Hidden Obsession: An Alliance Agency Novel: Book 2

by Kells, India

  This time, it was a sob that came from his lips. “Yes. Yes, you are.” Travis looked up at Cleo who had surely turned into a frightened mouse. “You. Get out. Now.”

  Even if Mason would have sold his soul to look at her one last time, he instead leaned his head against Travis’s chest and hoped with all he could that she’d understand and obey without making a fuss. They were in a dangerous and challenging situation, and the risk to their lives was still very high. All he wanted was to at least save one. Hers.

  Movement behind him confirmed Cleo was indeed moving, making her way around the bed in the confined space. Smart woman. Proud and desperate, he heard the door open and shut and knew she was safe.

  Travis lifted his head with his hands and gave him a chaste kiss. “Do you feel this new chapter for both of us?”

  The smile he gave him was false, but he could bide his time to take care of this threat against Cleo. “You have a way of making that chapter quite suspenseful.”

  With a laugh, Travis got to his feet. “I never saw myself like that, but I guess desperation was the cause of it. You should rest now. I’ll take the wheel and get us away from Miami. Then, we’ll be able to talk.” On those words, Travis closed the bedroom door on him, and soon, the engine roared.

  Mason restrained himself from acting. A quick look around told him there was nothing to help free him from the tape. Also, he wanted Travis to be convinced of his sudden change of heart a while longer. Long enough for them to leave Miami and make sure Cleo was safe forever.

  * * *

  Her heart in her throat, Cleo ran out of the RV as fast as possible, retracing her steps toward the car in sheer panic. She didn’t have a cell phone and wasn’t convinced Travis wouldn’t have a change of heart and kill her.

  How much time had passed since Travis had kidnapped her? Was the team still looking for Mason or had they noticed her sudden disappearance? Cleo was wondering if she was in the right area, unable to find the car when someone grabbed her shoulder.

  The sheer terror that engulfed her made her scream at the top of her lungs.

  “Hey, hey! Cleo, it’s me!”

  It took a couple of seconds for Malco’s voice to slice through her brain. When it did, she turned and fell into his arms, trying to relay what had happened at the same time. Malco’s usually calm demeanor and strength helped her regain control over herself and finally make sense.

  Nodding, he pulled out his cell phone before grabbing her hand and walking in the opposite direction. “Shane. Found Cleo. Travis has Mason in an RV a few streets over. Probably driving off as we speak. Tell everyone to be on the lookout.”

  One block over, Malco ushered her into his car and Cleo didn’t have time to put her seat belt on before he burned rubber getting on the road.

  Immediately, he turned toward the area where she had last seen the RV. Cleo yelped when he made another sharp turn. “What are you doing?”

  “If they’re not where you last saw them, it means they’re on the run. If I were Travis, I would try to get out of town as quickly as possible, and that means using the closest highway.”

  His reasoning made sense. Malco touched his ear to relay the information, and she heard that Mercy and James would stay behind and comb the area to make sure, while Caitlin and Alex headed back to base to check out the cameras and satellites. The others would make their way toward Malco’s position.

  The speed at which Malco was navigating the small streets made her tense at each turn, but she didn’t dare ask him to slow down. Mason was still in danger, and every second counted.

  They reached Interstate-95 in record time, and just as they merged into the traffic, Malco got a call from Caitlin and put her on speakerphone. “Tell me you’re on the interstate.”

  Malco swerved to pass two cars, and they got so close, Cleo thought she would hear the sound of metal scraping on metal. “I’m on the Interstate, but I don’t know if I’m going in the right direction. I’m heading north, but I could be wrong.”

  “No, keep going. We just started scanning, and we can see at least five RVs heading north that are still within the city limits. Nothing headed south. Will keep you updated. Shane and Emme are five minutes behind you. The others are ten minutes away.”

  Malco cut through all three lanes, never stepping off the gas pedal. “I see an RV in front of us.”

  Cleo looked up and frowned as they closed in. “No. It’s too small. And there was a big window at the back where the bedroom is.”

  Bypassing a big truck, Malco accelerated amidst a symphony of horns. Ignoring her queasy stomach, Cleo focused as far as she could on the road, scanning it for the RV.

  “Shit!”

  Cleo was about to ask Malco what was wrong when he braked suddenly to avoid something on the road, making her grip the dashboard. Then, the car surged forward again, making her whip back into her seat. “What happened?”

  “There was stuff on the road, it looked like metal and glass.”

  More honking brought her attention back to the road, and she saw an RV in the distance, riding the center lane. Malco pushed the car, and as they got closer, she could see a shadow moving inside. Mason must have tried to kick the window out as Travis drove, but there was still glass shards and sharp metal pieces all around the edges.

  Mason appeared at the window. With his arms still bound behind his back, he struggled to cut the tape on the glass.

  Cleo could see blood trickling over the back of the RV, and cried out. Just as he finally got free, Malco pressed hard on his horn. Mason looked up, and several expressions passed over his face before it settled into his warrior’s look.

  He did a few signs with his hand, and Malco cursed under his breath, getting closer to the van and gave him a sign.

  “What, what? What is he saying?”

  “He wants to stay there and take care of Travis. Which is a bad idea. The middle of the interstate is too great a risk. Civilians could get hurt if things go wrong.”

  A ringing came from the dashboard before Shane’s voice came through. “The cops have been alerted and a special squad is on its way, heading for the highway. Can you confirm the RV’s location?”

  “We’re right behind it. I have a visual on Mason. He broke out the back window.” Malco added some other landscape indications so Shane could relay them to the police.

  “The tactical team will take care of the RV, stay put. They are only a few minutes behind you.”

  Cleo grabbed Malco’s arm. She spoke to Shane as much as Malco. “I saw Travis. He’s unstable. If he sees the police, and there’s a chance he might lose Mason, I don’t know how he’ll react.”

  “I can’t pull the cops. The man is too dangerous. If there is a way to get Mason out, it’s now or never. That’s the only solution.”

  Malco drove even closer to the back of the RV’s bumper. He signed something to Mason who didn’t seem happy but nodded.

  “What are you going to do?”

  Malco didn’t answer right away. Mason disappeared from view for a second. Then he draped the comforter over the window opening, and Cleo understood.

  It was like watching a movie in slow motion. Her heart was firmly in her throat. They were doing sixty on the interstate, and were surrounded by cars. Mason made his way out of the RV and landed on the hood of the vehicle with a hard bump.

  As Mason hooked his bloody hand by the window, Malco decelerated steadily. As he carefully made his way to the side of the road, sirens wailed, and over ten cop cars passed them by.

  “Get in the back, Cleo, quick.”

  Swiftly, she slid in the back as Mason finally got inside.

  “Quick! Follow them!”

  Malco didn’t have to be told twice. Merging back into traffic at the speed of light, Malco was on a mission.

  Mason turned into his seat and reached out to her. “Are you all right?”

  All the emotions and fears she’d had since he’d disappeared bubbled up, making it impossible for her to spea
k. She linked her hand with his for a moment and nodded. They were both alive, if barely, but the reunion she was desperate for had to wait as the phone rang again.

  “Sitrep.” Shane’s voice was cold as ice.

  “Got Mason. He’s with us, and we’re tailing the RV.”

  “Keep your distance. Let the tactical team do their work. The highway patrol is about to close the Interstate ahead.”

  Minutes passed, excruciatingly slow. Cleo kept Mason’s hand in hers as they saw a line of blue and red blinking lights in the distance beyond the RV. The vehicle started to swerve, but there was nowhere to go. Cars alongside screeched to a halt, some of them hitting each other, but with the cars decreasing their speed, it helped to avoid any major accidents.

  It was obvious Travis knew what was going on as he finally brought the RV to a stop. For a long time, the doors remained closed, but even with the distance between them, Cleo could see a flash of blond hair through the destroyed back window. The man had gone to the man he loved. Had it been to kill them both, try to protect him? Only Travis knew. In an unexpected way, her heart ached for the man. Even in his deviant way, he had loved and wanted to be loved, a very human emotion that unfortunately wouldn’t be fulfilled.

  More police vehicles whizzed by their stopped car, followed by a black truck indicating the arrival of the SWAT team. They had to be half a mile from where the RV had been brought to a stop. Mason let go of her hand and got out of the car, Cleo got out too, as did Malco, all three focusing on the scene unfolding out of reach.

  Noise and voices were blurred as black shapes with weapons surrounded the RV. There were yells, but Cleo couldn’t discern the words. She didn’t have too. The dark circle tightened until the side door opened. It all happened so fast, none of them could react.

  All she could see was Travis disappearing from the back room and opening the side door, one hand in the air as he came into view. But the situation turned deadly when Travis revealed a weapon in his other fist.

  The air froze for a moment, and the tactical team fired. In an instant, it was over.

  It happened so fast, it was hard to comprehend until Travis’ tall frame was falling onto the road. He was dead and the whole thing felt anticlimactic to Cleo.

  Standing in the middle of the Interstate, Cleo couldn’t utter a word, her thoughts still overcome with emotions and adrenaline. All she could do was step toward Mason, who was still as a statue and hadn’t said a word or moved a muscle as his best friend was killed.

  Gently, she touched his back, in a silent show of support and comfort. Cleo felt him shiver and inhale sharply before turning around and taking her into a tight embrace. Her world had righted itself again. Whatever lay ahead, Cleo was ready to fight with this man by her side.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The hot water sluiced over his body, washing away the dirt and grime of captivity, but it couldn’t erase the guilt he felt. Cleo had nearly been killed because of his ignorance and blind faith. Travis was dead—killed because he hadn’t been able to see how his friend was unraveling.

  He endured so much grief for the man Travis had been—kind, compassionate, and a good friend and colleague. He had failed him, and he had failed Cleo.

  Cleo. Just the thought of her made him feel so many emotions. Love, sadness, relief, guilt, desire, need. But mostly he felt unworthy of her.

  He had barely looked at her since they’d watched Travis get killed on the interstate. He had held her so tight wanting to absorb her into his body, to feel her against him, soothing him in a way nobody else ever had. He knew Cleo had sensed him pulling away as they gave their statements to the police. He couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment in her eyes when she realized he wasn’t good enough for her. Like a coward, he had used the excuse of a shower to escape when they got back to the Agency.

  He would have to face her, he knew that, but he just needed more time. Finally, the water ran clean, and he had exhausted his excuse. Stepping from the shower, he draped the towel around his hips and stepped to the mirror in the men’s changing rooms. He looked tired, there were dark circles around his eyes, a testament to how he felt inside. What he needed was twelve hours of sleep, some food, and a cold beer.

  He would need to debrief Shane and Emme about everything, but that could wait until the morning. Pulling on some trousers and a shirt, he sat to tie his shoes. After running his hands through his wet hair, he walked toward the exit and out into reception.

  It was deserted, and he instinctively looked around for Cleo, wanting to see her face or hear her voice. He followed the sound of low voices toward the conference room, his heart thudding in his chest. He stepped in, and four heads turned to him, but none of them were the one he needed to see. He beat back the disappointment at seeing only Shane, Emme, James, and Caitlin instead of the woman who owned his heart and soul. Maybe this was how it should be, he had been avoiding talking to her, and now she was making it clear she couldn’t be with him either.

  “Where is Cleo?” The question was out despite not being ready for the answer and hating his weakness.

  Emme smiled as she spoke. “Malco took her and her grandmother home.”

  Her apartment. Mason nodded while his heart shattered even more. “Good, she must be tired.” What he wanted to do was punch the wall and take out all his frustrations and anger on something, but he didn’t. “I’m going to head out. Can we do the debrief first thing?”

  Shane pinned him with a stare, seeming to read his mood and nodded. “Yes, get some rest, and we can catch up tomorrow.”

  Mason walked toward the door, snagging the spare keys for the company truck on his way. He would get Knight to meet him in the morning and retrieve his car. He drove to the nearest burger bar and ordered an enormous burger and fries. He added in a large chocolate shake for good measure.

  Back at his place, he put his key in the lock and took a breath, dreading the silence he knew would greet him. He had gotten used to Cleo being in his space, relished seeing her stuff mingled in with his, the small touches she’d added to soften his harsh existence.

  Pushing open the door, he almost threw his food in the air when he came face to face with the woman who would forever own his heart. The same heart that was banging out of his chest as if sensing its mate and trying to get to her.

  She looked so beautiful, her hair was tied back in a simple ponytail emphasizing her bare face and high cheekbones. It was the bright look of hope and love on her face that made him pause.

  “What are you doing here, Cleo?” He kicked the door shut behind him and walked past her to the kitchen, putting his food down and keeping space between them so he didn’t reach for her like his hands itched to do. He felt her eyes rake over him, sensed the nerves in her movements. He could smell the scent she wore as she moved closer to him, and he tensed, waiting for her to tell him it was over. He couldn’t face her and kept his eyes down.

  “Mason.” Her voice seared his heart.

  “What do you need?” He couldn’t look at her.

  “Mason, please look at me.” Her voice was imploring him.

  Closing his eyes, he drew in a breath and hardened himself to the pain he knew was coming. Better to get this over with now so they could both move on. To what, he had no clue. He didn’t want to move on from her, knew in his heart he never would. He forced his eyes up, and for a second, he wanted to beg her to forgive him for failing her. “Shane said you had gone home.”

  Cleo tilted her head at him as she moved closer. “I am home, Mason. This is my home. Wherever you are is home.”

  Mason dared to hope as she moved closer, cupping his cheek with her soft hand. The look of open devotion and love was something he had never seen before. A barrier was down, there was nothing between them except utter truth and honesty.

  “How can you say that after everything that happened?”

  Cleo positioned her body so there was no space between them, every inch of her was touching him, and he allowed h
imself to lean into her heat and her strength, taking just a second to garner that for himself.

  “I know it was hard for you to watch Travis die. He was a good man once, and I believe he truly loved you, but he got lost along the way. But none of that changes anything between us except making me realize I can’t live another moment without you.” Her eyes were wet with unshed tears, and he felt his heart that had been slowly dying in his chest began to beat again.

  “I love you, Mason Bentley. With all my heart, I love you. I never want to wake up without you again. You made me realize running doesn’t solve anything. Staying and facing the fear, taking the biggest gamble, gives the biggest rewards and with you I know I’ve won bigger than I ever thought possible.”

  He let his thumbs catch the tear that slipped over and started down her cheek, hating to see her cry. “But I failed you. I let you down. You nearly died because I was so blind.”

  Cleo shook her head, her hair whipping back and forth with the force of her movement. “No! You did not fail me. You saved me from Spears, kept me safe and showed me I could have a future that includes loving someone and not just living to work. You gave me back my family.”

  He shook his head but held her tighter, not feeling strong enough to push away the woman who had broken through his hard shell. “I don’t deserve you.” She gave him a look that said she was getting pissed, and he smothered a grin. He loved the feisty woman in front of him. “I don’t deserve you.” He put his finger over her lips when she went to speak to stop her. “It’s true, but one thing I’m not is a stupid man. I may never deserve you, but I’m selfish.

  “I love you, Cleo, more than I ever thought it possible to love another human being. You make me want to slay dragons for you, to be a better man, a man you can be proud of and I’ll spend every day of my life making sure you know how much I love you, cherish you, desire you.” He watched her eyes go soft, felt the pulse in her neck pound as he trailed his hand over her throat, loving the feel of her heartbeat so strong.