Scarred (Unlikely Heroes Book 5) (28 page)

Shit.

Sebastian stuffed the phone back in his pocket and turned to stare gloomily out the window. “Where we going?”

“To the airport. Travis is waiting for us there.”

The airport? Why? Where were they flying?

“Where we headed?”

“You’ll see.”

Sebastian pulled his phone back out of his pocket and called Travis.

“I want proof Emily is okay. Send me a picture of her right now.”

Travis snorted. “You ain’t got no business giving me orders, boy.”

“Do it,” Sebastian snapped. “Or I bail. I’ll jump out of this moving vehicle and you’ll never see me again.”

Marty cast a worried glance at him.

Travis sighed. “Fine. Give me a sec.” He hung up.

The wait was excruciating. Though it couldn’t have been any more than two or three minutes, it seemed like hours before Travis’s text came in.

See? She’s fine.

A photo accompanied the text. Emily wore the pink flowered sundress that she’d had on the night of the fight. She was gagged, her hands tied behind her back. Her hair was tangled. Her eyes wild and frightened. She stood in front of a small white airplane. 

Sebastian’s heart lurched.

She’s alive.

Had Travis hurt her?

I’m coming for you, Em. Hang in there.

Sebastian pressed the phone to his heart, willing Emily to be truly okay, hoping Travis hadn’t hurt her.

He stuffed the phone back in his pocket.

Sebastian braced himself for the upcoming encounter with his father. It would be the biggest fight of his life.

He shut his emotions off, let the coldness overtake him.

Allowed the demons to consume him.

When nothing but the darkness surrounded him, he was ready.

He wouldn’t be fighting an unknown opponent this time.

He would be taking on his own father.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Travis shoved Emily up the steps of the small plane. She didn’t resist. She was bound and gagged, so it would be foolish to fight. Besides, Sebastian was on his way. He’d be here soon. He’d free her somehow. She had faith in him.

“Have a seat, Sweet Cheeks.”

There were a total of six seats in the plane, three rows with one seat on each side of the aisle. Travis pushed her down into the front right seat. “Don’t go anywhere.”

He bounded back down the steps of the plane.

Two thugs, each holding a gun, came up the steps. Emily recognized them as the men who had escorted her and Travis to the airport.

The first man entered the cockpit and slid into the pilot’s seat. The other man moved to stand near the back of the plane.

The sound of a vehicle screeching to a halt reached Emily’s ears. Was Sebastian here?

Male voices came from outside of the plane. Emily tensed, waiting. She glanced toward the doorway. Would Travis hurt Sebastian now? Would he kill him before she got to see him?

Moments later footfalls thundered up the steps.

Sebastian was the first to appear. His nose was a purplish-black, grotesquely swollen lump, giving him a frightening gnome-like appearance, but to Emily he was still beautiful. She didn’t care if he ended up with a crooked nose for the rest of his life.

She let out a muffled sob.

He spied her immediately. Striding across the small aircraft, he gently pulled the gag from her mouth.

“Em, I’m so sorry.” He kissed her, tenderly, then drew back. He ran his fingers gently over her face, brushed her tangled hair behind her ears. His gaze, so full of sadness and regret, held hers. “Forgive me?”

She hitched in a breath. “There’s nothing to forgive. It’s my fault. I’m the one who should apologize.”

“Shh.” He pressed a finger against her lips. He pulled her into his arms, squeezing her tight. With her hands bound behind her back, she was unable to return the embrace.

“How touching,” Travis snickered from behind him. “Have a seat, boy.”

He shoved Sebastian into the chair across the aisle from Emily’s. Travis moved past and slid into the seat directly behind Sebastian. Marty pulled the lever and yanked up the stairs, then closed and latched the door. He moved down the aisle and sat across from Travis, directly behind Emily.

Sebastian reached across the aisle and untied Emily’s hands. Travis didn’t stop him. He yelled to the pilot to get moving. The man in the back took a seat in the last row.

The plane’s engine roared to life.

Emily waited patiently until Sebastian had freed her. He gently rubbed her wrists, then lifted her hands and pressed kisses to her palms.

Travis wedged his arms between them, slapping Sebastian away. “Enough touching.”

Emily settled into her seat and snapped her seatbelt into place. Sebastian glowered at his father, then followed suit.

The plane moved forward, picking up speed.

Emily glanced out her window as the runway zipped past.

Then they were airborne. 

Nothing but clouds and blue sky.

She turned back to Sebastian, who was staring out his own window, lost in his own thoughts. She glanced at Travis, but the man was talking to Marty and ignoring her. Emily reached across the aisle and squeezed Sebastian’s hand.

Sebastian turned his head, his gaze meeting hers. He squeezed her hand back. There was so much pain and sadness in his eyes. Did he think Travis had abused her?

She squeezed his hand again and shook her head. “I’m fine. I promise.”

Relief flickered across Sebastian’s face. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

Travis’s gaze flicked to Sebastian, then Emily. He stared down at their clasped hands. Something flashed in his eyes before he glanced away. Envy?

Emily almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

“It’s gonna be a long flight.” Travis undid his seatbelt and settled back in his chair. “I’m taking a nap.”

“Where are we going?” Sebastian glanced back at his father.

“Home to Alabama. Your momma’s been waiting a long time to see you, boy.”

Sebastian’s gaze flicked to Emily. She shook her head sadly and squeezed his hand.

“Don’t listen to him,” she whispered. “He’s being cruel.”

Travis cracked open an eyelid and glared at Emily. “Cruel? You think
I’m
being cruel? You got it all wrong, Sweet Cheeks. He’s the cruel one.” He motioned to Sebastian, then closed his eye and settled back against the seat again.

Sebastian’s eyes filled with pain and confusion. He probably didn’t understand his father’s cruel words. Emily didn’t know how to explain, because she wasn’t sure what Travis had planned.

Would seeing his mother’s grave break Sebastian? Would the truth surrounding his mother’s death be too much for him to bear? Or would it free him from the feelings of being unloved and unwanted for so long? Sebastian had endured so much at the hands of his cruel, heartless father. A lesser person would have broken by now. But Sebastian was so strong. Did he have any idea how tough he really was? 

She squeezed Sebastian’s hand again and held his gaze.

I’m here for you.

His mouth flattened out. His eyes hardened. He turned away from her, pulling his hand from her grasp. He stared out his window. She felt him drawing away from her, shutting himself off. Though it hurt, she had to let him go. He would need to shut his emotions off if he was going to survive whatever his father had planned.

He stayed that way, staring out the window, not talking or touching her, for the rest of the long flight.

* * *

It was dark when they landed in Alabama. Sebastian rose tensely from his seat, anxious to protect Emily from whatever his father had planned.

Travis gripped his shoulder and pulled him roughly back into his seat. “Sit down, boy. Stay.” He sniggered. “Good dog.”

Marty strutted down the aisle and opened the door, pushing open the stairs. Then he went down. Travis ushered Emily forward, holding Sebastian back. “Wait there, boy.”

Sebastian lurched to his feet and pushed a hand into Travis’s chest, shoving him back. “No.”

They locked stares.

The man at the back of the plane came forward, gun drawn. “Back up!” He pointed the gun at Sebastian. “Now!”

Sebastian drew in a deep breath, slowly exhaled. He’d thought he could shut his feelings off, but when Emily was around, it was difficult to shut completely down. He could shut Travis out. He could block out everything when he was in the middle of a fight. But he couldn’t seem to shut Emily out. Right now the overwhelming urge to protect her screamed through him. He couldn’t let them hurt her. But he needed to calm down or he might screw this up. Getting himself killed wouldn’t help Emily. He had to get her out of this. So he had to stay calm. Detached. Emotionless.

I can do this.

Sebastian stepped back and allowed Travis and Emily to pass. Emily eyed him worriedly before Travis ushered her down the steps.

Sebastian let his gaze follow her until she disappeared on the ground below. The gunman—Tom, who’d been with his father for years—motioned Sebastian out of the plane, then followed.

The pilot was the last to depart. His father didn’t own the plane, but he paid the pilot—Chris, a hired gun who owned the plane—whenever he needed to fly. For the right price, anything was for sale. Travis’s addiction to gambling prevented him from owning anything as expensive as a plane. He got his high from betting—and winning. Since he’d masterminded the fight in L.A., Travis had made a hefty sum off the fight, even though Sebastian had lost. Charging the exorbitant price of five hundred dollars a head had made it possible for Travis to be able to afford to charter the plane from Alabama to L.A. and back. Though Travis was crafty, he wasn’t smart enough to own a plane, let alone keep one if he did own it. He always gambled away everything he had, even his own son. Sebastian wasn’t sure how his father had managed to buy—and keep—a house in Mobile for so long. Perhaps he’d gotten smarter over the years. Maybe he was wealthier than Sebastian guessed. Not that Sebastian cared. His father might own other properties, though Sebastian doubted it. If Travis did own other things, they had all been purchased with money earned from illegal activities. Sebastian didn’t care what his father owned or what Travis did. He just wanted the man out of his life for good.

Sebastian reached the ground, the heat and humidity smothering him, causing long-suppressed memories to swirl around him.

“You stupid shit. Fight back.” His father slapped his cheek.

Sebastian turned away. “No. I don’t like hitting things.”

Travis slapped his other cheek. “What are you, a coward? A girl?”

Sebastian gritted his teeth. He didn’t flinch this time. He’d been hit so many times, what was once more? “No. I just don’t like hitting things.”

“Why not? Come on, boy. Hit me! Show me you’re not a wuss.” His father grabbed his arm and yanked it behind his back.

Sebastian bit back a cry of pain. “No. I don’t want to.”

His father lifted his arm higher. Pain screamed up Sebastian’s arm.

“Come on, boy. Do something! If you’re going to be a fighter, you have to fight!”

He yanked Sebastian’s arm higher until Sebastian thought he would pass out from the pain.

Sebastian twisted away, pulling his arm loose. He spun back around and struck out, slamming the side of his hand into his father’s throat.

His father gasped, wheezed, then dropped to his knees. His eyes lit with satisfaction. “That’s my boy,” he gasped between breaths. “I knew you could do it.”

Sebastian stared at his father in horror. He hadn’t meant to hit him back. It had been an instinctive reaction. It had happened so fast he hadn’t realized he was doing it.

“I’m sorry Dad. I didn’t meant to do that.” Sebastian took a wary step backward. Now his father would retaliate. He braced himself for a painful blow.

But his father merely chuckled and rose to his feet. “We’re going to make a fighter out of you after all, boy. Yes we are.”

Sebastian staggered backward and shook his head as the memory slowly faded. That was the first time he’d ever hit back. He couldn’t remember how old he’d been, but it had been after his mother left, so he must have been at least nine or ten. He hated that memory. He’d never wanted it to come back. It proved he was a brute like his father.

His father had become relentless after that, pushing and pushing until Sebastian finally snapped and hit back. And kept hitting back. He gave up his resistance and let his instincts take control. Soon he began to anticipate his father’s moves, intercepting his strikes, cutting off his punches, and learning to outthink his opponent. Sebastian became the skillful, cunning fighter his father wanted him to be. He became what he despised.

Sebastian squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the memories out, willing them to go away. But the memories stubbornly remained in his mind, swirling around, reminding him that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

Hit me!

No!

We’re going to make a fighter out of you after all, boy.

Sebastian hissed out a breath. He hated Alabama. Hated the memories of the run-down trailer where he’d grown up. Hated the man who’d sired him. But no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t deny Travis Wade was his father. Changing his name, running away…none of that mattered. He was the son of a monster and there was nothing he could do about it. 

I’m not like him. I’m not.

Yes, you are. You became exactly what you despise.

A brute.

No. I show mercy when I fight.

Ha! Who are you kidding? Who do you think taught you? You’re still just like him.

Travis’s face leered in front of him, jerking him out of his thoughts.

Get it together, man. Don’t let him win. The war’s not over yet. You can beat him.

“Sebastian?” Emily’s soft voice came from off to this left. “Are you okay?” Her hand wrapped around his forearm, her touch soothing, healing.

Emily.

He turned toward her, his vision clearing.

Her eyes were sad and worried.  

“Emily.” He squeezed her hand. What had he gotten her into? Sebastian’s selfishness might end up killing her. He never should have lured her to Coeur d’Alene. He should have left her alone, untouched, untainted. Now he may have ruined her, corrupted her with his vileness. He had no idea what his father had planned.

“Go get the car and meet us out front.” Travis’s voice boomed from Sebastian’s right.

Marty trotted off to do Travis’s bidding.

Travis glanced back at the pilot. “Get our luggage and bring it around.”

Chris hurried back to the plane.

Travis grabbed Emily’s arm. “No funny stuff, Sweet Cheeks, or Tom has orders to shoot you.”

Emily stumbled forward at Travis’s push. Sebastian fought the urge to yank Travis back and slam his fist into his face. He had to wait until the right moment or Emily could be hurt.