An Act of Obsession (Acts of Honor Book 3) (2 page)

“It’s okay. You didn’t,” I lie.

“Can you come in here for a moment?”

“Um, sure.” Feeling nervous, I put down the file I’m holding and head toward his office.

Please don’t let me be losing this job.

A police station was the last place I ever thought I’d work in, but when I applied for the receptionist position at the massage therapy clinic in town, Kayla McKay, the sheriff’s wife, had already filled the position. That’s when she told me about this job. There’s many reasons why I didn’t want to apply, mainly because I don’t want anyone finding out who I really am, but I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to make money. I’ve gone to great lengths to become Lia Kay and even have fake legal documentation to back it up, but I still figured the sheriff would find me out right away. However, if he did, he never mentioned it and hired me anyway.

I had stumbled across Sunset Bay a couple of weeks ago during my travels. One night turned into two, then two into three. I don’t know what it is about this town but it feels like where I’m meant to be for the moment. A good place to stay and hide out for a while. It’s filled with young families. Quiet, remote, and not a place anyone would look for me. It’s safe…for the time being. It’s also far enough from Missouri and even farther from home.

Home.

Just the thought has my throat tightening. I miss my family so much. Every day I go without speaking to them, the loneliness builds inside of me until it becomes nothing more than a huge gaping hole. But I know it’s for the best. This is how it has to be until Daniel is found.

Pushing aside my sad thoughts, I enter the sheriff’s office. He gestures to the chair across from him. “Have a seat.”

“Is everything okay?” I ask quietly, as I sit down.

His eyes draw to the scarf around my neck, and that’s when I realize I’m fidgeting with it. Something I often do subconsciously. I drop my hand and twine my fingers in my lap.

“Everything is good,” he assures me. “I just wanted to see how you’re settling in here. I haven’t had much of a chance to check in with you since you started.”

“Good…I think. No, I mean it’s good. Yes, everything is good,” I say, sounding like a complete imbecile. Closing my eyes, I shake my head, frustrated at myself for being so nervous. The old Sophie would be sitting up straight and looking him dead in the eye. The old Sophie wouldn’t be so frazzled just to speak to someone. “Sorry, I have a lot on my mind today,” I whisper.

“Don’t be,” he says kindly. “I’m glad to hear things are going well. I’m impressed how fast you’ve caught on to everything considering you’ve only been here just over a week.”

I smile, some of my nerves easing. “Thanks. Liz has been a great help,” I tell him, talking about the evening receptionist.

“Good. How about here in Sunset Bay? You liking it?”

I nod. “I haven’t had much time to venture out but the little I’ve seen, I like it a lot. I’m hoping to eventually make my way into Charleston soon, too. I’ve been told it’s beautiful there.”

“It is. It’s also a little noisier,” he adds with a smirk, a charming one at that.

I must admit he is very attractive, but I expected him to be after meeting his wife, Kayla. She’s beautiful, and also made sure I knew she was married to him when she sent me for this job.

I got the message loud and clear.

“Listen, I wanted to let you know about something.” Reaching across his desk, he picks up a sheet of paper and hands it to me. “Some friends of mine own the local gym here in town and they’re running a women’s self-defense class this weekend.” I tense, my eyes snapping from the paper to him. “I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to meet new people.”

My body relaxes when I realize he’s just trying to be nice. It’s incredibly kind of him, and something like this would be really great for me, but unfortunately, I can’t do it. Large groups of people make me nervous, and I can’t afford to make any friends. I won’t risk their safety. It will only be harder in the long run when it’s time for me to leave.

“Kayla wanted me to tell you she will be there,” he adds. “She and her friends usually go whenever the course is being held.”

“Thanks so much for telling me about this. I’ll think about it.” I feel horrible for lying to him.

“Good. I hope you do.”

With a smile, I stand and begin to walk away when he calls out to me. I turn back to face him.

“If there’s anything you ever need, any questions you have, I’m always here.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, my heart swelling at his kindness. Walking out, I take my seat at the front desk, my mind and emotions a jumbled mess.

The rest of the day passes in a blur, and no matter how hard I try not to, I constantly find myself looking at the flyer in front of me. Learning to defend myself could possibly not only save my life but change the course of my dark fate.

Kolan

M
y muscles burn; sweat dripping down my face as I exhaust myself with the heavy bag. I slaughter it as I would any opponent in the ring, needing to work out the rage and aggression that’s been fueling inside of me the last few months. If it’s not the relentless reporters wanting their fucking story, it’s Peter Ward, president of the EFC, trying to get me to come back.

Not happening.

I’ll never go back to the place that fulfilled my dream then yanked it right back, ruining my life and reputation in the process. I don’t care if Ward wasn’t a part of Bruce’s bullshit. I don’t trust anyone there anymore. Too many people went against me, believing the worst, and even tried to help incriminate me for a crime I didn’t commit. They wanted to get rid of me; they didn’t want the competition because they knew they’d never beat me. I was unstoppable and still would be if I cared to be back in the ring. I don’t. I made it to the top, held it, then left that way.

I always thought I would miss it but as of right now, I don’t. What I have going here at the gym with the guys and Anna at the Men of Honor Center is enough. I’m enjoying it, especially instructing the youth program for so many kids that remind me of myself. Kids who don’t have anything and are pissed off at the world because the world fucked them over.

No one understands that better than me.

“Damn, what did that bag ever do to you?” Sarge says, walking out from the locker room freshly showered, ready to go out. “Didn’t you get enough aggression out after going a round with Benson tonight?”

No, I didn’t. I’ve got too much inside of me to release, even more than usual since I haven’t been to Annihilation in months. A club that I now refuse to be a part of since those fuckers tried throwing me under the bus, too. Just the thought of that bitch Nikki has my blood pumping hotter.

But I miss it—miss getting lost in myself there, and wielding a control that no one could possibly understand unless they knew what it was like to live without it.

Control feeds the scars of my dark past and even darker soul.

Pausing my blows, I look at Sarge. He has changed a lot since I first met him a few months ago. He hasn’t worked here much longer than I have and is still adjusting to civilian life after living on the streets for so many years. He suffered from PTSD but thanks to Jaxson and the counseling he’s receiving from the Men of Honor Center, he’s getting back on his feet. I’ve gotten to know him well since he helps me with the youth.

“Headed out?” I ask, ignoring his question.

“Sure am. Got myself a hot date with my woman. She worked the evening shift so I’m fixin’ to pick her up at work, then she’s all mine.” He winks. “Just keep that to yourself though, that boy of hers is always magically appearing out of nowhere, interrupting our alone time. I swear the kid has a strange sense that’s in tune to my dick,” he adds, talking about Logan.

I don’t really blame Logan. It’s exactly how I feel about my sister and RoboCop, but if she’s going to marry someone it may as well be somebody that I know would kill whoever tried to hurt her.

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

“I know, because you don’t talk to anyone unless it’s that sister of yours.”

I grunt, even though that’s mostly true. However, I’ve gotten better about that since I started here. I don’t really have a choice since it’s part of the job description.

“You headed home soon? You’ve been here since…what’s it going on now?” He looks at his watch. “Thirteen hours?”

“In a bit,” I reply vaguely.

He shrugs. “All right, have a good night beating the shit out of things. I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

“See ya.”

I go grab my water bottle and towel as he walks out then make my way over to the speed bag. The door beeps again, signaling someone’s arrival. I assume it’s Sarge coming back for something, but when he doesn’t say anything, I look across the gym to see some girl with her back to me, wandering around like she’s either lost or looking for someone.

Shit, don’t tell me another gym whore is looking for one of the fighters.

“We’re closed,” I call out.

She spins around with a startled yelp and jumps back, almost falling on her ass. I instantly feel like shit for scaring her.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

Something about her soft voice has me moving forward. As I get a closer look at her, I realize it’s unlikely she’s a gym whore. She’s not dressed like one and she’s too…pretty. Black yoga pants and a pink tank top hug her lean, slender body that looks like it’s been sculpted by a fucking artist. Her long, golden brown hair hangs over her shoulders, framing the best set of tits I’ve ever seen. By the time I drag my appreciative gaze back to her face, I find she’s as innocent as she sounds. I also see she’s doing some looking of her own, those light hazel eyes taking me in from head to toe. She lingers on the tattoo just above the waistband of my shorts. That or she’s staring at my dick, which is hard at the moment, but I’m assuming it’s the first one.

“Can I help you with something?”

Her eyes snap up to mine and she blushes a serious shade of red.

Yeah, definitely not a gym whore.

Her hand goes to the scarf at her neck, fiddling with it nervously.

Who the hell wears a scarf in this kind of heat? Even at night it’s damn near a hundred degrees out.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t know you were closed.”

“It’s fine. You looking for someone?”

She shakes her head. “Not really. I, um…the sheriff…I mean Cooper.” She pauses, her eyes closing as she lets out a shaky breath before looking at me again. “Cooper McKay told me about the women’s self-defense class you guys offer.”

“Yeah, we have one running this weekend.” I hand her a flyer from the front desk.

As she takes it, I briefly glimpse small white scars on her delicate hand. “Right, Cooper said that, but I’m wondering if you guys offer any private classes? Like after hours, when no one is here?”

I watch her for a moment, her eyes remaining on the paper instead of me. “No, we don’t offer anything like that.”

She nods, her shoulders slumping with disappointment. “I figured but thought I’d check. Thanks anyway,” she says, turning to leave.

“Hold up.” I stop her before I can think better of it. “We don’t usually offer private lessons but it doesn’t mean we can’t. If you want we can work something out.”

What the hell am I doing?

The moment her wide, hopeful eyes move to mine, I know exactly what I’m doing. “You’re the instructor?” she asks.

“Sometimes. There are a few of us here who take turns but all the other guys have families. So, if you’re looking for something late in the evenings then it will be me.”

She bites that plump lip of hers, wreaking havoc on my straining cock.

Jesus, I need to get laid.

“You don’t mind?” she asks softly.

“No. Come back tomorrow night at around nine. That’s when we’re closed. We can start then.”

“Okay. Thank you.” She dips her head and turns to leave.

“You got a name?”

She spins back around, an embarrassed smile curving her perfect mouth. “Guess that would help, huh?” she says, a shy smile playing at her lips as she sticks out her hand. “I’m Sss…Lia.”

Grasping her delicate hand, I feel the scars that I saw earlier. “Ssslia?” I ask.

“Just Lia.” She giggles, forcing a shift in my chest.

What the hell is that?

“Kolan.” I have a feeling she doesn’t know who I am. Which is a good thing. If she knew who I was, she probably wouldn’t have anything to do with me.

“Well, Kolan, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

I nod. “I’ll be here.”

“Bye.” She gives me a small wave then walks out the door, leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened.

Sophie

T
he next evening, I walk to the gym feeling excited yet incredibly nervous. Excited at the prospect of learning how to defend myself but nervous to see Kolan again. Though, I’m not really sure why. He seemed nice enough, especially going out of his way to accommodate me, but he’s also intimidating.

When he walked out of the shadows of the gym last night, my breath had caught in my throat. Everything about him screamed powerful. He has a commanding presence about him that I’ve never seen before. His height alone could terrify someone. He’s so tall that I had to crane my head back just to keep eye contact with him. His strong, lean body glistened with sweat and displayed a lot of ink. My eyes had immediately been drawn to the tattoo above the waistband of his shorts where the word
WARRIOR
was scripted across his hard, chiseled abs. The word seemed to suit him perfectly. He looked exactly how I would picture a warrior.

His ridiculously handsome face was just as hard as his body. He had a sharp cut jaw that was graced with barely there stubble. His messy brown hair was long enough that it touched the top of his ears and curled at the back of his neck. But his eyes were the most captivating. They were a dark chocolate brown that looked anything but warm. They possessed strength yet also anger, and maybe even…pain?

Pain.

I shake my head at the crazy thought. I have a feeling the only pain that guy has ever experienced is him delivering it. He looked like he could cause some serious harm. I think that’s what made him so intimidating. I’m a girl who has had enough pain to last me a lifetime and have the scars to prove it.