Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  More cursing came over the line and Malco ordered her to put him on speaker. “King, sit-rep.”

  Kingsley tried to look, but his movements were so restricted she knew he couldn’t see anything. Sydney got to her belly and crawled as close as she could to the box under the chair.

  “It’s a black box. I don’t see anything else.”

  “How long do you have?”

  “Four minutes remaining.”

  The silence over the phone stretched until Sydney realized the phone had died. If the universe thought that adding another level of difficulty was amusing, she didn’t approve.

  She looked up at Kingsley who nodded, his expression grave. “It’s you and me for this one, baby.”

  Not about to be defeated, Sydney returned between his legs. “I’ll tell you what I see, you tell me what to do.”

  “That’s crazy, you know nothing of bombs.”

  “I know, but it’s all we’ve got left.”

  Barely breathing, she gently moved one of the panels to the side and saw four colored wires and blinking lights. She wasn’t sure what she was looking at and her heart sank. If only the bomb had been made from old car parts. Those she knew and understood.

  “Okay, it’s a twelve-inch box. I’ve opened what looks like a control panel. There are four wires inside.”

  “What colors?”

  “Two red, a black, a yellow. Another one goes from the top and is attached to your chair.”

  “If you follow the black, where does it lead to?”

  Sydney twisted to look, and it disappeared into the side of the box. Shuffling, she gently pulled at another side panel, opening it. “It’s plugged into a gold plate.”

  When she looked up, Kingsley was frowning. “Are you sure? That’s impossible. Only a moron would create that type of connection.”

  He shot her a couple more questions, and the more he asked, the more she started to panic, seeing the seconds passing by.

  “Love, from what you’ve said, I think I know how to disarm it. I could be fucking wrong though.” Gunfire sounded in the background making her jump, but she held his gaze. “The cavalry’s here, but they’ll be too late. There’s still time for you to leave if you throw your weight on that door.”

  Sydney shook her head. “Tell me what I need to do.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “We need a piece of metal. Slide it under the gold plate. That will cause it to short-circuit, and if you believe in miracles, it will defuse the bomb.”

  It didn’t make sense, but she wasn’t about to question the only bomb expert in the room.

  Frantically, she searched the room for a thin piece of metal, but apart from the bare concrete, there wasn’t much. The chair was solid wood, and she didn’t have any pins in her hair. She was about to ask Kingsley if he had a belt buckle when an idea flashed through her mind. Immediately, she removed her t-shirt and went to work on her bra.

  “Baby, I’m not complaining, but with about a minute to go, we don’t have time for that.”

  The man successfully made her laugh during the worst event of her life. “While I’m glad you like seeing me half-naked, I’m trying to get the underwire out so I can save your ass, husband.”

  When it dawned on him what she was doing, he whistled. “I married a very clever lady.”

  With a final spike of adrenaline and trembling fingers, she finally broke a piece and forced it through the fabric. Immediately, she went under the chair and pushed the thin piece of metal under the plate.

  The effect was instantaneous. Smoke rose, and a shock of electricity made her jerk her hand away. Sparks followed, along with a sickening buzzing sound. She backed away and grabbed Kingsley’s tied hand and kissed him

  Whatever the next few seconds held, she was with the man she loved, and that was all that mattered. Cupping his bearded cheeks, she touched her forehead to his. “I love you.”

  Kingsley’s whisper fanned her lips. “You’re the love of my life, Syd. Never forget that.”

  Unable to free him from the shackles, Sydney sat on his lap and hugged him tightly, waiting for the worst to happen.

  After a moment, calm returned both outside the room and under the chair.

  “Has it been five minutes yet?”

  Kingsley kissed her brow. “I’m tempted to believe I’m in heaven with you half-naked in my lap, but as I’m still bound and my ribs are painful as shit, I’m guessing the bomb didn’t go off. We’re alive, babe. You did it.”

  “Only because of you. And that means you’re stuck with me for a long time. Not disappointed, I hope?”

  He winked, but when he opened his mouth to answer, someone called from beyond the door.

  “King! Sydney! Are you in there?”

  It was Shane, and when she heard his voice, Sydney slumped in relief.

  “You better put your shirt back on, love. I don’t want to have to punch any of the guys because they’ve seen you naked.”

  Sydney smiled. “You may have to punch Mason then when he gets out of surgery as he saw me in my bra.”

  Kingsley frowned. “I don’t know what to say to that, but I’ll consider it when we get out of here. One thing’s for sure, I promise you that as soon as possible, I’ll worship your body until we can’t stand, and I’ve convinced you to stay with me for the next seventy years or so.”

  Tears filling her eyes, Sydney claimed the lips of this incredible man as the door opened and the team came rushing to their rescue.

  26

  Sydney sighed as she sat on one of the chairs around the vast conference table. Showered and wearing a yoga kit from Caitlin, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. It was as if she was floating in her body after all that had happened. It was difficult to come to grip with her new reality.

  Her uncle was dead. All her life, she’d fantasized about him dying and now her wish was granted, but she didn’t feel as elated as she thought she’d be.

  For the rest of her life she’d remember the door opening, and Shane rushing in with Emme. The others in the background. Most of the team were there, and men sporting FBI coats milled around. The crowd had parted and she’d noticed the two men lying dead, a bullet in each of their heads. There were several more of her uncle’s men in custody.

  As she looked at the bodies, memories, and pain surged for a brief moment, before she realized it was finally over.

  Looking around, Sydney had seen Malco talking with a couple of FBI agents. Behind her, Sydney heard Kingsley groan as Shane worked to free him. Malco had turned then and walked toward her. Without a word he’d kissed her forehead. She knew then who had fired the bullets that ended her uncle and Troy.

  Still shaken, Sydney was met by FBI agents who proceeded with a quick interrogation, but it didn’t take long for them to figure out what had happened.

  Alex, in the meantime, after looking through the documents she had given him, had discovered the information they had been searching for. As they’d suspected, a chunk of money had been hidden under her name, in what looked like a legitimate life insurance policy. All the other information she had provided helped make the links they needed.

  Everything they had gathered—the list of terrorists on US soil, the bank accounts, and every other piece of information proved her uncle’s guilt. It was apparent her rape—that she still hadn’t told the others about—and her kidnapping would take a backseat to uncovering the treacherous monster and betrayer of his country. Sydney didn’t care. It wasn’t her problem anymore. It would always be her trauma, but she would deal with it and push forward. Life and hope were more important.

  Someone entered the conference room, and Sydney turned to see Caitlin coming in, Killian on her heels. “Are you all right?”

  Sydney nodded as Caitlin sat beside her. “Any updates on Mason?”

  Caitlin sighed. “The last update I had was that he was out of surgery. The surgeons are optimistic. They expect a full recovery even though he was suffering early organ failure due to
blood loss. It was bad luck that the bullet nicked an artery. Thank goodness for your quick intervention, and the sacrifice of your top for a good cause.” The Alliance operative shook her head. “What a day! I know that when everything calms down, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do. Your escape was a punch in the gut to everyone, especially Shane and Malco. While I don’t approve of what you did, I understand why you did it.”

  “I couldn’t risk losing Kingsley. I should have told you what I was going to do, but I knew it would take too much time. I don’t know what I could have done differently, Caitlin.”

  Her friend smiled and touched her hand. “Don’t worry, the men will deal with it. You won’t be kicked out. I won’t allow it. How can I start my project without my partner?”

  That made Sydney smile. “You still want me? The rebellious, traumatized, and stubborn niece of Raymond Rutherford, traitor to his country?”

  She may have said that in sarcasm, but there was a little tinge of truth in it, but that didn’t seem to faze Caitlin one bit. “You’re the niece of a dead man, and you’re not a Rutherford anymore. Kingsley made sure of that. And I make my own decisions. Anyway, we’ll need you more than ever now. Did you hear Shane and Emme won a contract with the FBI? That’s where they went for those few days. It was a meeting with the director of the FBI.”

  “That’s fantastic news—I think,” she said not really knowing but assuming so from the huge smile on Caitlin’s face.

  Killian whined and pushed at Sydney’s hand with his muzzle before putting his head on her knees, which made Caitlin laugh. “And you have the approval of the most important team member. Go rest, and I’ll let you know when I’m going to see the puppies again. We’ll talk about a plan then.” With a final wink, Caitlin whistled at Killian and disappeared.

  Sydney heard a shout coming from the men’s dressing room, and it sounded very much like Kingsley cursing. Moving closer to the door, she also heard Malco and Wolf—if she wasn’t mistaken. Or was it Nick? Their voices were muffled and annoyed. Sydney had asked Kingsley to go see a doctor, but he’d refused, saying that he had been beaten up before and it wasn’t bad. He’d wanted to stay with her and insisted the guys could patch him up as good as any doctor. Hearing another groan, she decided to leave the guys to it and get some fresh air on the roof.

  Night has almost fallen over Miami, the air was humid and warm, and a faint wind played with her hair. Not far away, Latin music played and she could hear laughter in the distance.

  A normal life. How strange. For so long, she had been so detached from life. She had never dreamed that normal was possible. How her life had changed in just over a week was unbelievable. It made her giddy with joy, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.

  The music and the beautiful evening made her think of her parents and a moment after dinner one night that had been filled with joy. Her father had been helping her mother with the dishes and making her laugh. He’d twirled her around and started swaying with her in his arms. They had been happy, and they’d loved her. If there was one legacy she could uphold, it was that one.

  Lost in the moment, swaying on the rooftop, a deep male voice made her jump and turn around.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

  Kingsley stood by the trap door, a soft smile on his handsome face. Before she could open her mouth, he walked toward her, a twinkle in his eyes Sydney had never seen before. She could see from how carefully he walked he was still in pain. There were bandages on his wrists, and bruises on his face.

  Her magnificent warrior of a husband took her in his arms. She expected him to kiss her and was surprised when he swept her into a waltz instead. It was clumsy and the most beautiful thing in the world.

  Careful of his battered body, she moved with him to the rhythm of the distant melody carried by the evening air. Tears filled her eyes when she buried her nose into his shoulder.

  She must have made a sound because Kingsley tensed. “Honey, are you okay? I know I’m the worst dancer ever, but I didn’t think I was that bad.”

  Sydney chuckled and rubbed her eyes on his shirt before looking up. “You’re a great dancer. Ask me to dance anytime.”

  “So why the tears?”

  “I just realized that we almost didn’t get this moment. It just hit me that from the moment we met until a few hours ago, so many things could have gone wrong. What if you had believed Raymond? What if you were in Mason’s place right now?”

  Kingsley didn’t answer and just smiled before bending down and taking her lips in the most intense kiss of her life, as if he was pouring everything he was into it.

  Just as she was out of breath, he pulled back, serious and intense. “From the moment I lost my brother, and later, when I became a soldier and then joined the Agency, death was the only certainty in my life. I’ve lived with it constantly, but since I met you, I’ve realized that even if it’s a definite thing, I don’t want to focus on it anymore. You were granted another chance at life, and so was I. I want to experience that with you. The danger, the joy, the sorrow, and the crazy. Our marriage may have been to save you, but I want it to work. I want that partnership in my life, making decisions with you. As a matter of fact, let’s start right now. Where do you want to live?”

  Laughing at her dark soldier who was so enthusiastic. “I don’t know…”

  “Do you want to move into your father’s house?”

  She instantly shook her head. “No, the bad memories overwhelm the good ones there. I want to start fresh.”

  Still swaying together, Kingsley seemed to think about it before he spoke again. “My place is too small, so we should look for another place. Any specifications? Near the beach, a backyard?”

  “A garage so we can work at repairing my father’s car. And definitely a backyard. I want that puppy you promised me.”

  Kingsley kissed her nose. “Anything you want. As a matter of fact, let’s go now. Let’s go search for our dream home and when we find it, we can go get that puppy.”

  As he pulled her by the hand, Sydney smiled. “It’s too late. What about you show me your inappropriate apartment and if we’re up to it tomorrow morning, we can start house hunting then.”

  It took only a second for his eyes to gleam in expectation, and he tugged even harder on her hand. “Come with me, wife of mine. I want to worship you as I promised and start our happily ever after.”

  With a smile she believed would never vanish from her face, Sydney decided that doubts and bad memories could be dealt with later. Right now, her heart full, her hand in Kingsley’s, she knew she was ready for danger, joy, sorrow, and crazy with this man, and this fantastic new life starting right now.

  Epilogue

  Kingsley paced the beach suddenly unsure if he had done the right thing.

  Shane chuckled at his side. “Will you calm down?”

  “What if she doesn’t want this? What was I thinking?” Kingsley straightened his tie again.

  “She’s going to love it, and she loves you.” Shane waved his hand at the rows of chairs, the flowered arch, and tiki lights that twinkled. “You know chicks dig this shit.”

  Emme glared at him from the other side of the altar. “Nice, Shane. Very romantic.”

  Shane looked at Emme his gaze full of love and with a slight begging tone to his voice. “Baby, you know what I mean.”

  Kingsley’d had the idea about two months ago. He and Sydney had never had a wedding, and he wanted to make it official, but every time she mentioned it to her, she insisted she didn’t need the fancy stuff, just him. He loved her for it, but most women wanted a romantic wedding, and he knew she was no different. He had enlisted Cleo, Caitlin, Emme, and Mercy’s help and they had been thrilled with the plan to have a surprise beach wedding on the first anniversary of their meeting. He wanted all her old hurts and bad memories to be replaced with happy ones.

  His phone pinged with a text, and he looked at it with nerves he had never felt before, but n
othing had meant so much before.

  Caitlin: On our way.

  “She’s on her way,” he called to their assembled friends and family. His mom, some of his friends from the UK, including Zack Cunningham, his wife Ava, and their two children, and his mates Dolph and Teddy from the Navy were all there. He was sad nobody from Sydney’s past, but she was so tight with the girls now, no one would never know they weren’t lifelong friends.

  He saw a car pull up to the road behind the beachside restaurant he had hired for the after-party, and his heart jumped to his throat. Dropping out of planes was less nerve-wracking than this.

  He watched in awe as Sydney stepped from the car. The plan was that she and Caitlin would go shopping for dresses for another wedding they were all attending and then Caitlin would insist they get hair and make-up done for fun.

  Sydney had started to embrace her inner girl with the security of his love and her friends behind her. Of course, he thought she looked stunning all the time, but she enjoyed the girlie stuff, and he loved that she did.

  Her eyes searched for his, and she took in the people and the setting. The smile and love he saw on her face settled every last doubt he had. His eyes didn’t leave hers as he watched Malco walk toward her and offer his arm. He didn’t hear the words said between them but saw her kiss his friend’s cheek and take his arm.

  The music began as he turned to Shane with a grin, which his best man returned. He and Shane had gotten tight over the last year, and he figured without him and Emme believing in him and giving him the opportunity, he never would have met the woman who owned his heart and soul.

  Sydney walked with Malco down the sandy aisle and stopped beside him before handing the bouquet Caitlin had thrust at her back and kissing Malco on the cheek.

  She looked at him with a quirk to her lips. “So this is what you’ve been up to.”

  “Guilty,” he replied.

  Sydney stepped closer and tugged on the lapel of his jacket. He had opted for navy jackets, white shirts, and beige trousers. He wanted to be relaxed but look good for his wife.