The Man Without Rules (12 page)

Juliet pushed herself up from the floor and pulled her blouse over her head. Leisurely, she got on the bed and started making out with Hellena.

"That's my girls." Sebastian unbuttoned his own shirt and laid it neatly across the back of a chair. His undershirt came next and then his shoes. He grabbed a free chair and set it at the end of the bed where he could see them.

Hellena had scars across her ribs. She didn't like to talk about them and she didn't like anyone to see them. As far as Sebastian knew, he was the only one who knew they were there. The corsets always stayed on. Juliet ran her hand over the leather now, but she didn't try to get it off. She knew better. Her lips trailed across Hellena's collar bone and over her breasts where they spilled from the top of the corset. She
shimmied
the boy shorts down and her finger found Hellena's opening.

Hellena groaned as someone knocked on the door.

"Bloody hell," Sebastian hissed and went to the door. "Don't stop," he ordered.

Of course, Elba stood on the other side of the door, her hands folded in front of her. When she wanted to gain access to his room and body, she always wore something loose and flowing. Tonight was no exception. The bandage on her head stood out painfully, marring her beauty.

"Hello, Sebastian," she said sweetly, her Russian accent thick. "Good evening."

"Hello, Elba. Now isn't a good time."

She fluttered her eyelashes, but her voice was strained. "Do you have company?"

"I do."

Of course, Juliet snuck up beside him then, her breasts bare. She draped one arm over his shoulder and pressed them to his side. He snaked his arms around her hips, leisurely.

"Who's this?" Juliet's voice was far too sweet and innocent to be standing there naked.

"This is Elba."

"Oh.
For me?"
Juliet stepped out of his embrace and Elba stepped away from her, the look on her face one of horror.

"What's going on?" Hellena said from behind him.

Sebastian sighed as she pressed her body to his the same way Juliet had. He let his hand rest against her bare ass.

Elba blinked at the three of them, then promptly turned on her heel and walked away at a fast clip.

"I thought I told you two not to stop.
Back to the bed.
Now."

Hellena nipped playfully at his neck before following his orders. Juliet wagged her hips and winked at him.

"She won't be calling you any time soon. I did you a favor."

Sebastian gave her a smack on the ass that sent her across the room and back onto the bed where Hellena waited. Juliet wasted no time in getting back to business, sliding her fingers back inside Hellena. There was another deeply satisfied moan.

"What do you want?" Juliet asked.
"Anything special?"
She finger fucked Hellena while she spoke.

"I just want to watch. Enjoy yourself." He closed his eyes against the image of Mariss
laying
naked in front of him while her husband said the same words.

Juliet flicked her tongue over Hellena's clit, but he couldn't hear her. All Sebastian heard was Mariss moaning when he touched her. He saw her face twisting with pleasure as he moved inside her and felt her around him as he came. When Hellena found release, all he heard was Mariss' low pitched moan that turned into a cry of pleasure.

Sebastian pushed Juliet out of the way. He didn't bother with a condom this time. Hellena couldn't conceive and he knew they were both clean. He was inside her, using her to clear his mind. The travesty was that his mind was anything but clear. He fucked her until she screamed his name.

All he could see was Mariss - her smooth honey-toned skin, her dark hair splayed around her, and her brown eyes beckoning, begging him to take her the way they both wanted.

Sebastian felt his release build. He pulled out and grunted as he came on her stomach.

"What the fuck was that?" Hellena asked when she could speak.

"Take care of Juliet, please."

He left the two women to finish and slunk off to the bathroom. Sebastian slammed the door harder than he needed to and set the lock so he wouldn't be bothered. He didn't feel like a shower, so he wet a wash cloth in the sink and cleaned himself up.

He hadn't apologized for anything since he was a child, but tonight he felt like he needed to. What he'd done wasn't fair. Hellena hadn't done anything to deserve that kind of treatment.

Sebastian took his time. He caught his reflection in the mirror. His slicked back hair was in shambles. He didn't like looking at his face all bare, but there was already the hint of a shadow coming in over his jaw. He needed a shower.

It was a quick one. Sebastian washed his hair and bathed and found the women
laying
on the bed. He sauntered over to his bag, trying to look calm, and ignored the looks he knew Hellena was giving him. Juliet's mobile rang and he handed it to her.

"Juliet, personal assistant to Mr. Sebastian Boa.
How may I help you?" She was quiet for a long moment. "Thank you. I'll let him know." She hung up.

"Who was it?" he asked. Juliet looked up at him, her eyes a little lost.

"Mariss Red is in the hospital. She was hit by a car."

I Think I’ll Call You Bassy

The Bourbon coated his throat and Sebastian welcomed the burn. They'd been in the air for a few hours. Hellena sat toward the back, not at all interested in conversing with him or Juliet. She didn't like that they were rushing back to the states for Mariss and he was sure she knew something else was up with him after his display in the hotel.

Juliet sat next to him.
"You alright?
You need another drink?" she asked. Sebastian handed her the glass, but she ignored it and pulled the bottle out of her bag. "I'm always prepared."

Sebastian smiled at her and took the bottle. Juliet removed the stopper for him and he tossed back another large, burning gulp.

"How did you know she was in the hospital?"

Juliet shook her phone at him. "I have contacts, Mr. Boa. I know quite a few things."

Sebastian gave her a crooked look, wondering if he needed to do more research on her.

"I have a friend at the tabloid," she continued, her blue eyes betraying the smile she worked to keep off her face. "
It's
how I keep your name out of it. He'd heard you were working with her and wanted to let me know, in case I was out of the country.
Which I was."

"Thank you for telling me."

"Yeah, is Hellena alright?" Juliet motioned to the back of the plane.

"She's angry with me. She thinks it's unwise for me to be involved with Mrs. Red."

Juliet nodded. "Are you romantically involved?
Or just sexually?"

Sebastian looked her face over carefully. "First, Juliet, that's none of your business. Second, when have you known me to be romantically involved with anyone?"

She shrugged. "First, Mr. Boa, if I don't know, I can't work with the tabloids when they bring accusations my way. Second, you haven't, but there's always a first. You act different when she's involved, no matter what it is. I know you pretty well, and I'd say you're smitten. Of course, that's just me rambling, but you don't jump on your private jet to go see someone in the hospital if you don't care for their well-being."

"That's enough, Jules."

"Ah. Hit a sore spot. I'll stop talking, but you know I'm right."

Of course she was, but Sebastian didn't want to think about that. He took another large gulp of his liquor.

"You look perplexed, Mr. Boa. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Sebastian stared out the window of the plane, looking down at the lights of the cities below.

"Does it have anything to do with what happened in the hotel room?" She'd lowered her voice to a whisper. Sebastian slowly turned to look at her. "Is it Mariss Red?"

He'd always thought Juliet was the quiet type with a wild side that she worked off on the weekends at dance clubs. Now, he saw that she was really quite observant and outspoken.

"Juliet…" he warned.

"Yes, I know. Just keep in mind that I already know the answers to the questions I'm asking you. And remember, I work for you because I enjoy it and because you couldn't live without me, now that you've had me."

"Is that what you say to the women you turn out?" he asked, trying to be mean and also let her know that he knew about her reputation.

"Every single one of them.
It always works."

"Well, keep in mind that I keep you around because I need you, but I got along just fine before you came along."

"Things are so much smoother with me around, though. Don't you think?"

"Are you trying to get me to tell you that I can't live without you, Jules?
Because it won't happen."

"No, I'm sure you could live without me. Mariss Red, though…" She grunted and left him there on his own.

Sebastian slammed back another huge gulp and made his way to the back of the plane where Hellena was huddled in the corner.

"You were fucking her, weren't you?"

He wasn't prepared for the tear-stained rasp of Hellena's voice. Sebastian sat down and tried to pull her to him, but she refused.

"Don't touch me, Sebastian. Answer the question."

"I thought leaving would get her out of my system, but I can't forget."

Hellena shook her head. "Of all the low-down, dirty shit you could pull, I think this is the worst thing you could have ever done."

He wanted to tell her he was sorry. Sebastian fought to get the words out, but in the end, pride won and he kept his true feelings to himself. He knew she was waiting to hear them and that she deserved them more than anything in that moment, but he wasn't a man who was used to change.

"I want to be alone."

Sebastian left her there when he knew he shouldn't have. He took his seat at the front of the plane and sipped his Bourbon until there was nothing left to drink.

***

"What do you mean, she's not taking visitors? I'm a close friend of the family." Sebastian took some liberties there, but he wasn't used to not getting his way. He knew he wouldn't be denied if Mariss or the husband knew he was here. The problem was letting them know he was. "Tell them I'm here. They'll let me in."

"I'm sorry, sir, but
it's
immediate family only."

He crossed his arms. "Why? What's happened to her?"

"I'm not at liberty to-"

"Sebastian."

He gave the young woman a dirty look and turned in the direction of the husband's voice.

"I'll take him back with me," he said.

Sebastian nodded his thanks and followed him into the ICU. The farther back they went, the more nervous he became, until he just knew that she was hooked up to machines and about to take her last breath.

"How did this happen?" he asked, but the husband ignored him.

There was a room in the back for high profile patients. Instead of just a curtain, this one had a door and windows. There were three bodyguards outside, each about three hundred pounds of pure muscle, and another just inside the doorway. The husband waved them both past and into the room.

Mariss lay sleeping peacefully, her right arm and leg in traction. Sebastian couldn't see much else because she was covered with a sheet that rose and fell with her gentle breathing.

"I'll give you a minute."

The husband left. Sebastian cast a glance to the body guard, and when he looked at Mariss, her eyes opened and she took him in. A look of disgust overcame her and she sneered.

"Oh, just lovely."

"You're angry." He knew she was, but seeing it and knowing it were two different animals entirely.

Mariss nodded to the guard who promptly closed and locked the door and dropped the blinds.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't think you're going to punish me for something."

Mariss rolled her eyes and sat up. She twisted her wrist back and forth and pulled her whole arm out of the cast.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't answer, but used both hands to steady her leg as she pulled it out as well. Mariss swung her feet over the side of the bed and propped her hands on the edge.

"You bailed," she accused.

"You're not in traction." Sebastian stared in shock.

"You canceled our shoot and ran. Why?"

"Ran?" he begged, indignant. "Did you stage this to bring me back?"

Mariss scoffed and lifted her shirt. Sebastian noticed for the first time that she wasn't in a hospital gown, but in very short shorts and a loose t-shirt. A dark bruise covered her whole left side from her hip to just below her breast.

Without thinking, Sebastian stepped forward and gingerly touched the darkened skin. "Mariss, what happened?"

"I was pushed into oncoming traffic." Her tone was even, but her eyes spoke of her pain and fear. "Someone tried to kill me."

"Are you sure?"

"Just before I was shoved, they whispered in my ear, 'Someone wants you dead,' so I'm pretty confident." Mariss tipped her head to the side. "The police thought the same thing."

Sebastian frowned. "You don't know what I was thinking," but there was
a clarity
in her eyes that frightened him. Her next words frightened him even more.

"You're thinking it was a hired hit." He couldn't keep the shock off his face. "I don't think it was professional," she said, dismissing it.
"Back to the issue at hand."

"Issue at hand?
Mariss, you're in the hospital with four armed guards. I think that is the issue at hand."

"You dipped because you were getting too close, didn't you?"

"Dipped?"

"Yeah.
Cut and run."

"Red, I haven't the slightest-"

"Don't think for a second that we aren't the same, Bash. We're on the same level. We didn't get where we are by not being able to read people."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Bash?"

Mariss shrugged. "Am I not to call you that?"

He shrugged, mirroring her. "We'll see."

"You're scared." She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're not going to leave me alone are you?"

"No, I don't think I can."

"I'm not going to stop fighting you."

Sebastian smiled. "I don't think I would like it if you did."

"There's clearly attraction between us, but I'm not going to be unfaithful to my husband. I love him very much."

"Yes, I know."

"Then why do you keep trying?"

Sebastian took a seat across from her in a chair that was anything but comfortable. "It's not in my nature to give up. We didn't get this far because we were willing to give up, either."

"Yes, but I know when to move on. You clearly don't."

She was so hard-headed. Why he found that to be such a turn-on, Sebastian would never know. She was more trouble for him than he was for her. "I know when to move on if I feel it suits me. Yes, I ran, because I thought it best, but I can't get you out of my head."

"Try harder."

"It's not going to happen. You've gotten under my skin. That's not easy for me to admit."

"I can see that." The corners of Mariss' mouth twitched. He wanted to taste her again, those soft lips pressed against his own. "How do we fix this?"

"Fuck me," Sebastian said without hesitation.

To his surprise, Mariss threw her head back and laughed, but she stopped a moment later like it hurt. "Not going to happen."

"I can make it very hard for you to resist." That sounded kind of like a threat, even to him. Mariss looked at him with stern eyes.

"Did you try to kill me?" she asked. She was so serious that he couldn't even be offended.

"No, Mariss. What would be the point of that?" He grinned, very self-aware. "I haven't got what I want from you yet."

Her lips set into a line and her eyes narrowed. He knew she was about to say something sarcastic.

"So, I'm nothing but a vagina with legs to you?"

"I haven't hit that yet."

Mariss flushed and sent a nervous look to the guard who was staring him down with cold, detached eyes. Sebastian chuckled.

"I wouldn't send anyone to kill you. It's not my way."

"But you have killed people."

It was Sebastian's turn to send a nervous glance to the bodyguard. He wasn't staring at him anymore, but at a place on the wall above Sebastian's head.

"Where did you get a silly notion like that?"

"I've heard rumors."

"Those rumors aren't supposed to be going around anymore." His tone was cold, giving Mariss every answer she needed, but there was no helping that.

"People heard we were working together. They wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into."

"I don't suppose you'll give me those names."

"Absolutely not.
I took care of the issue, but I have a right to ask. The security guard has signed non-disclosure papers. Nothing would leave this room."

"You would tell your husband, surely."

"No. He understands the importance in a secret of such magnitude."

Sebastian nodded. "Don't trouble yourself with trivial things, Red. I wouldn't want anything to come back to haunt you.
True or not."

"I wouldn't say that's trivial, but I'll let it go for now."

"What about the shoot? And becoming partners?"

"I don't think either is a good idea."

"We still have a meeting next weekend. I didn't cancel that one. We can do the shoot then. Will that be too late?"

"I'll hire another model."

"Who?"

Mariss shrugged. "Does it matter? Someone I find to be attractive and… What?"