Sydney, the Temptress (The Delaneys of Killaroo)

by Fayrene Preston

  She knew without being told that this was Mandarin.

  In spite of all she had been through, Mandarin was still a beautiful woman, but to Sydney’s eyes she appeared tired. Her exquisite face showed strain, and there were deep lines beside her mouth and under her eyes. Normally Sydney’s heart would have gone out to her, but this was the woman who was going to try to kill the man she loved.

  The doors of the lift opened, and both women stepped inside. The doors closed. It didn’t take Sydney long to decide that she couldn’t let this opportunity pass.

  With a movement so fast even she was surprised, she punched the button that stopped the lift between the first and second floors. Immediately Mandarin’s head snapped around and she went into an automatic defensive crouch.

  Sydney held out her hand. “Please. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “That I know.” Mandarin remained in a crouch, her blood red fingernails in position to claw anyone who came too close. “Who are you and what do you want?”

  “I’m Sydney Delaney, and I’d very much like to talk to you.”

  “I know no Sydney Delaney.”

  “I’m... a friend of Nicholas’s.”

  Slowly Mandarin raised from her crouch, but her eyes remained wary and the stance of her body was alert. “So... a friend of Nicholas’s.”

  Sydney clasped her hands together, not wanting to make any inadvertent move that might startle Mandarin. “I just want you to know that Nicholas could never have done any of the things you think he did.”

  “Why, Sydney Delaney? Why do you care what I think?”

  “Because there’s been enough pain. Surely you can agree with that.”

  “I can agree with nothing you say... because, you see, you are a friend of Nicholas’s, and I am his enemy.”

  “But don’t you see? There’s no reason for you to regard Nicholas as your enemy.”

  * * *

  Nicholas walked swiftly up to Mike, who was standing in front of one of the lifts, conferring with Julian. “What’s up, Mike? I got your message.”

  “A few minutes ago Julian saw Mandarin and Sydney enter this lift together. Now it’s stopped between floors.”

  Nicholas’s face went pale. “Do you think the mechanism malfunctioned?”

  Mike shook his head. “I’m pretty sure someone inside the lift stopped it.”

  “Oh, my God. Let’s go up to two and pry the door open. Then I can climb down on top of it.”

  “Wait”—Mike grabbed his arm—“I don’t want you climbing into it. Mandarin will be waiting for you. You’d be too vulnerable. I’ll do it.”

  Nicholas shrugged out of Mike’s hold and began to walk toward the staircase. “I’m doing it, and if Mandarin so much as lays a hand on Sydney, I’ll kill her.”

  * * *

  Mandarin regarded Sydney with something like curiosity. “You love him, don’t you?”

  Sydney nodded.

  “Tell me, does he love you?”

  “No... he doesn’t. But it doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re a brave woman, Sydney Delaney. It would take much courage to love such a man as Nicholas Charron. Perhaps even more courage than it takes to hate him.”

  “But you’ve hated Nicholas all these years for nothing! Please, believe me!”

  “What I believe is that you believe the man you love. But you must understand—I am going to kill him. Resign yourself. Start your grieving now. He not only took ten years of my life, but he also was responsible for two deaths.”

  “Two?” Sydney shook her head bewildered. “No, no. That’s not right. I know you think he killed Josh, but he didn’t. And there was no other life taken.”

  “Sydney! Are you all right? I’m coming down to get you.”

  Sydney raised her face to the roof of the lift. “No! Stay where you are, Nicholas. I’m fine, and I’ll be right up.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. Just give me one more minute.” She turned to look at Mandarin.

  “Two lives, Sydney Delaney—my lover, Josh, and my unborn child, who died in my belly before he had a chance to be born. Soon you, too, will know part of that grief.” A red-tipped finger punched the button that started the lift.

  Shortly thereafter, the doors opened, and Nicholas immediately rushed in. With a brief glance at Mandarin, he put his hand on Sydney’s arm. “Are you all right? What in the world happened?”

  Mandarin’s gaze went first to Mike. His total attention was trained on her. He had one foot inside the lift, his body positioned so that he could spring toward her at a moment’s notice. Her gaze switched to Nicholas. “Your lover was trying to plead your cause with me, Nicholas. It was really rather sweet. But you should have told her that I can’t be swayed on the subject of my hatred for you.”

  With his arm around Sydney, Nicholas looked at Mandarin. “I was on my way to see you. I think it’s time that we talked.”

  She inclined her head in agreement.

  “Mike, take Sydney up to my suite. I’ll be there directly.”

  “Nicholas, be careful.” The words escaped Sydney’s lips before she could prevent it. He was probably already upset with her for trying to interfere.

  Nicholas walked her out of the lift and lowered his head to give her a light, reassuring kiss. “Go with Mike,” he whispered. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

  But Mike made no move to escort Sydney to the private lift that would take them to Nicholas’s suite. His eyes were still on Mandarin, and he held out an arm, preventing her from stepping out. “Mandarin, I’ll have those combs in your hair, please. And hand them to me carefully, teeth side toward you, ivory side toward me.”

  A hard smile curved her lips, but she reached to her hair and began slowly to remove the combs. “Very good, Michael. But then, you always were an excellent man. I believe I once asked you to work for me, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you did. Now hand me the combs, and with the greatest of care.” When he had the combs in his hand, he held up the sharp points to show Nicholas. “Poison, I’m sure.”

  Nicholas nodded, then cut his eyes to Mandarin. “I believe we have some things to discuss.” He held out his hand. “After you.”

  * * *

  The next two hours were the longest of Sydney’s life. Mike excused himself as soon as they’d entered the suite, and she knew without being told that he was going to stand in the hall outside Mandarin’s rooms in case he heard anything that would indicate trouble. Mandarin had been right when she said that he was an excellent man.

  Sydney was standing, gazing blindly out at the night, when the lift doors finally opened and Nicholas walked into the room. She ran down to him and threw herself in his arms.

  “Thank God, you’re all right!”

  “Of course I’m all right. Did you doubt that I would be?”

  She could hear the humor in his voice, and raised her head to gaze at him. He looked tired. “What happened?”

  “It’s over. It’s all over. She’s finally convinced that I didn’t have that trap set for her and that I wasn’t responsible for Josh’s death.”

  “But she’s hated you for so long. How did you manage to convince her?”

  Nicholas led her to the sofa and they sat down. “I had evidence that confirmed in black and white that I was telling the truth. But even then, it took some time to prove to her that the evidence was real and not forged.”

  “But you did convince her?”

  He rubbed his fingers over his eyes. “I did.”

  “And it’s over?”

  He laughed. “You’re as hard to convince as Mandarin was.”

  She laid her head against his chest. “It’s just that I’ve been so afraid.”

  He put his arm around her. “You should never have confronted Mandarin. That was a dangerous thing to do.”

  “I know.” She rubbed her cheek against his shirt. “How did she take the fact that Josh is the one who betrayed her?”

  “Hard,
” Nicholas said simply. “She’s been through a great deal. She’s over the illness she contracted, but she’s still not completely recovered, either mentally or physically, from her ordeal in prison. I’ve invited her to stay on the island for a while and rest.”

  “Do you think she will?”

  “I hope so.”

  Sydney remained silent, enjoying the steady beat of his heart against her ear.

  “Do you plan to play anymore tonight?” he asked softly.

  “No. I want to go back to your house and spend the night in your arms. Will you take me?”

  * * *

  Sydney felt as if her entire life had been condensed down to the two cards that lay in front of her. Everything rode on her next decision. All her senses were operating on a heightened plane, and her brain seemed to be functioning on several levels at once.

  For instance, she was completely aware of how smooth and soft the silk of her gown felt against her skin. The gown was her favorite, the bittersweet red silk she had worn the first night she had gone to Nicholas. She considered it good luck, as she did the silver and turquoise medallion that rested between her breasts beneath the bodice of the dress.

  And she knew to the dollar how much the pile of chips beside her represented, the pile having grown to staggering proportions during the evening.

  And although she wasn’t looking at him, she remembered her current dealer’s face as clean-cut, honest, and impassive. As soon as the word got around as to what was happening at her table, the pit boss started changing dealers every twenty minutes in order to insure that her table always have a fresh, impartial dealer.

  Julian had set up ropes around the table to keep at a distance the crowd that had steadily formed during the last few hours. Although the crowd was quiet, Sydney felt she could almost hear them breathing, so acute was the quiet.

  She knew that Mike stood to one side, with Sai beside him.

  And last but certainly not least, she knew that up in his control room, Nicholas paced. She could feel him, just as if he were standing beside her, touching her. And because of it, she felt torn. If she called for a card and won, what would happen between her and Nicholas? Their deal would be concluded. She could give him back his money, and there would be no more reason for her to stay on the island.

  No! She couldn’t let herself think about it. She brought her mind back to the action at the table. As usual, they were playing with four decks. Four decks meant two hundred and eight cards. Four decks meant sixteen aces, sixteen kings, sixteen queens, and so on.

  During the evening the number of other players at her table had dwindled to just two, the others having dropped out to watch her play. That meant that the three of them weren’t going through the decks as fast as they would have if the table had been full. But they were still more than halfway through the shoe, and any hand now, the dealer would shuffle.

  Sydney could remember every card that had been played. Her hand stood at seventeen. The odds were against her. She should probably stand pat.

  She raised her head to look at the dealer. Perfectly trained, his face gave away nothing, but she knew that chances of him making twenty-one were good.

  One more card. If she called for one more card, she could conceivably reach her goal—five hundred thousand dollars, plus the money she owed Nicholas, plus enough money to cover the taxes. Or she could lose everything.

  Sydney took a deep breath, and from a distance she heard herself call for another card. The card was dealt. The player played out his hand—nineteen. She looked at it, but couldn’t have said what it was. She saw herself reach out and turn over her bottom card. The dealer said twenty-one. And a roar from the crowd erupted.

  Sydney felt cold, then hot, then cold again. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the three cards in front of her. Over and over she counted and they still came up to twenty-one. She had done it! She had actually done it!

  Everyone was trying to talk to her at once. Sai and Julian were beaming. Someone she didn’t know patted her arm. Mike hugged her.

  Numbness had taken control of her body and wouldn’t let go.

  Then Nicholas was there, leading her through the crowd to his private lift. In his suite he poured her a brandy and held it to her lips until she drank. The brandy scalded down her throat, and feeling and sensations came flooding back.

  “Well, you did it.”

  Sydney turned and looked at Nicholas, sitting on the couch beside her. “I did, didn’t I?”

  The amazed tone of her voice almost made Nicholas smile. Except... he was experiencing an odd uneasiness, and, as a result, he was distracted. What was going on? he wondered. Then suddenly it hit him—Sydney now had no more reason to stay on the island. “I knew you would make it. You’re smart, beautiful, and good. How could you miss?”

  “Easily.” She took another sip and let the heated liquid slide down her throat.

  He fought back a panicky feeling. Was it possible that he was going to lose her because he was incapable of loving? He cleared his throat, but the strange lump in his throat didn’t go away. “What are you going to do now?”

  She blinked. “Now?”

  He had to touch her, so he stroked his fingers down her hair. “You’ve accomplished everything you set out to do. What now? Do you go back to your bank?”

  There was humor here somewhere, he told himself. Or maybe it was irony. Women had come and gone in his life, and he had never given a damn. But a temptress with plum-colored hair and golden eyes had come into his life and now he didn’t know if he could let her go.

  Yet he knew that he couldn’t hold her if she didn’t want to stay. And he wasn’t even sure if he could ask her to stay. Because, when all was said and done, what kind of life could he offer her? Living inside a glass palace on an island that he wasn’t yet sure he was comfortable in leaving would not be for Sydney. Could he make her happy?

  And then there was the matter of love. She deserved it. He wanted it. He squeezed his eyes shut in a private kind of anguish. Was it remotely possible that he could give and accept love?

  Sydney leaned her head on his shoulder. “Before asking me to make another weighty decision, how about giving me a chance to savor my triumph?” she asked lightly.

  “Sure. I was just curious.”

  “One thing I do know, though. The casinos of the world are safe from me. I will never, ever gamble again.”

  “Speaking for casino owners everywhere, thank you.” He paused. “I have a suggestion for your immediate future.”

  She lifted her head. “Oh?”

  He bent to nibble on her ear. “A celebration—a very private celebration for two over on the other side of the island at my house.”

  “Perfect,” she murmured.

  Ten

  Dawn was just a few hours away. Arm in arm, Sydney and Nicholas climbed the steps. Once on the deck, Nicholas turned to her and took her into his arms. Was there a sense of desperation in the way his arms had reached for her, she wondered, or was that just her own desperation she was sensing? It was as if an icy wind had blown through her and reached to her soul. From that first evening when she had raced through the rain forest to go to Nicholas, she had known that this time might come. Now it had, but she wasn’t even close to being prepared for it.

  Within the circle of his arms, happiness and sadness warred in Sydney’s heart. Her goal had been reached. Her part in saving Killaroo was done. Tomorrow she would call her sisters and see if either of them needed her help.

  But tonight she would be with Nicholas. And if it was the last time, she wouldn’t complain. Or at least she would try not to. Nicholas had never spoken a word of love to her, and she had not prodded him. With Nicholas she had gambled and lost. So she would take the happiness tonight would offer and worry about tomorrow when it came.

  “You’re very quiet,” Nicholas murmured.

  She lifted her face to him, and her hair tickled her shoulder blades. “It’s been a long night. I guess I’m just
winding down from all the excitement.”

  “I’d like to think the excitement is just beginning,” he said, and was rewarded by her laughter. He dropped a light kiss on her lips. “Come on, let’s go in.”

  A solitary porcelain lamp cast a wonderful radiance over the room, bathing Nicholas’s art treasures in a warm glow. Her mind flashed a picture of the whole room.

  But there was something wrong with the picture. Something was out of place.

  Unerringly her gaze went to the darkened corner of the room, where the copper tiger was supposed to be. She could see the tiger. It was just that he had been shifted to the right so that he no longer stood directly in the corner.

  All of this information was relayed to her brain in a matter of seconds. She heard Nicholas ask. “Would you like something to eat?”

  Acting on instinct that she didn’t fully understand, she threw her entire weight on Nicholas. catching him off balance, and falling with him to the floor, just as shots began to ring out.

  Quickly Nicholas grabbed Sydney and rolled her behind the couch.

  “Who is it?’ Sydney whispered.

  “I’m not sure,” he answered, all the while cursing himself angrily. He was a man whose way of life had taught him to have a constant awareness of danger. Yet tonight, because he had been distracted, he hadn’t seen what he should have seen. And because of it, Sydney was now in danger.

  Suddenly the gunfire ceased, and a voice Sydney had never heard before called out. “What’s the matter, Nick? Where’s your hospitality? Come on out and introduce the pretty lady to your best friend.”

  Nicholas fought against the bile that rose like acid in his throat. It was Josh! Josh! And he was alive! Nicholas could hardly take it in, but the situation demanded that he do so, and fast. There was a time when he would have given anything he owned to see Josh alive, no matter the circumstances. But not now. Not with Sydney beside him and in danger.

  Nicholas straightened until he was in a sitting position behind the couch, but he kept his hand on Sydney’s shoulder, pressing her down. “Josh, throw down your gun and let’s talk.”