An Obsession with Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 3) Read online

  The slow-forming smile he gifted her with had her shaking with the effort it took not to lean over for another taste. See? One and she was hooked.

  Hooked on his well-used mouth? she demanded of herself. Get some pride.

  But that kiss. It had literally curled her toes in her shoes. Had they not been interrupted, she wasn’t sure what she would have let him do to her. She’d been lost. Within seconds of their mouths meeting, she’d been lost, proving she was far more vulnerable where he was concerned than she’d ever been with another.

  “I heard from day one that you don’t fuck around. And for once, it seems the rumors are true. Tell me this time; why won’t you play?”

  She shrugged and glanced at the diners paying them no attention whatsoever. “Now isn’t the time for a discussion like this. And I thought you said we couldn’t ‘play.’ ”

  He tugged on her until she had to lean in. She didn’t care how it looked if Luiz or any of his people were watching, she strained not to get too close.

  “We can’t. But if we could, would you?”

  Why was he carrying on this way if they couldn’t? “Of course not. Now shouldn’t we go?” She latched on to his arm and attempted to pull him up.

  “Look at you,” he commented quietly. “You have such a desperate need to control everything that you’ll even physically attempt to move a man three times your size in order to get me to fall in line with your plan. Well, allow me to enlighten you, lover. You’re going to lose here.” He stood and drew her against him. “Why, you ask? Because I don’t do a goddamn thing unless it’s what I want to do.”

  Refusing to be beaten, she brought her hand up to run the tips of her fingers over his throat—reverting to the role she’d forgotten she was playing. “Really, Russia?” she said silkily. “I don’t believe that. In fact, I’m sure you’re quite flexible if an opportunity presents itself. You don’t get a reputation like yours by being rigid.” Very subtly she tried to step out of his embrace. He didn’t give her an inch, and thankfully he let the obvious joke pass, so she went on. “If I led you to the restroom right now and asked you to have sex with me in the cramped stall, you’d refuse? Just because it wasn’t your idea? I doubt it. Now come on—my stomach is trying to eat itself. I want Chinese.”

  “No, Sydney.” The change in his tone caused the air around them to grow heavy, the atmosphere to darken, reminding her who she’d just attempted to put in his place. “I would refuse to fuck you against the wall in a public restroom because you’re too much of a lady for that. But even more importantly, I’d refuse because I gave my word to a man I respect above all others. I may play with you and try to work you up because it’s entertaining, but that’s as far as I’ll take it until this is over. Believe me—your change of heart won’t be the deciding factor here. And no matter what happens between us down the road, you’ll never have the luxury of calling the play. Don’t forget that.” She could do nothing but stare up at him as he released her and withdrew his wad of cash. As he tossed some bills to the table, he kept talking. “You think you hold the monopoly on control?” He laughed and took her arm to lead her to the front entrance, all the while speaking into her ear. “It’s like comparing a world-renowned symphony conductor to a baby with a rattle. Lording over women is what I do. Or over anyone, for that matter. Why do you think we’re still here? I’m going to leave because Morales told me to leave? Fuck no. We’re leaving now because I think we’ve gotten our point across.” He took her wrap from the attendant and laid it over her shoulders before bustling her out the front doors.

  Gulping in the cool air in order to clear her head, Sydney dug out her valet ticket, only to have it plucked from her fingers. Maksim overtook even the smallest of tasks from her by handing it to the man who’d sat with Micha inside. Another one materialized beside him, and they walked off together, presumably to get her car.

  “Come. Your car will be delivered to your club. I don’t want to be seen leaving separately.” She was tugged to the curb and put into the back of the Hummer.

  The choice taken from her, she settled in, with Maksim following suit. Micha, who was at the wheel, pulled into traffic.

  “Obviously you knew that was Luiz’s restaurant,” she said after they’d gone a few blocks. She couldn’t process all he’d said back there, so she didn’t even try. She did understand that he was out of her league and clearly dominated in the bedroom as much as he did in his everyday life.

  “Of course.”

  Of course. “And that’s why you said kissing me was a necessity?” She’d lowered her voice so Micha wouldn’t hear the question she shouldn’t have asked. “Because you knew Luiz was there?”

  Maksim glanced at her, his expression unreadable. “Yes. Why?”

  “Just curious.” She turned and watched the lights of intersection after intersection go by. She was messing this up by forgetting the reasons they were doing it. Even with her constant reminders. At the beginning of each night she was clear on her path. But the moment they were embroiled in a new scenario, she lost sight of everything but how he made her feel. She had to make more of an effort to remember what this was—contrived. They were not involved. Anything they did together was for the benefit of an audience. The end result? Her and Andrew’s lives back. Working her up, making her want him, was nothing but entertainment. He’d just said so.

  “Did he spook you?”

  She straightened at the question and looked at this man who was putting himself out to save her ass. “Yes, he did. But I felt safe with you.” Wrong or not, inappropriate or not, she reached up as far as her seat belt would allow and hugged him as she would have Jerome, or any of her other bouncers who’d ever come to her rescue. Maybe if she put him in the friend slot, it would make this easier. “Thank you for that, Maksim. I’m sorry if I’m difficult and come across as ungrateful. I’m not. Really. I appreciate what you’re doing for us more than you’ll ever know.”

  She saw his brows come down in the flash of illumination from the streetlight. “For ‘us’?”

  Shit! “Yes. For me and Emily. I sometimes talk about her like she’s still here.” She laughed nervously and jabbered on. “And I guess I can include my staff, too, because if things had continued as they were, I’d have eventually ended up getting caught and going to jail, so you’re helping to keep them employed. Unless I’d agreed to sleep with Luiz, of course,” she said with a cringe that hurt it was so full of ew.

  “Why didn’t you just hang out with him for a while and work off your debt?”

  The undertone of the surprising question was reluctant curiosity. How was she supposed to answer that? Could having morals be explained?

  “Because I don’t feel anything for him but fear and loathing. How . . . ? I mean, I wouldn’t have been able to . . .” She shook her head, at a loss. “I just couldn’t.”

  Maksim’s expression was almost tender as he cupped her cheek. He dropped a kiss to the crown of her head, reminding her of how she did the same to show Andrew she was proud of him. Then he settled back, big body relaxed, hands behind his head, eyes closed. He said something in Russian. Pretty sure he’d been talking to himself, Sydney didn’t ask him to translate.

  Sitting alone at his dining room table, Luiz leaned back so his housekeeper could remove his empty breakfast plate. He picked up his cell phone. Never having been an overly patient man, he dialed Vasily Tarasov’s number for the second time in a week. He wanted this settled and done with so he could move on. He toyed with the lighter he’d received on his last birthday as he waited for the call to be picked up.

  Ever since he’d seen Sydney Martin in the arms of that giant Russian, oblivious to anything going on around her while in the arms of that giant Russian, Luiz had felt as if he’d been robbed. Again. Robbed and humiliated. It was one thing for Kirov to have called and warned him off, another to have a relationship Luiz had hoped to have with the Aus
tralian shoved down his throat. He’d had the rug pulled out from under him with that revelation, and he didn’t like the feeling.

  “Yes?”

  “Vasily. Luiz Morales. Do you have time to talk?”

  “Luiz. I had planned to speak with you last night, but the time got away from me.”

  “Yes. So Kirov told me.”

  “You spoke to Maksim?” There was a sincere note of surprise in the Russian’s voice, but he couldn’t trust it.

  “Twice in the past couple of days. Once on the phone, and once in person when he came to my restaurant last evening with Ms. Martin on his arm. Or should I say in his arms. The two really should learn how to conduct themselves in public,” he said disparagingly, even though if he’d been the one with Sydney on his dance floor, he would have done something much more shameful than kiss her. No matter who was witness to the event.

  “Yes, they do have a habit of forgetting others are in the vicinity when they’re together,” Vasily said indulgently, a smile in his voice. “Forgive us for not sharing the nature of their relationship the other night when we spoke. They prefer not to advertise it so Sydney’s business isn’t negatively affected by anyone with a grudge against us. You know how some in our circles can be.”

  Luiz tightened his fist around the lighter. “My impression when telling you of my dealings with Ms. Martin was that you were unaware of them. If she and Kirov are together, that must mean you knew about our problem before I came to you.”

  “No, actually it doesn’t mean that,” Vasily corrected him. “I had no clue you were associates or that you knew each other at all. Sydney doesn’t share the details of her business with me, any more than I would share mine with her. I know her only in social situations where Maksim deems it suitable to bring her out. He’s unusually protective of this one, and I will tell you, he wasn’t very pleased to hear what she’s been up to in her spare time. She certainly won’t be doing anything of the sort again. From what I understand, she learned her lesson quite well.”

  So Kirov had had the pleasure of punishing the beautiful blonde. What had he done, Luiz thought caustically, spanked her before fucking her? Foreplay.

  “I don’t mind telling you how disappointed I am in learning of this development, Vasily,” he said. But recognizing when he was beat, he chose to give in as gracefully as he was able. “But it is what it is, and because I’m not a foolish man, I will wish your brigadier well with his lady and hope our paths don’t cross until my pride has had some time to recover.” That might take a while.

  The silence stretched in his ear, and then Vasily chuckled. “It’s rare for a man such as yourself to admit defeat without more of a fuss, Luiz. As nice a change as this is, I find I’m leery of trusting it.”

  “You should be,” he said bluntly. “I would be, too. But that doesn’t change the fact that I have many more important things on my mind than Ms. Martin’s lack of business etiquette. Good-bye, Vasily. Enjoy your day.”

  Luiz hung up and stood. He walked over to the buffet table set up with anything he could possibly want to eat for breakfast. The sight reminded him of a hotel.

  With one swipe, he sent it all to the floor, smashing the plates, causing a mighty crash from the metal serving dishes slamming together against their lids.

  The sound of footsteps slapping against the tile made him turn. His wife, fresh from the shower in just a robe, dark hair wet and hanging down her back, skidded to a stop. Her unmade-up eyes were wide and clear of the haze of drugs. She looked young and so beautiful. Just as she had when they’d met.

  She looked away from the mess he’d made when he moved toward her and glanced questioningly at him when he scooped her into his arms.

  “Luiz? What are—?”

  He slammed his mouth down on hers and poured his aggression into a kiss that had her stilling, and then yanking his clothes off before he could even hope to reach their bedroom. He veered into his office since it was closer and brought her over to the sofa. As he made love to his wife for the first time in months, leaving love bites and small marks that would be gone within hours, his mind was blocks away, his cock buried not within her body but within the curvy body of the blonde club owner who’d just fucked him harder than the woman in his arms ever could.

  Dropping a kiss to Andrew’s head, Sydney leaned over and grabbed her cell off the coffee table, pressing the side button to stop the text alert from going off again.

  “Want me to pause it?”

  She shook her head, having no intention of allowing anything to interrupt their quiet time.

  Daniel had had hockey practice, and for once Andrew hadn’t felt like sitting around the arena for two hours, so he’d come home earlier than expected. When she heard the alarm being reset, Sydney had woken and couldn’t go back to sleep, so here they were, enjoying a late-morning cartoon session thanks to Netflix. Bugs Bunny and Tweety were doing a pretty good job of keeping her mind occupied.

  She glanced at the display screen on her phone, fully meaning to toss it to the cushions next to her. Until she saw the text.

  “Ugh,” she groaned. There went her Saturday.

  “What?”

  “The costumes are ready for the Thanksgiving float. The mother of one of the committee members did them, and she lives in Stamford. I have to drive out there to pick them up.”

  From the time Andrew and Eleanor were little, Sydney and Emily had, as so many parents did, taken them to the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They’d been so enamored that she and Emily had looked into volunteering their time in any way they could just so they could say they were a part of it.

  “Connecticut?” Andrew asked with a twisted mouth.

  She nodded and put her newly polished drama skills to work. “Come with me, please. I know you want to spend the day playing, but will you change your plans and keep me company for the drive? Pleeease?” she wailed, slouching low so that her chin hit her chest as she clasped her hands in front of her.

  “’Kay. Can we stop at Starbucks for a Cookie Dough Frappuccino?”

  She straightened immediately and gave him a playful swat to the thigh. “I can’t believe it’s come to me having to beg and bribe you to spend time with me.”

  “You don’t, Mom. I would’ve come. You didn’t have to beg.”

  She tried not to smile. “And the bribe?”

  “I do love my Fraps.”

  Laughing, she dragged herself to her feet and went to throw on some jeans and a blouse, not looking forward to what should be only a three-hour drive there and back but would most likely turn into five because of traffic. Andrew met her at the door, backpack forever on his shoulder, and she locked up before following him down the stairs.

  “Now that you mention Starbucks, remind me to grab some gift cards for your teachers. I’ll put them in their Thanksgiving basket.” Another thing she did every year because the teachers at Andrew’s school were saints in her eyes, and they deserved much more than the coffee, chocolate, and biscuits she tucked away under the pretty bow and cellophane.

  “Better make sure you give it to my teacher first. At least she’ll be fair in handing them out. Not like Mr.—”

  “Andrew,” she interrupted as she paused behind him on the bottom step. He looked back at her with his hands on the push bar across the steel door.

  “What? Mom, seriously, he hates just the guys. Ask anyone.”

  Shaking her head, she thought she had no need to ask about the teacher they were speaking of because she’d seen and heard about him from enough people to know what Andrew said was true. She defended the miserable man anyway as she motioned her son forward, at the same time hitting the “Unlock” button on her key fob. “You never know what someone’s home life is—”

  All Sydney would remember later was the noise. The deafening, destructive racket that filled her head and made her ears ring as s
he was violently thrown back. She came down hard on the steps. Air whooshed from her lungs when a heavy weight landed on top of her and another on it. The sound of metal and other debris raining down sounded close by. Dizziness assaulted her, and, coughing, she tried to call out to her son but couldn’t, couldn’t even breathe. She reached out in a feverish scramble, her heart lodging in her throat . . .

  Until she realized the thing doing its best to suffocate her was her precious boy, and he was already cursing and attempting to shove the heavy steel door off them.

  CHAPTER 8

  With the area cordoned off, lights flashing everywhere, Sydney kissed Andrew once more before reluctantly waving him off.

  She’d called Daniel’s mother and explained the situation—or what little of it she could—and the entire family had shown up on their way home from practice, all eyes. Especially Daniel’s father who just so happened to be NYFD. He’d spoken to his fellow firefighters for a moment before he and his wife had come over to Sydney.

  “As I said on the phone,” she’d said to the couple. “If you’re not comfortable taking him—”

  “Please, Sydney,” Daniel’s father had interrupted with a rub to his beard as he continued to look around. “Don’t. Given what I do for a living, I’m not as shaken by this as I should be. You need to be free to work with the police on the investigation without worrying about Andrew. As long as you’re okay with him coming to New Jersey, we’re more than happy to have him for the night. We’re going to my parents’ for my dad’s birthday. All Daniel’s cousins will be there, most of whom Andrew has met before, so the boys will have fun.”

  She hadn’t wanted to let Andrew out of her sight, but it was becoming clear that he was safer away from her right now than with her.

  She returned to the ambulance they’d been sitting inside—as per the hovering detective’s instructions—and finally sent Maksim a brief text. She accepted an ice pack from the EMT that had cleared her and Andrew. The woman had said they’d most likely develop some bruises but would otherwise be okay.