Page 51 of Sebastian

“Yep,” she popped the word out forcefully. “That’s exactly what I plan to do. Everyone I love is safer that way.”

“That’s why you’re pushing Sebastian away? Because you love him?”

She felt the heat rising in her face.

“That’s not what I’m saying at all.”

“I think it is, Em.”

“Well, you can think whatever you want as long as you do it some place other than my room.”

“No.”

“I’m sorry?”

“My mission today is to get you out of this room, and I will succeed.”

“Fat chance,” she grumbled, although it was hard not to laugh at the determined look Gage was giving her.

“Would it help if I told you Cap ordered a shit ton of baking supplies and they are just all sitting out in the kitchen right now, waiting for you to whip something up?”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Jeepers, you’re coming in hot with the bribery.”

“Why try to lure you out with anything other than what you were probably missing most from home? And we’re not opposed to eating anything you make.”

“I bet you’re not,” she laughed. “Fine. I’ll come out and bake. But I expect you to stay in the kitchen with me and keep things nice and quiet. No Sebastian interrupting me, okay?”

“I think I can handle that.” He stood, gently wrapping his hand around her arm, and guided her out of her room, down the stairs and into the giant kitchen.

Emma’s heart flipped when she saw all the ingredients in front of her. She didn’t have access in Bell Ridge to the French butter or grass fed organic heavy cream her eyes immediately pulled towards. And lord, there was even French baking flour sitting next to the most beautiful assortment of fresh berries and containers of chocolate.

“I think I might cry,” she whimpered, picking up the butter and holding it over her heart.

“Not allowed,” Gage smiled at her. “Now, what are you thinking of making?”

“A fruit tart to start. And maybe some chocolate mousse?”

“I’m fully behind that idea.”

His smile was almost too much for her to handle. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave Gage a big hug.

“Thanks, Gage. This is just what I needed.”

“I’ll take a hug anytime, Em, but you know this was Cap’s idea.”

“I know,” she said as she walked over to the sink and began washing her hands. “And I’ll make sure I give him my thanks later.” Emma winked at Gage, who promptly burst out laughing.

* * *

“How can we not have a fucking thing on this bastard yet, Reap?”

Sebastian sat next to Nash in the Operations Center, on a video call with the guys back in Bell Ridge. To say he wasn’t happy with their lack of an update was an understatement. They’d been gone nearly a week, and the prick had vanished. He’d wanted to have Marco apprehended and behind bars before Emma got antsy and demanded to make her way back to Bell Ridge.

With the way things were going, there was a fat chance of that now.

“I’m sorry, Cap. We are looking into every lead that we find, but he’s just disappeared from town.”

“It’s not enough. We’re missing something.”

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