The line was starting to get blurred and that’s when problems started. They were supposed to team up together, not care. This whole sharing feelings phase Josh was creeping into wasn’t just uncharted territory, it was disturbing and uncomfortable. He forced his gaze back to the window. The sad truth was, Taylor aside, there wasn’t anyone else he could talk to…about anything. His lips pursed and whitened.
“Is it this Laychee thing? You know we are going t o nail the son-of-a-bitch.”
“No,” Sebastian stated quietly. “I know.” He hesitated a long moment before speaking again. “Do you and Monique ever talk about having more kids?”
He watched Josh’s mouth fall open in the reflective glare of the window. Regaining his composure, his partner snapped his jaw shut and scrubbed a hand across the back of his nape. A nervous laugh flooded the car.
“What? I mean we aren’t even technically dating, let alone married…”
“You’re sleeping with her. That makes you very much together, despite what you may call it.” Peeling his attention away from the storage yard, Sebastian turned to his partner. “Don’t insult my intelligence or my sister like that again.”
Josh paled and lifted his hands. “You know that isn’t what I meant. Jesus, Baas. I love her enough to die for her and you know it.”
He nodded, his expression stoic. “I know. Perhaps it’s time you told her that as well. You and I both know Mia’s not coming back. Marx isn’t going to want the hassle. If she was yours it might be di fferent, but Monique means nothing to him. She’s going to need you.”
A shuddering breath left his partner as he slumped in his seat. “To be honest, I try not to think about it. I loved that little girl like she was mine, you know?” His thick swallow echoed in the car.
Sebastian bit the inside of his cheek until the slick taste of copper rolled across his tongue. Focusing on the pain, he managed to keep the emotion at bay. His nephew was dead, and now he was losing his niece—because of his job—because of the things he did—because of the things he didn’t do. It was enough to make his head spin.
“Baas?” Josh’s voice was tense.
Shaking his head, he silenced him. His partner cast him a worried glance, but said nothing else. It was for the best. He wasn’t about to start opening up about how much he craved having a family, kids of his own, or a normal life among the madness and chaos they lived and abided by. In fact, he was pretty sure people like him didn’t deserve things like love or happiness, let alone children. Not with all the things he’d done. What he could do was try to protect the little bit of family and sanity the people he loved had left. Squaring his shoulders, he straightened his spine and called Vince.
“We’re heading out. If you want to keep your job, you watch this car and you make damn sure nothing is tailing us. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You fuck this up and so help me God Vince, I’ll kill everyone you know and leave you alive to suffer.” The tense silence on the other end told him all he needed to know. He was dead serious, and the man knew it. Hanging up, he ignored Josh’s bewildered stare. “Start driving.”
The house wasn’t anything special, just another one of the well-manicured Spanish Colonials prevalent throughout the Southwest. He squinted against the lowering sun as it reflected off the tiled roof. A large privacy fence encased the property, and while it wasn’t anything like Monique’s, it looked like the yard offered plenty of room to play. Josh stared at the house too, and he could almost see the emotions play across his partner’s face as he searched for a reason, any reason, not to let Mia stay. Sighing, Sebastian took in the gated windows and doors. Maybe they were just meant for decoration, as was so often the case in this part of the country, but he appreciated the extra security they offered.
“What are we
“Is it this Laychee thing? You know we are going t o nail the son-of-a-bitch.”
“No,” Sebastian stated quietly. “I know.” He hesitated a long moment before speaking again. “Do you and Monique ever talk about having more kids?”
He watched Josh’s mouth fall open in the reflective glare of the window. Regaining his composure, his partner snapped his jaw shut and scrubbed a hand across the back of his nape. A nervous laugh flooded the car.
“What? I mean we aren’t even technically dating, let alone married…”
“You’re sleeping with her. That makes you very much together, despite what you may call it.” Peeling his attention away from the storage yard, Sebastian turned to his partner. “Don’t insult my intelligence or my sister like that again.”
Josh paled and lifted his hands. “You know that isn’t what I meant. Jesus, Baas. I love her enough to die for her and you know it.”
He nodded, his expression stoic. “I know. Perhaps it’s time you told her that as well. You and I both know Mia’s not coming back. Marx isn’t going to want the hassle. If she was yours it might be di fferent, but Monique means nothing to him. She’s going to need you.”
A shuddering breath left his partner as he slumped in his seat. “To be honest, I try not to think about it. I loved that little girl like she was mine, you know?” His thick swallow echoed in the car.
Sebastian bit the inside of his cheek until the slick taste of copper rolled across his tongue. Focusing on the pain, he managed to keep the emotion at bay. His nephew was dead, and now he was losing his niece—because of his job—because of the things he did—because of the things he didn’t do. It was enough to make his head spin.
“Baas?” Josh’s voice was tense.
Shaking his head, he silenced him. His partner cast him a worried glance, but said nothing else. It was for the best. He wasn’t about to start opening up about how much he craved having a family, kids of his own, or a normal life among the madness and chaos they lived and abided by. In fact, he was pretty sure people like him didn’t deserve things like love or happiness, let alone children. Not with all the things he’d done. What he could do was try to protect the little bit of family and sanity the people he loved had left. Squaring his shoulders, he straightened his spine and called Vince.
“We’re heading out. If you want to keep your job, you watch this car and you make damn sure nothing is tailing us. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You fuck this up and so help me God Vince, I’ll kill everyone you know and leave you alive to suffer.” The tense silence on the other end told him all he needed to know. He was dead serious, and the man knew it. Hanging up, he ignored Josh’s bewildered stare. “Start driving.”
The house wasn’t anything special, just another one of the well-manicured Spanish Colonials prevalent throughout the Southwest. He squinted against the lowering sun as it reflected off the tiled roof. A large privacy fence encased the property, and while it wasn’t anything like Monique’s, it looked like the yard offered plenty of room to play. Josh stared at the house too, and he could almost see the emotions play across his partner’s face as he searched for a reason, any reason, not to let Mia stay. Sighing, Sebastian took in the gated windows and doors. Maybe they were just meant for decoration, as was so often the case in this part of the country, but he appreciated the extra security they offered.
“What are we
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