Impossibly Possible

by Amelia Shea

  Kenzie stepped back watching her friend. She tried to smile, but she knew Taylor would see past it.

  “I gotta go, but I’ll be back by four-thirty.” She grabbed her handbag and waved to Taylor as she closed the door behind her. Her stomach twisted. She had a bad feeling about tonight. While Taylor made it sound simple and easy, there was a gut instinct telling her they were screwed, and tonight would confirm it.

  The sound of the elevator caught her attention. Holy shit! She rushed to the end of the hall and saw the number illuminated over the door. It was fixed. Her mind immediately went to Bogs. He and his friends must have talked to the Super. All the tenants had been complaining for months without any action. She smirked. She would have loved to have seen the guys demanding it be fixed. The elevator sounded, and she waited for the doors to open. It felt like Christmas morning. She rocked back on her feet.

  Thank you, Bogs.

  The guy had taken up residence in her head. She just could not get him out, no matter how hard she tried. He stared back at her with a glint of amusement and humor, before narrowing into a seductive stare. He was a complete stranger. She had barely spoken ten words to him, and she was officially obsessed. It was absurd, utterly ridiculous. Yet, every night when she closed her eyes, there he was. She drew in a deep breath—if ever there was a man to fantasize about, Bogs was it.

  Her smile faltered when the doors opened, leaving her face to face with Vinny. Oh shit. They locked eyes, his brows furrowing at the sight of her. The feeling was mutual. She just hid it better. How could she have been so wrong about him? Did he really think she would be interested in someone twice her age? Her answer was obvious from the death stare he was sending her. She gulped and retreated a step. Taking the stairs wasn’t looking so bad anymore. Definitely safer. She was not about to get into an empty elevator with this man. Her body stiffened, on high alert. If he made one move, she would bolt back to the apartment.

  “Are you getting in or not?” he snapped.

  She flinched at his harsh tone. She tightened her grip on her bag. No way. She didn’t answer him, which seemed to piss him off even more. He frowned. A small sense of relief rushed through her as the doors began to close. Before they could completely close, a large hand gripped the door and pulled it back open. A gorgeous set of hazel eyes peeked around the edge of the door. She cocked her head and felt her lips curl.

  “You coming, sweetheart?”

  Oh my God. It was him. Her eyes widened while her stomach did a crazy flip. There he was! She was thinking of him, and now he was in front of her. Strange. She must have looked like a crazy woman to him. She was frozen in her spot staring at him like he was God. At this moment, he did feel like her savior. Saving her from being alone in an elevator with Vinny.

  His lips curved into a beautiful smile and he jerked his head. “Come on.”

  Immediately, she stepped forward. She was in a trance as she entered, keeping her eyes on Bogs. She walked two steps to the opposite side of where he stood and leaned back against the wall.

  It’s not fate, girl, he’s looking for Taylor, remember? Still, the way he looked at her…

  His eyes remained on her when he released the door, and it started to close. It had been awhile since she had gotten the heart-racing-palm-sweating-stomach-flipping sensation rush from a mere look from a guy. Men looked at her. A lot. She was pretty, not drop dead gorgeous, but men appreciated her beauty.

  The elevator shifted, and she broke contact with him to gaze down at the floor. Taylor, Taylor, Taylor. He wasn’t just a random guy. He had an agenda which didn’t include her. It was a shame though. Lord, he was hot. She refrained from fanning herself.

  The elevator made it to the next floor, and the doors opened. Vinny grunted. “At this rate, I’ll never get to work.” He was angry. This guy was a douche. Did he really expect, after months of going without the elevator, that everyone in the building wouldn’t be eager to use it? She glanced up at his clenched jaw. Jerk.

  Three neighbors moved forward, including Ms. Duncan in her wheelchair. Poor woman had been home-bound since the elevator stopped working a few months ago. Several times, Kenzie had picked up some groceries for her, and on occasion helped her aide get her down the stairs so she could go to the park.

  “Morning, dear.” Ms. Duncan smiled, and Kenzie immediately waved.

  “Good morning.”

  The wheelchair took up a large portion of the elevator. She was tempted to get out and use the stairs. She shifted to the door but stopped when a hand rested on her hip, lightly forcing her back to her spot. She looked up to see Bogs as he turned. He grasped the handles of the chair and angled it into the corner.

  Ms. Duncan blushed and smiled up at him. “Thank you, dear.” It was almost comical. At least she knew it wasn’t just her enamored with Bogs. He smiled down at her and Kenzie’s heart pounded in her chest. That smile, that face. She avoided licking her lips, but it took effort.

  A loud grunt from her left caught her attention. Vinny glared with disgust. “Can we go already? Some of us have to work here.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him to shut up. How had she been so wrong about him? She might have said something, but Bogs beat her to it. He slowly shifted and looked over his shoulder before standing straight to full height. Impressive. He must have been over six feet, making Vinny look small. Or maybe it was the way Vinny slightly cowered.

  His side profile was just as good looking as the front. His nose was long and pointed at the end. His brow line was strong, but his brows were thick, making him appear softer. The indent of his cheekbones gave him a chiseled look, like a model. His hair was the best, short on the sides, golden strands woven through light brown hair. The top was longer, not really curly, but a wavy mess. He had a five o’clock shadow. She loved that. She could almost feel the stubble against her jaw.

  “Excuse me?”

  That was all he said. He was daring Vinny to say it again. Although she didn’t have a desire to see a fight break out in the tiny enclosure, she did enjoy seeing the jerk squirm.

  “I just, uh…” Kenzie watched his Adam’s apple bob twice. “I need to get to work.”

  Bog’s face hardened before smirking. “Oh, yeah, I get it. Here.” He backed up, and Kenzie had no choice but to brace her hands on his waist to keep him from smothering her. Or so she thought until he stopped an inch from her.

  He reached over, opened the door, and gestured to Vinny. “Take the stairs, man, it’ll be quicker.” His tone was calm and smooth as if it were merely a helpful suggestion. It wasn’t.

  Kenzie clamped her lips together but couldn’t hold back her smile. A few soft gasps echoed in the elevator. She couldn’t control her giggle while watching Vinny. Shock cast over his face, and he flushed. Bogs was basically kicking him out of the elevator.

  He rushed out through the doors as two more people made their way inside. She hadn’t realized she was still gripping his waist until he moved. His hands grasped hers and ushered her into the corner. She tugged at her hands but he laced his fingers through hers. He’s holding my hands! Strong, large callused palms scraped over her hands sending a tremble over her body. What the hell was that about? His thumb drew circles over the back of her hand. She glanced up at the back of his head and blinked. This was crazy. Why on earth was she allowing a total stranger to basically hold her hand? Heat prickled over her chest rising up her neck. Not holding, caressing.

  A loud burst of laughter boomed as the doors closed again. Everyone was making comments and commending Bogs for being a gentleman and putting Vinny in his place. Obviously, she wasn’t the only neighbor with distaste for the man. All the while, he stood in front of her stroking a light touch over her hands. It felt intimate—as if they weren’t in a crowded elevator.

  She was stiff, her tense back against the wall. She should have yanked her hands away harder, but she was enjoying it. She was close enough to smell him and leaned in slightly, not to be seen. He smelled almost swe
et. Not like flowers, but powdery, like incense. Whatever fragrance he was wearing was sexy, and had her turned on to the point of clenching her knees together. It was absurd. And insane. Had she not learned anything in elementary school? Stranger danger, jackass.

  The ride in the elevator lasted another five minutes, with two more stops. All the while, he gripped her hands. When they made it to the main floor, he released her, and she immediately pulled back, wiping her sweaty palms down her skirt. After helping Ms. Duncan, they were the last two to exit through the doors. He stopped and turned to face her in the lobby.

  “Hey, pretty girl.”

  Pretty girl. Her face heated.

  “Hey.” She gulped. This guy had an uncontrollable effect on her. The heat on her face was evident, and his smirk confirmed it. “I see you made good on your promise to Ms. Bowers.”

  He stepped forward. She should have retreated, but she was frozen in her spot. His face was inches from her, so close she could feel his breath. “I always keep my promises.”

  Being this close she got a glimpse of his hazel eyes. They were a yellowish brown. His words weren’t sexual, but they may as well have been. “I always keep my promises, and I promise to make you come for six hours, and fuck you ’til you pass out.”

  She could feel her heart pounding, and her body tremble. She needed to get away from this man. “I have to go.”

  He smirked staying close in her space. “Ya know, I’m still looking for the girl. You haven’t seen her, have you?”

  All blush was gone. She had put the reason for this man in the back of her mind, and now it was front and center. Taylor.

  She shook her head. It was too dramatic. “No, I haven’t. Sorry.”

  His eyes locked on her as if he was looking for deceit. If he looked close enough, he’d find it. He moved away from her and brushed his hand against his jaw.

  “Well, then I guess, I’ll get going, too.”

  “Okay,” she mumbled. “Thanks for getting the elevator fixed.”

  “You’re welcome.” He smiled and winked. “Guess that means you owe me, huh?”

  “What do you want?” she blurted, surprising herself with the offer. She clamped her mouth closed, not trusting her own self, and what might pass through her lips next.

  “Oh, pretty girl, that’s a loaded question.” He chuckled and walked to the door with her following. He opened the door and gestured her through, resting his hand on her back. Once outside, all she could think of was owing this man and the excitement pooling in her panties from the thought.

  “How about this? I’ll take an IOU for now.” His smile was almost predatory, and she caught the mischievous glint in his perusal of her body. Then he walked away. She stood staring at his back as he made his way between two parked cars and crossed the street. She was entranced until he glanced over his shoulder and the corner of his mouth curled. That got her out of her sex-filled daydream and spinning around quickly. Too quickly. She stumbled on her heels but was able to catch herself from face-planting on the concrete. This was crazy. She was crazy.

  She started down the street, resisting the urge to look back. If he’d seen her almost fall, she didn’t want to know. She’d embarrassed herself enough for one day.

  “It’s not you he wants,” she muttered, catching an awkward glance from the passing man next to her. Great, now she was talking to herself.

  Silently this time, she reminded herself why he was there. He was obviously looking for Taylor. A thought popped in her head. Maybe this was Trent, the bail bondsman. Bogs had to be an alias or nickname. She crossed the street, unlocking her door and climbing in the car. She slumped back in her seat unable to block her disappointment. He was obviously flirting with her to get what he wanted, and unfortunately, that wasn’t her.

  »»•««

  Bogs made it back to the office by nine-thirty. All the while the beautiful, little green-eyed liar stayed on his mind. She gave off all the obvious signs, looking away when she answered, the nervous tremble of her bottom lip. The girl couldn’t lie to save her life—hopefully, it would never come to that.

  He could not get her off his mind. Usually, Bogs was the one the ladies were infatuated with. He’d had plenty, but never had taken a strong interest to any, until Kenzie. Maybe it was partially pity for the situation the sweet innocent had gotten herself into. That’s what he was telling himself. From the research he’d done, she was as straight as an arrow, by the books, good girl. He had done a background check when Trent gave him her name. Never been arrested or in any trouble since becoming an adult. She graduated college with honors, worked for a communications company as an analyst in a downtown office. Rented a small apartment in the moderate-income section of the city. As per the usual twenty-something fresh out of college, she had incurred small debt she paid on time each month, mostly credit cards and student loans. How the hell had she gotten tied up with Taylor?

  A loud knock had him raising his head to see T wander in and take a seat in front of him.

  “Trent called, wants us to back him up tonight.”

  Bogs sat back in his seat surprised. “Got a lead on something.”

  T shrugged. “Don’t know. He said she’s been making calls to some guy that runs the money for the fights down on Union Ave. Been going back and forth on her cell.” T pursed his lips and shook his head.

  “She didn’t use a burner phone?”

  “No.” He sighed. “So, you can see the kind of dumbass were looking for.”

  Bogs had tracked the phone for location and was able to get in and also track on the outgoing calls she made. When Trent requested it, Bogs scoffed at the idea. Who the hell would use their phone if they were trying to hide out?

  Trent had explained, “This isn’t a highly skilled criminal. It’s a girl in way over her head, though she thinks she’s skilled. It’s a recipe for disaster. Add her being bat shit crazy? Yeah, tap it. This one will fuck up. I’d bet the cabin on it.”

  Bog chuckled. “Well, then it should be an easy catch.” Another thought sobered him up. While Taylor’s amateurish tactics may work in their favor, it would also add to the danger of the situation. It was putting Kenzie in a position Bogs didn’t like. “Think the friend is involved?”

  It was T’s turn to chuckle. “Got a real hard on for her, huh?”

  “She’s hot.” He would leave it at that. No need to go further with T. Kenzie was wrapped up in something with Taylor. He wasn’t sure how deep, but he got the feeling, it wasn’t good. The thought of the two of them, so different, had him wondering how they even were friends. It might be in his best interest to do a bit more research into Kenzie.

  “Fucking Bogs, always thinking with his dick.” T snickered and stood up. “Tell ya one thing, Taylor got her friend wrapped up in this shit—it’d be fucked. You saw that chick. She can’t lie to save her fucking life.” He cocked his brow. “Or her friend’s.”

  He was right. They could read right through her. If this girl ever told a lie and got away with it, he’d be surprised.

  “I’ll do some more digging. Got the feeling I’m missing something with her. I mean, seriously, how does a girl like Kenzie get caught up with a chick like Taylor?”

  T raised his eyebrows. Of course, he would. The same way a girl like his wife would get in the middle of a drug dealer on the run and end up kidnapped.

  “I’ll dig deeper. What time we leaving?”

  “I’ll come by around eight to pick you up. The club doesn’t open ’til eleven. I’m thinking they won’t be heading out until at least then. Whatever plan these two dipshits got in the works makes me think it’s gonna be a long fucking night.” T walked to the door giving a slight wave. “Later.”

  “Later.” Bogs cued up his laptop and went to work finding out what kind of skeletons Kenzie Sutton might have hidden. He’d done the basic research on her initially. Background check, motor vehicles. It wasn’t personal. There hadn’t been a need for that. Until now.

  The in
itial search brought up all her social media. It wouldn’t give him much insight, but he had a look. Basic bullshit, funny memes, a few shared dog videos, not hers. By all accounts, she was an average twenty-four-year-old. Nothing too revealing, not a massive number of friends or followers. He clicked on her profile picture. Someone must have taken the picture. She wasn’t smiling, but her face looked at peace. Her hands cupped her jaw, and her green eyes glinted at the camera. Bogs licked his lips when he trailed down to her mouth. Thick pouty bottom lip with a slight upper. They were shiny and glistening with what he assumed was the sticky lip gloss shit women loved to wear. It was a pet peeve of his. However, he was having second thoughts. On her, he wouldn’t mind get sticky.

  He clicked through her pictures. There were quite a few with Taylor, some with other girls, mostly Taylor, and a bunch with an older man and a teenage boy. They had to be related sharing the same green eyes. A picture caught his attention, and he clicked on it. She had been tagged in the photo from a woman who shared her last name. When he clicked on it, it was a photo of a much younger Kenzie, maybe ten or eleven, in a green dress. A small boy stood next to her, her brother he assumed. She had her arm over his shoulder and grinned at the camera. Bogs smiled back at the picture. Even as a kid she had that beautiful, sweet face.

  The caption read, “TBT: Mackenzie looks just like her mom in this one!” As he sifted through the comments, one specific caught his eye.

  “RIP Annie, what a beautiful soul.”

  Her reply: “She was. Such a tragedy.”

  Tragedy? He racked his brain before pulling up her info. He hadn’t come across the name Annie amongst any of his research. He would have to extend his search on Kenzie. He filtered through her name in the database. The current information he had was basic. The more he dug, it only gave him what he’d already had. She lived with her dad and brother. No trouble with the law or tragedy to speak of. What the hell was he missing? A mom.