Until Sydney: A Tanner Cycle Novel

by Marissa Dobson

  “I’ve been waiting so long for this moment.” She loved the feel of him in her hand and knowing she caused his cock to be rock hard. He desired her as much as she wanted him.

  “Then let’s not waste another second.” Even with his suggestion, he did nothing to urge her to move faster.

  Desperate, she shifted her position. Angling the head of his cock just below her opening, she sank down onto it, slowly allowing his hardness to fill her inch by inch, until his low moan echoed hers. Moving his arms from behind his head, he reached out and pinched her nipple, the pain mingling with pleasure. She rocked upward and then down again, finding her rhythm. Impatience coiled through her as she tried to find the right motion. As if realizing her frustration, he grasped her hips, increasing his pace and driving into her with force.

  With every thrust, he sped his pace, hands on her hips, pulling her down onto him harder and faster. Stroke after stroke, the tempo between them intensified until his hips where slamming off hers. The thrusts became deeper, more urgent, falling into a perfect rhythm. Their bodies rocked back and forth and her back arched, pushing her breasts out toward him as her orgasm neared. The tension strained through her muscles, tightening around his cock.

  “Fuck, baby.” He dug his fingers into her hips. “Tighten around my cock.”

  As she pushed down onto him, he arched up to meet her. Ever faster and deeper, they met each other’s thrusts. They climbed the mountain, both seeking the apex. “Coal!” Screaming his name, she slammed down onto his body as her orgasm found her. She dragged her nails along his chest, leaving angry red scratches.

  His grasp on her hips tightened, keeping his cock buried deep within her as his own orgasm hit him. “Fuck, baby.”

  She collapsed on top of him, her hands on either side of him, holding him tight to her. This had been what she had wanted and hoped for; but now that she had him, she was terrified he would end up breaking her heart. If he got up in the morning and regretted their night together, she wasn’t sure how she could face him again.

  “Syd.” He brushed her hair away from her face.

  “I’m sorry, I’ll get off you.”

  “No, baby.” He wrapped his arms around her, holding her in place. “You can stay there all night if you wish.”

  “Then I’ll stay.” She wrapped her lips over his nipple, gently biting it.

  “Fuck, baby.” His cock twitched inside her, sending a jolt of desire rushing back through her, forcing her inner core muscles to tighten around him again. “Baby, if you do that again I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  “What will you do?”

  “I’ll roll you over and fuck you until you’re so fucking sore you can’t walk straight tomorrow, let alone sit.” He swatted her ass, making her jerk in surprise.

  “Oh, Coal!” She slipped off him to cuddle beside him. “If I could wake up every morning next to you and have amazing sex like this every night, I think my life would be complete. But if I wake up in the morning and you regret everything that’s happened, I will always have tonight to remember.”

  “Morning will be here before we know it and I can promise you I won’t regret this. If making love to you when the sun comes up will prove that to you, I’ll do it without a single complaint.” He squeezed her tight against his side. “I love you, Syd, and nothing is going to change my mind. You’re mine, today, tomorrow, and forever.”

  Joy and excitement exploded through her chest. I’m his! Her excitement diminished when a soft buzz echoed through the loft.

  “Fuck.” He slipped his arm from around her and shot out of bed, quickly making his way to the smaller model of the security unit on the dresser. He could still see all the cameras and communicate with the gate’s speaker box, but it wasn’t as nice as the larger model downstairs.

  “What’s happening?”

  He wanted to tell her it was nothing but the Davenport police cruiser outside his gate made him believe otherwise. Rather than lie to her, he shook his head and pressed the intercom button. “Can I help you?”

  “Mr. Coal Tanner? I’m Sergeant Scholl and I need to ask you a couple questions.”

  “Whatever this is about, arrangements can be made through my attorney, Mr. Kevin Ashburn.”

  “I’d prefer to get it over with now, but if you want to do this the hard way, I can have a warrant here within an hour’s time. I just need to clear up some questions concerning Jayden Manor and determine if you know his whereabouts.”

  “Sergeant, I know where he is. He’s in jail in Pennsylvania, waiting for his trial.” When Syd stepped up next to him, he let go of the intercom button and he slipped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. “Why are the Davenport Police interested in Jay?”

  “It’s our belief if he isn’t already here then he’s on his way to the area in search of his sister. Now are you going to let me in or should I request a warrant?”

  “Fuck!” He held her tighter, not wanting to let her go. Due to his charges, Jay had been denied bail, so if he was out and headed this way, it could make for a nasty situation, one he didn’t want her in the middle of.

  “Don’t make trouble for yourself. You haven’t done anything wrong. Let him in,” Sydney, who had been quiet up until now, urged him.

  Without a word, he pressed the button, allowing the gate to swing open and the sergeant to drive in. “Baby, I want you to stay here. I’ll meet him downstairs.”

  “Why? Why would Jay run? With the pending charges and his criminal record, he has to realize they’d use whatever force necessary to take him down.”

  “I don’t know, baby, but I’m going to find out what they know. Meanwhile, I want you to get dressed. If we need to we’ll go to the main house. It will be safer with everyone around.” He pulled open the drawer and grabbed a pair of jeans before quickly tugging them on.

  “You think he’ll come after me? Why? It doesn’t make sense. We’re family.” Shivering, she shook her head.

  “You told me yourself that he admitted to killing someone. You could be called as a witness and your testimony would no doubt help put him behind bars for a very long time.” Opening another drawer, he pulled out two t-shirts, dropped one onto the dresser, and quickly slipped the other one over her head. It was big on her, but it was something to help keep the chill of the air at bay and to stop her from shivering. “Listen to me—it’s going to be okay. You’re safe here.” He’d make sure of it. His brothers and Tank were around for extra protection but he’d make sure to bring in additional security in the morning, not to protect the property but to protect his girl.

  “I just want this over.” She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his chest.

  “Soon, baby, soon.” He kissed the top of her head before he led her back over to the bed and tucked her under the covers. “Just rest. I’ll be right back.”

  He hated to leave her but he wanted to handle Sergeant Scholl himself first to pump whatever information he could get out of him. If the sergeant wanted to question her, he’d have to wait. As he jogged down the stairs, his cell phone, which he’d tossed into his pocket on the way out the door, vibrated with a message from Cay. Tank’s checking the perimeter. What do you want us to do?

  He stopped for a moment in his office, surrounded by memories of the last several days working side by side with Sydney, and shot Cay a quick message back. Be ready if Jay comes for her. Jay and her family had done enough to her; he’d be damned if he’d let it continue. She deserved so much better than what they’d put her through. How many times when they were kids had he stepped in to keep her safe because of something her father, Tim, or Jay had gotten into? Too many times; eventually he’d lost track.

  The knock on the door to the shop reminded him that Sergeant Scholl was waiting and forced him to finish his descent to the shop. While climbing down the rest of the stairs, he wondered where Jay was. Had he already made it to Minnesota? How long did they have before he made an attempt to get at Syd? Without any answers
to the questions floating within his mind, he pulled open the door and stepped out.

  “I knew you were a sensible man and would see things my way.” The sergeant leaned against the hood of his car. “We’re going to do this here or are you going to invite me in?”

  “Ask your questions.” Coal wandered away from the door, nearing the sergeant who appeared to be tired and overworked.

  “On the night of his arrest, Jayden placed his only call to you. Was he hoping you’d bail him out? Hire him a lawyer?” Sergeant Scholl took a small notebook out of his shirt pocket and unclipped the pen, ready to write down anything useful.

  “No.”

  “It’s my understanding that you and Mr. Manor go way back. You’ve even bailed him out before, paid for his lawyers. Why wouldn’t you do it again?”

  “Because I washed my hands of it.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Jay and I grew up together and I’ve helped him in the past but he’s unwilling to make changes in his life. He wants to stay in the criminal world and I want nothing to do with that. I told him that.”

  “If he knew all of that then what was the purpose of his call?”

  “His sister. But you already know that, don’t you?” Coal didn’t give the sergeant a chance to answer. “Sydney Manor was in danger because of Jay’s criminal dealings. He knew that and asked me to get her out of the city so that she was safe.”

  “What is her involvement in his dealings?”

  “None,” Coal growled before he could stop himself. “Sydney’s innocent. Born into the wrong family but their crimes are not her burden to carry.”

  “Let’s stop this charade.” Scholl shoved his notebook back into his pocket. “We haven’t had dealings together because I’m new to this town, but I know of you. The whole department knows you. You know how it is in a small town like this. I was the only one on when the call came through. Chief Kingsworth and Officer Cunningham are on their way.”

  “Seems like overkill to bring out the chief when all you wanted was a few answers to your questions.” Coal raised an eyebrow at the sergeant. “Unless you’re planning…oh fuck no! You’re not using Syd as bait to catch her lunatic brother.”

  “She’s already in the line of fire. His picture is all over the news and a clerk from a minimart in Minneapolis called it in. She was leaving work when he hijacked her car. Jayden’s in the area and he’s coming for Ms. Manor.” The sergeant pulled his phone from his pocket and clicked a button, before holding it out toward Coal. “Need further proof?”

  There on the screen was a still from a security camera showing Jay behind the wheel of the stolen car. In the background hung a sign for interstate ninety-four. There was no doubt in Coal’s mind that Jay was less than an hour away. “When was this taken?”

  “More than two hours ago.”

  “Fuck!” Two hours ago meant he could already be in Davenport. He was most likely close and he was coming for Syd. “He’s not getting her!”

  “Chief Kingsworth has been in touch with the Pittsburgh police and from what they’ve gathered from his brother and a cellmate, they believe Jayden will scope out your place tonight and then find some place to lie low until tomorrow. He’ll come after her tomorrow.”

  “So what now? We just wait?” He wasn’t sure just sitting around doing nothing would be the best way to keep Sydney safe. He wanted to throw her in his truck and make tracks out of town as fast as he could. There had to be somewhere safe he could take her. Somewhere Jay wouldn’t find her. Once he was safely behind bars again, she’d be free to live her life.

  “Unless we can find him first, what choice do we have? He makes his move and we take him down. Cunningham is a good officer but he was chosen for this because he won’t stand out. It will appear you’ve hired another worker. He knows his way around motorcycles, spent years working in a shop a few towns over, and even owns a couple of bikes himself. He’ll fit the part that needs to be played and he can be close enough to watch the girl.”

  “I’m not trusting her safety to just your man.” He grabbed his cell phone from his pocket and pulled up Maverick’s contact information. “I’m going to call my cousin and get him over here. After twenty years in the Marines, Maverick recently took his retirement. With him, Tank, and my brothers here, I know we can keep her safe.”

  “Do that if it gives you more confidence but we’ll be the ones taking Jay in. All of the Davenport Police Department officers are being alerted to the situation and others, including the Feds, are on their way. You need to remain here and make it look as normal as possible. When Jayden arrives, he needs to feel at ease to make his move.”

  Chapter Nine

  Hours of sitting around talking about her brother coming after her left Sydney cold inside. The very idea that Jay wanted her dead was unbelievable. She couldn’t wrap her mind around that but as much as she wanted to protest what they were saying, she couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t true. She could be called to the stand to testify about him coming home that night covered in blood and how she’d witnessed him burning his clothes in the backyard. Her testimony could help put her brother behind bars for life, but even knowing that, she couldn’t take responsibility for his conviction. He was the one who’d committed murder, yet, somehow, he was blaming her. That wouldn’t make sense to any sane person but her brothers had never taken responsibility for anything they’d done wrong.

  “Syd?” Coal wrapped his arm around her shoulders, gently bringing her closer to him.

  “Huh?” She blinked and glanced around the room at the men gathered there. All of the Tanner brothers except Cain were present, as well as Coal’s cousin, Maverick, Tank, and Officer Cunningham—all of these people willing to protect her. “I don’t deserve this.”

  “Baby.” Coal gently rubbed her shoulders, doing his best to soothe her.

  “No, I’m right.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “My family…they’re monsters. Jay’s killed before. What if this time one of you gets in his line of fire? I can’t let you go through with this. Officer Cunningham, there has to be another way, one that doesn’t put everyone at risk.”

  “No fucking way, Sydney!” Coal shot off the sofa, took her hand, and dragged her out of the living area, away from the other men. Without saying a word, he pushed her into the large guest bathroom off the side of the room. With the living area open, the bathroom was the only place where they could have privacy. Even if they went up to the loft bedroom, the others could have overheard them. He shut the door behind them and stepped in front of her, forcing her back against the wall.

  “Coal—” She wanted to reason with him, to explain why she should do this on her own, but he wasn’t having that.

  “Don’t, Syd. Just fucking don’t!” he growled.

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Even though she wasn’t sure that touching him was the best thing, she reached out and placed her hand on his chest. He was angry and while she trusted him completely, she couldn’t stop the images of her father’s anger lashing out at her mother years ago. Memories of the bruises covering her mother’s arms from where her father had grabbed her flashed danced before her eyes. “Please, Coal.”

  “Please what? Please let you become a target? Please don’t be angry that you’re willing to risk yourself?” He looked down at her and instantly, the anger in his eyes started to subside. “Fuck, baby, don’t look at me like that.”

  He backed away from her and leaned against the bathroom counter. She stayed pressed against the wall for a moment longer before she took a deep breath. Coal wasn’t the same man her father was and she knew he’d never hurt her. The whole situation overwhelmed her and his anger had made the past seep through into their present, but she was about to put an end to that.

  “I’m sorry.” Wanting the tension to cease and to be in his arms again, she crossed the space to stand in front of him. Even when she put her hands on his chest, his rested on the counter, as if trying to prove to her he wasn
’t going to hurt her. “I know you’d never hurt me. I don’t know why the thoughts even crossed my mind.”

  “Because your father was an abusive asshole.” When her mouth fell open slightly, he nodded. “I saw the bruises on your mother but I remember the rage he took out on Tim and Jay.”

  “Why was I never at the receiving end? What made me special?”

  “Your mother protected you. She’d vowed to leave him and take you and your brothers if he ever raised a hand to you. She wanted to protect all three of you but he told her that she didn’t know how to raise a true man, and unless she wanted to lose the kids, she’d let him handle the boys. She was afraid that if she left him, she’d lose you. So she stayed and protected you the best she could.”

  “I guess us Manor women want to protect those we love.” She tried to give him a smile but it was too forced to carry off. If her mother had left her father, maybe she’d still be alive. One thing she knew was that her mother wouldn’t have been on the way to fetch her father from the police station, that day when she was killed.

  “Well, get that thought out of your head because there’s not a chance in hell I’m letting you willingly offer yourself up to Jay. I’ll tie you to my bed if I have to, in order to keep you safe.”

  “Just to keep me safe?” She gave him a quick grin and pressed her body against his. “Something tells me you might get some pleasure out of that.”

  “You always bring me pleasure.”

  “What the hell is going on in there?” Cal hollered from the living area. “It’s late and if you’re not planning on continuing this conversation, all of us would like to get some sleep.”

  “We’ll be out in a minute,” Coal hollered to his brother but kept his gaze on her. “Listen to me, baby. I’m not going to allow him to get to you. I’m going to keep you safe and when I hear you saying fucking shit like you told Cunningham, it pisses me off.”