazily.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Better than fine, really."

I slid down the bed and sat in front of him. "Oh yeah, how's that?"

He held up the prepaid phone that had been hidden in his other hand. "We've got something. My guy at the Federal Police ran our attackers' faces through their database and actually came back with matches."

The look on his face told me that perhaps this wasn't all good news. "Well that's great, right? Who were they?"

He gave a non-committal nod. "Our would-be killer seems to be working on his own, because he didn't use Alpha guys. It looks like he farmed the job out and basically hired two hit men. Those two guys were known muscle for Anton Silva, who is suspected to be one of the biggest crime bosses in the country."

"Wow. Okay. Just another small fish then."

He shot me a smile, but it was short lived.

"So what do we do with that info?" I asked.

His lips compressed and he let out a little sigh. "I'm still working that out. This guy is the real deal, Sophia. Drugs, weapons, prostitution; he runs it all. If we play it right, we may be able to use him to get to whoever wants us dead, but one misstep..."

He didn't need to finish the sentence. I could fill in the blanks. I felt a lump building in my throat, but I nodded anyway. "I get it. Bad guy."

"Bad guy," Sebastian confirmed. "Anyway, Joe is on his way, so we can talk about it more when he arrives, but I think our best bet is to just try and buy Silva off. He's a criminal, which means he has a price. Everyone has a price."

"But how do we get him to take the money without killing us in the process? I mean, he was hired to take us out and he screwed it up. We can't exactly just show up at his doorstep."

Sebastian stared me dead in the eye. "Actually, that's exactly what I'm thinking I might do."

I searched his voice for humour, but found none. "Are you insane?"

This time he smiled. "A little, maybe. But I think it will work. He's not going to just gun me down on sight, not if I give him the right incentive first. He may be ruthless, but you don't get where he is unless you're practical as well. He'll hear me out, probably figuring he can finish the job afterwards if he doesn't like what he hears."

"That's a lot of assumptions for us to risk our lives on."

He gave a heavy nod. "I know. But what other choice do we have? Joe's searches came back empty. Our enemy holds all the cards, and this is the only lead we've got. If we want our lives back, I don't see any other option."

I wracked my brains for an alternative. "I don't suppose we could just call Silva? Avoid putting ourselves in the firing line?"

Sebastian barked out a laugh. "I can call to set up the meet, but getting Silva himself on the phone will be all but impossible. You don't become a criminal kingpin by discussing organised murder over the phone."

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My cheeks reddened. That made sense.

As much as it scared me to admit, I realised he was right. We'd been on the back foot for so long and we'd stay there, unless we took a chance. This might be our last opportunity. But, beyond that, I was sick of running, sick of being hunted. If I was going to be put in danger again, I wanted it to be on my terms.

"Okay, if you think we can pull it off, then I'm sold," I said. "But don't think for one second that just because you kept saying 'I' while I was saying 'we' that you're going in there alone."

His expression hardened. "There's no need for both of us to take the risk. I'm not going to let you put yourself in danger because of my mistakes anymore."

"Well I'm not letting you walk into that death trap by yourself," I countered. "You think it's any easier for me seeing you put yourself at risk? If you went in there and didn't come out, it would rip me open knowing that I might have be able to do something. I may not have much experience with this sort of thing, but last time **** hit the fan, I stepped up. Maybe I can be useful again." It amazed me how easily I was able to talk about that incident. Maybe I really was becoming desensitised.

I put a hand on his knee. "We're in this together, Sebastian. Whatever happens."

He stared at me for a full ten seconds, somehow managing to look touched yet incredibly anxious. Eventually, though, he broke into a sad little smile. "Together it is, then," he said softly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. And somehow it felt like an incredibly tender moment, instead of an insane suicide pact. Yep, definitely desensitised.

Joe arrived a short time later and we went out for breakfast to discuss everything. He sat, wearing an unreadable expression, while Sebastian recounted everything that had happened so far. He'd heard the short version, but now he was getting the gory details.

"If you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears," said Sebastian, when the story was over.

Joe pondered. He didn't even look surprised. "Nothing springs to mind," he said eventually. "Whoever this is, they're not making many mistakes. When I looked through our system, I couldn't find any loose ends. According to the database, nobody besides you and your team swiped into your Alpha house. They cleared everything. If we don't take this chance, we might not get another."

A scary thought suddenly occurred to me. "If you were using the Alpha system," I said to Joe, "doesn't that mean they could have tracked you somehow? Maybe picked up your trail?"

Joe smiled. "I wouldn't worry about that. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

I shot a questioning look at Sebastian, but he just shrugged. He certainly didn't seem concerned, so I let the issue drop.

He scooped up his coffee and threw back the last sip. "Well, there's no time like the present." Reaching into his pocket, he removed his phone and tapped the screen several times before lifting it to his ear.

"Hi. My name is Sebastian. Your boss and I have unfinished business. Tell him I will give him a million dollars for five minutes of his time."

* * * * *

Everyone stayed silent on the trip to see Anton. Sebastian's million dollar offer had apparently been enough to buy us entry, but what would happen beyond that was anyone's guess. The closer we drew, the more heavy my stomach felt. I knew I wanted this, to be proactive and take matters into my own hands, but that didn't change the fact that we were driving straight into the lair of a man who, only two days ago, had been trying to kill us. When my brain phrased it like that, it just seemed like a really, really bad idea.

For his part, Sebastian wore a look of grim determination. That comforted me a little. To anyone who was paying attention it said '**** with me and you'll regret it,' and I hoped Anton would get the message. I suspected we'd need every little edge we could get.

We were meeting him in the back room of a Kings Cross strip club, which he undoubtedly owned. I'd never really spent much time in the Cross. It's as close to a red light district as Sydney has, and thus the people there are most certainly not my sort of crowd. Between the metric ****ton of makeup that made all the women look like drug addicted clowns and the rather scandalous skin to clothes ratio on display, whenever I visited I wound up feeling trashier just by proximity.

The sight outside the window was no different than I remembered. Even on a weeknight, the main strip was seething with neon light and fake tan. We pulled up outside the club. We'd hired a limo and made a big point of being seen stepping out of it by the two bodybuilders, with sleeve tattoos and steely expressions, who stood guard out front. For appearances, Joe was once again relegated to the role of driver. We had to look calm, in control, and dangerous, rather than desperate and out of options.

"You ready for this?" asked Sebastian.

I took a deep breath. "As ready as I'm going to be."

"Good." He shot me a reassuring smile. "And don't worry, we'll be fine."

I nodded, trying to let some of that confidence seep into my skin.

The men looked us up and down as we approached. They were both as tall as Sebastian, but much wider, which made them incredibly intimidating, by any standards. They looked like someone had taken two plastic bags and crammed them full of walnuts. The larger of them smirked as his eyes rolled over my body, which gave me the sudden urge to go home and take a long shower, but that leer fell away once he turned to Sebastian. My partner was practically radiating danger now, and it was enough to make even these guys pause.

"My name is Sebastian and this is Sophia. We're here to see Anton." His voice betrayed no emotion. 'Just business as usual,' it said.

"Who is Anton?" said giant number one, a look of mock confusion appearing on his face. "I think you must have the wrong place, my friend."

Sebastian didn't even miss a beat. "I don't have time to play games. You know as well as I do that your boss is expecting us."

The man glanced at his partner, who gave a little nod and disappeared upstairs.

The first guy stared daggers at us for several seconds. Apparently he didn't like having his little power trip interrupted.

"I need to search you," he said.

"We're not stupid enough to be carrying here," Sebastian replied.

The guy shrugged. "Then you've got nothing to worry about."

Sebastian waited a few beats then gave a curt nod and stretched his arms out to the sides, gritting his teeth while the guard patted him from head to toe. He wasn't gentle. He almost looked disappointed when he came up empty-handed.

"They'll probably check for these," Sebastian had said to me earlier, nodding towards our guns. "I'd never get one past them, but you just might. Most men struggle to see women as a threat. They never check as carefully."

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That had made sense at the time, but as the guard stepped towards me, suddenly the pistol holstered against my inner thigh felt like it weighed a thousand kilogrammes. What would he do if he found it? Laugh and take it away? Or flip out and call his buddies?

He reached out and gave my shoulders and back a cursory check, before moving down my front. He lingered a little below my breasts, the smirk returning to his face, and I had to stop myself from dry retching in his face. I could almost feel the primal frustration simmering below Sebastian's skin, but he restrained himself.

My cheeks started burning as the goon's hands gradually drew closer to the weapon. Despite what Sebastian had said, his search seemed very thorough. He made it as far as the top of my thighs, just inches from the butt of the gun, but as he began to dip between my legs, Sebastian let out a dangerous little growl. "If you want to keep that hand for more than the next three seconds, I suggest you stop there."

The man hesitated, eyes locked with Sebastian. It felt like that night, at my work function, all over again where he'd sent Taylor fleeing with a simple stare. I wasn't sure it was going to work this time — the guard looked like he had something to prove — but after a few moments, he pulled away. I let out a silent sigh of relief. He finished the search in a matter of seconds.

By that point the second thug had reappeared, and he gestured for us to follow him inside. It was early by strip club standards — about six in the evening — so the show hadn't even started yet. The only people in the place were two bartenders milling behind the counter, and a couple of bored looking, scantily clad girls that I brilliantly deduced were strippers. The lack of activity meant that every set of eyes was on us as we crossed the room, which only added to my discomfort.

We were led past another two action movie extras and up a narrow staircase. Unlike the unapologetically tacky stage area, the room we wound up in was fairly inoffensive. It was basically an office, with several chairs, a filing cabinet, and a large desk. The man behind it stood as we entered.

"Welcome," he said. At first glance he didn't appear particularly frightening. He looked to be in his early fifties. Lebanese maybe, or Me***erranean, and with his balding head, slightly retro clothes, and easy smile, he seemed like the kind of guy who'd be found taking his kids to soccer practice on the weekends or playing nine holes with his friends. But the longer I looked, the more I realised how wrong that impression was. It was the eyes, mostly. There was something cold flickering there, something calculating. I got the sense that his friendly appearance was well cultivated, and it could drop away at any moment.

Then, of course, there were the two extra men who had melted across the doorway as we stepped inside. They were doing their best to look bored, but the way they stood, with their jackets casually thrown open to expose their weapons, said that was an illusion too. The message was clear. We weren't leaving unless Anton wanted us to.

"Thank you for seeing us," Sebastian replied.

Anton smiled wider and spread his hands. "When someone makes an offer such as you did, the least a man like me can do is hear him out, wouldn't you agree?"

Sebastian nodded. "I was hoping that would be the case."

"Besides," Anton continued, "it's not often I get a chance to sit down and talk with two people I condemned just days earlier. I had men out there looking for you when you called, you know. And now, here you are. I must admit, I'm curious." The lightness of his tone sent a shiver down my spine. Oh yes, this was a man for whom killing was of no consequence.

But Sebastian appeared unshaken. "Well, like I said, I appreciate it."

"Did you bring what you promised?" Anton asked.

Taking my cue, I lifted the duffel bag I was carrying and dumped it on the table. I'd been quite surprised to find out that a million dollars in cash really did only occupy a few square feet. I thought that was just in the movies.

He didn't even bother to count it. He just unzipped the top and glanced inside. "Wonderful." I figured most people were too afraid to actually try and rip him off.

He gestured for the two of us to sit. "So, what brings you here? I have to say, this is a little unconventional. I'm not conceited enough to say I've never messed up a hit before, but those few lucky souls are usually eager to get as far away from me as possible. You and your lovely lady, on the other hand, have strolled right into my lap."

This was all part of the plan. Intrigue him enough to hear us out, then throw so much money at him that he couldn't resist. I just wished he didn't sound so amused by it all.

"It's simple, really," Sebastian replied. "You have information we want. We're willing to do what's necessary to get it."

Anton laughed. "Nothing is ever that simple in this business. This information, I take it, relates to the people who want you dead?"

Sebastian nodded. "Indeed."

Anton leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together. "And what's to stop me simply refusing and then having Shawn and Iman here finish the job?" I glanced behind us and saw that the two men now had their hands resting on their pistols. I knew that if Anton gave the order, there would be no hesitation. We'd be dead in seconds. Despite how futile it seemed, I found my hand inching towards the hem of my dress.

"Money, mostly," replied Sebastian.

Anton shrugged. "I already got paid a lot of money to take you out, and that was only half. Now that you have kindly brought yourselves to me, I can get the rest when I report you dead. Not to mention the million you brought along. This has already been an incredibly profitable transaction for me."

"I'm sure we can come up with a sum that will convince you."

The other man studied us for several seconds. "And what about my existing client? I don't know him personally, but I'd hazard a guess that he'll be none too happy with me if I help you. Not to mention the damage he could do to my reputation; client confidentiality and so forth."

Sebastian's gaze turned ice cold. "If you tell us what you know, I assure you that he won't be around to cause you any problems."

Anton nodded slowly, like he'd just gotten the answer he was expecting. "And what do you think about all this, sweetheart?" he said, turning to me. "You haven't said a word, so far."

That had been part of the plan too. Sebastian was much more familiar with this game than I was, so while I wasn't willing to let him leave me behind, I agreed to let him do all the talking. But I couldn't exactly ignore the question.

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"I think it would be in your best interests to take the deal." As soon as the words left my mouth, I realised how they sounded. I hadn't intended to threaten him.

But apparently I wasn't as intimidating as I'd feared, because Anton just burst out laughing. "Is that right? I have to admit, when Leo told me you'd tracked me down, I was a little surprised. That must have taken some serious pull. It makes me wonder." He had that calculating look in his eye again, like he was trying to decide whether we were dangerous or stupid. I realised then that we were dealing with a very smart man. Callous, relentless, but also incredibly shrewd.

Sebastian seemed to recognise an opportunity. "There is more at stake here than you realise, Anton. You don't want to be caught up in the middle of this."

He ****ed his head to one side. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"

He stared intently at us, weighing our case, our lives reduced to little more than dollar signs on a hypothetical page. Now that we'd played our hand, he knew how much money was really at stake. I assumed he was debating whether to contact his client and start a bidding war. If he knew how powerless we really were, it wouldn't even be a question, but thankfully he was still wary of exactly what we might be capable of.

I did my best to look calm, but my heart was raging like a jackhammer in my chest.

After what felt like a lifetime, he spoke. "Ten million."

"Done," replied Sebastian instantly.

I let out the breath I hadn't even realised I was holding. It was a ludicrous sum — ****tails on a tropical island for all eternity kind of money — but the truth was, we were desperate. We needed him more than he needed us. Besides, I was fairly sure Sebastian could afford it.

Judging by the look in Anton's eye, I think he realised that too. He seemed to be considering if he could get even more.

"I don't have a name for you," he said. "I make it my business to know as little as possible about my clients. It's safer that way, if anyone comes looking." He shot us an ironic grin. "What I do have is the phone number that he originally contacted us on to organise the meet."

Sebastian grimaced. "He won't be using his real phone for this. It's too easily tracked. What about a description? Anything that might help me identify him? I have reason to believe it's someone I'm familiar with."

Anton chuckled softly. "I don't meet them myself. Too risky." He nodded to one of the men in the doorway. "Iman organises the hits."

Sebastian and I both turned to the thug, but he simply shrugged. "He was man. Business man. It was dark, I don't see much." His voice was heavily accented, and it was clear English wasn't his first language. We weren't going to get much out of him.

"Sorry," said Anton.

Sebastian brought his hand up to cover his mouth and stared into space for several seconds.

"I don't suppose we could just call him? See if you recognise the voice?" I asked.

"Maybe," Sebastian replied. "But then we give away our hand. And he might not answer at all. You said you guys used text messages?"

Anton nodded.

"Then yeah, a call will probably just scare him off."

And then I had an idea. "What does your client know?" I asked Anton. "Did you tell him we got away?"

Anton looked surprised for a moment, but he recovered quickly. "He knows. We had to go in and clean up your mess." He didn't sound even slightly upset about the two men we'd killed. He might as well have been discussing spilt juice. "He was not pleased, although we assured him we were doing everything we could to find you."

"Can you organise another meet?" I continued. "You said he still owes you half on completion of the contract, right? So tell him you've taken us out and you want the rest of your money."

Anton licked his lips. "This is not part of our deal. I would be exposing myself for you."

But Sebastian was nodding now, a hint of a smile on his face. "Fifteen million," he said. "And five more when we have him. Plus you get to keep whatever money he brings."

Anton's eyes widened a fraction. I could practically feel his sense of greed and self-preservation squaring off inside him. He got to his feet, and for one brief terrifying second, I thought he'd changed his mind, but then he extended his hand. "You have a deal."

The tension drained out of Sebastian's face, and he reached up and shook. "I'll have my guy drop the money off." He glanced at the two men behind us. "We'll need to borrow a few of your men."

Anton nodded. "I expected as much. Go with these two. They'll make the necessary arrangements. It's been good doing business with you."

Sebastian stared at him for several seconds, before inclining his head ever so slightly and turning towards the door.

I followed, doing my best not to break into a grin. Somehow, we'd pulled it off. The light at the end of the tunnel had suddenly grown that little bit brighter.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Sebastian

The meet was set for early evening, in an old warehouse in Macdonaldtown, on the outskirts of Sydney. The location couldn't have been more of a movie stereotype if it tried. Cracked windows, rusted girders, piles of industrial detritus littering the floor. It certainly was empty, though. The roads nearby were completely devoid of people or cars. Movie stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason.

At this point, things were basically out of our hands. Sophia and I sat in the back seat of Anton's car, waiting for the trap to be sprung. Whoever was on the other end of the phone didn't seem *****spect anything. Their text message just sounded relieved. If everything went to plan, in a little while, we'd have our traitor in custody.

I looked over to Sophia, who was staring out the window. She'd handled herself well with Anton. Part of me had wanted to burst out laughing when she'd threatened him, but I'd restrained myself, and somehow we'd bluffed our way through it. We made a good team. She saw the things I missed and she wasn't afraid to speak up when she did.

She glanced up and caught me looking, and a smile lit her face. "Show time, soon." That smile was like a drug to me now. It was my reason to get up each morning. And every time I saw it, I wanted just a little more. When this was all over, I was going to make it my mission to put that smile there as often as possible.

I nodded.

She gazed at me for several seconds, a question poised on her lips. "Do you think this will be the end of it all?" she asked.

I exhaled slowly. I didn't want the dampen the mood of the victory we were about to win here. "I'm honestly not sure," I replied. "Whoever the traitor is, they have a lot of questions to answer. Once we know his motives, and who he's working with, we can plan our next move."

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Her shoulders slumped a little, but she tried to remain stoic. "That makes sense."

"Hey," I said, reaching out to brush her cheek with one knuckle. "This is a big step forward. With any luck, they'll crack quickly and tell us everything we need to know. I suspect you'll be back burning the midnight oil at work and getting tanked with Ruth and Lou again in no time."

The smile returned. "I have missed excessive quantities of wine."

"You're allowed to drink more than a glass or two with me, you know."

"And be that embarrassing drunk with the begrudgingly tolerant boyfriend? I don't think so."

"So maybe I'll have more than one or two as well."

She raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realise you did messy drunk."

"I haven't for a few years. But I'm willing to make an exception for you."

She laughed. "That might just be the most romantic offer you've ever made me. It's settled then. When this is all over, we will drink to excess!"

"Deal," I replied.

Another minute passed. "You know, something about this still doesn't sit quite right with me," she said.

"In what way?"

"Well, when you rescued me, you fought your way through a whole house of guards, right?"

I nodded.

"So why did they hire out the killing this time around? Why not use their own people?"

"That's been bothering me too," I replied. "So much of this still makes no sense. Obviously they had their reasons. Maybe we hurt them worse than we thought when we raided that house?"

"Maybe," she replied, although she didn't sound convinced.

"We'll have some answers soon."

"I know," she said.

At that moment, another car appeared at the gate. It was one of the fleet of black Alpha BMWs. I felt something heavy settle in my stomach. Behind those doors was one of my brothers. A man I would have trusted with my life. A man who had betrayed me. I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

Through the tinted glass window I watched as the car pulled slowly into the empty lot and stopped about thirty meters away. Iman was standing off to one side, flanked by two of Anton's thugs. He was doing a good job of playing the part. He looked impatient, perhaps even a little bored. Just a guy on another routine pickup.

For a few moments, nothing happened; then the back door opened and out stepped a man.

Ewan.

Something hot surged in my chest. Until that moment, I think part of me had still refused to accept it. A tiny voice in the back of my head, arguing that there was some other explanation for the way those assassins had surprised us; a hacked security system, or a building flaw we didn't spot. But seeing Ewan there, delivering payment for our deaths, meant that I couldn't lie to myself anymore. The group had been compromised.

It made me feel so damn stupid. I'd always believed the group rhetoric, those wonderful tenants that spoke of using power for the greater good, but now I realised how naive that was. The Alpha Group wasn't some last bastion of nobility. We were as susceptible to greed and self-interest as anyone. I still didn't understand what would possess Ewan to do these things, but I was going to do everything in my power to find out. He would pay for the pain he'd caused.

I looked to Sophia. She had every right to be wearing an 'I told you so' expression, but she seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. Instead, she just shot me a sympathetic smile and reached out to squeeze my knee.

Two Alpha security personnel followed Ewan out of the car, but after a few seconds of hushed conversation, they stayed in place while Ewan began to stride purposefully over the dust towards us. I wondered if the guards had turned on us too, or if they were just doing their job and simply had no idea of the traitorous deal going on right under their noses. I suspected the latter. In our line of work, you naturally see a lot of strange things, and they were taught not to ask questions. Besides, Ewan had kept them purposefully out of earshot. If he had nothing to hide, he'd have brought them in with him. They were probably just here to stop Iman and his men trying anything shady. Only a fool wouldn't tread carefully around Anton Silva.

It felt like it took Ewan forever to cross the empty yard. The animal inside me was raring to simply charge out of the car and let loose with all my rage, until he was just a bloody wreck on the ground, but I knew I needed to hold back. The situation could get messy in a heartbeat, if not handled carefully, and we needed Ewan alive if we wanted any chance of ending this.

When he was a few feet away from Anton's men, he stopped. In his hand he held a plain black briefcase that no doubt contained the rest of Anton's money. "You had me worried," he said. I had the window down ever so slightly, so we could hear everything clearly. "When they escaped the house I thought we'd lost our shot."

Iman smirked. "We find them. Or rather, they find us."

Ewan's eyes narrowed, but before he could react, all three of Anton's men had guns trained on him. The Alpha guys were good. In a split second they were both charging forward and reaching inside their jackets, but they froze as two more thugs emerged from the shadows behind them with weapons raised.

"What is this?" Ewan asked, but there already was a sense of understanding in his voice.

I nodded to Sophia, and we both reached for our door handles. I was expecting fear, but all I saw in his eyes when they fell on us was surprise, followed by resignation. The anger inside me flared. I didn't want him to be okay with what was coming. I wanted him to feel the same terror Sophia had, when he'd taken her from her house. That raw hopelessness of knowing that there was nothing left for him, beyond pain and death.

"This is you, getting what you deserve," I growled, and before I could stop myself, I clocked him with an enormous uppercut that lifted his body from the ground. I was on top of him, moments later, my fists a blur in front of me, my vision clouded red. There were people yelling behind me, but they were muted and distant. All that mattered was Ewan and the pain I wanted him to feel.

It wasn't until Sophia grabbed my face and yanked my gaze up to hers that the rest of the world came back into focus. "Sebastian, stop! You're killing him!"

I looked down at the crumpled form below me. Ewan's face was a mask of blood and dirt. His hair was matted and his breathing shallow. He wasn't moving.

I closed my eyes and flung myself to my feet. I'd never lost control like that before. It was frightening. And scarier still, it had felt good. I wanted someone to blame for everything that had happened, someone that wasn't myself. And now that someone had finally presented himself, I could finally unleash some of the guilt that was devouring me from the inside. "I'm okay," I said. "I'm okay."

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The adrenaline was already fading from my veins. My skin felt hot and my lungs burned. I'd hit him with everything I had.

Sophia leaned down to check Ewan's pulse. "He's alive."

"He's a tough old bastard," I replied.

"We need to get him somewhere soon, though, and check him out. You did quite a number on him."

I nodded. "I'll call in the cavalry."

I walked off towards the corner of the lot, just to put a little distance between Ewan and myself, and pulled out my phone.

"Thomas, I'm going to need a little help here."

* * * * *

"Doctor says he's alright," said Thomas, appearing in the doorway. "You certainly did a number on him."

I grimaced. "That's what Sophia said."

He pulled up a chair and sat down next to me, pouring himself a scotch from the bottle in front of us. It was about two hours since I'd called him, and we were inside a small Alpha complex in the Inner West, which had a couple of rooms fitted to keep prisoners. Holding people wasn't something we did often — we pulled strings, we didn't arrest people — but we liked to be prepared, nonetheless.

He threw back the entire glass in one sip, wincing with the burn, then shook his head. "I never suspected he could do something like this. I mean, he was a bit of an asshole, sometimes, but still. Not this."

"I know," I replied. "Is he talking yet?"

"Not yet. He's awake, but still pretty groggy. It won't be too long, I imagine." Something in the way he was looking at me told me what was coming next. "You could have called, you know. When you disappeared, we all assumed the worst."

I hated that I had to have this conversation, but there was no avoiding it. "I know, but at that point I didn't know who to trust."

A look of hurt crossed his face, and I didn't blame him. He was my friend and he deserved my trust. Then again, I'd thought Ewan deserved it as well. Would I ever be able to fully trust these men again? I wanted to think so, but I suspected there would always be a niggling doubt. I didn't know what to do with that. Maybe I could have lived with it a few years back, but I didn't just have my life to consider anymore. Sophia claimed she was okay with the risks, but that didn't mean I was. I couldn't stand the thought of ever putting her in jeopardy again. She deserved the happiness that came with a normal life, a life of not constantly looking over your shoulder. No matter how hard I tried, I didn't know if I could provide that anymore.

I took the scotch and refilled both our glasses, and we drank in silence for a while. I suspected there would be a lot of this over the coming days. The news of Ewan's betrayal had hit the group hard.

"How's Sophia coping?" Thomas asked eventually.

I felt a ghost of a smile creep onto my face. "She actually seems okay. She's a hell of a lot tougher than she looks."

"I can believe that. Is she still floating around here? I haven't had a chance to talk to her."

"No, I sent her back to the main house with Trey. She wanted to stay, but it was obvious how wiped out she was. Besides, there was no reason for her to be here. At this point, it's just a waiting game." With Ewan in custody, much of the danger had passed, but I wasn't willing to let Sophia go back out into the real world just yet. Now that we knew who the traitor was, she'd be safe in the Alpha house until we could unravel the rest of Ewan's operation. Soon, this whole nightmare would be behind us.

A few minutes later, Marcus walked into the room. "He's awake."

"Does he have anything to say for himself?" I asked.

"Not yet. He wants to speak to you, Sebastian. Said he won't talk to anyone else."

It wasn't a good idea. Despite having had a little time to process his betrayal, I still didn't trust myself to be in the same room as him. Just thinking about it turned my blood to lava. But Ewan was a stubborn son of a bitch. If he wanted me there, he'd hold out until it happened.

"Take me to him," I said with a curt nod.

I followed Marcus into the prison area, and he buzzed me through into Ewan's cell.

He was slouched on the bed in the corner of the room. Thomas and Sophia were right, I really had done a number on him. His face was a mottled collage of purple and yellow. Most of his features were barely recognisable behind the swelling and broken skin. He stared up at me, through his one good eye, still managing to look unafraid.

"So." My voice could have frozen water.

He sighed heavily. "So."

"Let's get this over with. You wanted to see me. Well, here I am."

There was a pause. "I'm sorry, Sebastian."

He couldn't have surprised me any more if he'd tried. My hands clenched tight and I took two big steps towards him until I was close enough to feel his breath on my skin. "Sorry? That's why you brought me in here? To apologise? I don't want your apologies, Ewan! I want answers!" I realised I was shouting, but I didn't care. I needed some outlet for all the anger seething inside me or it was going to come out through my fists again.

He flinched, but his expression remained stoic. "I appreciate that. I'm not going to pretend like that makes it better. All I want is for you to understand; everything I did, I did in the best interests of the group."

"You don't get to decide what's best for the group. That's not your call alone," I spat.

"Maybe not, but I didn't see any other way. She's a liability, Sebastian. And now you are too. The way you reacted when she was taken, well, the council can't afford to have that kind of weakness. Especially not with everything else that's happening. So I did what I thought was necessary."

A trickle of discomfort flowed down my spine. "What do you mean everything else? You're responsible for everything else."

His eyes widened. "You can't be serious."

"I'm deadly serious. You just admitted to trying to take both of us out, but you expect me to believe you weren't the one who tried to kidnap Sophia?"

He sat up taller, raising his head as close to mine as possible. "I may have been concerned about you for a while, Sebastian, but I didn't do anything about it until that night with Anton's men in the safe house. And as God is my witness, I ****ing certainly had nothing to do with Charlie and Simon. They were my friends."

His voice was louder now and full of conviction. It made my head spin.

"So if it wasn't you, who was it?"

"I don't know, but they're still out there."

"You're lying," I said, but I think it was more for my benefit than his. The certainty in his eyes rippled through me.

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He studied me. "Maybe I am. Believe what you like, I guess. It makes little difference to me at this point." His eyes narrowed. "But when all of this comes crashing down around you, don't say I didn't warn you."

I stared at him for several seconds, my mind and stomach churning as one. I desperately wanted not to believe him, but what reason did he have to lie? Even if he did convince me, he couldn't think that would earn him clemency. There were no excuses for trying to assassinate a brother. Perhaps he was just messing with me, a last little '**** you' for good measure, but if that were the case, he was the best actor in the world. Besides, the sinking feeling in my belly was growing more powerful with every passing second.

The truth was, everything he said made sense. Ewan and I had never seen eye to eye, but his dedication to the group bordered on zealous. Even with what we thought was proof, right in front of us, I still hadn't really been able to see him doing all of this. Add that to the inconsistencies Sophia had raised earlier in the car, and the doubt only grew.

If he was telling the truth then someone else out there wanted to hurt the group. And that meant we were all still in danger.

Including Sophia.

I was out the door before I knew it, my phone already in my hand. She's safe. By now she's probably asleep back in the house with armed guards stationed all around her. But as the phone continued to ring out, a chill rolled through me unlike anything I'd ever felt before.

Ten rings. Twenty.

No answer.

With desperation clutching at my lungs, I hung up and called again. Nothing.

She's not answering because she's passed out. That's all.

I tried Trey's number, but it went straight to voicemail. With my heart beating like a wild drum in my chest, I raced back to find Thomas.

"Who's still at the house?" I asked.

He recoiled as I drew close, like he'd seen something horrifying in my face. "What the hell? What happened?"

"The house," I repeated, barely even hearing his questions. "Who's there?"

He licked his lips. "Jav should still be I think."

I was dialling before he even finished his sentence, and within a few rings, Jav picked up.

"Where's Sophia?"

There was a pause. "Sebastian? What do you mean? She's with you, isn't she?"

I closed my eyes and drew a ragged breath. This can't be happening. "She was coming back to the house with Trey," I said slowly, my voice trembling. "She should have been there an hour ago."

"Trey hasn't been here since he left to meet you."

My hand shot out to clutch the wall as the room spun around me. There could have been other explanations, flat tires and empty phone batteries, but I knew that wasn't the case. I could feel the truth of it right down to my bones. They had her. Again. And it was my fault.

All the signs had been there, and I'd ignored them. And now... oh Christ. I had all the power in the world at my hands, and it wasn't enough. I couldn't even protect the one thing I truly loved.

Trey. He was responsible for this. Whatever destructive plan he had for the group, Sophia was somehow involved. And I'd handed her right to him.

Thomas' expression had slipped even further. "What is it, Sebastian? Is Sophia okay?"

But I couldn't respond. I couldn't even breathe. I felt like I was drowning, like the air around me had suddenly thickened into something my body could no longer process.

Last time I'd had a tail on Sophia from the start. I knew where they'd taken her, and I used that purpose and direction to hone my fear into focus. But this time she could be anywhere. The chance of finding her was next to nothing.

I collapsed against the wall and buried my head in my hands. I realised I was sobbing. I wanted to die. I wanted to curl up into a ball so tightly I just disappeared. My mind was racing, desperately searching for any kind of next move, but it was like trying to catch the wind in my hands. I had no clues. No information. No hope.

And then, my phone vibrated in my hand. The caller ID listed Sophia's number.

Barely breathing, I swiped the screen, and a picture of her flashed before my eyes. She was bound to a slim wooden chair, her mouth gagged, her eyes wide with fear. The caption simply said, "Come alone." It didn't give any directions, but it told me all I needed to know. The room in the background was instantly familiar. It was one of the control rooms in the old Alpha headquarters. The place the two of us had first met.

Trey had Sophia, and he wanted me to come for her.

I felt an icy calm descend over me, a sudden sense of clarity that was almost painfully sharp. Despite how stacked the situation looked, he'd made a mistake by inviting me. I didn't know how yet, but I was going to end this tonight. I'd failed Sophia too many times already.

I wouldn't fail her again.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Sebastian

There was plenty of muscle waiting for me when I arrived at headquarters; at least ten men wearing suits and impassive expressions. No one commented as I approached, they just stood by with their hands on their holsters as the two closest moved in to search me. The gun strapped under my arm was commandeered without even a frown. I hadn't expected to actually get it past them, but I had to try anyway.

I'd nearly called in the cavalry. Thomas had been flipping out trying to work out what was going on, and it would have been so easy to explain the situation and bring the whole team down here with me. But I took Trey's warning seriously. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her if he got even a sniff of Alpha activity, and I had no idea how far his eyes and ears reached. If he had the right alerts set up, she could be dead before our cars made it a block. I couldn't take that risk.

When the guards were sure I was unarmed, they stepped back and I continued inside. I reached the door that led to Sophia's prison, but I took a moment before opening it to draw a deep breath. I still had no idea how I was going to get us out of this, but I had to remain calm. Blacking out, like I did with Ewan, would get us both killed in a heartbeat. If I wanted Trey and his friends to pay, I had to keep my wits about me. I refused to believe this was the end. After everything Sophia and I had been through, an opportunity would present itself. It had to.

I turned the handle and stepped inside.

Sophia sat towards one side of the room, bound to the chair exactly as she had been in the photo. Her face was puffy and red.

She cried out through her gag when she saw me, a visceral, frightened sound that seemed to echo inside my head. Without even realising what I was doing, I began rushing towards her.

"Uh uh," Trey said, stepping into view and pressing the barrel of his gun right up against her temple. "That's far enough."

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Sophia seemed to be trying to tell me something. She'd gone quiet, but her eyes flicked continuously between Trey and the door behind me. I had no idea what it meant. It seemed like all the cards were pretty much on the table at this point.

I turned my gaze to Trey. My anger reared like a rabid dog in my chest, but I kept it leashed. Focus.

"You," I said, my voice sharp enough to cut glass.

He blinked a few times, then gave a shaky little bow. "Me."

The room was empty, apart from the three of us. Not that it mattered. He was armed and his goons were just a few steps away.

I studied him for several seconds. He mostly looked like himself. His smile held the same playfulness it always had, but there was something dark seething behind his eyes now too, something off. I had no idea how he'd kept that hidden for so long. "Why?" I asked.

He grinned. "That's the million dollar question, isn't it?"

"Million dollar? So it's money you want?"

"Oh, God no," he replied with a laugh. "Bad choice of phrasing, I guess. No, I may not be worth as much as you, Sebastian, but I'm perfectly comfortable. This is about so much more than that."

The motive behind the attacks had bothered me constantly. I'd never quite been able to make the pieces fit. "You killed Charlie and Aaron."

Trey nodded. "Guilty." He didn't show even the slightest sign of remorse.

"How could you do that? How could you kill your own brothers? We took you in, made you part of the family, and this is how you repay us?"

Trey's expression darkened. "I was never part of the family, Sebastian. I may have the tattoo, but I never had the respect."

I gave a sour laugh. "Respect? Seriously, that's what this is about? Poor little Trey is feeling under-appreciated?"

His jaw tightened. "Even now, you laugh at me." He gave the pistol a little shake. "Not wise to mock a man with a gun."

For a moment, I thought maybe I'd gone too far, but eventually he relaxed.

"You know, my dad used to tell me about you guys, back when I was a kid," he continued. "I know he wasn't supposed to, but he did. He used to tell me the kinds of things you did, the kind of power you had. I used to dream about the day I'd be a part of that. Then you finally invited me to join, and it was the best day of my life. I finally had a chance to prove myself. I spent the next three years busting my ass for the group, but in the end, you know what I had to show for it? The same ****ty jobs and cruel jokes as when I started."

"The group is a lifelong commitment, Trey. Things don't happen overnight. You can't just waltz in and expect to be running the show."

"You did. You were, what, twenty seven when they invited you to the council? And dad was just twenty five. Not to mention Marcus. You promote that guy over me?" There was something wild in his expression now, something broken. Clearly this wound had been festering for some time. "Dad didn't invite me to the group to be a ****ing errand boy. I'm capable of better. I deserve better."

"Yeah, well your dad would be turning in his grave if he could see you now." The words left my mouth before I realised I'd said them.

Trey's mouth parted in a snarl and he flung the gun upwards at me, his arm trembling. "You take that back," he hissed. "You take that back! He'd understand. He'd be proud I finally stepped up and did something. He wasn't the sort of man who let other people walk all over him, and neither am I."

"So what is all this then? Revenge? Kill a few group members and make yourself feel better?"

The smile returned to Trey's face, but it was off somehow, crooked, like I was looking at a reflection of it in a splintered mirror. "A little, maybe. But there's more to it than that. That's the problem with the group now. You don't think grand enough. Besides, I'm not the one you should really be talking to about revenge."

I ****ed my head. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, as much as I'd love to take all the cre*** for everything, I have to confess I didn't do it alone. I had a little help from someone who had a slightly more personal stake in all of this." He raised his voice. "You can come in now, babe."

My eyes darted to the door just in time to see a woman step through.

"Hello, Sebastian," she said.

My jaw dropped. It had been years since I'd seen her, but those perfect features and golden locks were unmistakable.

Liv.

For about ten seconds, nobody spoke. She merely smiled, radiating satisfaction while my mouth worked wordlessly. The sight of her made me feel like I was falling, like everything else was zipping past around me. My stomach heaved, my skin prickled, my lungs seemed frozen in my chest. A million thoughts crashed through my head. For a few moments I was actually certain I was dreaming.

"You're alive," I said finally.

Liv let out a little giggle. "As observant as ever, I see." She seemed to have actually dressed up for the occasion. Between the long black gown she wore and the elegant clutch under her arm, she looked like she'd come directly from some kind of fancy charity dinner.

I took a step towards her, my arm twitching forward ever so slightly before I stopped myself. "I saw your body."

"You saw a body. Some poor girl they found in an alley in The Cross. OD'd, from memory. A bit of decoration, some creative police reporting, courtesy of Trey, and poof," she made a fist then popped it in front of her, "I was dead."

I felt like my eyes were about to pop out of my head. Turning away, I forced them closed. "Do you know what that did to me?"

Her voice was impossibly cold. "It hurt, I imagine. I hope it did. After the way you left me, you deserved to hurt." She had the same callousness to her demeanour now that Trey did. It changed her. That feminine allure was still there, but it was hardened, tempered by years of bitterness. Two people with huge chips on their shoulders; in a morbid way, they made the perfect couple.

"I left to protect you, Liv." I gestured to the room. "To protect you from all of this."

"I didn't want your protection," she spat. "I wanted you. But apparently that was too much to ask."

I had no idea how I was supposed to be dealing with this. I'd never been so confused in my life.

"So now you're with him?" I asked. "You can't have me, so you take this insecure, traitorous little **** instead?"

Treys snarled and lifted the gun once more, but Liv raised her hand. "Easy, Trey."

She turned back to me. "Yes, I'm with him. After you left, it felt like the world had ended. I gave up my life for you, Sebastian. My dreams. Everything. And then you dropped me without so much as an explanation. When I ran into Trey one day, I was desperately looking for a friend, and at first, that's exactly what it was. But soon enough it turned into something else. He was there for me when no one else was, and so I was there for him too."