Touch And Go - Aiden Bates Page 0,69
men in a pool lit by a flashing, color-changing spotlight attached to the roof.
“Should we check it out anyway?”
Matt grunted and shook his head. “They’re not going to just throw open the gate and let us in, and if we force it, word’s gonna get out that we’re poking around.”
“Right. Better to stay out of sight—” My phone cut me off and I answered it with shaky hands, anxious that Eli and Sean might have found Seb. “Eli. Any luck at the poker joint?”
“Nah, he’s not here.” Disappointment lowered the tone and volume of his voice. “The place is empty, no sign of anyone at all.”
My heart sank, and I gazed out at the bright lights as I grumbled. “Yeah, they’re probably all at this party.”
“You’re at a party?”
“You’re not invited. Go to the next on the list, the one in Noma. We’ll check out the pawn shop in Anacostia.”
“Roger.”
“Anacostia, huh?” Matt glanced at me when I hung up the call and put the car into drive.
“Got a feeling?”
“Yeah… Not a good one.”
I turned the car around and headed east. “Then it might be the right place.”
We were halfway across the city when Matt cleared his throat loudly and looked at me with a dour expression that sent a chill through me.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“How are things with Sebastian?” he asked.
“Well…he’s missing.” I adjusted the AC.
“Things serious between you two?”
“No.” I veered off toward the exit. “Maybe.”
“You’re interested in him.”
“Yeah.” I glanced at him. “Why? Are you?”
Another cough. “Not romantically.”
“Right. Well, I am…romantically. Interested. In Seb.”
“You’re falling for him.”
“Falling? I’ve never heard you sound so romantic, Matt.”
He broke into a tiny grin and I took that as a win, but he wouldn’t let up. “Are you? Falling for him? Strong feelings? Wait—turn left here, this will take you around the back of this place, it’s a real shithole and you don’t want to park out front.”
I followed his directions through dark streets and pulled into a vacant lot at the back of the pawn shop we were scouting out. Two black sedans sat by the back door, and I parked close to the gate to stay out of view behind a rusted truck.
Nervous, I scanned what I could see for any sign of trouble, or any sign of Seb. In the flickering of a busted streetlight, a raccoon dug through a trash can that had spilled out onto the street. Two stray dogs cut corners down the end of the block, followed by a guy with a cart full of bags. A police helicopter swooped overhead, then dipped out of view toward downtown. No sign of Seb, but my gut told me he was here.
Matt nudged me as he dug into his unseasonal black bomber jacket to retrieve two pistols. I took one without a word, loaded it, and paused on the edge of whatever was about to happen next.
“Yes.”
Matt looked at me curiously.
“Yes. I’m falling for Seb. Hard.”
He nodded once. “He’ll be around for a while, then?”
“I hope so.”
After another of his small smiles, he nodded, more to himself this time, and threw open his door. With a hurricane of fear and a smidgen of hope in my belly, I followed his lead.
The gun was heavy and unfamiliar in my hand as we crossed over the empty lot toward the back of the pawn shop. I’d used plenty and knew how to handle them, thanks to having so many brothers in law enforcement, but I still found them distasteful. Pulling bullets out of bodies every day will do that to you. But I was willing to do anything to get Seb out of trouble. Anything.
The back door was locked, and I gave Matt a nod to go ahead and muscle our way in, but just as he stepped back, I heard a thump from inside. Footsteps. Muffled words. Matt cocked his head and I motioned for him to follow me to the window. The glass was filthy and covered in wire, bars and ugly lace curtains, but I managed to make out a flash of light blond hair and a sickening slick of blood.
My breath caught and I froze. Seb was tied to a chair and I could see in profile that his face was busted up. His entire jaw and throat was coated in blood that kept drizzling from his nose. Two figures moved through the room, and one of them came into view. Pete.
“Fuck.”
Matt grabbed my shoulder, hard, and yanked me down just as the ‘boyfriend’ turned toward