Chapter Sixteen
“It’sweird just sitting here without playing around on myphone.”
Bas gripped the steering wheel tighter. They’d been driving for nearly ten minutes and were almost at Seaver Tech, but with the tense silence stretched between them, it had seemed muchlonger.
Christ, but he wasangry.And he had no idea what to do with it. He couldn’t recall a time he’d felt such a fierce emotion with no outlet. Even after the crash, grief-stricken and heartbroken as he’d been, he’d been able to concentrate on figuring out who’d been responsible, making sure someone paid theprice.
But now… Now there was no one to blame, except Alexei, and no useful task he could throw his energy into. So it simmered in the air around him. He could almost feelit.
“I had your phone wiped remotely,” Bas told him. “Last night. There’s no way they could have gotten anything useful off it. We can get you a newone.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Drew nod. “RIP, Dragon Puzzler. I was on Level 37. Nearly amage.”
Bas snorted, almost against his will, and glanced at Drew. “Nearly a mage?” hemocked.
“Mmm. I was going to put it on my email signature.” He swept a hand out in front of him like he was reading an invisible title. “Head of Legal Department… andMage.”
Bas shook his head, some of the tension leaching from him even as he tried to hold onto it. “Are you being ridiculous on purpose?” He put on his turn signal and headed into the undergroundgarage.
“Depends,” Drew said, as Bas flashed his keycard at the scanner. “Is itworking?”
“No.” He sighed. “Maybe.”
Drew reached over and put a hand on Bas’s knee. “I don’t want to fight with you, Sebastian,” hebegan.
“Then let’s not talk about the auction,” Bas told him. He pulled into his designated parking spot next to the elevator and cut the engine. “You’re not going to change mymind.”
Drew sighed like he was disappointed. He got out of the car, slamming the door behind him, and Bas wished they could rewind this day by six hours, to the part where they were totally on the same page and confessing their love to oneanother.
But honest to God, what did Drew expect? That somehow Bas would be okay with them all risking their lives on the slim chance they might be able to nab Alexei? No fuckingway.
There was irony there. Drew was forever accusing him of going off half-cocked, despite the risks. Where was Drew’s levelheadedness now that they really neededit?
Despite the lingering tension, Drew was waiting next to Bas’s door as he got out and locked the car, and he took Bas’s hand in his as they walkedinside.
“So, what are you hoping we’ll find behind the painting?” Drew asked as they made their way across the lobby toward theelevator.
Bas shrugged. “What do I want to find? Some evidence of Alexei committing a felony? Maybe a nice clear color photo of him with a gun in his hand.” With his free hand, he jammed the button that would take them to the basement. “But what do Ithinkwe’ll find? I don’t know. Something incriminating, nodoubt.”
“Air gappingon steroids,” Drew said. “Your dad was smart.” Bas shot him a look that had Drew raising his hands innocently, “Just practicing my newvocabulary.”
Sebastian snorted. Drew had always known how to get around his moods, and he appreciated the effort, but it wasn’t gonna worktoday.
“If he wasreallysmart, he would’ve stayed out of all this mess and there wouldn’t have been any information for him to hide,” he countered. “I think we’re going to find hard evidence that my dad took money from SILA. Maybe more details about the specific projects he gave them.” He looked at Drew. “Proof of his guilt,essentially.”
“Ouch.” Drew frowned as the doors opened and they stepped out into thehall.
“Yeah, well.” He unlocked the door to his office and pushed it open, flipping on the light. The place seemed darker and smaller than usual - not a lair, but acage.
“Wait a sec. You can’t just drop a bomb like that and move on.” Drew pulled at his elbow. “Talk tome.”
Bas shook his head even as he let Drew turn him. Apparently Drew didn’t get that Bas wasn’t in any mood to talk. “Can we just do what we came here to do?Please?”
“In a minute! Bas, you keep talking about choices and alternate universes. How… how people find themselves in situations that are wrong, but they don’t even realize how wrong they are. Maybe yourdad—”
“No.” Bas held up a hand. “Nope. I’m gonna stop you right there. What my father did - getting involved with fucking criminals,continuingto be involved with criminals for years - was wrong. Flat out. It’s not subjective.” He shook his head. “And you have no idea what it feels like to…God. To look back at this guy Iidolized,and to doubt every fucking thing he ever taught me. Who was he? Did I even knowhim?”
Drew stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Bas’s waist, pressing their chests together. Bas closed his eyes for a moment, shocked all over again at how good andrightitfelt.
