Chapter One
Sebastian Creed signaled to his favorite bartender as soon as he sat down on the long, onyx-colored bar. The young man spotted him instantly and nodded in acknowledgment. Soon, a glass of his favorite bourbon appeared in front of him, and he took a small sip. There were some days he still couldn’t believe he was allowed in a place like this.
Luxe was the most exclusive club in New York City. He had to show his sizable bank statements just to be considered for membership. That was ironic, considering that growing up in a rundown trailer in Tennessee, he didn’t even have two dimes to rub together. Money was power, he learned. And over the years, he had acquired lots of it. Of course, that came with women, too. Not that he had any problems before he became rich. It was always easy to find some chick for a one-night stand or even a quickie in the bathroom, especially when he was in uniform. All he had to do was walk into some dive bar or small-town roadhouse, and the women were eager to “do their patriotic duty.”
As his wealth grew, however, so did the number of women who wanted him. Luxe catered to men and women like him, so at least here, he never had to worry about gold diggers. He only had to worry about the chicks who were too clingy or wanted to reform the bad boy. Those types he had learned to spot and avoid. He gave as good as he got but always left right after the deed. The sex, the skin-to-skin contact were the few times he felt something, but the moments right after left him cold and empty. Most days, he was just going through the motions as life had sucked the joy in him. He hadn’t felt real emotions in a while. Not since Afghanistan.
He swallowed down more bourbon, enjoying the burn down his throat. Pushing those thoughts aside, he scanned the room for his next target. The blonde across the bar seemed promising. She had just sat down,and leaned over to give her drink order, showing off a fantastic set of tits. They were unusually perky, so she either had a good bra or an excellent plastic surgeon. He’d find out soon enough.
Without warning, the hairs on the back of his neck bristled, and years of combat training told him he was being watched. He swung around, instantly recognizing who it was, but not the two others with him.
“Well, hello trouble.”
“Hello, Sebastian,” the man said. “Alone for tonight?”
“Not for long.” Sebastian turned his head towards the blonde, thinking about what color panties she was wearing under that silver dress. She looked back at him, her eyes flashing with interest. He knew that look. She could wait, though. He had a feeling this night was going to be interesting, which was a good thing. Sebastian was starting to get bored.
It was Grant Anderson, CEO of Fenrir Corporation. He’d met the guy a couple of times before and on his last visit to Luxe, even introduced himself. That night, he seemed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and Sebastian figured it wouldn’t hurt to give him his card, especially if it could drum up some business. He even expected Grant to do a background check on him and his company, which was standard in his line of work. Creed Security pinged them right back, and then he found out who his mysterious friend was. After that last time, though, Grant had stopped coming to Luxe. It was too bad, as he genuinely liked the guy, though they only spoke a few times. The last time they did speak, the Grant was apparently in trouble, but he didn’t specify what kind of trouble. Now, maybe it was his chance to find out what kind.
He turned back to Grant. “But before I move on to tonight’s entertainment, tell me, where have you been? What happened to you?”
Grant gave him a smile. “Something worse.”
Sebastian laughed. So, some girl had gotten her claws into the CEO of one of the world’s largest corporations. Lucky chick. “Really?”
“Oh, yeah. Baby on the way, too.”
Ah, that was at least eighteen years of child support payments. Whoever she was, she must be happy as a clam. Of course, judging by that stupid grin on Grant’s face, he didn’t know what was coming. Better cheer him up while he could.
“Well, shit.” He gestured to the bartender. “A round of bourbon for my friends here. On me. But we’re not here to celebrate your doom, are we?”
Grant placed a manila folder on the bar beside him. “Sebastian Creed. CEO of Creed Security. You enlisted in the Marines as soon as you turned eighteen, went all the way to Spec Ops. Discharged honorably after ten years, then you started your security firm. Hit it big when you got some military contracts, and now Creed Security is one of the largest military and private security companies in the world.”
Now comes the fun part. “You know when I take a shit, too?”
“I like to get to know my friends well, Sebastian.”
“So do I, Mr. Grant Anderson, CEO of Fenrir Corp.”
He waited for a reaction from Grant, but there was none, not even a blink. The man wasn’t head of a major corporation for nothing.
“You’ve been doing some research, too, I see.”
“You think you can run a background check on me and I wouldn’t find out? Your guys are pretty good, but mine are better.” Sebastian rose to his feet. He was taller than Grant and his companions, but then again few men reached or topped his 6’5” height. “Now,” he said calmly, “What do you want?”
The blonde man to Grant’s right spoke in a cool voice. “We want to hire your firm, Mr. Creed.”
Any other man would have been intimidated, but he wasn’t just any man. “And you are?”
“Nick Vrost. Fenrir Corporation’s Head of Security.”
He didn’t feel inclined to shake the man’s hand, and Vrost didn’t offer his either.
“And you?” he said to the other man with Grant. This one was dark-haired and seemed more friendly. He also held out his hand.
“I’m one of Grant’s partners, Liam Henney.”
Sebastian shook Liam’s hand, surprised at the unusual strength. He looked at all three of them, and for the first time, felt a strange sensation in his gut. There was something unusual about these three men.
“So this is business.” Sebastian settled back on his seat. “So, let’s talk business. What can I do for you gentlemen?”
Grant took the seat next to him. “We have a missing…asset. The asset was taken from us by force, and we need he— it back.”
The hitch in his voice didn’t escape Sebastian’s notice. “So, standard corporate espionage stuff, huh?And you want me to retrieve your asset?”
“We will recover the asset. We’re narrowing down its location, but we already know we’ll need muscle to infiltrate the facility. Now, we’ve done research on your firm.” Grant paused to give the bartender a nod as he accepted the drink, immediately taking a sip. “You’re the best, and you’re also discreet.”
“Of course. Discretion is part of the game.” Sebastian nodded. “But first you’ll have to tell me what this asset is, and why it’s so important to you.”
“No,” Vrost said in his cool as ice voice. “It’s on a need to know basis only. My team will take care of retrieval. You just need to make sure we can get in and out safely.”
Ice filled his veins. No fucking way. This was not how he did business. There were certain types of people who thought that just because they had money, they could lead him by the balls and tell him what to do. “Then we have no deal. Have a good evening, gentlemen.”
“I’ll pay whatever you want. Double what you usually charge,” Grant said.
“Look, Grant.” He wanted to be honest with the man, at the very least. “My company is used to handling secrets. Classified stuff, even, so you can be sure your secret is safe with me. But, I need to know exactly what I’m getting into.”
“I’ve seen your record, Creed. Your company has run operations far more dangerous than what we’re asking.”
Hmmm…Fenrir’s security people were probably top-notch if they knew what kind of jobs he’d done. “The answer is still no.”
“You’d turn away millions of dollars to do one small job, just because we won’t tell you what it is we want you to retrieve?” Vrost asked.
He would not let the man get under his skin. “Listen, Mr. Vrost, right?” Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. “Money, I got. Lots of it. But you know what I can’t replace with money, Mr. Vrost? The lives of good men and women. If I went in blind, I’d be risking the lives of my employees. Good, loyal people who’ve been to hell and back with me. And for what? The prototype for a fancy new gadget? A miracle pill that promises weight loss without the hard work? No. That’s how people get hurt, and I don’t do business with anyone who would treat my people like disposable toys. So, goodnight, gentlemen.” He felt disgusted, and frankly, disappointed that Grant Anderson was just like all the other rich bastards who wanted to hire him.
Sebastian walked straight to the blonde, leaning down to her ear. “Hey sweetheart,” he whispered in a low voice. “Why don’t you and me have a little fun on our own?”
The woman’s blue eyes widened, her pupils blowing up as he traced his fingers down her back. “Sure,” she said, standing up and following him.
He led her to one of the corner couches and moved over to give her some room.
“I have to confess, this is my first time here,” she said, scooting closer to him. “But, well, I was thinking of a nice birthday present for myself when my trust fund came in and…”
Sebastian gave her an empty smile, and let her drone on about her hobbies. Something about dancing horses or some shit. He nodded, as if he heard her, though all he could think about were those long legs and how they’d feel wrapped around him later that night.
“Mr. Creed.”
That was quicker than he’d thought it’d be. He glanced up at the trio of men, a bored look on his face. It was Liam Henney who had spoken. “Please, call me Sebastian.”
“Call me Liam, then,” the dark-haired man continued. “May we speak alone, Sebastian?”
He leaned down and whispered into the blonde’s ear. “I really wanna hear more about your horses, sweetheart, but I have some business to take care of. Go over to the other couch, and I’ll join you in a bit, okay?”
The blonde nodded, and with one last saucy look, she left.
Sebastian focused his attention back on the trio. “Okay, say what you need to say.”
“We’ve talked it over,” Liam said. “And we can tell you a little bit more about the asset. But not everything.”
This shit again. “All or nothing,” Sebastian insisted. “And if you fucking lie to me, I’ll know.”
Liam settled on the couch next to him, took his phone out of his pocket, and turned it on. He placed the device on the table and slid it over to Sebastian. “The asset.”
“Oh, fuck me,” Sebastian Creed said under his breath. He nearly dropped the phone in his hand but kept his grip tight. The air in his lungs rushed out of his body, and an unfamiliar feeling in his middle was gnawing at him.
The woman in the picture was beautiful. No, wait, that didn’t even begin to describe her. She was breathtaking. Peaches-and-cream complexion that looked soft to the touch. Burnished brown hair that went past her shoulders. Delicately-arched, but thick brows that framed her face. Long, sweeping dark lashes over expressive eyes. He wasn’t sure what color they were, but he thought they could be a very light green. And those lips. Pink, luscious and pouty, and he instantly imagined how they would taste and feel against his.
“Well? Will you help us?”
Sebastian looked up at the three men watching him. “Fine. Sit down, gentlemen.” He leaned back into the couch and watched as the three men sat across from him.
He waited for one of them to speak. When it came to negotiations, after all, the first one to talk was the loser. They needed him more than he needed them, that was for sure.
“Sebastian,” Liam Henney began. “This asset…I mean, she’s important to us.”
He narrowed his eyes at the other man. Was she his woman? Something he hadn’t felt for a long time —jealousy —clawed at his insides. Henney was the one who approached him after they walked away, and he probably took the photo of her. Fuck it all, if that was the case.
Tamping that feeling down, he spoke. “Who is she?”
“Dr. Cross is one of our leading researchers,” Nick Vrost said. Vrost clearly despised Sebastian, but he seemed like a solid guy, someone you could rely on. He said he was Head of Security for Fenrir Corporation, but he didn’t appear to have a hint of military experience. In fact, the pretty boy seemed more at home in a boardroom than a war room. He detected a hint of danger around the man, though. Vrost wouldn’t have risen to such a position if he didn’t earn it.
“What was she working on?”
There was a pause, but Grant answered. “Food. Food research.”
Sebastian rubbed his jaw. Food R and D was a multibillion-dollar industry. Many manufacturers had better security than the Pentagon since the competition was fierce. Still, there was something they weren’t telling him. He was tempted to walk away right now, but another glance at the picture had him rooted to the spot. “So, what happened?”
“Dr. Cross didn’t show up for work this morning, which is unusual for her. She didn’t call in sick, and we couldn’t reach her phone. We had our HR department check her apartment, but she wasn’t home,” Grant explained. “Finally, we decided to send our security team to investigate. None of her colleagues or friends knew where she was. Then, we checked the video from the security camera in her building. She was walking home last night when she was taken.”
Sebastian gritted his teeth. “How?”
“Two vans, about a dozen men, came and plucked her right off the street. She tried to fight them, but they must have drugged her,” Grant continued.
“Where is she now?”
“We’re working on finding her,” Grant replied. “But we don’t have enough people to retrieve her. We need extra reinforcements.”
“Why come to me?” Sebastian asked. “Why not go to the police?”
The CEO hesitated. “We know the people who took her. Let’s just say they’re not the type of people the police could handle. She might get hurt, as well as other innocent people.”
“Hmmm,” Sebastian rubbed his jaw. “Mercenaries or some sort? Cartel? Hell’s Angels?”
“Yeah,” Grant nodded. “Mercenaries. Hired goons. Plus, you know NYPD handles dozens of missing persons in any given week. They’d take forever to get an investigation going, and who knows what’ll happen to her if we wait any longer.”
Sebastian knew how cops worked. Small town cops, big city cops. Most of them turned a blind eye, whether it was because they were crooked or simply too jaded.
“Also,” Liam interjected. “We’re not using legal means to find her. In fact, our PI is working with some hackers to find out her location. They can tap into security cameras all over the country and run face recognition software.”
“Smart,” he said. “But definitely illegal.”
“This is why we’re doing it on our own,” Grant said. “Now, will you help us?”
Sebastian glanced at the phone, but the screen had gone dark. Not that it mattered. The woman’s face was burned into his memory, and he doubted he could forget it.
“All right. We’ll have our lawyers sort out the details. I’m sure you have someone you can call at this hour. But we need to get started on this op.”
***
“What the fuck is going on?”
Sebastian looked back at Aiden James, his right-hand man. “Fuck if I know.”
He and Aiden had been in the Marines together, and as soon as Sebastian started Creed Securities, he knew the first man he wanted to hire. Aiden James was loyal and would go through fire for him, just as he would for Aiden. They had been through a lot together, and he was the only one who still talked to him after what happened in Afghanistan. Years of training and combat, however, didn’t prepare either of them for something like this.
“Those, guys…” Aiden shook his head. “They’re definitely military. Marines, and maybe a few SEALS. But it’s like they got their fear switched off or something. Maybe they’re using some type of experimental drug?”
Sebastian grunted in agreement. There was something fishy going on. He should have known. Seeing the “team” Fenrir had brought in alone should have warned him. Three women, Henney, Vrost, and a third man. Not that he didn’t believe women could handle the simple retrieval op, but they certainly were a ragtag bunch. With all the money Fenrir Corporation had, he’d have thought they could afford some real muscle. Then there were the strange animal sounds he heard coming from the warehouse. They were faint, and none of his men seemed to pick up the sounds, but he was sure he heard them. They sounded like big dogs, barking and snarling.
Aiden shook his head. “This is not going the way we want it.”
Sebastian was skeptical of their plan, at first, but it was a good one. His snipers took down the guards in the back, and then the Fenrir team went in. His team went out front and distracted the rest of the guards. They were expecting two dozen or so men, but it turned out they were hiding more. Did those men just appear out of nowhere? Their surveillance didn’t show any additional forces, and there was no way they could have snuck in that many guys without them noticing.
“Where do you think those guys were hiding out?” Aiden asked as if reading his mind.
Sebastian thought for a moment. “Remember when we raided that farmhouse in Kundul?”
Aiden’s eyes lit up in recognition. “They dug a basement,” the other man stated. “I don’t think their asset is anywhere near here, though.”
No way. She was here. He didn’t know how, but he knew it.
Find her.
“What did you say?” Sebastian snapped his head back to Aiden.
“What, man?” Aiden gave him a confused look. “I didn’t say nothin’.”
Fucking hell. Sebastian gritted his teeth. His body was hot and cold all over at the same time like he had ice running through his veins and someone set fire to his skin. That voice inside him. Shit. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as a pressure began to build behind his eyes. He thought the voice was gone, long ago, thanks to a lot of medication and therapy. Memories flooded back into his mind. The hot desert air and gritty sand. He gripped his gun so tight his knuckles went white. No, this was not the time to have another episode.
The voice from the communications unit in his ear interrupted his thoughts, and he was grateful for the distraction.
“One sec,” he said to Aiden, lifting a finger. “Grant,” he answered. The CEO was staying in their communications station, coordinating efforts with his team so that they wouldn’t have too many voices in each other’s ears. “There were more than the two dozen we expected…” he explained. Grant answered, saying his team hadn’t found the woman. “I think they have a basement. They might be hiding her there, too. I’m gonna go in.” He shut off the comm, not wanting to hear Grant tell him to stay away. The CEO was unusually protective of his little scientist, but Sebastian didn’t give a shit. He was not going to stand down knowing she was still in danger and the Fenrir team couldn’t find her.
“I think I found something, boss,” Zac, one of his newer recruits, said as he jogged towards them.
Sebastian motioned for two more of his guys to follow him, Aiden, and Zac, then barked orders at the rest to secure the area.
Zac led them to the back of the warehouse. “I was searching for more of those guys, and I found this.” He pointed to the ground, where there were metal doors buried underneath some recently-cleared gravel.
“Good job, Zac,” Sebastian said as he reached down and grabbed the rope tied to the doors. With a firm tug, the doors flew open, revealing a set of rickety stairs. “Let’s go.”
The stairs creaked under his weight, so he went down slowly. They led to a tunnel, one that was crudely built, but still, it was large enough for two men to walk side-by-side. There was a light at the end, so he didn’t need to flip on his night vision goggles. He turned back and signaled to his men to follow behind him, then crept forward slowly, his weapon at the ready.
His heart beat a tattoo onto his ribcage as he walked forward. He could practically taste the danger. As the end drew nearer, he breathed deeply, willing his heartbeat to slow down.
The room that the tunnel led to was larger than he’d imagine, and there was a single, swinging lamp overhead. His eyes immediately zeroed in to where the light was shining. On the floor was a small, curled up figure. Though he hadn’t seen the figure’s face, he knew who it was.
“Fuck!” he cursed as he strode towards the center of the room. His boots were loud as he clomped his way in. He normally moved much quieter, but he couldn’t contain himself. The anger building up inside him was threatening to explode.
He knelt down and gently touched the tangled brown hair. Brushing it aside, he held a breath as he looked at her face for the first time. Christ, she was even more beautiful up close and in person. The picture didn’t do justice to her incredible skin. The rage began to boil when he saw the bruise on her jaw.
“Boss…” Zac warned.
Sebastian’s head snapped up. Ten men were approaching, their weapons trained on them. “Take them down!” he ordered.
His men raised their own weapons—the real ones, not the tranquilizers—and aimed. He closed his eyes, readying himself for the sound of gunfire. It was a sound he hated since it brought back all the memories of his time in the Marines, but he would endure it to protect her. He waited, but there was no sound of recoil or the blast of bullets. Instead, there were loud thuds as ten bodies hit the floor.
“What the fuck is going on?”
His men looked confused. Did Grant call in reinforcements?
A soft voice from across the room gasped. A small figure barreled past his guys and knelt beside him. It was one of the women from Fenrir. She had taken her helmet off, and strawberry blonde hair fell past her shoulders. She reached down and touched the woman’s face.
“Jade…”
Nick Vrost had called her Dr. Cross. Was Jade her name? Beautiful. Just like her. Sweet Jade.
As Sebastian tried to move Jade, the rattling of metal caught his attention. His eyes trailed down to Jade’s wrists and ankles. Thick metal cuffs were wrapped around them, connected to chains bolted to the floor. Something inside him roared with fury, and he wanted to tear those chains apart.
“Who the fuck would do this?” He tossed one of the chains aside. “Zac!” he yelled at the younger man. “Go find a key. The rest of you, see if there are any tools around we can use to break these chains.”
He looked back at the women, and saw the redhead had Jade’s head on her lap, tears rolling down her cheeks. They were obviously friends.
“You’ll be okay, Jade. Don’t worry, I’m here,” the redhead said, then looked up at him. “Why isn’t she waking up?”
Sebastian quickly looked around him and saw the syringe. No, wait, there were several of them on the ground. Fuck, were they trying to kill her? “Drugged, I assume,” he said, feeling the distaste in his mouth. “Jesus, how much did they put in her system?”
Another woman had approached them. She was a short brunette, and something about her face and bright green eyes look familiar. “Is she…”
The redhead nodded. “She’s…alive.”
“I’ll go ahead and get Dr. Faulkner,” the brunette said before she tore out of the room.
“Boss!” Zac bellowed, running towards them at full speed. “I think I found ‘em!” The young man tossed a set of keys at Sebastian, which he caught in his hands. He quickly unlocked the shackles with the keys, trying not to stare at the redness around her wrists. Something inside of him wanted to burst out of his skin and tear the place apart.
Gently, he picked her up and lifted her into his arms. His skin prickled where their bare skin touched, and his nose was suddenly filled with a heady scent. Vanilla, mixed with cherries, like his favorite milkshake from his childhood. It was delicious and made his head buzz for a moment. She let out a soft moan, and the sound of her voice shook him out of his reverie and soothed him. Her head rolled back, her soft cheek laying on his chest.
“Hey, what are you doing?” The redhead grabbed his arm, but he ignored her. Sebastian continued to stare down at his precious package. Someone pulled the woman off him, and another soft moan from Jade made him shake his head. The doctor. Fenrir had a doctor standing by. He had to take her to him.
Sebastian walked out of the basement, towards the hallway where the Fenrir team must have come from. He brought Jade closer against his chest, but not too tight. She was so small and fragile, he feared he would break her. He took his time, not just because he didn’t want to jostle her in case she was injured, but also because he was dreading when he would eventually have to let go of her.
Outside, the scene was chaotic, but he didn’t pay them any mind. He went straight to the van where the doctor was waiting. The older man in glasses was already preparing his medical equipment.
A younger man approached him, reaching for Jade. “Let me help you with her, sir.”
“Fuck off,” he growled, whipping Jade away from him. He didn’t want anyone else touching her.
“Mr. Creed, I’m just going to bring her to Dr. Faulkner,” the other man said, raising his hands in defense. “Mr. Anderson said he’d like you to come in for a quick debrief.”
“It’s all right, Miller,” Dr. Faulkner called to the other man. “Mr. Creed, will you bring Dr. Cross, here, please? I’m her doctor. I need to examine her and make sure she’s metabolizing the drugs they put in her. Otherwise, I’m going to have to start detoxing her system.”
He nodded, but his teeth were still gnashing at the thought of letting go.
“Place her here, please…that’s it, just be gentle when you lay her down,” the doctor instructed.
Sebastian deposited her on the bed carefully, slipping his arms out from under her.
“Thank you,” Dr. Faulkner said. “Now, I believe Grant is waiting for you?” He looked at Sebastian meaningfully.
That was his cue to leave. It took all his strength, but he pivoted away from them, but not before he took one last look at Jade. Even as he walked away, he could still smell her cherry and vanilla scent.