Arielle Immortal Struggle (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 7) (24 page)

He unlocked his desk drawer and took out the brown folder. His eyes flicked at his watch. It was seven-thirty. He slumped into his favorite recliner and proceeded to read the detailed report he received from his private investigators. He was surprised to find that there was so much more information out there, that he never saw or heard before, about the people that were trying to destroy his company. He made a few notes and put the envelope back in the drawer and locked it. He feared that the information would fall in Arielle’s hands. He loved her so much and he didn’t want her to know the lengths that the Mafia was ready to go, to destroy him, his company, his friends and their families.

The information provided by his private investigators told him that Rainer was furious. There had been two unexplained incidents and he had lost a few of his better men. Something was happening, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He was now carefully reorganizing to make sure this was the last and final stroke that would put Sebastian completely out of business and give him the documents he needed so badly.

Sebastian was gathering his immortal friends, preparing for a strike against the Mafia rings across the globe to end the madness. He already told her that he was planning of taking care of all the people behind her abduction, but he couldn’t let her in on every little detail. She had already been through a horrible experience and all because of him. This report was creating concerns about her safety. He needed to move fast.

Today would be the first day Arielle was returning to class since her abduction at the parking lot, so he was sure that she was going to be in an unpleasant state of mind once and they reached the campus. He was going to make sure she was in class safe and then he would leave after talking with Christian and Isabella. They were going to remain close to Arielle until he would come back to take her home.

The next time he glanced at his watch it was eight-fifteen. He stood up and decided to go and get Arielle. He heard noise in the kitchen, so he headed that direction. He saw her before he entered, and a shiver of passion rushed through him. Arielle turned and gave him a slanted gaze as she lifted the toast to her mouth. A palpable silence fell and stretched until it reached a painful point.

He cleared his throat and smiled sweetly. “Are you still mad at me?”

She stopped herself from scoffing outwardly. “Whatever for?” she muttered, unable to hide her sullenness. “Because I want you and you turn me down at every turn?” she snapped.

Sebastian winced at her words and his smile faltered. He met and searched her gaze, and all he could see was sizzling passion. Her words didn’t match the emotions that were touching her eyes. He had centuries of experience with women and he was sure he was reading her senses correctly. He sensed turmoil and heard her gasps of breath. He was affecting her and he was going to use that to calm her down.

He took a few steps into the room and halted in front of her. Their gaze was still locked. Pleasure took her breath away and she gasped, feeling a bit lightheaded. He moved even closer and she drew a shuddering breath. His lips kicked up again and spread into a dazzling smile across his face. Arielle blinked, and her heartbeat increased, and the blood rushed through her veins like thunder.
She is not as mad as she wants me to think,
he thought, and a wave of arousal washed over him.

Awareness crackled between them and intensity peaked. He put his finger under her chin and tipped her head up. His mouth came down on hers, and she parted her lips, drawing him in with hunger. Passion swelled as their tongues swirled in a wild dance, tasting, savoring, rejoicing, and relishing each other. He raised his hands, and gently framing her face, he tilted it slightly and deepened the kiss.

“I love you,” he murmured into the kiss. “I…”

“I know,” she interrupted lightly.

Sebastian tilted his head to the side and his eyebrows furrowed. “Then why are you so upset?” His arms came about her and pulled her softly into his embrace, breathing in the sweet freesia fragrance in her hair.

“Because I missed your touch,” she whimpered.

“You missed me?” He tried hard to keep the amusement hidden.

She gave a little snort. “You know better than to ask me a question like that.”

Sebastian shook his head and closed his eyes tightly. “Oh God, Arielle, you have absolutely no idea what these past two weeks have been for me.”

“For you?” she exclaimed. “What about me?” Lifting herself on her tippy toes, she reached up and touched his lips with the tip of her tongue. Sebastian groaned with pleasure, and bending down, he took her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss.

“There is nothing in this world that I want more than you.”

Arielle closed her eyes, desire flooding every part of her body. After a long moment, he pulled back and let her go. “Please, baby, finish with your breakfast and go put some clothes on so I can take you to class.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“No, not today. I have a very important meeting at ten.”

“Okay,” she said gently. She seemed to mull over his reply, and the next statement came out of nowhere. “But after we see the doctor, I expect you to make it up to me,” she said, significance flashing through her eyes.

“I promise,” he said wittily.

“See that you do.” She gave him a sexy look and smiled.

Sebastian couldn’t help it. He laughed out loud. He sank back into the softness of her mouth stealing her breath away, and leaving her witless, mindless. Eventually he drew back again. “I promise,” he repeated. She laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes nothing more needed to be said.

After a few moments, she pulled away from his embrace and went back to finish buttering her toast. Sebastian took a seat at the counter picked up the newspaper and turned to the sports page to wait for her to finish her breakfast. She then grabbed a glass of milk, walked around the counter, pressed a soft kiss on his cheek, and headed toward the bedroom. “I’ll be ready in a few,” she said with her mouth full.

Sebastian watched her retreading naked back until she disappeared into the bedroom and chuckled out loud.

“Not funny!” she yelled back

Sebastian ran a hand through his sandy hair and snorted. She took his breath away. No power on earth could ever keep him away from her. She stirred feelings in him beyond simple desire. She was a drug more powerful than Salve that he needed daily in order to survive. He closed his eyes and stroked his chin thoughtfully. He finally opened his eyes and proceeded to finish the article in the newspaper.

Barely fifteen minutes passed before she walked right back into the kitchen, dressed and ready to go. He flipped the paper shut and rose to his feet. He turned his emerald eyes to her, and she inhaled deeply. She held his gaze and lifted a quizzical brow.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

He grinned and made a low bow. “At your services, my lady.”

Her only response was a wide smile that warmed his heart.

They rode to school in a comfortable silence. Sebastian placed her hand on his thigh and covered it with his. His thumb stroked her knuckles gently back and forth. As they approached the parking lot, he gave her a sidelong glance. Arielle swallowed and pressed her lips together. Sebastian noticed the tension on her face and sensed her discomfort. This was going to be her first day back to school since the horrible incident.

He squeezed her hand softly. “Are you going to be all right?” he asked.

A light, reluctant smile touched her eyes. “Yes, I’ll be fine,” she said quietly.

Sebastian stepped out of the car and surveyed the area around them carefully. Arielle couldn’t stop herself, and she glanced about as well. The odds of something happening while Sebastian was with her were remote. They walked across the parking lot with his arm wrapped around her protectively. Arielle was not completely surprised that she made it to class with very little fear. She always felt safe in Sebastian’s presence.

“I’ll be here to pick you up. Please stay close to Eva and Loren.” Bending down, he pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. He escorted her into the auditorium and left after he saw her safely seated between her friends.

Sebastian saw Christian on his way to the car and asked him to make sure he kept an eye on Arielle.

“Sebastian, I’m going with you to that meeting,” Christian insisted. “Isabella will take care of Arielle. She will go to every class she has today, and I know that Loren and Eva are keeping a close eye on her. So I’m going with you. I want to be part of this job.”

“All right, Christian, let’s go.”

“What about Troy and Ian?”

“I’m to meet them in my office. Do you want to ride with me?”

“Yes, I left the car for Isabella, in case I’m not back by the time she’s ready to go home.”

“All right then. Let’s go.” In the car, Sebastian smiled blissfully. He was on the way to start a war against the people who wanted to see him destroyed. He already knew the outcome of that fight, but he was excited about the feeling of satisfaction of delivering and witnessing their demise.

Chapter 17

AT THE SOUND
of the elevator door, Madeline turned and fell into a pair of startling green eyes. Those eyes had haunted her dreams ever since she accepted the job as Sebastian’s private secretary.

He stepped out of the elevator in his usual graceful way, followed by Christian. Madeline swallowed hard as millions of butterflies invaded her stomach.

“Good morning, Madeline.”

His musical voice traveled through her body and settled deep into her soul. Her eyes were locked on his, unable to keep the heat from rising and changing her cheeks from pale to crimson. She had spent entire nights tossing and turning, thinking about Sebastian and what it would be like to spend one night with him. Silently, she thanked God that she was sitting down, because her knees began to tremble.

Sebastian’s eyebrows furrowed. “Are you okay?”

Overcome by both embarrassment and desire, she struggled to find the voice that was buried under her inappropriate thoughts.

What in the world is wrong with me?

“Yes…yes, I’m fine,” she replied, her voice breathy. “Good morning, sir,” she mumbled.

His lips quirked in response, knowing exactly why Madeline was a bit lost. To Sebastian, her thoughts were an open book. He could read every human thought. This was the same expression she held each and every time he came to the office.

Madeline blushed again, and her gaze drifted to Christian. “Good morning,” she said, her voice more stable.

Christian gave her a full smile, and she gasped. “Good morning to you, too,” he said in that soft, musical immortal voice.

Good God, he is just as beautiful as Sebastian.

“Any messages?” Sebastian’s voice broke her errant thoughts.

“Yes, sir.” She grabbed a handful of notes from the top tray and handed them to Sebastian with a soft smile. “Mr. Vasser, Mr. Bristow, and Mr. Shilton are waiting in your office.”

Sebastian fingers brushed hers lightly as he took the messages, and she shivered. He thumbed through them and her thoughts ran wild again. She could have placed them on his desk for him to find. She could have sent his daily schedule to his computer, but she did neither. She wanted—
needed
—that small interaction with him. She was living and breathing for that small connection, no matter how senseless it was.

Sebastian was absolutely the perfect man. She drank him in and waited until he was through going over each one of the notes. He finally placed the pile back on her desk.

“Please make the appropriate phone calls and set up meetings with everyone except for Focal Industries. I am not interested in meeting with them, so make up some excuse.” Tapping lightly on her desk, he added. “Also, please hold all my calls this morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

Sebastian and Christian left her desk and walked with that seamless immortal walk toward his office. Before he entered, he turned around and said, “Madeline, hold all my calls but for Arielle. If she calls, pass them through to me right away.”

Madeline nodded. “I will.”

She gaped at the closed door for a long time.
How strange!
Clearly unable to stop her overwhelming thoughts from swirling wildly, she forced her mind to concentrate on a few bothersome questions. What about the uncanny similarity between the five men in Sebastian’s office? They had perfect physical appearances, seamless walks, and magical voices. And what about the fact that Sebastian never had anything to drink? Her brain was recollecting the fact that he never asked for coffee or tea or any other refreshment for that matter.

The few times that he had asked for refreshments for visitors, they were not part of his group of friends. She shook her head. She couldn’t keep her mind from drifting toward Sebastian’s gorgeous muscled physique, his snug fit jeans, and his stunning smile. She was daydreaming over a man that she would never have in this lifetime. Inwardly, she groaned and turned back to the computer screen. She didn’t want to work, but she had to if she was going to keep her job. Her fingers started running over the keyboard as she let out a deep sigh.