by Pinki Parks
“Melanie, I blame myself for what happened to Conner.” I had kept tabs on all of them knowing where they were at any given day. I wanted to be ready for the dark day of retribution.
“It’s been months since we’ve all seen each other and I don’t know why you would be surprised by his stupidity. We made a pact and he broke it by opening up his mouth.” I didn’t like how she could be cold and callous about somebody’s life ending unexpectedly.
“Melanie, you’ve always said people make their own beds. I don’t know why you can’t give people the benefit of the doubt. Not everybody is predictable.” Conner was a man of many vices and he battled those demons with the fierceness of a warrior.
“It was one thing when we were there to police his actions. I don’t know how many times I flushed ice down the toilet.” Ice was a very powerful methamphetamine and was considered an anchor around Conner’s ankle.
I should’ve known that civilian life would drag him down into a drugged out state of mind. He was never one for conventional thinking. Conner had gotten us into a lot of trouble and we somehow managed to walk away relatively unscathed. It took all of us to formulate a game plan on January 1. It was still a date in infamy.
“Guam is paradise and darkness mixed into one. If you go looking for trouble there is always someone willing to supply it. The police are ineffectual and not one case of shoplifting has ever gone to court. The drug trade is rampant and causes people to have bars over their windows.” Unless you were driving a beater, vehicle break-ins were common knowledge amongst the locals. It didn’t matter if you left your door open and they wouldn’t even bother to check before smashing the glass.
“We still continue to make excuses for him. It was very lucky for us to find one of their radios at the grisly scene of his death. They were careless and it gave us an edge we didn’t have before.” I could tell from what was left of Conner he didn’t go peacefully into the Goodnight.
“There’s no point in talking ill of the dead. He was our friend no matter what he did to bring this to our doorstep.” Melanie had to know he fought like a tiger to the very end. His mangled corpse was a reminder of what was waiting for the rest of us.
“It all comes down to having too many cooks in the kitchen. Out of the five of us, he was the only one who couldn’t keep to the plan. There’s no sense in crying over spilled milk. We got to Jackson and made sure he was safely squirreled away into a safe house of our choosing.” Jackson took some convincing, but Melanie was a seductive charm for a man who never married or had any children.
“The man I took out on the roof was only a scout. When he doesn’t call in they will come with reinforcements to torture the information out of Gillian.” Leaving him alive was necessary to keep my soul from being scarred by the unfortunate death of others.
“I’m way ahead of you. I’ve already sent an encrypted message on the radio we managed to get our hands on. It states emphatically there is no sign of her in the area.” The Kawasaki motorcycle I had paid for in cash was exactly where I had left it in the parking lot of the bank. It took me a few minutes to get back to it.
“It would be prudent for me to go over to the hospital and have a few words with him in private. I’m sure that we can come up with some kind of reasonable compromise.” Everybody had a price and I was willing to pay for his silence.
“It won’t be necessary. I called back the ambulance and made it sound like a teenage hoax.” I couldn’t believe she would do something like that. It dawned on me the reason why like an anvil coming down on top of my head from above.
“What the hell did you do?” I heard only silence and it was deafening like somebody screaming in my head.
“You’ve always been a boy scout, Dalton. I did what was necessary and I’m not going to feel bad about it. I made sure he won’t be contacting anyone.” She had ice water running through her veins, but the sex was phenomenal like she knew my body better than I knew it myself.
“I thought we agreed nobody was going to die. I wouldn’t have come out of exile had I known your true purpose. I don’t know what happened to you in these last few months, but you are not the same person you were in Guam.” She was still promiscuous, but there was something deadly in her eyes. She looked different, but she never prescribed to going under the knife.
“I came home and learned a valuable lesson. A dead man tells no tales. If you are expecting me to apologize then it’s going to be a cold day in hell when that happens. I’m here to do what you can’t and I never agreed to your terms. I changed because of necessity. I’m not going to get into it with you.” Melanie was the one who had become our conscience and it took somebody with a cold and calculated approach to do what she was doing.
I had tried to get in touch with the last member of our team out there, but he had gone underground with no forwarding address. Granger probably saw it coming and decided to make a premeditated decision to stay low.
I couldn’t get Gillian out of my head and how she looked in her wedding dress. She looked like she had found her happily ever after.
I was going to do everything in my power not to interrupt her upcoming wedding. The only thing missing from the portrait of happiness was the smile on her face.
Chapter 3
Gillian
“I told you there were people who have threatened my life on numerous occasions. It’s the reason why I have you on a short leash. I have my people looking into what happened, but it doesn’t seem to be anything more than a backfire of a car. I might be paranoid, but it’s the reason why I have survived for this long.” Grant was pacing back and forth with a toothpick in his mouth to help him think.
‘I know the reason why you acted defensively in the moment. If you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m hardwired to be ready for just about anything.’ I could say that, but I wasn’t prepared for Grant to use my words against me.
I was still replaying everything I had seen in my head. The only thing to stand out was the derelict. His gait was bringing me back to a time where I had watched a dead man play athletically with the children in the area. He was my fantasy and my perfect man.
“This place is a fortress and we have security around the property 24 hours a day. I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist on you staying here indefinitely. I’ve taken the liberty of sending for your stuff. I know it’s not ideal for the groom to see his bride a few days before the wedding.” He wanted me to be his trophy wife, but there was no mention of anything physical happening between the two of us.
“I think it goes without saying I’m going to have my own room. I hope you didn’t have any plans of me sleeping with you. I’ve already told you many times I don’t feel that way about you. I never will.” It was a good plan for him to use me in his political aspirations. I was very personable and could sweet talk with the best of them.
“I’ve already told you any feelings for you died on the day you rejected me. This marriage is a means to an end and nothing more. I don’t expect you to be faithful. I’m certainly not going to be. Getting married to me is nothing compared to what you would serve after being convicted. It’s also quite possible this could be a Federal case.” He was all about the power he could wield in the palm of his hand.
“I’ve already agreed to your terms. There’s no reason to constantly bring it up. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear you are enjoying my misery.” He was wearing a customary dark suit with wingtip shoes. Perfectly dressed as usual, nothing was out of place.
I was a bit more casual in a pair of denim jeans and a dark sweater over my natural attributes. The scent of my perfume surrounded me like my own personal halo. He was not immune to my feminine form. I wasn’t exactly blind to the way that he undressed me with his eyes. I was worried one night after indulging a little too much I might find him knocking on my door.
“I feel like you need to be reminded of what is at stake. I saw an opportunity to capitalize on your misguided fame and I to
ok it.” His brown hair was combed all the way back and his cleanly shaven face gave him a baby boy complexion of innocence.
“I don’t see how you can sleep at night knowing you are blackmailing your best friend. I always knew you were different than the other guys vying for my affection. We had one date and realized we were better off as friends.” He had this natural magnetism that gave him the loyalty and respect of his peers.
The estate was massive with ten bedrooms and four bathrooms. The kitchen was a gourmet chef’s delight. I could order anything at any hour of the day and night. It would be delivered to my door. I was never going to take advantage of their hospitality in that way.
“I sleep like a baby in the best Egyptian silk money can buy. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. The best was never good enough for me. I aspire to greatness and I need the instant family to go along with pressing the palms.” A baby was necessary to give him the wholesome family image he was looking for.
“I have no intention of getting pregnant with your child. I’m pretty sure you already know that and have planned for this eventuality. You never leave anything to chance.” He was an evil genius always thinking three steps ahead of everybody else.
“After we are married, we will acquire the services of a surrogate already pregnant and willing to give away their baby for a price. We wouldn’t have to resort to these measures if you would consider a more practical approach.” I wasn’t sure if he was kidding and I cocked my eyebrow at the very notion of being with him in the Biblical sense.
“You already know my answer. I suppose you will want to pawn the baby off as ours. I’m sure you have a plan to keep me out of the public eye.” This was the first I was hearing about his grand scheme, but I wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“You will be spending nine months in Greece. I will be joining you. I’ve already chosen a young lady down on her luck. I haven’t made my approach, but I believe I will be able to give her an offer she can’t refuse. She has already confirmed her desire to give away the child to respectable parents.” I was stunned by how quickly he was arranging the pieces on the chessboard.
“I am horrified by how easily you have made this happen in a short time. You must’ve been planning this for years and then I fell into your lap. I’m glad I was willing to take the bullet and there’s no telling what anybody else would’ve been in for.” Money was the root of all evil. He had proven it by becoming the one person he didn’t want to be… his domineering father.
He came into the room and smugly put his hand on Grant’s shoulder.
“My son is a chip off of the old block. I know this isn’t what you were expecting, but we can make the best out of a bad situation. It’s not like you are a prisoner. Did you really think he wouldn’t tell me of all people what he was planning? I gave him my blessing and my advice free of charge.” His father was a carbon copy. It was like looking at the present and the future.
“My parents have been supportive of my decision to jump into the political arena. My mother was a little worried until I told her of my plans to marry you on paper. There’s no reason to have sympathy for me. It’s not like I didn’t know what I was destined for.” It was becoming obvious plans had already been made from the moment he was born.
“Mr. Hamilton, you can’t stand there and tell me this is what you want for your son. It might seem like a good idea, but he will never be happy. Love is not something you squander. To settle for second best is going to leave you blind to the possibility of real love.” They both began to laugh at my expense like I had said the funniest thing in the world.
I took a step back and swallowed hard at how they were playing with everyone like they were puppets on a string. There was no point in trying to change their minds. They were steadfast in their belief I could give them the best public image going forward. My dedication to the navy and to serving my country was something they were going to use to stuff the ballot box in their favor.
“I never took you for being naïve, Gillian. Love is nothing more than a commodity to be brokered between two people. Tamara and I are a prime example of what a loveless marriage can accomplish. She gets to live in the lap of luxury with more money than she can spend in a lifetime. My legitimate business was nothing compared to what I did to make the real fortune for this family.” I was seeing things through rose-colored glasses and growing up I thought Grant had the world by the tail.
“Love is the only thing worth fighting for. I went into the military to fight for the freedoms of others. People like me make it possible for civilians to live in a democracy. I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but marriage without love is doomed to fail.” I was trying to break through to them, but they were both jaded.
It was a destructive cycle which was most likely going to his heir’s legacy to carry on in the family name.
“I found out early on love is for suckers. I could give women everything they wanted. It was the only reason why they were with me. They wanted to get their hands in my pocket. They were looking for their sugar daddy.” I was watching this house of cards teetering on the edge.
“I knew my son was destined to walk in my footsteps. I have been one of the most influential businessmen to come along in a century. It didn’t take much convincing to get him to have a vasectomy. I was fortunate to find a woman begging for a new life and willing to do anything to get it.” They both had red ties around their neck choking off the supply of oxygen to their brain.
“I didn’t know what kind of influence was in your life. I thought you had dreams of becoming a veterinarian. What happened to make you this person? Why would you mention having sex with me when there isn’t the possibility of having a child?” I didn’t recognize him, but maybe I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.
“I never said you weren’t attractive enough to fuck. I’m exactly where I want to be. Life is unpredictable and being the architect of my own destiny takes out the guesswork.” The words were coming out of his mouth, but he might as well have his father’s hand on his back making his mouth move for him.
“My son told me everything. It makes it easier to tell you what we have planned knowing you can’t say anything to anyone. The Damocles sword is a simple prop hanging over your head. We are the only ones preventing you from feeling the cold hand of justice. Don’t fight this. It will only make it worse for you. Smile and do what you’re told.” In the military, there was a recognizable chain of command. These two were the tyranny of generals never seeing a day of battle in their lives.
“It doesn’t look like I have many options on the table.” I was trapped and I felt like an animal ready to gnaw off his limb to get away.
“That’s the spirit. You never know this life might appeal to you. My son and I have talked at length and have come up with a strategy. Any thought of you signing up for another tour is out of the question. This is what you have chosen. Let me be the first one to welcome you to the family.” The place was an expensive example of what money could buy, but it was also a prison of my own making.
Chapter 4
Dalton
I had the place staked out from a distance with a camera setup to make sure there were no surprises. I didn’t see this to be a place for Gillian to raise a family. She was always about the simple things to make her happy. I had heard her speak of Grant’s name with the affection of a friend. Something had changed over the course of those months she had been home.
“In this day of technology, there really is no way for anybody to get away with anything. There are obvious exceptions.” The motel was a few miles out of town and was one of those with an hourly rate for women of questionable morals.
“Melanie, I’m not even going to ask where you got all of this on such short notice. We haven’t finished our argument about what you did. I haven’t picked up a gun in almost a year. I would like to think there is a better way of doing things than with violence.” She was wearing a short bathrobe barely being kept
together with a white sash around her waist.
Her hair was in a ponytail and her green eyes made me feel like lightning was striking me where I stood. The woman was sex personified and knew what kind of hold she had over a man. The hint of her bosom when she leaned forward over the computer was hard to ignore.
“I don’t ever want you to mention this again. I like to think what I did was for the greater good. It’s only a temporary solution to a bigger problem and we both know it.” We had discussed a more offensive position, but I didn’t think it was necessary to make trouble where there wasn’t any.
“Granger is still missing in action. He’s very resourceful and if he doesn’t want to be found then he won’t be. I could tell from how the place was ransacked he didn’t have much time to vacate the premises.” I decided to turn my attention to something I could control.
The heart-shaped bed was her way of striking a match to my libido. I would’ve easily jumped at the chance to feel the pleasures she could inflict on me, but seeing Gillian made me yearn for something I had forgotten about.
“Granger is a notorious womanizer. He’s probably under the covers of the sheets of some unsuspecting female victim as we speak. We should take a page from his book. I took the liberty of reserving the honeymoon suite. We have the place for a week.” The red silk sheets and the smell of cinnamon burning from some incense in a candle by the bed were nice touches.
“One of us is going to have to keep watch. What you did is only going to make them angry and want to retaliate. There’s no telling where they’re going to show up next. To think this could have been avoided had we stayed at the fiesta that night. It’s a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive.” I didn’t know where the saying came from, but it did fit the occasion.
