I would like to say a massive thank you to all those who supported me and gave me so much love after posting. Additionally, I have been making my way though my private messages, and am truly astounded by how incredible everyone has been. There are not enough words to express my gratitude, so I hope this chapter will, in some way, be enough. 

Furthermore, this is VERY IMPORTANT SO PLEASE READ: I know a lot of you were upset with the interactions between Evie and Sebastian in the last chapter, and how toxic their relationship is. I completely understand that. However, their relationship is founded on being almost volatile. They are two opposites that are drawn together, whether it is accepted or not -- or even understood. That is their relationship. It definitely is toxic, but if you consider the characters, it would truly not make sense to have them running through a field of daisies while talking through their feelings. I know this was a lot, but I felt like I should bring attention to it, because to alter their characters would be to stray from the storyline. 

ADDITIONALLY, I know I made Sebastian more open and vulnerable in chapter 14. I won't lie, I do regret a part of that because I feel like it came too soon/didn't follow the direction I wanted the story to go. BUT I will find a way to incorporate vulnerability, from BOTH Evie and Sebastian into the storyline in a more understandable manner. 

So with that said, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. 

And with all the love in my heart, xx. 

+++++

Chapter Sixteen

"You needed someone else to help you forget the reason

You fell for me at all, in this hell of a season

If I spend the night in the gaze of strange eyes

Would you mind, dear?

Oh, would you mind?"

— Friday Pilots Club "Would You Mind"

The man swayed on his knees, spitting out blood as his eyes focused on the girl before him.

Her childlike eyes shined bright with a depravity that would make anyone cower away, and the blood that stained her clothes and skin only further supported his observation that she was anything but innocent.

"Nick Harmon should have killed you when he had the chance."

An undiscernible emotion flashed through her eyes before a sadistic smile played at her lips, causing him to feel increasing distress with every second that passed.

"Now, now," she said softly, as though she were scolding him, "that wasn't very nice, was it?"

His response died in his throat as she cocked her gun and pointed it at him, with a lethal expression on her face.

"Fortunately for me, he did. Unfortunately for you, unlike Harmon, I don't miss my chances."

+++++

12 Hours Earlier

What had I been thinking?

My stomach lurched as I heaved the contents of my stomach into the toilet bowl for what felt like the hundredth time. I tightened my fingers around the edges while perspiration formed at my hairline.

"Maybe next time you won't drink nearly half a bottle of whiskey."

I groaned at the sound of his voice, despite knowing he had been standing there watching me as I underwent the consequences of last night's actions.

"Fuck off," I muttered, feeling my head pound while my stomach churned.

I heard him take a step closer to me and felt my body tense immediately in response.

"That's no way to speak to someone you asked to stay the night."

I jerked back from my position on the ground and forced myself to meet his eyes with an icy glare that would have made anyone else cower back in response.

"I was drunk," I snapped, "Fucking wasted, actually, so would you kindly just fuck—"

I didn't have the chance to finish my sentence, because my stomach decided to give yet again. I let out a strangled cry as I dry heaved into the toilet, my arms shaking to hold me up.

My body stilled when I felt his hand on my back while his free hand collected the hair that had fallen in front of my face.

"I'm never drinking again," I whispered hoarsely before resting my face on the cool ceramic bowl, which felt like ice against my flaming skin.

Sebastian let out a low laugh in response.

"That will be the day, Evie, that will be the day."

I only groaned in response, hating the way my body felt, but hating even more how it reacted to his mere touch.

"You think you're done yet?" He finally asked after a few moments of silence.

I slowly opened my eyes before analyzing how I felt. Despite the pounding ache in my head and the general nausea I felt, it seemed the vomiting had ceased.

I gave a slight nod and allowed Sebastian to lift me to my feet.

I barely had time to register what he was doing before I was pressed against the counter, its marble edges digging into my back while Sebastian caged me in with his arms.

"You had a lot of things to say last night."

My stomach clenched, but this time it wasn't due to sickness.

I shifted uneasily in his grasp.

"I was drunk." My voice was barely above a whisper.

He gave a small nod, but his eyes were devoid of emotion.

"I was drunk, and I was mad." My voice was now firmer, and I straightened up against him so that he no longer was towering over me to the extent he had been.

"You weremad," he repeated, "You're not mad anymore?"

I hesitated, not because I was unsure of my emotions—but because I wasn't sure what angle he was coming from. His demeanor had entirely shifted from when he had silently comforted me while I threw up, and I knew I had to be cautious.

A hint of a smirk ghosted across his lips before disappearing.

"Go shower." His arms dropped from my sides, "And when you're done, throw on some workout clothes and meet me in my office."

I frowned slightly, the confusion deepening as I processed his words.

"Workout clothes?"

The smirk had now returned, and I felt weary over the sight of it.

"Well Evie, I want to see if your bite matches your bark."

My breath hitched and my eyes narrowed.

"I can assure you it does."

The pain in my head had dulled enough for me to focus on glaring at him and the idiotic smirk he taunted me with. I could practically see the amusement dancing in his eyes, and it made my fists clench.

My body instinctively tensed as he leaned down so that he was mere inches from my face.

"Prove it."

I let out a breath as he moved away and headed towards the door.

"I fucking hate you," I snapped, glaring angrily at his back.

He turned around with a smirk plastered to his face.

"Like I said, Evie, that's no way to speak to someone you just slept with."

I watched as he left, my hands balled into fists by my side.

"That son of a—"

I didn't finish my sentence, because as if on cue, my sickness had returned.

+++++

"I am going to throw up."

My voice was muffled by my hands that cradled my head as I leaned against the window. We had been driving for only ten minutes, but it had felt like hours through the combination of ailments that plagued me.

"Maybe that will teach you a lesson."

I gritted my teeth in frustration, glancing at Callum before glaring at Sebastian's profile from the backseat.

"You know what, I am so glad you could make the time to do this," I said, my eyes narrowing as Sebastian turned slightly, throwing me a glance while Callum watched me through the side mirror.

"I mean the Kings are under attack—on the verge of going under, and you took time out of your busy day, to workoutwith me!" The sarcasm dripped off of my words like venom.

I watched as Sebastian's fingers tightened around the wheel, indicating his anger.

"You truly have a knack for priorities."

I waited for him to snap—I expected him to slam the brakes and yell, but he said nothing. Instead, his eyes remained firmly on the road, his body rigid. Callum was equally as tense, but he remained silent, no longer watching me through the mirror.

The rest of the ride was completed in silence.

Part of me wanted to egg him on. It was the part of me that was incapable of considering the consequences.

I frowned when the door wouldn't open after we parked. I watched as Sebastian climbed out, slamming his door with a force that made my heart skip a beat, before rounding around the back of the vehicle until he was directly in front of mine.

I shrank back as he yanked open the door, the breath leaving my lungs when I felt his hand wrap around my wrist and pull me out despite my attempts to wrench myself out of his grasp.

"Get off—"

My words were lost as he pushed my body against the car, causing me to hiss out in pain from the abrupt and harsh action.

"Don't you dare fucking talk about priorities."

His voice was low, and the storm that brewed in his eyes told me it was better to not say anything, especially when he looked ready to kill someone.

"You have no idea what this last month has been like," he continued, his grip on my wrist tightening. "You can be mad all you fucking want, but not everything is as black and white as you see it."

He was breathing hard, while I could barely breathe at all.

"You always have an excuse," I finally forced out after seconds of tantalizing silence had passed.

The muscle in his jaw jumped, but his grip on my wrist had loosened thankfully, allowing the blow to flow back into my hand.

"We should get inside before you two cause a scene," Callum finally interjected, his blue eyes sweeping throughout the nearly empty street.

Sebastian didn't budge from his position, and I refused to take my eyes away from his in fear that is would be a sign of submission.

I was going to hold my ground, whether the King liked it or not.

Callum let out a sigh before approaching, placing a hand on Sebastian's shoulder and his other on mine.

"I promise you both," he said with a sparkle of amusement in his eyes, "you can kill each other as soon as we are inside."

I rolled my eyes in response before allowing my signature smirk to slip into place.

I brought myself closer to Sebastian, pressing my body to his while maintaining his smoldering stare.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

+++++

Sebastian watched as Evie took another hit from Callum, unable to defend herself in time as he advanced upon her. He could tell she was growing frustrated, but she was still relentless against Callum, who was easily one of the most skilled fighters Sebastian had ever known.

His body was still tense from their argument earlier, and the rage he felt had not yet subsided. Her words had cut into him like knives, and while he would never admit it out loud, he couldn't ignore the shame and hurt he felt every time she lashed out at him.

He was wits end with nearly every aspect of his life, but somehow, in the past day, Evie had given him the slightest sense of stability.

Despite their volatile relationship, the toxicity of their words and actions, there was something that drew him to her and provided him with a source of strength that only came into existence when she was around—and call him naïve, but he felt that she may feel the same when it came to him.

There was a reason they were attracted to each other. In fact, it was almost primal.

Instinctual.

Sebastian let out a low growl when Callum knocked Evie to the ground, and found himself stepping forward in response, abandoning the weights he had intended to busy himself with.

To his relief, Evie managed to send a kick towards Callum, before getting back onto her feet with an energy Sebastian didn't think she had.

"She's good," Callum noted, casting his eyes towards Sebastian who had unconsciously approached the ring. "Better than I would have thought, given everything that has happened."

Sebastian's eyes flickered to Evie, who looked pleased by Callum's words, before a blank expression masked her features. He felt the tension grow again as she gave him a cold stare, as if she was anticipating criticism from him.

"How's the hangover?" Sebastian asked carefully, watching the glimmer of confusion flash through her eyes.

"I'm fine."

"Tired?" He asked quickly, watching a slight frown appear.

"No."

"Still hate me?"

Evie hesitated, evidently caught off guard by the rapid questions, before narrowing her eyes in response.

"Yes."

Sebastian smirked, "Good."

He pulled himself up into the ring, before signaling Callum to leave. He watched as Callum reluctantly exited, but stayed close by, in case anything were to go wrong.

And in all fairness, when it came to Sebastian and Evie, nothing ever seemed to go "right."

"Let's see what you've got then," Sebastian said, his dark eyes boring into Evie's as she realized what he was proposing.

Determination filled her expression as she tightened her hands into fists and slowly brought them up.

"Kick his ass, Evie," Callum cheered from the corner, laughing when Sebastian threw him a glare.

He regretted turning away from her, even if it had only been for seconds, because once he looked back he was met with a hard hit to his face that sent him stumbling back.

Evie smirked back at Sebastian's expression of shock.

"Oh I intend to."

+++++

Hitting him when he had been distracted was a cheap shot—Evie knew that. But that didn't prevent her from feeling satisfaction when he nearly fell back from the force of her hit.

That satisfaction, however, was short-lived.

Sebastian moved at a speed she was hardly able to match, and found herself yet again, struggling to barely dodge the blows sent in her direction.

Callum had worn her out from before, and while her strength had undeniably increased, she was still not fully equipped to handle hand-on-band combat—especially not against two of the most skilled fighters she knew.

But there was a fire within Evie, and although Sebastian managed to get in a few hits, she was unrelenting.

This fact both surprised and excited Sebastian, despite the anger that continued to brew within him from the day before. Her words haunted him, bringing up every fear that he had buried away deep within himself. It was like she knew every weakness he had—ready to exploit them whenever the opportunity presented itself.

This was the Evelyn Summers he had been warned about. The one who was reckless, yet incredibly calculated. The girl who could set you on fire with her ice cold eyes.

The girl who could make you feel everything you thought you could suppress.

Sebastian let out a growl when she sent a kick into his side and quickly followed it with a hit to his face.

Her movements were rapid, and he could see her working to anticipate his next move.

He held back though, allowing himself to study her even further as she attempted to knock him down with moves he had not imagined her of using. Her cheeks were flushed, and each bead of sweat indicated her refusal to back down any time soon.

"You're going to hurt yourself," Sebastian warned her as she tried out a particularly risky move.

A hiss escaped her lips when her leg buckled, but she quickly readjusted her position and sent Sebastian a glare in response.

He felt his lips twitch before he advanced upon her, ducking past her flying fists.

Sebastian wasn't sure what his next move should be.

He wanted to put an end to the fight and allow himself to use his full strength against her. He could tell that her recklessness was being fueled by the knowledge that he was holding back—a fact that would have brought others relief but instead only presented itself as an insult to Evie.

"Evie," he said in a low voice as her moves became more sporadic, "don't be careless. You're going to get hurt."

She let out a frustrated noise, "You're not even fucking trying."

Sebastian gritted his teeth as she lunged at him again, not even trying at this point to find a way to skillfully take him down.

Sebastian let out growl under his breath when she managed to land a few more hits.

Fuck it, he thought.

He sent a quick hit to her side, causing her to momentarily lose her balance. He moved quickly and caught her fist, pulling her to him as she let out a startled noise. Before Evie could break free, he twisted her around, caging her firmly against his body with his arms.

"How's that for trying, Evelyn?"

+++++

His low voice in my ear sent shivers down my spine.

I struggled against his hold, but I knew it was futile. My mind was not in the right place, I had been fighting against him with little thought or care and was now unable to think straight as he tightened his arms around me even further, stilling me completely.

My heartbeat was ringing in my ears, and I could barely catch my breath as I felt Sebastian's body pressed against mine, locking me in place.

"Let me go," I hissed out, flinching as he brought his head to rest on my shoulder.

His lips brushed against my neck and my body jerked once more in response.

"Come on, Evie." Sebastian said softly, "You know I am not going to do that."

My back felt like it would snap if it became any more rigid than it already was. I felt anger rise in me as I tried to break free once more to no avail.

I gave a resigned sigh before letting my body relax into his, my eyes rolling when he let out a small chuckle, his chest vibrating against my back.

"Giving up already?"

It was my turn to laugh.

"Sebastian?" I angled my face to his slightly, "Go to hell."

Sebastian let out a shout when my foot connected to his shin, causing his arms to slacken around me. I took that as my opportunity to break out of his hold, knowing I would only have seconds at most before he recovered.

I sent a sharp hit to his side before sending a kick to his opposite side, causing him to stumble. Within moments, I had him pinned to the ground.

A grin spread across my lips before I could suppress it.

I formed my fingers into a gun and placed it against his forehead, my smile deepening as his eyes narrowed.

"Bang," my tone was delighted, sounding strange to my ears.

Sebastian stared up at me, his eyes transfixed on me, causing my cheeks to blush slightly before I replaced my smile with a smirk.

"How's that for giving up?"

Sebastian seemed distracted, not quite reacting to my words until a few seconds had passed. I felt my smirk falter slightly when his eyes refocused on mine, dark with an emotion I could not decipher entirely.

Suddenly I became aware of the position we were in, and how compromising it was. As if on cue, my heart took off racing in my chest, and I found myself shifting uncomfortably in an attempt to stand up and hopefully distance myself from him.

He abruptly flipped our positions, leaving me flat on my back with the air knocked out of my lungs, pinned beneath him. I gasped at his sudden movement and knew that my expression must have revealed to every emotion that was now flooding through me.

"I prefer this position better."

I felt my lips flatten into a line while I sent him a glare.

"Don't do that, Sebastian," I warned, "Don't act like everything is back to normal."

My heart accelerated when his eyes dropped to my lips before he brought them back to my eyes.

"And what is normal?"

I frowned at his response, hating the sickening feeling at the pit of my stomach while the realization settled in.

He was right.

What was normal?

Was thisit? Was this what I had been desperate for? What I had spent almost every day for the last month hoping for?

His eyes searched mine, and I felt myself wanting to shut my eyes and hide away from the world.

"What do you want from me?"

I don't know.

I pushed away the emotion that had built up in my chest, I forced myself to appear impassive.

"Get off of me."

My tone was cold and empty, and I was sure my expression mirrored it. Long gone was the brief slip of happiness that I had felt before, now replaced by dejectedness.

I kept my eyes away from his as I pushed his body off of mine, breathing out a sigh of relief when he didn't resist the action. I pressed my lips together as I exited the ring, refusing to meet Callum's eyes as he watched me from the side of the ring.

"I need air."

I didn't wait to see if they would say anything back before I made my way out of the gym, my body tensed as I strained to hear if any footsteps were following me.

The moment I got outside I let out a deep breath that I had been holding, my body nearly collapsing forwards as I fought to regain my composure. My head was swimming with thousands of thoughts, and I felt that if I didn't find solid ground soon I would drown.

I leaned against the car for support and buried my head into my hands. With a growl of frustration I ripped the now damp bandage off my head, my nose crinkling at the amount of sweat that had accumulated and threw it to the ground.

I was enraged, to be honest.

Absolutely and completely enraged.

I hated the way my body responded to his, I hated the gravitational pull I felt towards him, and I hated how he spoke to me—how he knew he was in control, how he could manipulate me in more ways than one.

My head snapped up at the sound of the door opening at closing, and I felt my spine stiffen when my eyes met his.

Sebastian stood by the stairs of the gym; his eyes trained on me while I sent him a stare that would have had him in the grave if only looks could kill.

If only.

"I said I needed air," I muttered, pushing away from the car.

I maintained a stoic expression as he walked down the steps, stopping only when he was a foot away.

"What you need is to stop walking away." He finally said after seconds of tantalizing silence.

My frown deepened, and I felt my fingernails dig into my palms.

"Right," the sarcasm was heavy in my voice, "Because you know me so well."

Sebastian stepped forwards until he was only a few inches away.

"I'm sorry."

I froze on the spot, my eyes wide with surprise as my blank expression cracked under the shock that had hit me with his words.

I didn't have time to process his words before Callum burst through the doors, his expression severe as his eyes settled on Sebastian.

"We need to go, now. Mason got word about—" He paused; his eyes drifted to me before moving back to Sebastian. "We need to go."

Callum didn't wait for Sebastian to answer and was already sliding into the driver's seat by the time Sebastian turned back to face me, his jaw muscles now tight as he clenched his jaw in frustration.

"For the record," he said lowly, "I don't think I know you at all, but I know that you're angry and I know there are things you need to say but you won't."

He glanced in the car at Callum, who was now busy talking on his phone.

"Unless you talk to me, I am never going to know you, and all I can do is say sorry." He paused momentarily, his eyes now searing holes into mine.

"It's your move, Evie."

+++++

Sebastian watched Evie as she stared at her hands, refusing to look up for the entirety of the car ride. He knew his words had struck a nerve in her, and he could only imagine the conflict that brewed within her icy blue eyes.

Elizabeth had been right.

After Evie isolated herself in his room yesterday, Elizabeth had marched into his office with more confidence than half the men in this country.

"She's stronger than you give her credit for." Elizabeth's voice barely trembled as she held her ground and maintained eye contact with Sebastian, who was now staring at her incredulously. Mason, Danny, and Callum all watched in silence, though Mason was noticeably more tense than the other two.

"And how would you know how much credit I give her?" Sebastian countered after a few moments, processing her sudden appearance into his office.

Elizabeth sighed in frustration before shutting the door behind her. Sebastian suppressed a look of surprise as she move towards his desk, stopping once she reached it.

This girl did not look like the scared doctor in the white coat he had met a month ago. He could tell she was riddled by anxiety, standing alone in his office, but she held her composure and refused to look away as his eyes bore into hers.

"Have you," her voice caught, and her cheeks reddened, but she mustered up the strength to continue. "Have you ever talked to her about what happened when she was taken?"

Sebastian froze at her words.

"Have any of you?"

None of the boys met her eyes and instead stared guiltily at the ground.

"You don't understand," Danny's voice sounded hallow, "Talking to Evie isn't easy. She isn't an open book and she would much rather suppress everything she is feeling than talk to anyone about it."

"Well so what?" Elizabeth snapped. "So what if it isn't easy, why should it be? It's Evelyn Summers for crying out loud. It isn't going to be easy but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try."

Elizabeth's gaze went to her hands, sensing the strain that had been added to the atmosphere of the room.

"I don't know Evie, nor will I pretend to, but I did see the physical damage that had been done." She paused again, finding the courage to meet his eyes once more. "And I can't begin to imagine what that did to her mentally and emotionally."

Sebastian stood up, his eyes narrowing at her. But Elizabeth could see the guilt and regret that swam in his dark orbs.

"This is why you wanted to send her off to the therapist, right?" Sebastian had intended it to be harsh, but his voice was weak.

Elizabeth shook her head almost immediately.

"No. That was never going to work with Evie, and it's something I've only now begun to realize."

Sebastian didn't respond.

"Can't you see?" She pressed, hearing the exasperation creep into her tone. "Evelyn Summers does not do anything she doesn't want to do."

"There is no reason, absolutely none at all, that she should have survived. But she did. She survived." Elizabeth's voice was wavering now, her emotion leaking through as she thought about all the days she found Evie sitting on her hospital bed with a blank stare.

Her eyes met Sebastian's.

"But you have to question what that does to a person." She let her hands fall to her sides, and took a step back, looking at all the boys as she did so.

"Evie isn't going to do anything she doesn't want to, but she needs to talk to someone, and she needs to do it soon."

Her eyes landed directly on Sebastian's.

"Don't push her. She will talk when she is ready, and until then be the stability she needs because right now she is drowning, and she needs something to hold onto."

She paused by the doorway, her heart pounding in her ears as she turned back.

"Frankly, she is one of the strongest people I know. But even Evelyn Summers can't fight of her demons alone."

Her words had played on a broken record in his head all day. He had barely been able to sleep, and instead spent most of the night watching her. She had looked so delicate, fragile even, and he was scared if he reached out to touch her she might break.

But Elizabeth was right—she was much stronger than he gave her credit for. So he didn't go easy on her this morning and he didn't restrain his anger when she upset him.

He knew she needed time, but what Elizabeth didn't know about Evie, was that she needed to be pushed. She wouldn't talk until she wanted to, but she wouldn't want to unless she realized she should.

He didn't know what their normal was, but he was doing his best to give it to her.

So Sebastian pushed.

And now he would have to wait to see how she would respond.

His eyes fell on her retreating back as she made her way up the stairs. Her head down as she moved, quickly distancing herself from him. Before he could even attempt to follow her, Mason intercepted him, demanding that they went to the office.

The air around the room was thick as they stood around the desk, staring at images of blueprints and text messages.

For the last half hour, Mason had been explaining the stakes at hand, what the consequences were if this happened, and Sebastian was on the verge of putting a bullet in his own head by the end of it.

Danny watched Sebastian closely, silently urging him to make a decision. But he didn't dare speak up, knowing that if he did, Sebastian would explode again—as he had been doing to everyone over just about everything for the last month.

"And you're sure they're targeting it? Today?" Sebastian finally spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"This is one of the last warehouses we have left," Mason stated, the distress evident in his expression. "We have men on it but—"

"How long do we have?" Sebastian interrupted; his tone harsh as his fists tightened by his sides.

Mason hesitated, "They're coming tonight. The plan is set for half past eight, but I suspect they'll have men scoping out the area earlier, as they have been for days, but—"

Mason's voice trailed off when Sebastian stood up, he eyes unfocused.

"Sebastian, are you even listening?"

The boys all shared a look when Sebastian angrily pulled at his hair and let out a stream of curse words.

Danny gritted his teeth, knowing his words would cause an outburst from Sebastian, but he could no longer stand by idly.

"They're just going to keep taking everything," he said slowly, hoping to draw Sebastian's attention back to the issue at hand. "It's time we do something."

A sarcastic laugh left Sebastian's lips, his eyes now on Danny's.

"And what the hell should we do?"

No one spoke, prompting Sebastian to continue.

"We can stick as many men on this warehouse as we want but that isn't going to change the fact that eventually, they will find another thing to target, another thing to take." Sebastian shook his head, "They're picking us apart and—"

"And you're just letting them."

+++++

Evie straightened her back as she entered the room, holding an air of confidence as she approached the desk.

"Excuse me?" Sebastian finally asked, as if he had only just then processed her words.

She cocked a brow at him, silently challenging him to find the fault in her statement.

"Mason did his job," she responded after a few moments, gesturing to the piles of paper that clustered Sebastian's desk, "So why the hell can't you do yours?"

Before Sebastian could protest, she carried on, fueled by her unmistakable confidence.

"I don't appreciate being kept out of the loop."

"It's only your second day back," Danny spoke up, his tone soft. "And it wasn't exactly like yesterday was easy on you, and from what I've heard this morning was not a walk in the park either."

Evie barked out a sarcastic laugh, her eyes narrowing as they zeroed in on Danny.

"When are you going to stop coddling me?" She spat out, as if the very thought made her sick. "When are you going to stop underestimating me? Or do you just assume now that I am some helpless, pathetic girl after everything that has happened?"

Sebastian watched as she took a firm step towards Danny, her eyes bright with the fire of rage that burning within them.

"I can assure you, Danny," her voice was now a hiss. "You would never have made it out of there alive."

Her eyes met each and everyone's in the room.

"None of you would have."

Sebastian felt his stomach twist at Evie's implication, but just as quickly as it came, it was soon gone. His hands curled into fists when her angered expression was replaced by a guarded one, as she turned her gaze back to him.

"Stop treating me like I am weak," she said steadily.

Sebastian watched her carefully and chose his next words with the aim to bring out the girl who had disappeared only seconds ago.

"And what makes you think you're strong?"

Her brow furrowed, and the mask gave. He waited for her to say something sarcastic, to mock him or divert away from the subject. He expected her to lash out, to send daggers through her words. But those daggers never came.

"I don't."

Her voice was chillingly soft.

"I don't think I am strong, but I know I am smart." Her lips turned up slightly, and Sebastian found himself unconsciously holding his breath. "And sometimes that's enough."

Her gaze dropped down to the papers on the table, before slowly lifting to meet his eyes.

"They're stronger than us, and they're going to keep on taking from the Kings until there is nothing left. Now you can continue to have a pity party, and be all woe is me, or you can do something about it." Her voice was strong and unwavering, strongly contrasting what it had been like only moments before.

"So what is it going to be, Sebastian?" She asked, her eyes alight with excitement.

She gave a small smile, causing the air to leave his lungs, before it twisted into her signature smirk.

"It's your move, King."

+++++

I watched as he stared at me in silence, my nerves on fire as I felt energy surge through my body.

Sebastian seemed to be mulling over my words, his dark eyes swimming with indecipherable emotions as he held my gaze.

"What do you propose we do then?" Mason finally spoke up. His expression was serious—yet, his eyes sparkled with a glimmer of amusement.

I felt my stomach tighten at the sight, remembering his distaste for me only yesterday. I gave a short glance to Sebastian, whose expression was unreadable, before redirecting my attention elsewhere.

"We know when they're coming," I stated, glancing down at the papers on the desk. "They've scoped out the building, we know that, but this is our warehouse. We know the ins and outs of it. So let them come, let them think they've outsmarted you, let them think they can take what they want, then show them they can't."

"And then we come in with guns blazing?" Mason's tone remained neutral, but I could sense the apprehension in his tone.

"No," I forced myself to not roll my eyes. "We lure them in first, using their target as our bait—thenwe come in with guns blazing."

There was a pause in the room, before Sebastian let out a low laugh.

"That was it? Thatwas your grand plan?" His tone was mocking, but I could hear the underlying frustration. He motioned to himself and the other boys. "You think it will make any difference if we show up, rather than have men posted there? Do you really think that changes anything?"

I felt my anger peak at his words.

"Well it should! It should really fucking matter if Sebastian Kingshows up and intercepts a raid." I glared at Sebastian as I spoke, annoyed that he had been so dismissive.

"At least there was a time when it did." I hesitated for a moment, "You formed the most dangerous gang that this country has ever seen, all before you reached the age of twenty. You took down every gang that dared to threaten you, and then you took down the London's Eyes, for no real reason, may I remind you—other than the fact that you could."

I let out a bitter laugh, feeling the tension leave my shoulders.

"You took me,Sebastian," a smirk rose to my lips, "TheEvelyn Summers. And why? Because when you want something, you take it. So what the hell happened?"

The silence in the room was deafening. I felt the nerves in my stomach stir waves of anxiety, but I refused to let it show.

"You're Sebastian King, right?" I pressed. "If this is all really true, that people do not care about that, and they're not scared of that, then makethem."

Sebastian's inscrutable look remained intact; his eyes boring into mine while I awaited his answer.

I felt my patience wear thin when he made no effort to respond, and found myself averting my eyes to the rest of the boys, in hopes someone would say something, anything.

"I just don't know if it would work," Mason finally said once my eyes met his. "We only have a few hours at the most, and there are a lot of things we have not considered logistically. At this point, the risk is just far too great to try to go through with your plan, Evie, and—"

"Fine."

The sound of his rough voice brought goosebumps to my skin.

I watched as Sebastian made his way to the front of the desk, now standing beside me as he faced the boys.

"The risk is high, but it usually is." He continued after a moment of silence. "So forget about logistics. It's time I stop standing around in this office, watching as all the things we've worked for gets taken away."

Mason's initial look of surprise had slowly settled into a knowing expression, his eyes drifting between Sebastian and me.

"Guns blazing then?"

Even Callum looked amused, while Danny's eyes remained trained on me, with an indecipherable look in them.

"Well then, now that we've established that," Sebastian said, an entirely new air of confidence surrounding him, "what do you say? Care to join?"

He was now turned to me, his eyes piercing mine while I undoubtedly stared at him like a deer in headlights. I hurriedly recovered from my shock before giving him a stern look.

"It was my plan," I reminded him.

"You're not as strong though," Callum's voice now cut in. "You can handle a gun well, I'll give you that, but as for the hand combat, you need more training."

His words were not aimed to hurt me, but instead were stating a fact.

"She won't need to worry about that," Sebastian's tone was strict, but his eyes held a warmth that I hadn't seen in quite some time. "Evie, if you're in—"

"I am."

I interrupted him instantly, my pride taking the reins as a response to Callum's previous statement.

"I was just trying to look out for you," Callum said quietly, the sincerity evident in his tone.

"I can handle myself." My voice was clipped, but I kept the annoyance out of my expression before looking back to Sebastian.

He paused before a smile formed on his lips—one that was so brief that I was unsure if it had been real.

"Then it's settled."

His eyes slowly moved away from mine.

"Danny and Callum, let the rest of the men know there's been a change of plans. Make sure we have everything in order. Mason, keep monitoring their activity, we've had enough surprises as it is." His eyes returned back to me. "I want everyone ready within two hours at the most."

I stayed in place as the rest of the boys exited the room, leaving me alone with him.

"That was something else," he muttered after a few minutes had passed, his eyes trained on me as he leaned against his desk.

I watched him warily, assessing him closely while he seemed to do the same to me.

"I'm surprised you agreed to it," I admitted.

"So am I." He gave a shrug, a casual action that sharply contrasted the severely inquisitive look he held in his eyes.

He was doing it again.

Searching me.

Looking for answers.

He was looking for answers, answers that I were not sure even existed.

"Then why did you do it?" I pressed. "Why listen to me?"

Sebastian paused for a moment before shaking his head slightly.

"I don't have answers."

"But—"

He pushed off the desk so that he was directly in front of me, his head tilted down so that he could look me in the eyes.

"You're smart, right?" He lowered his voice, causing shivers to run through my body. "You said it yourself."

My lips formed a thin line and my eyes flickered to the floor as I nodded in response, my mind racing to understand what angle he had decided to take with this conversation.

"Everyone has their demons," his hand lifted my chin, forcing me to lock eyes with him. "And you've been fighting yours for quite some time."

If only he really knew.

He crouched down further, bringing his face impossibly close to my own.

"I would prefer to not be one of them."

I felt my heartrate quicken at his words, but I maintained a blank expression in response.

"I know I fucked up. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to the mistakes I've made, and I know there are so many things we need to talk about. But I know that even though I am the Sebastian King, as you put it—you're Evelyn Summers."

He paused momentarily, his eyes sweeping across my face.

"So I'll play by your rules. I will listen to your ideas, and hell, I will support them when they're good, because you are smart. You're reckless and unpredictable, but you're smart. But most importantly, you are strong. Strength is not just a physical trait, Evie, so don't ever sell yourself short on that again."

He pulled away only a few inches.

"I will wait."

His eyes moved to my lips, which were now parted.

"But Evie, know that I am not a patient man."

+++++

I frowned at my appearance, shifting on my feet as I adjusted my top, a futile attempt to make me look somewhat less uncomfortable in the clothes I wore.

"How are you doing?"

I jumped at the sound of Mason's voice, my frown deepening when I noticed the calm expression he wore. His blue eyes inspected my reflection in the mirror before they redirected to me.

My spine stiffened slightly when he came closer to me, either not recognizing the discomfort his presence brought me, or simply just not caring.

But Mason was an observant man.

"Nervous?" He asked, his eyes scrutinizing me as he waited for a response.

"What?" My voice was bitter, and the distaste was evident in my expression. "Are we friends now again?"

His composure slipped slightly, and confusion flashed through his eyes.

My body turned back to the mirror, allowing me to focus on myself rather than maintain eye contact with him.

I didn't want to bring it up, to have this conversation, but I couldn't bear to spend any more time with it weighing down on my chest.

"What you said yesterday, about me jeopardizing people's lives" I said, my voice wavering slightly, "that really fucking sucked."

I didn't bother hiding the hurt out of my words, and I truly could not tell whether it was because I wanted him to hear it, or because I didn't have the energy to.

But a creeping suspicion told me it was the former.

"Evie, I—"

His calm repose had crumbled to one that emitted guilt and shame, but I wasn't done. In fact, I had barely scratched the surface of things I needed to say.

Sebastian was getting in my head.

But perhaps, and I would never admit this aloud, that wasn't such a terrible thing.

"I hadn't seen you in a month," my voice was surprisingly weaker than I had intended. "And the first thing you did was accuse me of being a horrible person. It's like you just assumed the worst of me."

His jaw clenched, and his eyes moved to the floor.

"It was cruel and it wasn't fair."

He nodded in agreement, and I felt myself swallowing the growing lump in my throat as he lifted his eyes back to mine.

"You're right."

I diverted my eyes, needed a moment to compose myself.

"I am sorry."

His words brought me little comfort, despite the sincerity in his eyes.

They should have though. I should have felt relieved to know he felt bad.

But I was battling my own guilt.

"Do you blame me?" My voice was barely above a whisper at this point, but I knew he had heard me.

"What do you—" his voice trailed off when my eyes drifted to his stomach.

I could feel the anxiety growing, taking control of me as I remained rooted to the ground, wanting to run but not being able to.

"I blame me." I forced out, breaking eye contact with him.

"It is not your fault." His hands gripped my arms, holding me so that I had no choice but to face him.

His eyes were earnest, but the waves of emotion continued to roll through me.

"It would make sense if you did." My voice was stronger now, but it was void of emotion. "I brought Kate in, I made you all trust her, and she—"

Images of Mason gasping for air and covered in his own blood flooded my mind.

I jerked back when he pulled me closer to him, trying to get my attention.

"Evie, please," he begged, his eyes wide while mine were undoubtedly clouded by the conflict that brewed within me.

"I wasn't sure if you were alive."

I took a step back, gently removing myself from his grasp.

"I kept seeing you on the floor, surrounded by a puddle of blood." I shook my head again, as if that would physically shake away the horrific images that haunted me. "When I was alone, it was the worst. I could feel your blood on my hands, I could hear your voice, and I just—"

My breathing was unstable, and I could feel my heartrate increase as a result.

"I don't mean to jeopardize people's lives."

My voice broke.

Instantly, my mask slid into place, hiding the pain that I had allowed to slip out. I maintained a blank expression while his face crumbled at my words, the remorse shining bright in his eyes.

"I should never have said that." He took a step back, finally giving me the space I had desperately needed. "Believe me, if I could take it back, I would."

I shrugged casually, as if it hardly mattered to me.

"It's fine."

He gave me an incredulous look.

"No it isn't."

His words struck a nerve in me, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it any longer.

"You said it because you were worried about her, right?" I scrutinized his reaction carefully, watching as the surprise and frustration morphed into confusion, before realization seemed to dawn on his features.

The window of opportunity to peer into my troubled thoughts had shut, and Mason had no choice other than to accept it.

"You hardly know her," I commented, fixating my stare back onto the mirror.

A moment of silence passed before Mason spoke.

"Are you saying I shouldn't care?"

I hesitated, weighing the implications of his response, before shrugging.

"You barely know her, but you care about her." I threw a glance to him. "Do you just fall for every girl who walks into your life?"

The muscle in his jaw jumped, but he remained calm.

"She's a good doctor. I am sure you can agree to that."

I let out an airy laugh, feeling the tension that had rebuilt in my shoulders ease slightly.

"How come you never went for me?" I shot at him. "You go for every girl you meet but you never once made a move on me. Why?"

Mason laughed at this—a real, genuine laugh, and I couldn't prevent the soft smile that rose to my lips in response.

His eyes softened, and I didn't flinch away when he brought his hand to my shoulder.

"Come on, Evie. You said it best. Sebastian King always gets what he wants."

I felt my smile falter faintly.

"And he wanted me."

Mason nodded in agreement.

"He wanted you."

I stepped back again, feeling the internal confliction take control.

"He wants me to talk to him," I admitted, as though I was sharing a secret. "It's been less than forty-eight hours, and he just expects me to talk to him."

Mason leaned against the counter, his inquisitive eyes scanning me.

"Do you want to?"

"I don't know," I muttered. "It's just, it hasn't even been—"

"Two days," Mason cut in. "Yeah, that is an incredibly short amount of time. But know this, in that time period, you have gotten him to get a full night of sleep, something he has not done in weeks. And ironically enough, you woke him up from whatever mindless state he has been in. You got him to listen to you, when all he has done is ignore us. You managed to talk reason into one of the most hard headed people I know, and now, it's like I am seeing theSebastian King—a man who has been missing for far too long."

Mason paused before offering a nonchalant shrug.

"You give him purpose."

He must have seen the confusion in my eyes, mixed with the distraught I felt over his last statement.

"I don't know how things got as bad as they did, but I know you both want it to be better. I don't have all the answers; I am just calling it like I see it." He tone was indifferent, but it was as though every word was being imprinted in my head.

"I don't understand your relationship, because that man is fire while you, Evelyn, are ice. You are polar opposites. You are volatile around each other. You are two substances that should never mix. You bring out the worst in each other, but at the same time, you bring out the best."

He shook his head, a smile forming at his lips.

"So yes, forty-eight hours is short. You've barely adjusted to being back, and in fact, none of us thought you would leave your bed today. But you did, and it wasn't because he told you to, or anything else. You did because you wanted to."

Mason glanced down at his phone as it buzzed, before meeting my eyes again.

"It's about time you realize that you are in control, Evie."

+++++

It was now or never.

The silence in the car was deafening, and the atmosphere was tense as they approached the warehouse. The street was dimly lit, and the boys had to make sure their vehicles were concealed as a precaution in case they were being watched.

Sebastian exited the car immediately when they parked, and didn't hesitate to approach Evie quickly.

"These are for you," he said quietly, holding out the spare gun he brought, along with the extra clip.

He watched as she took them slowly, placing the clip in her back pocket while holding the gun gingerly in her hands.

"Are you sure you're ready?" He asked, knowing the question would earn him one of her prize winning glares.

He had been right.

"When are you going to have some faith in me?" She asked, the annoyance clear in her voice.

"I am just trying to make sure you're okay," he countered, his eyes flickering with frustration.

"That's rich," she muttered under her breath, likely under the assumption he wouldn't hear her.

But he did.

Sebastian hands wrapped around her arm as he drew her in close, capturing her attention as he held her firmly in his grip.

"I don't want you to get hurt. You've never done a raid before, and things can get messy really quickly."

His truthfulness caught Evie off guard, and she found herself nodding slowly in response.

"I'm ready."

He stared at her for a moment before looking over to Mason.

"How much time?"

As if on cue, three black SUVs entered the street, parking by the side of the entrance.

Evie didn't protest as Sebastian moved them further into the shadows, his body shielded hers although they were out of sight from the men now entering the warehouse.

"They're amateurs," she murmured when she noticed none of them had made an effort to scope out the area before going into the building.

"They think they have nothing to worry about," Sebastian remarked back, his eyes now returning to hers.

She smirked in response.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

Mason went to the right, followed by Danny, while Callum headed to the front.

Evie and Sebastian waited only a minute before heading in the same direction as the entrance the men had used.

They paused at the doorway, and Evie was certain Sebastian could hear her heart pounding with anticipation.

He glanced down at her, his hardened expression softening only faintly before he leaned down slightly, his lips brushing the side of her face.

"Ladies first."

He motioned towards the door, a smirk playing at his lips while Evie's eyes widened in surprise, before narrowing into a glare.

She gently opened the door, careful to not emit any noise as she stepped into the poorly lit entranceway.

"Into the lion's den we go," he murmured, his body pressed against her back.

She turned slightly, her glare still intact.

"Go to hell, Sebastian King."

His lips twisted into a smirk; amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Only if you're by my side, Evelyn Summers."

+++++

I could feel him with every movement I made, and it took everything in my power to not be distracted by his looming presence as we carefully made our way through the hallways.

The gun was now firmly gripped in my hands, my finger poised on the trigger.

My nerves were on fire.

I paused when I reached the last door, and glanced up to Sebastian as he tilted his head to the side, listening to whatever information was being shared through the earpiece he wore.

My stomach jolted when he nodded his head to me, telling me to open the door—the door that happened to lead into the main room of the warehouse.

Without wasting another second, I gingerly cracked open the door, allowing enough room for my body to slip through while Sebastian practically swung it open as it was his turn to enter.

"Are you kidding—"

My harsh whisper was drowned out by the sound of bullets piercing the air, causing a scream to rise from my throat.

My body was pushed to the ground, a body firmly shielding mine and rendering me immobile as and a hand covered my mouth to muffle the noises that threatened to break free.

I forced myself to stay still as Sebastian's dark eyes surveyed the surroundings, his expression remaining strict as a few more gunshots echoed around us.

It was only then that I realized we were hidden by sets of large wooden crates, which had also been keeping the door from plain sight; hence, why Sebastian chose to not be as discrete as I was upon entering the warehouse.

"You need to be quiet," he murmured, his eyes still scanning the area as he slowly climbed off of me. I bit my lip as he pulled me to my feet, his eyes now on me as he searched for any injury his actions may have caused.

"I'm okay." My voice was steady, but my flinches in response the gunshots that rang out were not as convincing.

"It seems they decided to test out the goods before they left," Sebastian finally said after a few moments.

We crouched by the crates, remaining out of view while the men paraded around the warehouse, shooting off rounds in a careless celebration.

These men really were amateurs.

"We have them surrounded on the outside." His lips were unexpectedly close to my ear, causing me to stiffen slightly before I angled my face so that I could see him.

I watched as his expression darkened, and felt my stomach churn when he let out a curse under his breath.

"Mason says we're outnumbered by four men."

The sound of crates being broken open caught my attention, and I became sickeningly aware of the situation we were now in.

The more crates they opened, the more weapons they had.

They may be amateurs, but even they knew how to shoot a gun.

"We can take nine men," I stated, adrenaline now kicking in.

He shook his head slightly.

"We can, but not separately. Callum is with Mason and Danny now, but they're on the opposite side of the warehouse. If they step out right now, I have no doubt in my mind these men are going to open fire."

"What about the rest of our men?" I pressed, my anxiety growing when Sebastian let out a few more curses.

"It won't work. There's no way they'll get down here in time, or even without being caught first—"

"You need to get to the rest of the boys." I cut him off.

Sebastian nodded in response, before his eyes zeroed in on me.

"We bothdo."

"You need a distraction," I murmured, rising to my feet but remaining hidden behind the crates.

I knew what I needed to do.

Sebastian's hand shot out, grasping my arm in a vice-like grip.

"Absolutely not."

I gritted my teeth, meeting Sebastian's severe stare with one of my own.

"I can do this," I hissed out, yanking my arm back in a futile attempt to get him to release it.

"No."

I wavered, studying his furious expression while he continued to glare down at me.

The sound of more crates opening, paired with vicious laughter was the last straw for me.

"Well unfortunately for you, I wasn't asking."

I took a step forwards, my body brushing against his as I stared into his eyes.

His brow furrowed in response to my action, and his hold loosened on my arm. I took this as my opportunity to break free.

His hand reached out again, but this time I stopped him by putting my own on his chest.

"I said no," he said, his eyes dropping to my hand before returning to my face.

"I told you," I stepped closer, "I didn't ask."

My next move was impulsive, but we were running out of time. It wouldn't be long before the men chose to leave with the guns, and by then we would not stand a chance.

I leaned up, my lips brushing against his as I leveled my face with his own, sending sparks of electricity through my body and causing his own to stiffen.

I kept my voice remarkably soft, despite my pounding heart and the adrenaline that pulsated through my veins.

"Don't you want to know fragile, little Evelyn Summers survived the big, bad Nick Harmon?"

The name felt like poison on my tongue.

Sebastian froze, his expression unreadable.

This was my chance.

"See you on the other side."

I offered a final smirk before I let the mask slip into place, my expression turning cold and empty.

Before Sebastian could react, I darted through the shadows, past a row of crates so that there was only a small set of crates separating me and the men.

I felt a confidence that I had thought had been buried too far away to ever resurface again.

I felt like me.

My legs moved on their own accord, bringing me out from the shadows and into the fluorescent glare of the light.

I stared at the men behind the guns that now pointed at me, my lips curling into a malevolent smirk.

"Didn't your mothers ever teach you not to touch what isn't yours?"

+++++

Her voice was both detached and enticing—a complete conundrum, yet one of Evie's trademark skills.

"Who the hell are you?" One growled out, his expression distraught as she moved forwards, unbothered by the imminent danger she was in.

Her movements were almost melodic. She looked as if she was gliding towards the men, all of whom were too taken aback to react.

Her eyes distant as her expression turned to one of childlike innocence.

"I'm fairly certain I am the one who gets to ask the questions."

Another man scoffed. Her eyes zeroed in on him as he lowered his gun, giving her a menacing stare and he approached her slowly.

Bad mistake.

"What? Is the little princess lost?" He sneered, grinning when a few of the men chuckled in response, the tension easing in the room. His teeth were crooked and yellow, and Evie had to prevent herself from showing the disgust she felt at the sight of him.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sebastian slip past a row of crates and quickly pass through one of the openings.

A small noise echoed as his foot came into contact with something, causing one of the men to turn his head.

"As a matter of fact," she stated loudly, capturing their attention, "I am."

She gave the man with the poor teeth a smile, and watched as his eyes lit up with interest, before darkening quickly.

"How the hell did you get in here then, princess?" He asked, taking another step forwards.

She shrugged casually, rocking on the heels of her feet.

"Answer me!" He held his gun out, glaring at her angrily while she regarded the weapon dismissively, as though she was silently challenging it to go off.

"Make me."

He lunged at her, but she dodged it delicately, practically dancing away from the man.

"Someone has quite the temper," Evie remarked after a moment, her eyes dancing with amusement as she glanced at the rest of the men.

She leaned closer to the man, whose face was now red from rage.

"I know someone just like that," her eyes twinkled with debauched amusement. "Apparentlyhe isn't very patient either."

She could practically see Sebastian's livid expression.

"You have ten seconds!" The man bellowed, closing the distance between them.

Evie's expression hardened when his gun came into contact with her head, sending a sharp pain into her skull when he carelessly shoved it against her temple.

"Easy there, Smith."

A voice from the back caught their attention. The man, Smith, stiffened and let out a low curse while Evie's eyes slid to the back, were a man had been casually leaning against the crates.

She hadn't seen him before, and knowing that there was one who had gone undetected made her stomach churn nauseously.

Ten.

There weretenmen, not nine.

Her expression remained impassive as he stepped out into the lighting. He was easily younger than the man that stood with his gun against her head, but he had the confidence of a leader.

His eyes were a light blue, much like Evie's; however, his were alight with a callous glee while hers were vacant of emotion.

"So you're the one in charge."

His smirk deepened.

"Stand down."

Evie could see the looks of confusion displayed on the faces of the men as their leader approached her, stepping past Smith so that he was directly in front of her.

"Well then," he said quietly, his eyes trailing her body before settling on her face.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Evelyn Summers."

+++++

Remarks broke out amongst the men, and even Smith was smart enough to take another step away, his eyes widening with realization.

I stared at him blankly, refusing to let even a flicker pass through my eyes as he smiled down at me, evidently delighted by his discovery.

It took all my strength to not look in the direction of the boys, knowing that even a slight slip could jeopardize the entire situation.

"May I?" His voice pulled me away from my thoughts, and I felt myself instinctively lean away as his hand reached up to my face.

My heart pounded in my chest, but I remained still as he brushed my hair away, his eyes inspecting the day old wound on my head.

"That must have hurt," he murmured.

My stomach twisted again when I saw the pleasure in his eyes.

Why were they waiting?

"Don't fucking touch me," I snapped, jerking away from his hand and stepping back.

He laughed at my actions, his eyes shining with glee.

"I've heard about your temper," he said. "In fact, I've heard so much about you, Evelyn."

I felt my stomach drop when he lifted his other hand, casually bringing a knife into sight.

That's why.

If any of the Kings were to expose themselves right now, a hostage situation would surely take place, with no one other than myself being caught in the middle.

If they shot him, it would take only moments for one of his men to shoot me.

I was the pawn.

I felt my head physically begin to hurt from how much I was thinking.

I knew what had to be done.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice numb.

His lips twitched.

"You can call me Jack."

"And what have you heard, Jack?" I forced out, tilting my head to the side as I leaned closer to him, my eyes gleaming with contempt.

He paused, playing with his knife absentmindedly as he moved closer, so that we were mere inches away.

"People would call you the Siren. You enchanted each and every man you met, and you would lure them to their deaths." He was speaking loudly, though with our proximity he could have whispered and I would have heard him clearly.

He was putting on a show.

"Evelyn Summers was a girl to be feared."

He smirked, I stared.

"Was?"

His smirk intensified, and the look in his eyes was downright sinister.

"Was." He lowered his voice slightly, although it was still practically radiating throughout the warehouse.

I suppressed any movement as he lifted his knife to my face, gliding the smooth surface of the blade along my cheek.

"Not anymore though," he finally continued. "No, not anymore. Not after Harmon got his hands on you."

My vision darkened.

Shut it off.

Turn it off.

I wanted to shake my own thoughts out of my head.

"He tainted you. He ruined you." Jack proceeded, his eyes shining with sickening amusement as I fought to remain impassive.

Your feelings are your greatest weakness.

"He drove you to insanity."

My eyes closed, the darkness overtaking me as I pushed away the thoughts in my head, all except for one.

"Don't you want to know fragile, little Evelyn Summers survived the big, bad Nick Harmon?"

I opened my eyes.

I watched his expression falter when his eyes met mine.

"That's where you're wrong." My tone was intoxicatingly sweet. I closed the distance between us, my chest against his as my hand reached up to touch the knife against my face.

I slid my finger against the blade, and brought it in front of our faces, drawing his attention to the droplet of blood that now trailed from my fingertip.

I leaned up so that my lips nearly brushed against his, his eyes now focused on them.

I would not be the pawn.

My lips twisted to a smirk.

"I've always been insane."

Because in this game of chess, Evelyn Claire Summers was the Queen.

+++++

Sebastian felt his blood turn to ice in his veins at the sound of her voice.

"I've always been insane."

What happened next was a blur.

Evie brought her uninjured hand from behind her back and slammed the butt of her gun into Jack's temple, and in an instant, Jack's men had their guns raised.

"Now."

Sebastian escaped the shadows with his gun raised, not bothering to see if Mason, Danny, or Callum had heard his order.

The men turned at the sight of him, their inexperience showing when their attention was divided so easily.

These were the men who thought they could steal from him—the men that almost did.

Before Sebastian could even apply pressure to the trigger, a man's voice rang out.

"Don't shoot."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jack on his knees, with one hand pressed against his head and the other on the ground for support.

Evie stood beside him, shaking out one hand while she aimed her gun at the back of Jack's head.

She must have punched him when the others were distracted.

Sebastian's lips twitched at this idea, but he maintained a hardened expression.

"Lower your guns."

Evie's piercing gaze settled on Jack's men. When no one moved, she let out a sigh and cocked her gun for extra measure.

"Lower your fucking weapons, or I put a bullet in Jack's brain."

Sebastian watched in awe as the men slowly lowered their weapons, their eyes firmly on Evie while Callum and Mason quickly kicked the guns away from the men.

"Pathetic," she muttered, lowering her own weapon while Jack straightened up slightly, his eyes directed to Evie in a vicious glare.

"I wasn't shocked when I heard you made it out alive," Jack sneered. "But I'm surprised Sebastian decided to take you back."

Sebastian tensed at the sound of his name, but he knew better than to step in.

This wasn't his fight.

"I suppose I should thank him then," Evie finally said, the sarcasm heavy on her tone.

Jack chuckled, swaying on his knees before spitting up blood onto the floor.

"Nick Harmon should have killed you when he had the chance."

An undiscernible emotion flashed through her eyes before a sadistic smile played at her lips, causing him to feel increasing distress with every second that passed.

"Now, now," she said softly, as though she were scolding him, "that wasn't very nice, was it?"

Jack's response died in his throat as she pointed her gun at him, a lethal expression on her face.

"Unlike Harmon, I don't miss my chances."

+++++

"Please," Jack breathed out, "please don't kill me."

My lip curled in disgust.

"Oh Jack, don't you know that those who beg for mercy rarely get it?"

His screams tore through the room as blood poured from his shoulder.

I took aim again, my finger tracing the trigger, before I slowly lowered the gun.

"I'm not going to kill you," I admitted, watching his reaction closely as he choked down his shouts of pain.

"And why not?" His voice shook with each word.

"Because you have use to me."

My response was quick, and I was on the verge of continuing when I saw something flash in Smith's hand.

His body hit the ground before I could react, and my lips parted in surprise when Sebastian lowered his gun casually, as though he hadn't just put a bullet in a man's head.

"Don't let me interrupt you," he said, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

I felt a small smile rise to my lips before I suppressed it, turning my attention back to Jack.

"What do you want from me?" The frustration, hate, and confusion were all evident in his tone.

"It's not just you, sweetheart," I chided, my eyes meeting the rest of the men who watched me obediently.

"You are all going to walk out of here today, not because we are feeling kind," I stated. "You get to live to see another miserable day, because I have chosen to give your lives purpose."

"What do you—"

"When you leave here," I continued, cutting off Jack. "You're going to go to whatever hole you crawled out of, and you are going to tell them exactly what happened when you tried to raid the Kings."

I paused, making sure to stare into the eyes of each and every man there before settling back down to Jack's.

"You're going to let the world know that the Kings are back, and they are seeking retribution."

Jack's breathing was heavy as he stared up at me, processing my words.

I watched as his eyes moved to Sebastian.

"She's unstable," he spat out, "Mark my words, Evelyn Summers is going to be the death of the Kings."

Sebastian barked out a laugh, his hands tightening into fists as he glared down at Jack with such ferocity, the man cringed in response.

"You've been wrong about a lot today, Jack." His voice was low, but it commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "But your worst mistake was underestimating her."

His eyes met mine and I could practically feel the electricity behind his stare.

"Believe me, I would know. It's something I plan on never doing again."

+++++

It was decided then. 

Sebastian King would calm her chaos, but never silence her storm.

+++++

Evie's eyes were transfixed on the window as Sebastian drove away from the warehouse. Her hands lay limply on her lap, dried blood coating her index finger while bruises formed around her hand.

She kept replaying Sebastian's words in her head.

"But your worst mistake was underestimating her."

She bit her lip and dug her fingernails into her palms.

"I'm not unstable."

Sebastian's neck tensed, as if he was going to turn his head to look at her but at the last second, prevented himself.

"I know."

She felt the exhaustion overtake her and closed her eyes.

"He hurt me, Sebastian."

She opened her eyes, looking in Sebastian's direction.

His expression was severe, and his jaw was clenched so tightly, she thought his teeth would break.

"For the longest time, I felt like I was drowning."

Her eyes traveled back the window, where she leaned her head.

Sebastian was careful as he parked the car, not wanting to disturb her, but the distant look in her eyes told him her mind was elsewhere.

"Earlier today, Mason said I give you purpose."

Her eyes met his.

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had so many things to say, but at the same time, he was speechless.

She wasn't wearing a mask. Her eyes were neither cold nor empty. And her lips weren't twisted into a sinister smirk.

"I don't know if that's true."

It is.

She hesitated, and Sebastian tried to suppress the ache her words brought him, as well as the growing anticipation of what her next words could be.

"I felt like I was drowning," she repeated, her eyes searching his as though the answer she was looking for was buried deep within them. 

"And I don't know what you've given me, or what you've done, but I feel like I can breathe again."

The vulnerability was evident in her eyes; yet, it was mixed with a fearlessness that took Sebastian's breath away.

"I suppose it's time we talked."

+++++

OKAY it is 4 in the morning. I have to be up at 5:30. My eyes are BURNING. 

From the bottom of my heart, I truly hope you all like this chapter. I cannot begin to describe the amount of time and energy it took me to produce this, and I know that may mean it still isn't perfect, but I did my best. 

With all the love in my heart, xx.