Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  As she walked into the bank, Sydney discreetly looked around. Troy led her toward the smiling woman at the information desk. The woman seemed to be in her mid-forties with blonde hair and a curvy figure on her five-foot frame.

  “Hello, how may I help you?” The woman’s name badge read Anne, and she smiled at them in greeting. Sydney felt Raymond put his hand on her lower back in warning as he smiled what she knew some women saw as a devastatingly handsome smile.

  “Good morning, Anne,” he greeted smoothly making the woman blush. “My niece has a safety deposit box here and would like to access it.”

  Anne smiled. “Of course, please come this way, and we can get that arranged.” She turned and led them toward a bank of double doors that gave way to a larger reception area with more desks.

  After seating them and asking if they wanted coffee, Anne began to take Sydney’s details, her fingers skimming the keyboard quickly.

  Anne looked up at them her face open and friendly. “Can I get your name again?”

  It took a second for Sydney to realize that she was speaking to her. “Sydney—Sydney Rutherford,” she replied as she continued to look around and then she saw it. An idea formed. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was all she had. “I’m sorry is there a restroom I can use?”

  “Really, Sydney, surely that can wait?” Raymond squeezed her knee painfully below the table, while on the surface he seemed patient.

  Anne looked back and forth clearly sensing the tension, her skin mottling on her chest.

  “I’m sorry, uncle, but no. It’s that time of the month you know.” Sydney turned her eyes to Anne in a conspiratorial way.

  A look of female understanding crossed the woman’s face, and she nodded. “Of course. Through that door and to the right, you should see the signs. I’ll get your information ready while you’re gone.”

  “Thank you,” Sydney said standing quickly and moving toward the door, Troy on her heels. She stopped and turned to him and in a loud voice said, “I’m only going to the ladies, you don’t have to follow me.”

  As people looked at them, Troy stopped, and she saw his lips curl and his hands clench. She didn’t take the time to enjoy her small victory. She had to get out of there and fast. They wouldn’t wait for long.

  Following the signs, she pushed through the door marked ‘Ladies’ and almost cried in relief at the sight of a window, but then felt tears prick her eyes when she saw the locks. Of course there were locks. It was a goddamn bank.

  Peeking out she looked around for a way out and saw the fire exit door. If she used it the alarms would go off and they would be on to her but what other option did she have? Sydney sighed and then thrust back her shoulders knowing she had to run. Walking to the fire exit, she was about to push it open when it opened from the outside, and alarms began to screech.

  She gasped and stepped back as a tall, well-built hunk of a man with a ball cap on his fine head looked up at her, his hands on his hips.

  “Sydney Rutherford?”

  Sydney felt panic wrap itself around her windpipe as she stepped away from him, frustrated tears hitting the back of her throat at being caught. This guy must be new because if he had been part of Raymond’s security before she would have remembered.

  Not willing to give up, she braced to run when his arm came around her waist, and he pulled her outside his hand covering her mouth. She felt his hard body at her back, his firm grip around her waist and his gentle but solid grip over her mouth and went still. His mouth at her ear tickled, and for a brief second, she froze, but not in fear. She froze in awareness of the sexy, bearded man who held her before sense kicked in, and she started to struggle against his hold in panic.

  She heard him swear before he whispered in her ear. “For fuck’s sake, woman, keep still and listen. My name is Kingsley Knight, but my friends call me King. I’m here to help you. We believe your uncle is behind your kidnapping and has been holding you against your will.”

  She went still at his as his words filtered through her brain. Was he really here to help?

  “We don’t have time to explain. Raymond’s head of security just left the building, and my man can only cause so much of a distraction before we blow our cover. I’m going to remove my hand. You need to keep quiet and follow me unless you want to get caught. Are we clear? Nod if you understand.”

  Sydney nodded.

  The man removed his hand from her mouth but kept hold of her wrist. “Follow me.”

  He pulled her to the edge of the alleyway they were in keeping his body in front of hers as he looked out. She managed to look under his armpit and saw Troy in an altercation with a dark-haired man covered in tattoos who looked seriously pissed off. Troy had his back to her, and she felt the man in front of her grip her hand, warmth enveloping her at his touch.

  “Let’s go,” he said, and it was only then that she grasped his British accent and her heart beat harder at the realization someone was on her side for once. It felt strange to have a complete stranger put his life on the line for her. Warmth flooded her belly and she tightened her hold on his hand. Opening the door to an SUV, he boosted her in and moved to the driver’s seat before speeding away without a backward glance

  6

  As soon as they pulled away from the curb, Kingsley grabbed his phone and dialed Malco’s number. “We’re clear. And you?”

  “Staying to keep an eye on them. I’m outside, but I saw that moron running around the building with Rutherford. He seemed pissed as hell so I would keep going if I were you. Is Sydney okay?”

  A quick glimpse at the passenger seat told him that she was for now, but he knew the adrenaline rush would crash and she could go into shock. “Yeah. Call Cleo and tell her to put Alliance on lockdown. I doubt Rutherford knows we’re involved, but better to be safe than sorry. And if he’s still in the dark, I want to make sure we use it to our advantage and get some information.”

  “You’re taking her to Alliance?”

  Kingsley’s first instinct was to take her to his place, but it was clear that if she trusted him for now, Sydney wouldn’t continue to without reassurance and serious explanations. He could only rely on her survival mode for so long before her cautious side kicked in. “Yeah, we’re heading there.”

  “Good. I’ll take a couple of the guys to help me, but we’ll keep out of sight for now. Also, I’ll send someone where she was being held, just to make sure. I think she’s the only victim, but you never know. If I get more information, you’ll be the first one I call.”

  Ending the call, Kingsley pocketed his phone and saw that she hadn’t missed a single word he had said or looked away from him the entire time. Serious but ready to bolt, it was clear her trust was wearing thin and a quick look at her grip on the door confirmed she was ready to run.

  “That was Malco, the man you saw dealing with one of your kidnappers. He’s keeping an eye on them and will forward me information. I’m taking you to the Alliance Agency. You’ll be safe there.”

  “Who are you?” The voice was tinged with suspicion, and he couldn’t blame her.

  “As I said, my name is Kingsley Knight. I work for the Alliance Agency. We’re a new company that specializes in missing person cases. Your uncle came to us saying you had been kidnapped. Unfortunately, as we started digging, some of the information he gave us didn’t make sense. My team found inconsistencies, and we decided to follow him. That led us directly to you. We saw you being dragged into that car and then inside the bank and had to act quickly.”

  Kingsley watched as Sydney swallowed hard. It was obvious she was struggling to hang onto her control and courage. “Why should I believe you aren’t working for him? You’ve just admitted my uncle hired you.”

  Kingsley nodded. “I understand your concern. You can tell me to stop the car right now and I’ll let you out. I can also drop you at a police station if you prefer. But I would rather take you to our headquarters. We have a state-of-the-art security system and everyone that works t
here has a police or military background. I suspect that even Cleo has one.”

  It was subtle, but she relaxed a little. “Cleo?”

  “Yeah, our badass secretary. I haven’t known her for long, but she could strike fear into the heart of the most hardened agent.” He chuckled. “Or maybe it’s because she takes care of payroll and no one wants to get on her bad side.”

  As he expected, the little joke helped lower her guard and relaxed her, if only for a few moments. He found himself wanting to see the smile that threatened the edges of her lips. He had to convince her to come with him to Alliance. Kingsley didn’t know if he had it in him to leave her alone on the street corner, even if it was what she wanted. He could sense in his bones that danger still lurked. And most of all, he wanted the fear that colored her gaze to be gone, and for that, he knew this mission wasn’t finished yet.

  “It’s your company? The one Raymond hired?”

  Keeping a warm smile, he shook his head. “No. I don’t want that sort of responsibility. I like doing my job, not being buried in paperwork day in, day out. I met the owners on a mission and offered my services. They are good people. Emme and Shane started Alliance Agency and relocated here to Miami.”

  “You’re not American.”

  “No, I’m not, although I work with many of them. I’m from the UK and was in the service there. Then, I relocated here. Florida is quite a change from England’s rainy weather. A perk of the job I guess, although Americans can’t make anything close to a decent cup of tea,” he said with a grin.

  Her laughter was tentative, but the sound squeezed something in his chest. “You’re just saying that because it’s such a cliché for someone from England to drink tea all the time.”

  “No, ma’am. You think that a bearded badass like me doesn’t drink tea? It’s in my genes and a cure-all for anything. I’m lucky Emme gets a steady supply from back home. Otherwise, a few of us wouldn’t be able to function properly.”

  “Why Emme?”

  “She’s English as well. She’s the one who convinced me to join her team.”

  It may have been wishful thinking, but Kingsley could see her body lean a little more into the seat.

  Stopping at a light, he turned to her, determined to make his case. “Sydney, I realize you don’t fully trust me. It’s understandable, sensible even. You were kidnapped by your own kin. We were hired to get you back, and we did, but there’s no way this is finished, and you know it. You’re still in danger until we can make sure your uncle is taken care of.”

  The fire was back in her eyes. “You’re right, I don’t really trust you. But I’m thankful you helped me get out of there. You don’t know what my uncle is capable of. He has resources and enough money to turn anyone into his personal puppet.”

  Something dark swirled inside him. “Not everyone is corruptible, Sydney.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. All I know is that I’m alone, and I can’t risk being with someone who would turn on me the first chance they get.”

  An emotion close to despair and anger threatened to make its way inside him when he touched her hand with his. “If he has connections, the ability to hire people to get you back and possibly kill you, you need an army of your own.”

  She quickly pulled her hand away, her eyes wide with fright. “I don’t have the money to pay for an army.”

  Something dark swirled in his stomach seeing her reaction to his touch. “I’m not asking for money. Just for a chance to help you. I promise that if you want to leave at any time, I won’t stop you. You’ll be free to go.”

  Despite the honking from behind them, Kingsley couldn’t look away and break the connection. It was Sydney who finally faced forward. Getting his truck moving, he debated trying again to convince her to give him and Alliance a chance. Damn, he didn’t understand this pressing need to help her, to not let her wander into harm’s way. He was usually so detached; it didn’t make any sense.

  “Stop the truck.”

  Watching the traffic, Kingsley made his way toward the sidewalk before parking and switching on the hazard lights. Jaw tight, he watched as Sydney looked forward, breathing hard. Just as he was about to say something, anything to try and convince her he only wanted to help, she opened the car door and got out.

  Remaining by the open door, Sydney looked around like a deer caught in headlights. Hands in fists, she stood there for a long, agonizing minute, until she finally addressed him. “You really can help me?”

  All the air seized in his lungs in released in a sigh. “I can. Me and my team. You’re not alone in this.”

  She ran her fingers through her blond hair, making the soft strands float gracefully in the wind. Bedraggled, tired, and scared, he could see this woman wasn’t even close to quitting. It was admirable.

  “Why? I’m nothing to you. It doesn’t make sense.”

  At that, he shrugged. “Call me old-fashioned. I’m not the kind of man to turn my back on a damsel in distress.”

  When she blinked and looked at him like he had lost a few marbles along the way, Kingsley almost felt insulted. But his irritation was quickly replaced by a nagging question. Her reaction wasn’t only caused by the kidnapping, it was embedded way deeper. The way she had pulled away at his touch combined with the look of panic on her face, and warning bells were ringing loudly in his head. What had happened to her to create that breach? To make her suspicious of a sincere offer of help? He hated the thoughts that were running through his head.

  He hated her hesitation almost as much as waiting like a sitting duck on the side of the road, but he had to fight his inner caveman that urged him to grab her and run. He knew deep down in his gut that she had to trust him, to come willingly with him. In a sign of trust and appeasement, he extended his arm to offer his hand.

  Sydney looked at it for a long moment, but he didn’t waver. “You promise at any time I’ll be able to walk away?”

  At that moment, he felt as if he had won the greatest battle of his life, but he knew he was still on probation. So he smiled when she awkwardly took his extended hand and sat back in his truck and closed the door.

  “Can I at least pretend I’m here to protect you? Otherwise, I’ll lose all credibility with my team.”

  As she relaxed a bit at his joke, he didn’t wait and swerved back on the road toward Alliance.

  Sydney was still debating if she had made the right decision to stay. Her head told her she was a fool to trust a man who had admitted being hired by Raymond, but her gut told her that if she had to choose between running alone or hopping in that truck with him, the bearded stranger was the best bet. And by gut feeling, she didn’t mean the warmth that spread each and every time he looked at her, or when he touched her. Her reaction to him surprised her almost as much as his sudden appearance at the fire escape door.

  Since her childhood violation, arousal, in general, had been difficult. Not that she hadn’t forced herself to have a normal life that included a boyfriend, but intimacy had been a challenge. It took loads of trust and time and her body didn’t flare up as she hoped. What was happening now was unexpected, raising many questions and more importantly, was a dangerous distraction. Could she really let her guard down with Kingsley Knight? Why was she having such thoughts for a man she had just met? Maybe these sudden lustful thoughts were messing with her brain… a brain she needed more than ever.

  When he turned into another street, Sydney automatically made a mental note of it, keeping track of her location. Taking a couple more turns, they finally reached a larger compound. When he turned into the entrance, she couldn’t help but grab the door handle.

  Kingsley drove around the building and parked. There were a few cars and a couple of motorcycles there, which meant that there were people inside the building. Unknown people. Her hand tightened on the handle as he turned off the engine.

  “We’re here. This is the Alliance Agency. I’m sure you would like a shower, clean clothes, and something to eat. And if after that you change
your mind, you’ll be free to go if you want. I won’t renege on that.” And to her surprise, he gave her his truck’s key. “And if you change your mind, you’ll go faster with this.” He opened the door and got out.

  Strangely, the way he offered her an escape route made her decision to follow him easier. Was this some ninja move to mess with her brain? It wasn’t as if she had that many choices. It was evident that alone, she would be able to hide for a while, but Raymond’s resources and extensive network would eventually track her down. Her best bet was to stay with him inside this building, and pray her gut instinct was right.

  It was a surprise to see a smiling receptionist at the door with fantastic violet hair framing a delicate and beautiful fairy-like face.

  “Hello, I’m Cleo. You must be Sydney. I’m so glad you’re okay. You’re in good hands here. Kingsley and the team won’t let anything happen to you.”

  At the familiar name, Sydney looked at Kingsley who smiled. “Sydney would probably like a shower.”

  Cleo nodded. “I thought as much. The women’s changing room is free, and I’ve asked Mercy and Caitlin to get you some fresh clothes. Food and coffee will be ready in the conference room if you’re up to it.”

  Sydney felt like she was caught in a small lilac tornado. “How… how do you know my size?”

  Cleo laughed. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m not clairvoyant. It’s just handy that you get most of your things online. A couple of clicks and there we go.”

  “Wait, isn’t hacking illegal?”

  Winking at her, the secretary steered her toward the changing room. “Let’s say that for Alliance, justice is a tad more important than the law.” Cleo frowned, her demeanor changing from playful to serious as she looked up and down at her. “And your safety and comfort are what matters for now. You probably won’t believe me, but you’re safe here. Go and have that shower. You’ll find everything you need inside. The girls are two minutes away with some clothes. Rest assured that nobody will enter apart from them, not even the lumberjack here. I’ll stand by the door until you’ve finished.”