He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and paged through it. “Here, I took this after telling her my gold pen rolled under a corner table. She had no idea.”
Garrett looked at the image on the cell phone screen. It was Liddie from behind, leaning over a table of some sort. Her skirt had risen up, revealing a pair of pink panties seductively stretched to barely cover a creamy butt.
He felt his stomach flip as he wondered how many men had seen the photo. Parker Maxon disgusted him. If it were possible, the scumbag would be on the floor right now, bleeding profusely. Garrett held firm. He had to stay in character, no matter what.
“Forget my monthly bonus,” he said with effort. “Just text me that photo.”
“Well, let’s make a deal,” said Parker, patting him on the shoulder. “If she gives me any more problems, she’s yours. Do as you please with her, I don’t care. Just make her disappear before my father finds out.” He playfully pressed a finger into Garrett’s chest. “But, until then, she’s mine. Don’t even think about taking her before I say it’s okay.”
Garrett nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Parker turned to look at Liddie with a sigh. “Better you than Jerry. I owe her that much.”
“Got her passport?” asked Garrett. “I know a place that’s pretty remote if we have to run.”
Parker nodded. “Funny you should ask, she’s been bugging me about it. Don’t worry, though. I’ve got everything you’d need to take her anywhere you want.” He choked on a gulp of booze and Garrett almost hoped he died, right there in front of him.
“Just remember that it’s only if she doesn’t play. If she’s on board, she’s all mine for a few years. I’ve got plans,” Parker repeated. “After that, I’m sure we can work out another arrangement that’s fair for both of us. If you still want her, that is.” He wiped his mouth and held out his hand. “Deal?”
Garrett looked toward Liddie and nodded. She’d just been traded like an animal.
“Deal.”
****
Liddie lay on the sofa trying to keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to sleep. Fighting to keep a clear head, she strained to make sense of what was going on by the bar.
Garrett and Parker.
The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was seeing the two of them, together at the bar, laughing.
Chapter Eight
“Wake up, Liddie. We’re here,” Parker whispered.
Liddie slowly lifted herself up and pushed the blanket off. Her head hurt again. She ran a hand through loose hair, reaching in a pocket to see if she’d tucked a barrette there. Nothing.
“Where is here?”
Parker smiled. “We’re in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur to be exact.”
“Malaysia?” Liddie’s eyes grew wide. “Really?” She hadn’t expected that. Malaysia was not a huge player in the paper industry. It didn’t produce enough paper to support its own needs, let alone exporting to the U.S. “What business have we got here?”
“Fast business, so come on,” Parker insisted gently. “We’ve got to get moving.”
Liddie dashed into the bathroom to freshen up. The water felt good on her face. A hollow pain pulsed in her head. Traveling with little food and all that champagne was taking a toll on her body. Perhaps that was the cause of her fatigue. The lack of food and so much alcohol. It could also be clouding her judgment. While Garrett enjoyed planting suspicions, she wondered if it were his actions, and not Parker’s, that were more questionable.
She couldn’t be sure what to think. Maybe this was a chance for her to leave. She was in a city. A big one. There were places to hide.
Hide?
The thought confirmed what Liddie had feared. As much as she wanted to pretend otherwise, red flags had been popping up this whole trip. She’d lost trust in Parker, and the memory of Garrett Wade and her boss at the bar, laughing, warned her not to trust him as well.
“Liddie!”
She left the bathroom and hurried to meet Parker who was waiting by the cabin door. Her suitcase had already been taken out.
They stepped out of the plane. The air was humid, and she guessed the temperature to be in the high eighties or low nineties.
Liddie looked around. They were deep into a long airplane hangar, the sunlight shining bright from one end, at least twenty or thirty yards away. Parker ushered her over to a white van. The side door was open, revealing two bench seats. He pushed the back of one seat forward and hustled her into the far back.
Liddie immediately noticed that most of the windows were blacked out. She couldn’t see anything. Only the front windshield and driver’s side windows were clear.
She looked around the inside of the van as Parker stepped out to speak with his men. No phone, no laptop, no passport. She’d have to push down the seat in front of her to access the door.
Liddie began to get that feeling. That vulnerable feeling that women get when finding themselves alone in a scary place, like a deserted parking lot at night. A very confident self‑defense instructor had warned about such a feeling in a class she’d taken with Melody.
“Pay attention to your instincts,” the woman advised. “If you don’t feel comfortable in a situation,” she said, “there’s probably a good reason why.”
Liddie pushed the seat in front of her forward and began to move toward the door. She’d tell Parker something about feeling sick or something. Then she’d run.
Before she could pull on the handle, Parker opened the door.
“Move over, hon,” said her boss sweetly. He gently pushed her back and climbed in to sit beside her.
Liddie collapsed back into the seat.
Jerry and Paco piled in and silently plopped themselves on the bench seat in front of her. Parker turned to give her a smile.
“You’ll feel better soon, Liddie,” he assured her. “I’m taking you to a place that few people see. It’s quite beautiful.” He tapped on the window to give a signal, and then put his arm around her shoulders. “Relax. It’s a long ride, but worth it.”
“I can’t even see out the windows,” Liddie complained. “How can I see Malaysia like this?”
Parker laughed. “You’ll see plenty, don’t worry about that. It’s a security issue, that’s all. Before we leave, I’ll take you souvenir shopping at some of the markets. They have beautiful batik fabrics and woodcarvings. You’ll be able to buy gifts for your friends.”
He lifted her chin and planted a long, deep kiss on her lips, then released. His brows came together. “Kiss me back, Liddie,” he demanded, the tone of his voice turning dark.
“I’m sorry, Parker,” she responded quickly, and then lifted her lips to his. He raised his right hand and pinched her chin to hold her face in place. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue pushed against her lips until she let him in.
Liddie felt him slide his body closer, placing a hand between her thighs. He breathed against her face and, when she tried to end the kiss, his fingers pinched her chin harder and held tight. The message was clear. She was not to move until he desired her to do so.
It was the harshest kiss she’d ever experienced. Liddie realized, with sudden dread, that Parker had just declared ownership.
The driver’s door slammed shut, and he released her face with a quick lick.
Liddie looked forward to see Garrett’s eyes staring back in the rear‑view mirror. She touched her chin, sore from the pinch and turned away.
The engine started, and the van jerked forward.
“Here we go,” said Parker cheerfully.
****
The drive was long and difficult for Liddie, as Parker continued to loose all charm. The farther they traveled, the more arrogant he became. From a jovial and doting boss, he was morphing into a self‑absorbed and unconcerned lover.
“Maybe I’ll take you to Australia,” he announced in a ramble that included her learning to surf. Then he moved on to the possibility of the Maxon Corporation purchasing a sailboat and compe
ting in the World Cup. From there, Parker debated the pros and cons of living in Brazil or Guatemala. Liddie pretended to care, but truth be told, none of it made much sense.
Then it hit her as to why. Parker had taken another kind of pill. She hadn’t a clue as to what, but his energy was high while his thoughts were erratic.
“What’d you take, Parker?” she asked bluntly.
He stopped talking and looked at her in shock. “What are you talking about?”
Liddie glanced toward the rear‑view mirror at the front of the van. Garrett stayed focused on the road.
Parker looked toward the front as well, and then turned back to Liddie. “You got something to say to me, Liddie?”
This is not the time, or place, to confront him. Let it drop.
Liddie listened to the voice inside. She smiled and shook her head. “I wish I had your energy.” She put her hand on his. “I’m already worn out, and this trip has barely started.” She rested her head on his chest. “Maybe I’m not meant for this.”
Parker’s heartbeat was strong and fast. Liddie felt his hand come up to pet her hair.
“It’s an adjustment, Liddie. I realize that.” He took a deep breath. “But it will be worth it in the end. I promise.”
Liddie closed her eyes. More promises. Whatever this was – a romantic business trip or fantasy vacation – Parker had some sort of future in mind for the two of them. A day ago, that would have been thrilling to hear. Now, it was scary.
As time dragged on, the roads got bumpier and the night darker. Liddie realized that they were no longer near the city. The air in the back of the van was stagnant, and the odor of Jerry in the seat in front of her was beginning to chip away at her sanity.
After another half hour or so, Parker finally stopped talking. The silence in the van was only broken by the sound of its engine revving and undercarriage creaking to withstand the cracks and crevices of broken roads.
Though the night was pitch black, Liddie realized they were travelling through miles of heavy forestation. Every twenty minutes or so, rain would fall hard and then stop. Traffic and paved roads were left behind.
Liddie troubled over the knowledge that, wherever they were going, it was remote. There were no escape plans to be made, no options to be explored. Not until the van stopped and they arrived at a destination. For now, Liddie sensed that the only safe play was to keep Parker from getting angry.
Ultimately, the dirt roads turned to mud. The van struggled in several areas to keep moving at a good clip. Liddie watched Garrett work the clutch to keep the vehicle from becoming stuck. Finally, he came to a stop. The ignition was switched off and Garrett, Jerry and Paco grabbed flashlights before opening the doors and jumping out into the night.
“Let’s go,” Parker urged. She followed them out, into the darkness. Exotic noises, louder than countless crickets on a summer night in Jersey, filled the air. As the men walked, large bugs flew into the beams of light created by the flashlights. The air was clearer and much cooler than in the van.
Parker directed her gently by the arm. There was no place for her to go. Liddie realized they were walking through a path in the deep forest. A jungle. Vines and tropical mangroves rose up around all sides to scratch at her arms.
After a few minutes of pushing through the foliage, they’d reached a small clearing where another car was parked. They were changing vehicles. Parker patiently held her to his side as the other men loaded the suitcases and a few other provisions into a dark SUV.
“The van won’t make it through some of these dirt roads,” he explained. “We’ve got to take the Land Rover.”
Jerry plopped himself into the front‑passenger seat. Paco jumped in the back with the luggage.
The ground was wet and muddy. A faint mist of rain hit her bare shoulders and Liddie shivered. Parker went to one side of the car. “Go around to the other side,” he directed. “It’s not a seat you can slide across.” The fact that he didn’t walk around to open the door for her was not lost on Liddie.
The mist quickly turned into a heavier rain, and the sound of drops hitting millions of leaves filled the air. Liddie ran around to the other side of the car where Garrett stood with a flashlight. Liddie looked up at him.
“Will you help?” she whispered.
“Get in the car, Liddie.” Garrett’s voice was flat and stern. He opened the door, took her arm, and firmly guided her into the seat. Before letting go, she felt a small squeeze.
Was it reassurance, or another expression of arrogant possession? She couldn’t be sure.
Garrett started the car and turned on the headlights, revealing a tunnel of illuminated flora, vines and mud. The road was so primitive, their bodies bounced around, hitting the insides of the SUV. By her estimation, they were at least four hours from the city and though there was nothing stopping her from jumping out, there was absolutely no place to run if she did.
Tears threatened, but Liddie pushed them back. It wouldn’t be helpful to fall apart now. The lush, monstrous vegetation of a wild world was beginning to crush all hope. Liddie was experiencing the collapse of her fantasy while driving into the abyss that was Parker’s.
****
Suddenly the Rover stopped. Garrett cursed.
“What’s wrong?” demanded Parker.
“Road’s blocked.”
Liddie leaned forward to look out the front window. Garrett had stopped the SUV and it was obvious why. A large tree, covered with foliage was lying across the path in front of them.
All four left the car, with Paco jumping out of the back carrying several machetes. He distributed them to the men, who used the long, sharp blades to rip through the greens. Parker even pitched in. With the boyish enthusiasm that had first attracted her to him, he was helping to lift the tree and move it to the side.
They continued to thrash at the overgrowth to clear the path. Without Garrett, she thought, the task would take three times as long. Liddie watched them work silently in the light of the headlights before realizing that she’d been left alone and hadn’t taken advantage of the freedom. She turned to look in the back, where Paco had gotten the machetes.
There was no light illuminating the inside of the vehicle, but she hoped to find something that could be used as a weapon, if needed.
A flutter of fear flew through her. The fact that she now found it necessary to locate a weapon proved that she’d come to fear the men. Her growing discomfort in their presence had become too strong to deny.
Parker had taken her passport and her laptop. Then her cell phone disappeared. He’d shown not a trace of outrage over how she’d been treated by either Garrett or the two thugs. How could she continue to trust him? How could she ever love him?
As her thoughts became clearer, Liddie’s spirits hit rock bottom. The champagne. The ginger ale. When had she ever passed out like that before? Even in her college days, when she’d partied hard. Never did it affect her like it had here. Pile on top of that Garrett’s warnings and now, this remote destination.
The driver’s door opened and the cool air hit her back. Liddie whipped around.
“Listen to me,” demanded Garrett, “We don’t have much time.” He grabbed the back of the driver’s seat, and Liddie saw blood ooze from a three‑inch cut on his forearm.
“You’re bleeding.”
He ignored her. “Don’t fight with him, Liddie.” He turned to glance back at the other men. “Do whatever it takes to keep him happy. Convince him that you’re his. Do you hear me?”
“Will you help me leave?”
Garrett swallowed hard and frowned. Rainwater, mixed with sweat, dripped from his hair and down the chiseled features of a worried face. “Don’t try anything heroic, Liddie, just do whatever he wants for now.”
He reached to touch her face, but Liddie fell back, disappointed that he wouldn’t promise to help her escape. Garrett looked surprised, and then hurt.
Before she could say more, Liddie saw Parker approaching the car. �
��Parker,” she warned.
Garrett nodded. “I’ve got to go.”
“Wait!”
At any other time, the cut on his arm would have required stitches. Liddie flipped in the seat and reached back to feel for her suitcase. She unzipped a pocket and grabbed at the first fabric that came to hand.
“Wrap this around that cut,” she told Garrett and handed him a piece of clothing.
He grabbed it, holding it up to find an end.
Panties?
Liddie’s mouth dropped open. She couldn’t have grabbed a shirt, tank top, or even a sock in the darkness. No. She had to grab something intimate.
Garrett shrugged off her embarrassment. “Works for me.”
He covered the cut and wrapped the fabric around the arm, using one hand and his teeth to tie the knot.
“What’s wrong?” asked Parker, coming up behind his pilot.
Garrett pointed to his arm. Blood had already leaked through the panty. It was obvious he had a nasty cut.
“Machete,” answered Garrett casually.
Parker nodded and took a quick glance at Liddie, who remained quiet and seated.
“We’ll be done in a few more moments, Lid,” He let Garrett move past him and then poked his head in the door. “When the roads aren’t used much, the forest eats them up. There shouldn’t be much more of this, if people have been doing their jobs. But, we’ll see.”
Liddie nodded. “Okay, Parker.”
In a few more minutes, the path was cleared, and they were back on the road. The stench of wet, working men filled the vehicle and stung at Liddie’s nostrils.
“Are we almost there?” she asked Parker wearily.
He held his hand out, and she placed hers in it.
“Very soon,” he said calmly, “Very soon.”
****
Wild Suspicions (Romantic Suspense) Page 10
