Trusting Sydney: The Temptation Saga: Book Six (13 page)

“Did you ask Mom?”

“I did. She said I must have misread the statements. There hadn’t been any withdrawals. Then she refused to discuss the matter further.” Blake shook his head. “You can think what you want about me. I’m no Einstein, but for God’s sake, I can read an account statement. Money had been withdrawn.”

“Are you sure it was trust fund money? Mom and Dad weren’t doing anything illegal, were they?”

“I wish I knew, Sis, but I don’t.”

Dear God.

“I didn’t have the money myself to go looking into that kind of stuff. I got myself into some trouble, as you know, and every last cent I made went to bail myself out of that. All I knew is that I wanted no part of them. They let that money sit there when we had some lean years as kids, Syd. Do you remember?”

She remembered all too well. “I’m sure they had their reasons.”

“Yes, they had their reasons,” Blake said, “and obviously they thought those reasons made logical sense at the time. But it burns my ass that they had this money. I wanted to go to college. So did you. Remember? We could have gone to any school we wanted. They had the money. But we didn’t get to go, and someone, either Mom or Dad, had been withdrawing money from that account during those years.”

“We can still go to college, Blake.”

“Sure we can, if we have the money. I don’t have the money right now, do you?”

Sydney rose and got another bottle of water from the mini fridge. “All I have is the twenty grand in my safe from my purse the other day. I’ve given everything else to Mom and Dad.”

“Why, Sydney?” Blake asked. “You’re of age now. You don’t have to give them your money.”

“I do it for Duke,” Sydney said. “They adopted him and took responsibility for him. I wanted to do my part.”

“We have to find them and find Duke,” Sam said.

Blake rubbed his temples. “They could be anywhere, anywhere at all, if they dipped into that money.”

“But the money’s in the Caymans.” Sydney took a sip of water. “How could they get it?”

“Online transfers, wirings, any old way. It’s easy as pie to transfer money these days.”

“But they didn’t bring a computer, and a transfer could be traced.” Sam stood and paced. “There’s no way they could have— Oh my God.”

“What, Sam? What?” Sydney’s pulse raced.

“When was the last time you looked in your safe, Sydney?”

“Not since I put the money there. You don’t think—”

But she knew exactly what Sam was thinking, and by the look on Blake’s face, he was thinking the same thing.

She gulped as she keyed in the code to her safe.

Before she opened the door, she knew.

Her money was gone.

T
his is all my fault
. This is all my fault.

Sydney couldn’t breathe.

A noose was squeezing her neck. Her throat constricted. Sharp fingers of acid climbed up her esophagus, threatening to choke her.

“God, what should we do?”

Blake’s voice. That was Blake’s voice.

“She’ll be okay.”

Sam’s voice.
Ah, the soothing timbre of Sam’s voice.
Her man. Her love.

Warm hands caressed her, dulcet tones soothed her. “It will be okay, sweetheart. We’ll figure this out. We’ll find our son.”

Sam lifted her away from the empty safe and laid her on the bed. “Get her some more water,” he said to Blake.

No water. Just Sam. Only need Sam.

And Duke. Want to see Duke.

Until now, Sydney had been sure of one thing—her parents would never hurt Duke. She’d seen the fear in her mother’s eyes when they thought Duke might have leukemia. It had mirrored her own.

And her father, what had he been thinking? He had started to come around where Sam was concerned. He seemed ready to work something out.

Yet they’d left.

Only one explanation made sense. Her mother had wanted to leave. Roy Buchanan loved his wife and gave her whatever she wanted if it was within his power to do so.

Carrie was the one who was scared of Sam, not Roy.

She must have talked him into leaving.

Only one other thing could have made them leave. If they thought harm could come to Duke by staying.

But in leaving, they’d taken Duke away from Sydney as well.

From Sassy.

Tears erupted in her eyes. She wanted her baby boy. Why, oh why had she given him up?

She’d taken the easy way out. She’d given him up without really giving him up. Duke got parents who loved him and a “big sister” who doted on him.

Sam was the real loser here. He hadn’t had a choice in the matter.

She had to fix this. For Duke and for Sam.

They will not harm Duke, they will not harm Duke.
She repeated the mantra in her mind.

“What should we do now?” Blake said to Sam.

“I don’t know. We have to find Duke. I’m scared for him now. You don’t think your parents would—”

“No.” Blake shook his head. “They never harmed Syd or me. They were good parents. They just never told us the truth.”

The apple didn’t fall far from the tree. She hadn’t told Sam the truth. She felt like shit.

“Sydney?” Sam caressed her shoulder. “Are you feeling better?”

Better? That was a laugh. It would be a long time before she felt anything close to better. But she nodded anyway. They had to get on with it. “I can’t believe they stole my money.”

“They’ve been stealing our money for years, Sis,” Blake said, “when they had near a million dollars in the bank.”

“But they were good parents. They loved us.”

He nodded. “They did, I think.”

“It killed them when you left.”

“I’m sure it did,” Blake said, “but I hope you’ll excuse me if I don’t feel a whole lot of remorse about that.”

Sydney nodded. She’d have a hard time forgiving her parents for what they’d done. She didn’t want to hold a grudge against Blake. She had her brother back, and she wanted to keep him.

“If I’d known, Syd…”

“Known what?”

Blake cleared his throat. “If I’d known you were going to let them adopt your child, I would have come back. I would have told you.” He sat down on the other side of the bed, next to her. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too, Blake. You were a good brother. I should have known you had a good reason for leaving.”

“It wasn’t good enough. It wasn’t good enough to leave my pregnant sister there.”

“It’s okay. We’ve both made mistakes. Now it’s time to correct them. Will you help Sam and me find Mom and Dad?”

“Sydney,” Sam said, “I’m not sure he should be involved.”

“Why not?” Blake asked. “They’re my parents, and the little tyke is my nephew. I wasn’t there for Sydney when I should have been. I want to be there for her now.”

Sam nodded. “All right. If you can help in any way, we’d appreciate it.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have much money to offer.”

“So we’re all broke,” Sydney said. “Where does that leave us?”

“It leaves us my credit cards,” Sam said. “I’ve got a little bit in the bank.”

“I’ve got a little in the bank too,” Blake said, “but I’m afraid it’s damn little.”

“You’re both wonderful,” Sydney said. “I have nothing. They stole my purse money.”

“It’s okay,” Blake said. “You didn’t know they’d do that.”

“I still can’t believe it.”

“I can. And you will someday, trust me.”

Sam shook his head. “I can’t believe I was such a bad judge of character. I really thought they were good people.”

“So did I,” Blake said, “and in a way, they are. They just grew up around criminals. I think they’re good in their hearts, but look at the examples they had.”

“At least they set good examples for us,” Sydney said.

“I won’t argue with that, for the most part,” Blake said. “But once we were old enough to handle it, they should have told us the truth about their backgrounds.”

Sam nodded. “I agree. If you had known, Sydney, you would never have let them adopt Duke.”

“Probably not,” Sydney said. “But Duke has had a good life up until now. He’s a happy little boy.”

“A happy little boy who is now God knows where,” Blake said. “For all we know, they’ve cut his hair off or dyed it so no one will recognize him.”

“No! Not his beautiful hair.” Sydney burst into tears. “His hair is just like yours, Sam.”

Sam caressed her forearm. “It’ll grow back. We’ll find him.”

Yes. They’d find him. They had to.

But there would be a cost.

The mother and father she’d loved and adored for twenty-four years were now strangers to her.

“
L
et her sleep
,” Sam said to Blake. “We can figure this out in the morning.”

“I still can’t get over them taking her money right out of her safe. How did they figure out the combination?”

Sam shook his head. “Got me. Maybe they know the numbers she uses. Hell if I know.”

“They could have gotten security to open it.”

“Nah. Sydney talked to security in depth when she couldn’t find her parents. They would have told her. Plus, Sydney’s an adult. Security can’t open a safe for anyone else, not even her parents.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Do you have any idea where they might go first?” Sam asked.

“Nope. Maybe to the Caymans to get the money. They were smart not to try here. They know that I know about the account and that we’d try to trace it.”

“So I suppose the fact that you know is going to make them harder to track.”

“I’m afraid so. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. If not for you, we’d have no idea where to start. Sydney called the folks on the neighboring ranch. They said as far as they knew, your parents hadn’t returned. They were going to go over and check. I don’t think they’ve called her back yet.” Sam scratched his head, thinking. “There’s something that just doesn’t quite seem right to me about this situation.”

“What?”

“I can’t believe your parents considered me that big of a threat. I mean, they’re the legal parents, and Dallas McCray told me that courts will consider the best interest of the child first, before my interests or anyone else’s. Duke has been living with them his whole life, and to uproot him would not be in his best interests. I love my son, and I want him, but even I can see how the court would see this.”

“Yeah. So?”

“So why would they run? They don’t seem the type.”

“But they are the type, Sam. They ran from their families when they were young so they could be together.”

“Yes, but their families are criminals. I’m not a criminal.”

“But you pose a threat, just like their families did. It really makes perfect sense if you skew your reasoning just a little.”

“You mean think like people who were raised by criminals.”

“Exactly.”

“I suppose so.” Sam paced the floor. “And when you explain it that way, it does make sense. Still, it just doesn’t feel right.”

“Okay. Say I’m wrong. Say they didn’t run. Then what could have happened?”

Sam plunked on a chair. “That’s just it. I’m not sure.”

“Is there anyone else who might have an interest in Duke? In my parents?”

“Only your grandparents, but they’ve left them alone all this time.” Sam let out a huff of air.
Think, Sam. Think.

And a light bulb lit over his head.

“There is one other person.”

N
o
, no, no! You can’t have my son!

Sydney struggled against the arms holding her, jerking her.

She opened her eyes. Sam sat next to her, gently tugging on her.

Thank God.
It had only been a nightmare.

“I’m sorry to wake you, sweetheart, but Blake and I need to talk to you.”

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Okay. What about?”

“Rod Kyle.”

“Rod? Why? He’s old news.”

“We’re not so sure, Sis,” Blake said. “Sam and I have been talking, and it’s not completely out of the realm of reality that he might be involved in this.”

“He has no interest in Duke.”

“No, but he has an interest in you.”

“He’ll get over me. He doesn’t love me. He never did.”

“No, but he’s used to getting what he wants, and for whatever reason, right now he wants you.”

“He’s not going to get me.”

“I know that, but it’s not only him. It’s his dad. His dad wanted the marriage. You saw him talking to me after your race, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“He knows about your parents. He told me they weren’t who they seemed to be. He offered me information on the condition I stay away from you.”

“Goddamn him!”

“Hold the phone. I told him to fuck off. But it’s clear now that he knows about your parents and their links to the criminal families. Do you think it’s possible he could have something to do with their disappearance?”

Sydney shook her head. “I doubt it.”

“Are you sure?”

“What would he have to gain by forcing them away? Me? I don’t think so. He knows about Duke, and he knows how much I love him.”

“Yes, but think about it. He could be trying to make things worse for us. He already knows you’ve lied to me twice.”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Sydney rubbed her temples. Her brain was mush right about now. She didn’t want to think about Rod Kyle. Or her parents, for that matter. Their relationship would never be the same. She just wanted Duke.

How could she have made such a mistake? She’d given her little boy—her most precious thing on the planet—to her parents. She’d trusted them with him.

And now this.

“I think we need to contact Kyle,” Blake said. “Sam may be onto something.”

“Whatever you two think is best.” Sydney yawned. Her body needed sleep. Her brain needed sleep. But when she did sleep, it was fitful, fragmented with nightmares and horrific visions.

“I need to get back to the ranch,” Sam said.

“I should be going too,” Blake agreed. “It’s late, and we have a lot to do in the morning.”

“You guys aren’t really thinking about leaving me alone? Please don’t.” Fear, though she knew it irrational, coursed through Sydney’s veins.

“I need Kyle’s phone number,” Blake said.

“Look in my cell.” Sydney tossed it to him.

Blake fiddled with the phone and entered a number into his own. He tossed it to Sam. “You want it?”

Sam nodded. “I’m going to call him tonight, on the way home.”

Christ, he really is leaving me.
“Please, Sam. Stay with me.”

“That’s my exit cue,” Blake said. “I don’t need to watch my little sister get it on.”

Sam let out laugh that sounded forced. “Nothing’s happening.” He tossed his cell phone to Blake. “Put your number in mine. I’ll contact you in the morning.”

Blake put in the number and then tossed the phone back. “Sounds good. Take care of her, will you?”

“I will.”

Good, maybe that meant he was staying.

Blake shut the door behind him.

“I’m going to go out in the hall for a few minutes and call Rod,” Sam said.

“Stay here. You can put him on speaker.” No, she didn’t want to talk to Rod. She’d rather be hung by her toenails on a clothesline, but she had to know if he knew anything.

“Let me handle this,” Sam said. “You relax. I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

She relented. Relaxing was out of the question, of course, but not dealing with Rod sounded like heaven on Earth at the moment.

Sam left the room.

Sydney lay on the bed. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry for her parents whom she didn’t know at all, it turned out. She wanted to cry for her big brother, who’d had a reason for leaving after all. She wanted to cry for Sam, from whom she’d kept such a terrible secret for so many years. How would he be able to trust her? And mostly she wanted to cry for her beautiful little boy whom she might never see again. Might never hear his bubbly laughter, might never hear his sweet little voice call her “Sassy.”

Was she truly all cried out? Had she become numb?

Sam entered about ten minutes later. “He says he has no clue where they are. But get this, he’s offered to help us locate them.”

“Don’t trust him,” Sydney said.

“Don’t worry. You want to know his price for his help?”

“What?”

“You.”

Sydney’s tummy tumbled. What was it with this guy? Couldn’t he take no for an answer?

But she sighed. “Take his help if you need it, Sam. I will go back with him if it means Duke comes home safely.”

“No, you will not. Besides, I don’t believe for a minute that he knows anything. He let something slip that made me figure out why he and his father are so anxious for this marriage. Evidently his father got involved in some bad business deals with bad people. Mob, Syd. That’s why Rod’s father wants this marriage. He figures with you in the family, he can keep them off his back.”

“Still, if he can help us find Duke—”

Sam shook his head. “I won’t put you in that position. You are not a piece of property he can own. You are no one’s price.”

Warmth coursed through her. He was right, of course. But to hear the words and see the fierce look of possession on his face made her think he might be able to forgive her. Perhaps their love had a chance.

She yawned. “I’m so sleepy.”

“I know, baby. I’m gonna get out of here and let you rest.”

Her body quivered. Being alone scared the hell out of her. “Please don’t. I mean, please stay with me.”

“Syd…”

“I won’t come on to you. I promise. You can sleep in the other bed if you want. I just can’t be alone.”

He nodded. “I don’t relish being alone tonight ether, truth be told.” He stalked toward her. “And I don’t relish sleeping in the other bed.”

S
ydney woke
in Sam’s arms. They hadn’t made love, just held each other, and it had been perfect.

Or it would have been, if not for everything else going on.

Her cell phone vibrated on the nightstand and she picked it up. Her neighbors from the adjacent ranch.

“Sydney,” Marcia Tucker said, “Jay went over early this morning. No one’s home. The foreman hasn’t heard from your parents. He hadn’t checked his cell yet, so that’s why he hasn’t called you back.”

“Thanks, Marsh. I’m sorry I bothered you.”

“Not a problem. Is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll keep you posted.”

Sydney ended the call as Sam began to stir next to her.

“That was my neighbor,” she told him. “Mom and Dad aren’t home, and the foreman hasn’t seen them or heard from them.”

“I’m not surprised.” He held his arms open and she snuggled into them. “We’ll find them, sweetheart. I promise.”

“Where do we start? It’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“I know. We need to look for clues. They must have left something behind.”

“The only clue we have is the bank account in the Caymans,” Sydney said.

“That’ll be our starting point. Of course they can have the money wired anywhere. We need a good hacker.”

“And a PI.”

“Chad knows a great one. I’ll give him a call and get his number. He knows his way around computers too. He got into Dusty’s medical records a while back.”

“What? That’s illegal.”

“That’s my point. The guy can do pretty much anything. He’s probably a good place to start. In the meantime”—he ogled her—“I need a shower. How about you?”

“I could use one,” she said, “but I’m not in the mood to…you know.”

“I understand. You want to go first?”

“You go ahead. I want to lie here for a few minutes.”

Sam gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and traipsed to the shower.

Sydney closed her eyes as the whoosh of the water met her ears. Sam in the shower. Naked. Warm water pulsating on his amazing body, soothing his fatigued muscles. He was so beautiful. So masculine.

So perfect in every way.

She so didn’t deserve him.

Her eyes misted. She was tired of crying. If only she had told Sam the truth when she was pregnant, none of this would have happened. Maybe he would have wanted her and the baby. Maybe they would have fallen in love then.

Maybe, maybe, maybe…

She needed him. Needed his body close to hers, needed the comfort of his loving touch.

She got up and went into the bathroom. “It’s me,” she said.

“You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, I just—” She sighed. “You want some company?”

He pulled the shower curtain back. His sandy hair was wet and matted down, his golden body covered in gleaming water. She wanted more than company. She wanted him inside her.

“If you come in here all naked and wet, I may not be able to keep my hands to myself.”

“I’m sorta counting on that.”

She pulled off her robe and entered. Mmm, the warm water soothed her tired body. Sam pulled her close to him for a kiss.

It was a sweet kiss, a comforting kiss, just what Sydney needed.

As they kissed, he lifted her and eased her open with his hard cock.

She was tight, and her channel offered resistance at first. Sam didn’t force it. Just held her in his strong arms and eased her down gently until she took all of him.

How good it felt. How right.

He lifted her up and down, oh so gently and so slowly, his groans music to her ears.

“Yes, Sam, yes. That’s so nice. So good.”

He moaned in response.

His strength was more of a comfort than a turn-on at the moment. His presence a salve, a healing ointment.

She didn’t plan to climax, didn’t even want to, so when the explosion sneaked up on her, it was a welcome surprise.

He continued his slow movements as she spasmed against him, and when she finished, he pulled her down hard on his erect cock.

“Yeah, baby. God, you feel good.”

When he went limp and slacked against the wall of the shower stall, she slid down his body until her feet hit the wet floor. She leaned against him, fearing her legs would wobble. After a few minutes, she had her footing and she pushed backward to look into his warm brown eyes.

“Thank you,” she said.

He smiled, his own eyes glazed over. “It was wonderful. You are wonderful.”

“We are wonderful. Together.”

Disappointment crept into her when he didn’t respond, but she refused to let it spoil the beauty of what had just occurred between them.

They were right together. He would see that eventually.

I will hold onto that belief
. She had to. She wasn’t sure she could go on if she didn’t.

Sam was done washing so he left the stall, leaving Sydney to finish her shower alone.

When she finished, toweled off, and went into to bedroom, Sam was already dressed.

“Your cell rang,” he said.

“It was probably Blake. Why didn’t you answer it?”

“Not my place.” He tossed it to her.

“Hmm, not Blake after all. In fact, not a number or an area code I recognize. Looks like whoever it was left a voicemail.” She quickly dialed voicemail.