Page 49 of Sebastian

Sebastian looked tired. He’d exerted himself more in the last forty-five minutes than in the previous three weeks combined. “Don’t know why you’re bothering to tell me. It’s not like I have a choice in the matter. If you’re anything like Newt, then you’re going to force me to take care of myself whether I want to or not.”

When he worked, Frankie always kept his braids tied back in a loose ponytail. Now that their session was over, however, he pulled the tie free and shook out his braids with a sigh of relief. “Damn straight. Someone’s got to take care of you, because it sounds like you won’t take care of yourself. Mafia hits. Missing kids. Pedophile rings. You certainly like to throw yourself into danger, don’t you.”

Sebastian’s smile held no joy. “Someone’s got to. There are too many vulnerable kids out there with no one to protect them. I have the power to help, so of course I’m going to do what I can, even if it means putting myself in danger.”

“Well, I approve of your intentions. Protecting people is a noble goal. Although...” Frankie frowned as he looked around the apartment and the lack of living space. “I don’t approve of Newt and myself getting dragged into this mess. How long do you think this will take? I don’t want to be stuck here forever.”

Agent Long spoke up for the first time since stepping into the apartment. “It’ll take as long as it takes, and you’ll stay where you’re safe until I say otherwise.”

Still eyeing the apartment, Franking crossed his arms. “Someone’s certainly bossy. Although, speaking of staying here, I’m only counting two bedrooms.”

The sudden change in topic took me by surprise to the point where I momentarily questioned my own understanding of reality.

Just to be sure, I counted the bedrooms. Yes, there were only two.

“One for Damien and one for Sebastian. I’m sharing with Sebastian obviously. Why does that matter?”

Frankie raised an eyebrow at me, indicating that I was missing something obvious.

“So, I’m sleeping on the couch then?”

The reason for his concern suddenly hit me and I blushed in embarrassment for not recognizing the problem sooner. “Ah, no. Agent Long is sleeping on the couch.”

“So where am I supposed to sleep then?”

Once he’d settled down on the couch after his physical therapy session, Sebastian’s eyes started to droop. He wasn’t asleep yet, but he would be soon. At first, I doubted he even heard Frankie’s question, but he managed to answer with slightly slurred words.

“The couch pulls out into a sofa bed.”

Frankie took a horrified step back and glared at Agent Long. “I am not sharing a bed with blond and dangerous over there. He’s already pulled a gun on me once.”

I shrugged, not knowing what else to do. “It’s either that or sleeping on the floor. We don’t have a lot of options right now. This apartment wasn’t meant to hold five people.”

Frankie scowled and shook his head in disgust. “Someone obviously didn’t think this through before he started barking out orders.” He pointed an aggressive finger in Agent Long’s direction. “Well? Nothing to add? You were eager to talk when you were bossing me around, but now you’ve fallen silent. Say something already.”

After adjusting his glasses, Agent Long looked up at Frankie and said very decisively, “I’m not blond.”

All of Frankie’s anger disappeared in the face of such an unexpected statement.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not blond.” Agent Long pointed at his chestnut brown hair, as if we couldn’t see it for ourselves. “You called me blond and dangerous, but I’m not blond.”

Frankie threw his hands in the air, causing his own braided hair to sway wildly around his face. “Well, light brown and dangerous doesn’t have the same ring to it. Is that really what you’re choosing to focus on right now? We get told we have to share a bed, and you’re protesting your hair color?”

Sebastian was half asleep on the couch, so I took his arm, helped him stand, and then guided him toward the bedroom. Frankie and the FBI agent were still arguing when I closed the door. I wasn’t worried. Frankie could handle himself, and Agent Long was too much of a strict rule follower to shoot someone just for arguing with him.

I left the pair to figure out their sleeping arrangements and instead focused on taking care of my injured boyfriend. Sebastian was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, and after a moment of debate, I joined him.

It was only noon, but today had already been exhausting, and the coming days weren’t going to get any better. I would need all the sleep I could get.

CHAPTER 15

Sebastian

I was developing a complicated relationship with hospitals. Over the years, I’d spent too much time in them, both for Damien’s injuries and my own. I’d failed to identify the burned John Doe, so the place was a monument of my failure. Plus, several hospitals had also failed to protect the children born under their roofs and handed them over to the hands of pedophiles.

However, a hospital was where I first met Newt, so it wasn’t all bad. Apparently, hospitals could produce good memories as well.

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