Controlling Darkness (The Control Series Book 4)

by Anna Edwards

  "I will get one made up and put in the boot of the Lexus."

  "Thank you."

  "Right. Showers. If I don't get this present, my balls will be chewed off!"

  Before freshening up and changing, Matthew got one of the reception ladies to take a little collection of items to Sonia.

  Matthew headed to the car and climbed into the passenger's side. Now was as good a time as any to check Sonia's driving skills. She had done core competencies during the training, but Matthew wanted to see if she needed any further work. Sonia got into the driver's side after about five minutes and Matthew handed her the keys.

  “Mr North's driving is awful. If I can get away with it, I am always behind the wheel." The corners of Matthew's mouth turned up into a laugh. “I won't tell you where we are going. You just have to follow my instructions."

  Sonia started the engine and Matthew directed her. At one point, he asked her to overtake in a terrible situation which, if her reflexes weren’t good, could have caused problems. She managed it with ease, though.

  As they pulled into the Harrods car park, Matthew was pleasantly surprised at how well she had done.

  "Not bad. I want to get you on a motorway soon, but your reflexes are good. Once James tells Amy about you, we can share the driving."

  "Thank you." Sonia had a beaming smile on her face. Matthew hadn't really noticed before, but she was gorgeous. Sonia had pulled her brown hair down from the ponytail that she wore all day, and it framed the delicate features of her face. At twenty-six, she was seven years younger than him, but she was so fresh faced she only looked twenty. Her dark brown eyes were echoed by naturally long lashes, and he could see that she didn't wear much makeup. Sonia Anderson was a natural beauty. He turned away as she coughed softly. He had been staring at her.

  "Sorry, I was distracted. As a reward, you can choose what we eat. And don't worry about the cost. Mr North is paying."

  "The steakhouse here is good enough for me. I went there once before with this actress I was protecting. She was a diva, and near enough anorexic, I was surprised she met a man there. Mind you, all she ate was lettuce. Such a waste of money. What is Mr North like on that score? Does he like restaurants and eating out?"

  "His mum tends to cook to for him a lot. He eats out when necessary. He is an easy boss really. The best I have ever had. He has issues like most people, but he has his head in the right place."

  "He is pretty scary at first sight." They both got out of the car and walked towards the store as the valet took the car to park it. "What is it you need to collect?"

  "Mr North has purchased a bag. Miss Jones doesn't really like lots of money spent on her, but he is desperate to please her. The issues with her uncle have left her a little mistrustful, but I have never seen my boss so happy than when he is with her."

  "He looked comfortable but a little stressed today. I liked the fact that she didn't let him get his own way all the time."

  "Yeah. He wouldn’t have liked that." Matthew's face soured. "Look, Sonia, there are issues with Mr North. I can't talk to you about them without his permission but understand that everything that he does is for the best for Miss Jones. They may only be early into their relationship but he adores her. I would even go as far as to say he is in love with her."

  "I understand. Don't worry. I saw the looks between them today. They are both lucky to have found each other."

  "How long have you been working for Mr North? “Sonia enquired at the steakhouse, later, as she sipped her non-alcoholic Raspberry Crush and Matthew took a sip of his beer.

  "About six years now. He was my first private client. We clicked, and I have just stayed. He wasn't a billionaire then, but he was up-and-coming."

  "He is definitely very successful. He seems very intense, though."

  "Again I can't talk about that. Your detail is to Miss Jones, not Mr North. But don't worry, his past shouldn’t affect her future. Her uncle is the problem."

  "Yeah, he doesn't sound like a nice man. Would Mr North ask you to make sure he didn't come near her again...?" Sonia looked up at him.

  "Have you killed anyone before Sonia?"

  "No, but I have seen a lot of death."

  "Before this, I worked for MI5.I have been in places you can only imagine in your worst nightmares. I have killed people. To survive, I have killed more than I care to count. Mr North understands that, and leaves those decisions to me. I will only make them when I believe they are necessary. At the moment, Mr Jones is trying to save face. He lost a lot of money when Amy choose James over him. He is trying to do whatever he can to repair that reputation." The steak arrived, and they both sat back at it was served. Matthew could see that Sonia's head was full of questions. When the waiter disappeared, she leant forward.

  "This isn’t an ordinary security detail, is it? You have killed for him before, haven’t you?"

  "You know I can’t confirm or deny that, Sonia. All I will say is that you need to be prepared. You need to be ready for the unexpected because no, this isn't standard protection." Matthew put a piece of steak into his mouth, and it melted away. "But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Let's change the subject from me, I should be interrogating you. Tell me about yourself?"

  Matthew knew about Sonia anyway; --she’d had a full security check with MI5 before he even considered employing her. Some of the stuff had been hard reading, especially the part where her father had killed her mother.

  "Not much to tell really. I grew up on a farm in the Lake District. My mother died when I was young so my aunt took over my care."

  "I am sorry to hear of your mother's death. That must have been hard. How old were you?"

  "I was seven."

  "Very young." Matthew kept his face neutral but welcoming, to invite her to open up to him.

  "You don't need to do the interrogation techniques on me you know. I make no secret of the fact my father killed my mother. He is in prison for life without parole as a result. I don’t see him. I don’t want to see him. I have no father as far as I am concerned. But I suspect you probably know all this, and more, about me." She brought the steak up to her mouth again and swallowed it down.

  "I am sorry, that was rude of me. Yes, my spy training took over. It is all I have known since I left school. Sometimes I let it rule me a little. You must tell me to shut up if it happens again. This working with a partner is new to me as well. I spent a lot of time alone when I was on duty." Matthew cursed himself as he spoke. He was opening himself up to interrogation. He didn't do this. This is the reason he kept away from women. They made him talk. Yeah when James had gone to clubs in the past he had joined him and enjoyed the company of the ladies there. He and James worked well as a duo of Masters but Matthew was glad that James had found Amy now and that his boss had become effectively celibate since Lanzarote. It meant Matthew could just focus on the protection side of things. But this woman here, in front of him, was destroying that. He knew Sonia had seen the way into changing the conversation around to him, despite all her first day nerves she was as excellent in her techniques as he was. That is why he had chosen her. Matthew pulled his phone from his pocket, and pretended he had received a message.

  "I am really sorry. James wants the bag now. I am going to have to go." He pulled out his wallet and threw a hundred pounds on the table. "Order yourself dessert as well and then take the Audi home. I will get a cab. See you tomorrow." Without letting her reply, he stood and took a coward’s retreat as fast as possible. He couldn’t trust another woman. Last time it had almost got him killed. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Sonia

  Sonia jumped into the passenger seat of the Bentley. Matthew was driving, and they exchanged weary glances. Sonia had just broken cover and revealed herself to Amy. The poor woman was being hounded by the press for comment on her relationship with Mr North. She was on the edge of the Diana Memorial Fountain and being pushed further back; in danger of falling. Sonia had had no c
hoice. Matthew had been with the car.

  As the car pulled under the house in Knightsbridge, Miss Jones got out and stomped off without a word.

  "Is he going to be mad at me?" Sonia got out of the car and looked at Matthew. She had been working with Mr North for a month now and had seen his temper on more than one occasion. Amy seemed to be the only one who could melt it; however, given the mood, she was in, Sonia doubted that would happen anytime soon.

  "You did what was necessary to protect Miss Jones. Mr North will understand that. It was his choice not to tell Amy about you, and he needs to deal with the consequences of that decision." Matthew locked the car and headed for the stairs. "Come on, you might as well come with me. I have my own rooms; I will make you a drink while we wait for the fireworks."

  Sonia hadn't spoken to Matthew about anything other than business since she told him about her parents. She couldn’t blame him--he wasn't the first, and he wouldn’t be the last. The thought, however, of trying to make pleasant conversation with him while worrying if she had a job filled her with dread.

  "It is okay; I should go and get my car. I will do that while we are waiting."

  The warmth of his fingers wrapped around hers and he pulled her to him. Shivers of electricity flooded her body.

  "Stay."

  Sonia pulled her hand away, she was still angry with him.

  "It is okay; you don't have to be polite just because things are messed up. We can stick to business mode." She pulled the strap of her handbag over her head, and made for the exit to the garage. Before she knew it, though, Matthew was in front of her, his broad arms folded across his chest, and a stern expression on his face.

  "Upstairs, now!"

  "No!"

  "Sonia, I will not ask you again!"

  "Look I get it. My father killed my mother. It makes you uncomfortable around me. It is nothing new. Just let me go."

  Matthew didn't move. He studied her, and she felt so small. Slowly, he stepped aside, but as she went to pass him, he grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder like a rag doll, and pinned her so she couldn’t move. She was better trained than that. How had she allowed him to get her into this position? Matthew went up the stairs, and his big boots clomped on the marble floor.

  "Matthew put me down!" She tried to thump his back. If she could reach her gun, she would shoot the bastard in the foot. "Matthew!"

  "No!"

  "Damn it. You may be my boss but you can’t manhandle me!"

  "Who says!"

  "Err... government rules on sexual harassment in the workplace."

  "I told you, Sonia, this is no standard job. The rules don’t apply here."

  What the hell did he mean by that?

  Matthew dropped her to the floor without any grace or ceremony, when they stopped outside a doorway in a long corridor. From nearby, she could hear James and Amy shouting at each other. Sonia got up and tried to escape again, but Matthew just pinned her against the door with his muscular body. Damn. All her fantasising over his taut abs and six-, no make that eight-, pack.

  "Stay still. You don’t move!" Matthew turned his attention back to the door. Sonia just stood still. Jesus. God complex or what. She bet his dick was tiny, and he was making up for it with the attitude. When the door was open, he stood back, releasing her and motioned for her to go in.

  "Why?" She clenched her teeth and glared at him.

  "Because I want to talk to you."

  "I want you to learn some manners, but I am not sure that’s going to happen. I can see why you and Mr North get on." Matthew growled. God, the man was an animal. Suddenly losing her job didn't really seem to bother her. She wasn't sure she wanted it anymore. She went into the room. Before Matthew knew what was happening, Sonia swung around, kicked her leg out, and sent him flying onto the floor. She pulled the gun out of its holster and pointed it at his head.

  "Now, I still have the safety on, but unless you tell me what is going on, I will take it off. And I don't care what you say about that breaking your stupid rules or being irresponsible. I happen to think you swinging me over your shoulder and demanding I go into your bedroom is pretty fucking stupid as well!"

  "This isn't my bedroom!" Matthew didn't flinch, although he did look a little surprised to be flat on his back on the floor. "When I asked you here it was to explain." Matthew started to get up from the floor. Sonia let him, but didn’t holster the weapon. "I don’t find it uncomfortable that your father killed your mother. In fact, if you ever want to talk about it, then I am here for you. I have issues, Sonia, they stem from my Secret Service work. I am so sorry if you felt that my silence was your fault. Please, put the gun away. Let’s go sit down and talk. This is obviously a big issue for you. The fact you’ve drawn a weapon on me for saying it, does worry me. It would seem a little bit of an overreaction."

  "I drew the gun because you’re a prat who picked me up and carried me over your shoulder!"

  Matthew got to his feet and started laughing.

  "I am sorry Sonia." He took a step back and held his hands up. "I know the details of your parents’ case and a lot of what happened to you afterwards. I made it my business to know when James agreed to your employment. It is the only way I can protect him."

  "You know everything?"

  "I don't know your feelings, but I know the facts."

  Sonia retracted the gun and placed it on a table beside her.

  "He was an alcoholic."

  "Your father?"

  "Yes."

  Sonia sat down. She had never spoken to anyone about any of this. Matthew sat beside her on the sofa. He didn't touch her, but she could sense his presence.

  "Did your parents argue a lot?"

  "Always. Every night he would come home drunk and complain about something. He didn't have the right dinner, or it wasn't warm enough. She hadn't washed his favourite clothes for the morning. I was being too noisy and needed to be quieted. He would spend all his days on the farm and would get off around seven and would disappear to the local pub. He never drove—just walked across the fields. One night, I remember him being brought home by a couple of the farmhands. He had fallen in the snow and slid down an embankment. He had bruising and blood all over his face. He was swearing and shouting at my mother. Do you know what she was doing?"

  "I don't."

  "She was trying to clean him up. I remember him smacking her across the face, stumbling into the bedroom, and locking the door. She spent the night in my room with me, we woke up to blood from her lip on my pillow." Sonia looked up at Matthew. She never even talked to her counsellors like this. Damn him.” I really need to go and get the car." Sonia stood up and walked away from him towards the door.

  "Sonia, what happened the night your mother died?"

  She turned to face him. "I am not ready to face that."

  Matthew came closer. She could smell his spicy cologne.

  "Okay, I will not ask any more questions. Sonia, there is something you should know. The file I got about you said you could be a liability because you don't talk about your feelings. You kept them bottled up inside you like a ticking time bomb. I know that only too well, it is one of the reasons that I chose you for this job. James, Mr North, he is a man with many issues, and I am the same. I don't know Amy that well yet, but I see the same with her. Together, I would like to believe that we can heal each other."

  "That is a rather optimistic view of life." Sonia leant in, breathing in his scent again.

  "I need to have some hopes of humanity, or I may as well take my gun and go for a rather long walk."

  "Please don't do that."

  "Why?"

  "I think Mr North needs you. You’re a good 'south' to his 'north'"

  "Please, I have heard enough of the psycho drivel to last me a lifetime." Matthew wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her toward him. "Use me, Sonia, I want to help you get over this. I may have only known you a month, but you’re a wonderful bodyguard, and you could do some great things wit
h your life. Don't let the past hold you back."

  "Says the man that has barely spoken to me the last month because I am a woman and turned the conversation around to him and not me."

  "No, because I am a man and as such I am a stupid fool. Ignore that!" Matthew leant further over her so that their lips were only inches apart. What the hell was happening here? She could feel her lady parts beginning to flutter with excitement. Hello, get a grip, this is your boss. He is just trying to find out what he wants about you to manipulate you. That is what men do. "Sonia, one final question for tonight. Will you answer it?

  "That would depend on what it is."

  "It is about your parents."

  "Then I can’t guarantee that I will answer it. But you can try."

  "Did you see your father murder your mother?"

  The world went quiet. The dreaded question. Everyone always asked her that, her aunt, the police, the counsellors, even the children at her school. She pulled away from Matthew. She wouldn’t let him be the same.

  "It’s the one thing missing from your records. The one question that you’ve always been asked, but you never answer."

  "Matthew, please."

  "Sonia, answer me."

  A knock came at the door of Matthew's apartment. Sonia breathed a sigh of relief. What happened that night was hidden behind closed doors.

  "Matthew, is Sonia with you?" James' voice came from the other side of the door.

  "Yes, boss." Matthew gave her a look that said this isn’t over before striding to the door and opening it. Both James and Amy stood the other side. They stepped into the room and James pushed Amy forward.

  "Say it," James spoke with stern authority. Amy looked ashamed.

  "Hello Sonia. I want to apologise for my behaviour earlier. If James had told me about you, then I would have been a little bit friendlier when you interceded with that nasty reporter. I hope that you can forgive my rudeness. I am sorry."

  "That is okay Miss Jones, I am sorry to have given you such a shock as well. I hope that in future we are able to work together with fewer problems. “Sonia stepped forward, still shaking from her encounter with Matthew. She needed to sort herself out. No weakness--she couldn’t afford to show that, it would only lead to pain.