Witch’s Promise (Shadowguards #3.5)

2. Sean

Chapter 2

Sean

S ean Drake nursed his whiskey, the amber liquid swirling in his glass like the thoughts in his head. The British-style pub in Salem was a far cry from the high-stakes world he'd left behind, but old habits die hard. His eyes constantly scanned the room, cataloging exits, potential threats, and the ebb and flow of patrons.

The place reeked of stale beer and greasy pub food, a scent that clung to everything like a desperate ex. Sean wrinkled his nose, taking another sip of his drink. The burn of alcohol was a welcome distraction from the memories threatening to surface.

Where the hell was Katelyn? She was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. Sean checked his watch for the umpteenth time, his foot tapping an impatient rhythm against the worn wooden floor.

A burst of laughter from a nearby table made him flinch. Fuck, he was jumpy tonight. Then again, when wasn't he these days? Being an ex-assassin tended to do that to a person. You never really stopped looking over your shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Or in his case, for a bullet with his name on it.

Sean's hand unconsciously moved to his chest, fingers brushing against the silver pendant hidden beneath his shirt. The cool metal against his skin sent a jolt through him, a bittersweet reminder of what he'd lost. Of who he'd lost.

Gabe.

The name alone was enough to make Sean's chest tighten. How many years had it been now? Fifteen? Twenty? And yet the pain was still as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. The memory of Gabe's face, twisted with hurt and betrayal, haunted Sean's dreams more nights than he cared to admit.

He'd fucked up. God, had he fucked up. Believing his father's lies, turning his back on the one person who'd ever truly seen him, all because he couldn't handle the truth about Gabe's abilities.

Sean took another swig of whiskey, grimacing at the taste. He'd been such a fool. A bigoted, close-minded fool who'd thrown away the best thing in his life because he was too scared to face reality.

And now? Now he was sitting in a dingy pub, waiting for his best friend to bring him intel on his father's latest schemes. How's that for irony?

The door to the pub swung open, letting in a gust of cool night air. Sean's head snapped up, body tensing instinctively. But it was just another drunk stumbling in, not the petite blonde he was waiting for.

Sean forced himself to relax, rolling his shoulders to ease some of the tension. This was Salem, for Christ's sake. Not some war-torn country or seedy back alley where danger lurked around every corner. He was supposed to be past all that.

Yeah, right. As if he could ever truly leave that life behind. The things he'd done, the lives he'd taken, they were a part of him now, etched into his very soul like the scars that crisscrossed his body.

Sean's mind drifted back to his last mission, the one that had finally made him say "enough." It was supposed to be a simple hit, in and out. But intel had been wrong. So fucking wrong.

Instead of the arms dealer he'd been sent to eliminate, Sean had found a family. A man, his wife, two young kids. They'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time, victims of his father's endless power plays and manipulations.

Sean had walked away that night, leaving the family unharmed. But the damage had been done. He couldn't unsee what he'd seen, couldn't unfeel the sickening realization of how close he'd come to destroying innocent lives.

That was the night Sean had decided to become a ghost.

His eyes flickered to the bartender, catching the man's appreciative gaze. A few years ago, Sean might have returned that look, might have lost himself in a night of meaningless fuck just to forget for a while. But those days were behind him now.

"Missed me, Drake?"

Sean turned around and saw Katelyn. She looked like she'd just stepped off the set of some badass biker movie, all leather and attitude. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and her blue eyes scanned the room with a predator's intensity before landing on Sean. The moment their gazes met, her face broke into a wide grin.

Sean allowed himself a moment to relax into the embrace, to feel something other than the constant weight of guilt and regret that had become his constant companions.

"Like a hole in the head, Cross," he retorted, but there was no heat in his words.

As they pulled apart, Sean couldn't help but marvel at his best friend. Katelyn Cross was a force to be reckoned with, a jaguar shifter with a fierce loyalty and an even fiercer right hook. He'd seen her take down men twice her size without breaking a sweat, her human form belying the predator that lurked just beneath the surface. It was one of the reasons she'd risen so quickly through the ranks of his father's organization – that, and her razor-sharp intellect.

"You look like shit, Sean. When's the last time you slept? Or ate something that wasn't liquid courage?"

Sean waved off her concern, gesturing for her to take a seat. "I'm fine, Kate. Just been busy, you know how it is."

Katelyn snorted as she slid into the booth across from him. "Yeah, I know how it is. That's why I'm worried. You've got that look again, like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Sean signaled the bartender for another round, buying himself a moment to compose his thoughts.

"I'm doing okay," he said finally, meeting Katelyn's skeptical gaze. "Could be better, but hey, we can't all be as put together as you, right?"

Katelyn's eyes narrowed, clearly not buying his bullshit. But before she could call him out on it, Sean pressed on. "So, what's with the urgent meeting? Not that I don't love our little rendezvous, but you sounded pretty serious on the phone."

For a moment, Katelyn looked almost nervous? It was an expression Sean wasn't used to seeing on his badass best friend's face. She took a deep breath, her hand moving to rest on her stomach in a gesture that was so subtle, Sean almost missed it.

Almost.

His eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. "Kate," he breathed, hardly daring to hope. "Are you..."

Katelyn's face broke into a radiant smile, all trace of nervousness vanishing. "Six weeks along," she confirmed, her voice thick with emotion. "Ricci and I, we've been trying for so long, and finally..."

Sean felt a surge of joy so pure it was almost painful. After everything Katelyn had been through, all the danger she'd faced as his inside source in the organization, she deserved this happiness. "Holy shit, Kate. That's amazing. Congratulations!"

He reached across the table to squeeze her hand, his own eyes suspiciously moist. For a moment, he allowed himself to bask in the warmth of her happiness, to feel something other than the constant gnawing guilt that had become his constant companion.

"Thanks, Sean," Katelyn said, her smile softening. "We're over the moon. Ricci's already talking about converting the spare room into a nursery. I swear, I've never seen that man so excited about interior design before."

Sean chuckled, picturing Katelyn's laid-back human husband suddenly turning into a home decor enthusiast. "I bet. He's going to be a great dad, Kate. And you're going to be an incredible mom."

A shadow passed over Katelyn's face, and Sean felt his protective instincts kick into overdrive. "What is it? Is everything okay with the pregnancy?"

Katelyn shook her head quickly. "No, no, everything's fine. It's just I had to request some time off from the organization. To take care of myself and the baby, you know?"

"Kate," he started, his voice low and urgent. "Maybe this is a sign. You should get out now, while you can. Start fresh somewhere your old man can't find you. I can help, set you up with new identities, money, whatever you need."

Katelyn's grip on his hand tightened. "Sean, stop. We've been over this. I'm not running."

Sean wanted to argue, to tell her it wasn't worth the risk. Not now, not with a baby on the way. But he knew that stubborn set to her jaw. Katelyn had made up her mind, and nothing short of knocking her out and dragging her to safety would change it.

“How did the old man take it? I can't imagine the old man being thrilled about losing one of his top operatives, even temporarily."

"That's the weird thing. He was understanding. Almost suspiciously so. Gave me all the time off I asked for, no questions asked."

Sean felt his stomach drop. His father, being understanding? Generous, even? No, something wasn't right here. Viktor Drake didn't do anything out of the kindness of his heart. Every move, every decision was calculated, part of some larger strategy.

"You need to be careful. My father, he doesn't just give people what they want without expecting something in return.” He cautioned her.

Katelyn nodded, "I know, Sean. Believe me, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out his angle. But so far, everything's been business as usual. Well, as usual as things get in a secret assassin organization."

"I'm sorry, Kate," he said, the words feeling woefully inadequate. "I never meant for any of this to touch you. If I'd known..."

"Don't you dare start with that guilt trip, Sean," Katelyn cut him off, her blue eyes flashing. "I made my own choices. I knew the risks when I agreed to help you. And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat."

Sean felt a lump form in his throat. He didn't deserve a friend like Katelyn. Didn't deserve her loyalty, her fierce protection. Not after everything he'd done.

"Besides," Katelyn continued, her tone softening. "You're not alone in this anymore, Sean. You've got me, you've got Ricci. And have you thought about reaching out to Gabe? He could help, with his abilities-"

"No," Sean cut her off, more harshly than he intended. His hand moved unconsciously to the pendant around his neck. "I can't drag him into this."

Katelyn's expression was a mix of sympathy and frustration. "Sean, it's been years. Don't you think it's time to forgive yourself? To at least try to make things right?"

Sean shook his head, the familiar wave of shame and regret washing over him. "Some things can't be made right, Kate. What I said to him, the way I reacted, I don't deserve his forgiveness. And he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be pulled back into my fucked-up world."

Katelyn sighed. “Alright. But someday, Sean, you're going to have to stop punishing yourself. You can't change the past, but you can choose what you do moving forward."

Sean nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He knew Katelyn was right, on some level. But the guilt, the shame of his past actions it was like a weight around his neck, dragging him down into the depths of his own self-loathing.

He caught Katelyn watching him with a furrowed brow. There was something in her eyes, a concern that went beyond her usual worry for his self-destructive tendencies.

“I know there’s something else bothering you. And don't try to bullshit me. I know that look." Sean teased his friend.

Her fingers were drumming an anxious rhythm on the sticky pub table. "It's your father," she said finally, her voice low. "He's been acting weird lately. Before I left for my time off, I noticed some things that didn't add up."

Sean felt his body tense, old instincts kicking in. His father, Viktor Drake, wasn't the kind of man who did anything without purpose. If he was acting out of character, it meant trouble. Big trouble.

"Weird how?" Sean pressed, leaning forward. "And don't spare me the details, Kate. I need to know everything."

Katelyn glanced around the pub, as if checking for eavesdroppers. It was a habit Sean recognized all too well. In their line of work – former work, in his case – paranoia was just good sense.

"It's hard to explain," Katelyn said, frustration evident in her voice. "It's more of a feeling, you know? He's been distracted, secretive. More than usual, I mean. And there've been meetings, late at night, with people I don't recognize."

Sean felt a chill run down his spine.

"But that's not all," Katelyn continued, reaching into her leather jacket. She pulled out a manila envelope, sliding it across the table to Sean. "I think you need to see this."

Sean stared at the envelope, his heart pounding. Part of him wanted to shove it away, to tell Katelyn he was done with all this cloak-and-dagger bullshit. He'd walked away from the family business for a reason, after all.

But the larger part of him, the part that could never quite silence the voice of duty and responsibility that had been drilled into him since childhood, reached out and took the envelope.

"What am I looking at here, Kate?" he asked, his voice rougher than he'd intended.

"Open it," Katelyn urged, her blue eyes intense. "You need to see for yourself."

Sean opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of papers. His eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at: bank statements. Not just any bank statements, but those belonging to his father and the organization.

Sean breathed, his eyes scanning the numbers. "Kate, how the fuck did you get these?"

Katelyn shrugged, a hint of pride in her smirk. "Being your father's secretary has its perks. He may be a paranoid bastard, but even he can't keep track of everything."

Sean barely heard her, too focused on the figures in front of him. The more he read, the more his stomach churned. These numbers, they didn't make sense. Not for an organization as well-established and, well, ruthless as his father's.

"They're in debt," Sean muttered, disbelief coloring his voice. "Serious debt. How is that even possible? The old man always had a dozen contingency plans for his contingency plans."

Katelyn nodded grimly. "That's what I thought. It doesn't add up, Sean. Your father's always been careful, always had backup plans. For him to let things get this bad..."

"There's got to be more to it," Sean said, his mind racing. He flipped through the pages, searching for something, anything that might explain what the hell was going on.

And then he saw it. A deposit, buried in the midst of a sea of withdrawals and payments. A cool million dollars, transferred from an account he didn't recognize.

"What do you know about this? This company here, making the deposit?" Sean asked slowly, tapping the entry.

Katelyn leaned in, her brow furrowing as she looked at where Sean was pointing. "I don't recognize it," she admitted. "And trust me, I know most of the players your father deals with. This is new."

Sean sat back, his mind whirling. A million-dollar deposit from an unknown source, right when the organization was drowning in debt? It stank of desperation, of his father making deals he shouldn't be making.

"Sean?" Katelyn's voice cut through the haze of memory. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Sean shook his head, trying to clear the images from his mind. "I'm fine, just processing."

Katelyn squeezed his hand, her touch grounding him in the present. "I know it's a lot to take in. And I know you walked away from all this for a reason. But Sean, if your father's gotten himself into something he can't handle..."

"It's not my problem anymore," Sean cut her off, his voice harsher than he'd intended. "The old man made his bed. Let him lie in it."