Page 40 of Knight Watch

Chapter Eighteen

Despite his exhaustion,Kingsley couldn’t sleep, his brain going over everything that had happened in the last few days. The woman lying in his arms, her breathing deep and even was an enigma, but one he was determined to understand. Her bravery and fortitude were evident in every step she took.

The fear her uncle caused would paralyze most people, but Sydney kept moving and fighting, and she had done it mostly alone. But not anymore. She was his now, and he protected what was his. He wasn’t sure when or how it had happened, but he loved her, and he thought that maybe she could love him. Their chemistry was off the charts, he couldn’t be in the same room with her without wanting to touch her in some small way.

The tilt of her head or the way she flicked her hair away from her face made his fingers itch to caress her soft skin. The trust she placed in him to help her, to keep her safe and the relief he had seen in her eyes when she saw him walk through the door told the story of how she felt about him even if her words hadn’t.

His mind drifted to Rutherford as Sydney burrowed closer to his body. Her legs tangled with his as he pulled her closer, breathing in the scent of shampoo and body wash that had his dick hardening. He pushed the erotic thoughts away as he tried to figure out how they could stop Rutherford before he ruined the fledgling agency that Shane and Emme had built.

That he would keep Sydney safe was a given. He would whisk her back to the UK if he had to, make sure that Rutherford never found her, but he didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want their future to include a lifetime of running. No, he wanted a life of adventure and love and maybe even kids down the line. On that thought, he felt his eyelids grow heavy as the image of a blond-haired blue-eyed little girl flitted through his mind making him smile softly.

Kingsley woketo the warmth of Sydney’s body wrapped around him like a blanket. She was lying on her front with her leg thrown over his hips, her body pinning him to the bed. Her head was on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her. Kingsley felt his body stir at the soft, lithe body touching his.

Running a hand gently from her shoulder, down over her arm, over the tiny waist, and the curve of her delectable ass, Kingsley caressed the silky skin of her thigh. He felt the exact moment she came into wakefulness. Her body stilled for just a fraction of a second before relaxing back into him.

Taking that as his cue, Kingsley rolled them so she was flat on her back, his body over hers, bracketing her. Her eyes fluttered open as a smile curved the edges of her mouth before her eyes opened.

“Morning.” Her voice was husky, a blush creeping over her cheeks at the obviously unfamiliar position they were in.

“Morning gorgeous.” His hand moved to cup her hip, his thumb teasing the skin at her waist. “How are you feeling?” His eyes assessed her for any signs of trauma from yesterday and surprisingly saw none.

“I actually feel okay, better than okay. Yesterday was dreadful, and when James got me back here, I was in a bad way. Almost as bad as after the rape.” Her head dropped with her words.

Kingsley didn’t allow that and tilted her head up to him. “Look at me, Syd. Don’t hide from me. You don’t need to feel ashamed or embarrassed. Yesterday was a horrific situation for any civilian.”

“That’s what Mercy said. Actually, Cleo, Emme, and Mercy were amazing. They were like a sisterhood, offering me something I’ve never had before. I felt protected by them. Like they understood and didn’t judge me.”

“They are good people, genuine and kind but with backbones of steel.”

“Yeah. They’re badass and beautiful, and they seem to like me.” She seemed surprised and it made him smile.

“They do like you, you’re very easy to like.”

“I’m not sure about that. I haven’t had many friends in my life.”

He could see that the admission cost her. “Well, you have them now, and you can trust them too. I do.”

Sydney nodded. “Yeah, I think I do, and it feels good.” She smiled and it was the first real smile he had seen from her since they’d met.

“Having good friends and people you can trust at your back makes all the difference in the world in this life.”

“I was so tired and beaten before I met you, and you’ve changed everything, Kingsley.”

“You would have figured it out, Syd. You’re strong and resilient and so beautiful it makes my eyes hurt to look at you.”

She blushed again but didn’t look away. “Maybe.”

Her disbelief was evident in her eyes and he knew it would take time to restore the shattered remains of her confidence and esteem. He would, with the help of her new friends, do it.

“What are we going to do about my uncle?”

He moved his hand up her ribs and felt her shiver. “We’re going to fix it so he never comes near you or the Alliance Agency again.” He didn’t want to discuss that piece of shit while he was in bed with her beneath him.

“Okay,” She said, her voice breathless as he cupped her breast.

“Are we done talking?” He waited for her to nod. “Good, now kiss me, woman.” He saw the look of fire cross her face before a softness moved through that made his heart beat harder.

“Neanderthal.” She lifted her head and touched her lips to his. Kingsley chuckled before taking control of the sweet kiss and turning it molten.