Page 9 of Knight Watch

Chapter Five

It had beenthree days since Sydney had discovered Raymond was responsible for her father’s death. She had spent her days doing sit-ups or crunches, anything to keep her body and mind from staying still and allowing the boredom, fear, and anger that mixed in her gut like poison to take hold.

During the night she had come up with a plan. Raymond had visited her for three days straight. He never stayed long, just long enough to taunt and bully her. He had tried to touch her on that first visit, and she had gone after him with such a feral viciousness he had retreated and hadn’t attempted to touch her again.

The man was a coward and a bully so the minute she’d stood up to him he had backed down. He probably preferred young girls who were too terrified to speak out than a grown woman who would say no.

Now, as she heard the car pull up again, she mentally readied herself for what she was about to do. It may not work, but she had to try. She couldn’t wait around for them to kill her.

The door opened, and Troy strolled in with a smirk on his arrogant face. Sydney glared at him, hate filling every vein as he walked toward her. Her eyes moved to Raymond in his impeccable four-thousand-dollar suit, not a hair out of place on his sleazy head. His eyes were on her, his gaze wandering over her body lazily, and she fought the desire to fidget as she swallowed nausea.

His cold eyes moved to hers, and he tipped his head, the challenge clear. Sydney crossed her arms in reflex, and she knew it was a mistake. She’d let him see he was getting to her.

Voice clipped and cultured, almost bored sounding; he greeted her. “Sydney. Are you prepared to give me the information I need? All I need is to check some of your dad’s papers. That shouldn’t be too painful for you. We’ve looked in your apartment and other places, but I believe you’ve hidden them somewhere else. Aren’t you a clever girl?” Raymond walked closer until he was standing in front of her. His cologne assailed her, and she locked her knees to keep from stepping back. The strong scent took her to a time and place she had fought to forget.

Bile filled her throat. She breathed through her mouth so as not to pull the smell of his aftershave into her nose. Images came to her of Raymond stroking her hair, telling her how pretty she was, how he had always loved her. She shook them off and concentrated on the hatred she felt and the plan that had formed in her head. “I may have the documents you want, but they’re somewhere safe where only I have access.”

“Where are they?” he bit out as he grabbed her arm in a cruel grip, almost making her wince but she bit back the sound.

“Get your fucking hands off me before I turn you into a eunuch,” she demanded her hatred for him like a living breathing thing.

He held her eyes, and she could see he believed her because the coward let go. “Stop playing games, Sydney, and tell me where they are.” He looked at his immaculately manicured fingernails with faked disinterest on his face.

“They’re at West City Savings in a safety deposit box,” she lied. She did have a safety deposit box, but certainly not there. She wasn’t a fool.

“The key?”

“There is no key. It’s a fingerprint and retinal scan box.” Sydney paced away from him, praying the bluff worked. Anything to give her a chance to escape.

Raymond turned to Troy. “Take her to the car; we’re going to the bank.” He turned back to her and glared. “Don’t try anything foolish or you’ll pay in ways that will make you sorry you were ever born from that lying whore’s cunt.”

There was so much malice and hate in his tone toward her mother, it made Sydney want to step back, but pride stopped her from showing any weakness to this man. “I’m not an idiot.”

Raymond tilted his head, his penetrating eyes assessing her. “No, you’re not.”

Troy grabbed her arm, and with a painful grip and a nasty smile, led her from the room. The bright sunshine hit her as she was directed to the car. Raymond’s driver got out of the Lincoln town car and opened the door for him as Troy pushed her roughly toward the back door, causing her to trip and drop to her knees.

“Get up, bitch. I don’t have time for your theatrics.” Troy roughly hauled her to her feet.

Sydney glared at Troy. “I’m going to stab you in the heart, you motherfucker.”

He laughed. “I can’t wait to fuck the sass out of your little whore’s mouth.” He shoved her in the car beside Raymond before climbing in.

Sydney sat quietly, biding her time and praying for an escape route to show itself.

* * *

“Motherfucker.”Kingsley hit the steering wheel with the heel of his hand.

“He sure is ballsy.” Malco nodded as they watched from across the road as Raymond Rutherford walked to his town car with another man. From their research, they knew the man frog-marching Sydney Rutherford toward the vehicle was Troy Pickford, head of Rutherford’s security. Kingsley bit back a snarl, his muscles tensing as the young woman was pushed and fell to her knees before being dragged back to her feet again.

The pain on her face, coupled with her jaw tensed in determination, made something in him want to protect her and not in a brotherly way. Watching her through the binoculars, he could see the vulnerability on her face, but it was the sight of Pickford’s hands on her that made him see red.

Every part of him wanted to tear the man’s fucking hands off for daring to touch a hair on her head. Locking down his anger, he watched as the door closed, and the driver got in.

“Follow him.” Kingsley ran a hand through his hair as Malco pulled into traffic two cars behind them.

“We got a plan yet?” Malco cast him a sidelong look.