Billionaire at Sea 2

by K. L. Middleton

  “No,” sobbed Jake. “He’ll kill her.”

  I turned to look at him. “I’ll be fine. Be brave, Jake.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  The cook picked him up and began carrying him out back.

  “I know you’re in the kitchen! Get your ass out here,” John hollered.

  Shaking, I turned to walk out of the kitchen when I noticed a box cutter sitting on one of the counters. I quickly unclipped the blade and put it in the palm of my hand.

  “Mia! Last time!”

  “I’m coming!” I hollered back.

  Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the kitchen to face John. When he saw me, I thought he was going to kill me right then and there. Instead he asked where Jake was.

  “He’s not here,” I said, staring in horror at Rooster, who was lying on the ground with blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes were open and he looked to be in shock. Ruth was sitting next to him, crying.

  “Where is he?!” John hollered. “You know I’m not leaving here without him! I need him more than I need you!”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one of the customers reaching down to his ankle. He raised the bottom of his jeans and I saw that there was a gun attached to his ankle.

  I quickly looked away. Unfortunately, John must have noticed my interest and turned to look at the man.

  “Hold it right there!” he yelled, pointing his gun at the customer.

  The man froze.

  John fired his gun at him.

  Everyone screamed.

  I charged at John and jumped onto his back. Remembering how Damian had put him into a headlock, I tried doing the same.

  “Get off me!” he growled, trying to remove my arm from his neck. “You stupid bitch!”

  Panicking, I fumbled with the blade that was still in my hand. I managed to bring it around to his jugular and cut him with it.

  John made a gurgling noise and then blood began to pour from the gash in his neck.

  Horrified at what I’d done, I jumped off of his back, my hand covered with blood.

  John turned around and our eyes met.

  I stared at him helplessly. I’d just killed the man I once loved. A sickening guilt spread through me.

  Holding his neck, he crumbled to the floor.

  Sirens sounded in the distance and moved toward us. Trembling, I dropped the blade on the counter, wiped my hand on my jeans, and ran outside to look for Jake and the cook. I noticed that they were about to leave the parking lot in an old SUV.

  “Wait!” I screamed, waving my hands in the air. Thankfully his windows were open.

  The vehicle stopped.

  I ran up to them. “It’s okay. John is dead and it looks like the police are finally on their way.” I nodded toward the road. There were four cop cars speeding toward us with their lights flashing.

  “Jesus, lady. Did you kill him?” asked the cook, noticing my bloody hand and jeans.

  I nodded.

  “Damn,” the cook said, smiling. “I wonder if they’ll make a movie about this someday.”

  If they did, I wanted no part of it. The last several hours wasn’t anything I wanted to relive again, even on the big screen.

  “Are you sure he’s dead?” asked Jake, still looking uncertain and scared.

  I walked around to the other side of the vehicle and opened up the door. “I promise you. He’s gone.”

  His lip began to tremble. “I want my dad.”

  “I know.” I pulled Jake in my arms and he hugged me so hard I could barely breathe. “It’s over,” I told him, kissing him on the head. “I swear to you. John is gone. He can’t get to either of us anymore.”

  “So, all of the bad people are dead?” he asked

  I thought of John’s words earlier. He’d mentioned that he wasn’t the only one making decisions. I could only hope that Marissa, and the other two people that were back at the house, were the ones he’d meant.

  “Yes, the bad people are gone and you’re safe,” I said, as the cops skidded to a halt next to us.

  He relaxed in my arms.

  36

  Damian

  When we reached the diner, I couldn’t believe the wreckage. The entire front of the building was smashed in from the vehicle that had plowed into it. I recognized it as Marissa’s car right away.

  “Dad!” hollered Jake, who was sitting in the back of an ambulance with Mia next to him.

  I rushed over and climbed inside of the vehicle. I pulled my son into my arms and hugged him. It was the best feeling in the world. I’d thought I’d lost him forever.

  “Thank you,” I said to Mia, almost too choked up to speak.

  She put her hand on my shoulder. “You bet.”

  “Dad,” said Jake, pulling away from me. He looked up into my face. “You should have seen it! John almost got to us again but Mia killed him.”

  I looked at her. I could tell by her expression that she was still pretty shaken up herself. “I know.”

  I’d heard the story already. Apparently, John must have known that the two couldn’t get very far and had discovered them just a few miles from the place where he’d held my son. Unfortunately, there’d been one more casualty, and a man that had been severely injured from Marissa’s car.

  “Thankfully, the owner of the diner, Rooster, didn’t die,” she said. “I don’t think I could have lived with myself.”

  I noticed that she was wearing a T-shirt that said Rooster’s Diner on it.

  “He risked his life for us, too. You should have seen him. He took out this big gun and pointed it at John. I didn’t know they even had a gun here,” said Jake, excitedly.

  “He sounds like a great guy. I’m going to have to make sure he’s rewarded for trying to keep you safe,” I told them.

  The FBI agents approached us.

  “Ms. James, would you be able to answer a few questions for us?” asked Garrison.

  “I already spoke to the police and gave them my statement.” She looked at me. “They sent out a squad car to the house where they were keeping Jake.”

  “We still need to interview you,” said Garrison. “I’m sorry. I know it feels monotonous, but we need to make sure we have all the facts for the investigation.”

  “It’s fine,” she said, standing up. “I understand.”

  “Wait,” I said as Mia was about to climb out of the ambulance.

  She turned to look at me and I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.

  “I’m so glad you’re alive,” I said, staring into her eyes. “I owe you everything.”

  “No, you don’t,” she said, smiling.

  I rubbed my finger across her cheek lovingly. “Yes, I do. Someday, I’m going to make it up to you, too.”

  “Don’t be silly,” she said, amused. “You don’t have to do anything of the sort.”

  “I know that. But, I want to.”

  “All I really want to do now is go home,” she replied. “And sleep.”

  “Me, too,” said Jake.

  “Now that’s something we can all agree on,” I told them.

  37

  Mia

  After both Jake and I were finished being questioned again by the FBI, we were able to leave. Damian rented a limo and we drove back to Miami, stopping on the way for pepperoni and mushroom pizza, which I learned was Jake’s favorite food in the world. For most of the trip back, we avoided talking too much about what had happened, including the events on the ship, which I knew had to have been quite an ordeal. I’d learned that all but one of the kidnappers had died.

  When we arrived back in town, they dropped me off at my place first. I hugged Jake goodbye and then Damian walked me to the door.

  “After you get some sleep, call me,” he said.

  “I will.”

  “By the way, I had someone help Ridley pack all of your things from the ship and bring them here.”

  “Thanks.” I knew that my purse and cell phone, were probably still on the Carver,
in the overnight bag. I asked him about it.

  “They’re still looking for the boat,” he replied. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll get your things back, though.”

  At that moment, I didn’t even care. I was so happy to be alive and home.

  He kissed me goodbye and then I went inside.

  Ridley was in the kitchen when I entered. She squealed in delight when she noticed me and almost knocked me over with her hug.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” we both said together and then laughed.

  “What happened to you?” she asked me.

  I quickly went over the events of my ordeal and then she talked about what had happened on the ship. I’d heard most of it but knew she needed to talk about it.

  “How is your face doing?” I asked, staring at the bruises.

  “Oh, fine. I’ve been putting ice on my face. It’s funny… I’ve never gotten hit in the face and in the last couple of weeks, two men managed to break that record.”

  “Both losers,” I replied, hoping that she never went back to Adam.

  As if reading my mind, she smiled sadly. “Yes. At least they’re both out of our lives now.”

  “I’m sorry he hurt you,” I said, speaking of John.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” she said.

  “I know. I’m still sorry.”

  We hugged again.

  “How is Jake doing?” she asked, as we pulled away. “He must be traumatized by everything.”

  “Surprisingly, he’s handling it pretty well. I’m sure he’s in shock though. I know losing his mother has been really hard.”

  “He’s better off without her,” she said, scowling. “I can’t believe that woman did what she did.”

  “I know. Thank God Jake has such a wonderful father to fall back on.”

  “Do you think he’ll need counseling?” asked Ridley.

  “He might. I’m sure it’s too early to tell.”

  “I think I’m going to need it,” she said truthfully. “That was terrifying.”

  I nodded.

  She looked at my T-shirt. “What’s with the shirt?”

  “They needed my other one for evidence and it was so bloody anyway,” I replied. “Speaking of which, I need a shower.”

  “Yeah, I bet,” she said. “Go and take one. When you’re finished, let’s have a glass of wine. I don’t know about you, but I could use about ten of them.”

  I chuckled. “Me, too.”

  “By the way, my brother is coming over later. He wants to make sure we’re okay. He said he’d just stop by for a few minutes. He knows we’re tired and could use some sleep.”

  I was exhausted. I’d slept for about a half hour in the limo. “Good. I’d like to thank him. If it wasn’t for the pepper spray, I don’t know what I’d have done.”

  “And I was giving him crap about it.”

  “He basically saved mine and Jake’s life,” I replied.

  “Who knew that my brother’s over-protectiveness actually won out this time? He’s going to gloat when he hears,” she said.

  “That’s okay. He should.”

  It was then that I remembered that I still had Marissa’s cell phone. I pulled it out of my pocket.

  “Whose is that?” asked Ridley.

  “It was Marissa’s,” I replied. “It’s dead.”

  Her eyes widened. “Nobody wanted it?”

  “To be honest, I think we all forgot I had it,” I said. “I’ll give it to Damian.”

  “Did you get a chance to look at her messages?”

  “Not really. Just a couple.”

  “Let’s charge the phone and look through it. There could be some more evidence in it.”

  More than likely, a lot of evidence.

  “It’s an iPhone. My charger should work,” she said.

  I gave her the phone.

  “I’m going to take a shower while it charges,” I replied, heading toward the stairs.

  “Okay.”

  I took a long time in the shower, thinking about the past couple of days. So much had happened and so many lives had changed. I thought of Jake, most of all. He was such a sweet kid and I still couldn’t believe that his mother had risked his life because of greed. She’d had a little boy who was worth more than any fortune and it hadn’t been enough. I knew in my heart that Damian would trade every last cent for his son. I was just so happy that I’d been able to help him get Jake back. I knew that the boy would need some time to heal, but having a father like Damian, one who was so committed to his son, the road to recovery wouldn’t be so harsh.

  I got out of the shower, slipped on my pajamas, and then brushed my teeth. When I walked out of the living room, Ridley had a strange look on her face.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Nothing. Marshall just called and asked if you still had Marissa’s phone. He’s coming by to pick it up.”

  Knowing Marshall, he also wanted Ridley’s phone number, I mused.

  “Did you look through it?”

  “No,” she said, walking over to stand next to me. “I forced myself to wait for you.”

  “That must have been hard.”

  “Of course,” she said, smiling.

  I swiped my finger across the screen.

  “Look through her messages. I’m just curious to see if she was conversing with the kidnappers the entire time.”

  I did what she asked. Marissa had messages from a lot of people, including Asshole and Asshole#2

  “I think Asshole is Damian,” I said. “I wonder who Asshole#2 is?”

  We looked at the text messages she’d received from Damian. They were basically requests for her to call him.

  “He sent that earlier,” she said, pointing to the date.

  We went into Asshole#2’s text messages. There were several and the person sounded frantic.

  Shit is hitting the fan. Call me!

  He has taken the ship back. FBI is getting involved. Get him out of the house.

  Ridley and I looked at each other.

  “This must have been sent from the guy they arrested,” I said.

  She frowned. “He said that he didn’t know anything about any kid being involved.”

  “Of course he said that. He’s a lying asshole,” I replied.

  “I suppose you’re right,” she said.

  The doorbell rang.

  “That must be Marshall,” she said.

  I followed her out of the kitchen and we answered the door together.

  “Thank goodness you’re okay,” were Marshall’s first words when he saw me. He gave me a quick hug. “I wanted to go with Damian when they found you, but things were still crazy on the ship.”

  I smiled at him. “It’s no problem.”

  “Come on in,” said Ridley.

  He stepped inside and looked around. “So, you two live together, huh?”

  “Yeah. I moved in after having those problems that I was telling you about my boyfriend. Excuse me, my EX boyfriend,” she answered, smiling up at him.

  “It’s nice and I think it’s great that you two have each other’s backs,” he replied.

  “I know,” she said, looking at me. “I don’t know what I’d do without her. When I thought you were dead, I wanted to die myself.”

  Her eyes were misty and it made my own well up with tears.

  “I feel the same way,” I said, smiling at her affectionately.

  “So, I suppose I’d better get the phone over to the FBI. Where is it?” asked Marshall.

  “In the kitchen,” I said.

  He followed us in there and I handed him the phone.

  “Looks like you charged it. Did you get a chance to scroll through her text messages at all?” he asked.

  “A little. We did find out who Asshole and Asshole#2 is,” Ridley replied.

  His eyes widened and he smiled. “What?”

  “She labeled two of her contacts those names. Obviously, Damian is Asshole,” she said.

  He
scrolled to her text messages and began reading them.

  “And we’re pretty sure that Asshole#2 is the guy who was on the ship. The one who survived,” I said.

  “It’s kind of strange because he claimed that he didn’t even know about Jake and yet he was sending messages to Marissa.”

  “Unless it was someone else,” he replied, frowning.

  “Do you think that there was someone else involved that is still out there?” Ridley asked, looking surprised. “A crewmember?”

  “Or, maybe it was one of Ransom’s friends?” I said. “You know, John hinted that there were others involved.”

  “I’m sure the FBI will be able to track who Asshole#2 is,” she said. “I can’t wait to find out myself.”

  “You won’t have to,” said Marshall. “I can tell you right now who it is.”

  We both looked up at him. He was holding a gun and pointing it right at us.

  Ridley looked shocked. “What are you doing?”

  “You still don’t get it, do you?” he replied, a sad expression on his face. “You know, I really liked you, too. It’s a shame that it has to end this way.”

  38

  Damian

  As we were heading toward home, I received a phone call from Ransom.

  “How did it go?” he asked me.

  I told him what went down and he whistled through his teeth. “Wow, what a nightmare.”

  “I’m just so relieved that it’s finally over.”

  “I bet.”

  “How is everyone else doing?”

  “Fine,” he replied. “Happy to be home with their loved ones.”

  “Speaking of loved ones,” I said, smiling. “Did you find out what the big news was with Tiffany?”

  “You were right. She is pregnant,” he replied, a smile in his voice.

  “Congratulations. You’re going to make a great father. I’m excited for you.”

  “Thanks. I’m pretty excited myself.”

  We spoke for a few more minutes and then he reminded me about the wedding.

  “How can I forget? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”