by Mia Allen
Karen turned her back to Tyler so he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes and quietly replied, “I already ordered your lunch. It is on your desk. You know where to find me if you need me or if you want to yell some more.” She left the room with a sob.
“That’s no way to treat your lover. You hurt her deeply. She ordered your favorite lunch because she was worried about you. I asked for her help. I dropped two folders and needed her to show me which pages belonged in each,” stated Caleb.
Tyler’s brain never made it past Caleb’s first statement. He gritted his teeth and asked, “Where did you get the idea that Karen and I are lovers? She is my personal assistant and a friend, no more than that.”
Caleb laughed long and hard, “You truly think no one knows about the two of you. People are taking bets on how long the relationship will last. After the way you just treated her, I need to change my bet. Especially since she accepted a date for dinner tonight with me.”
Tyler shook with anger and shouted at Caleb, “Get out! I’m done with you today. I have to be at a job site in the morning. We can resume this nonsense tomorrow afternoon.” Caleb continued to laugh as he left. He stopped at Karen’s desk and kissed the top of her head. Tyler clenched his fists and slammed his door. He wanted to apologize to Karen. He felt it would be best if he calmed down first. Why had she accepted a date with Caleb? How had everyone learned of the relationship? They were so careful. Maybe that was part of the problem. Karen was probably tired of hiding. Sadly, so was he. Tyler wasn’t ashamed of their relationship, he just honestly feared some enemy could use Karen to get to him. It was guaranteed that Nick would harm her if he knew. Tyler had to keep that from happening. He headed out to apologize to Karen, only to discover she was gone. There was a note addressed to him. Karen wrote that she needed some time away from Tyler and that she had a date for tonight. She would be back at work in the morning. Tyler kicked the desk, shredded the note, and stomped back to his office.
Tyler used his anger to question the rest of his employees. He found two who were possible suspects. To his shock, one was a long time trusted employee with a high security clearance. Tyler refused to accuse either one until he had a more objective person present. He planned to bring in both Caleb and Karen to listen as he questioned the pair a third time.
Tyler’s evening was spent divided between reviewing Caleb’s notes on Nick and worrying about Karen’s date with Caleb. He found the notes more helpful than expected and set in motion another takeover. This one was meant to be a huge blow to Nick’s mob cohorts and would bring danger to Tyler, but it was necessary.
Karen and Caleb were having a wonderful night. Neither mentioned Tyler. Caleb was very attentive and hung on every word Karen spoke. He pulled out her chair, poured her wine, and presented her with the name of an honest contractor. Karen was happier to receive that name than she would have been to get flowers. She felt Caleb took her seriously and believed in her abilities. A part of her wondered if Caleb was a better choice for her than Tyler, while another part reminded her of the love she held for Tyler. Life was more complicated than ever. She was no longer angry at Tyler. Karen understood how the scene he had walked in on must have looked. She actually liked the little spark of jealousy he had shown. It meant he did care. After several glasses of wine, Caleb started questioning Karen. He hoped she was tipsy enough to tell him some secrets. He had begun with, “How much of the business are you involved in? Are you allowed to see all the accounts or does Tyler just use you to look after clients’ needs?”
Karen was confused by the questions. She held her liquor well. She asked, “Why would you ask such intrusive questions about Tyler’s business? Are you using this date to get information out of me? If that’s the case, I’m calling a cab and going home.”
Caleb quickly backed off saying, “No, no, no. I’m just curious as to whether you are being used to your highest potential. I find you extremely intelligent and I wondered if Tyler knows what a gem he has.”
Karen settled down and replied, “As a personal assistant, I am involved in the contracts and other paper work. I sit in on client meetings and conferences. Tyler values my opinions on people and deals. I don’t get into the finances. I’m not an accountant. I do think Tyler could give me a little more power, but I’m fine for now.”
Caleb realized he wasn’t going to get Karen to spill any secrets. He was sure she didn’t know about the barely legal deals Tyler was sometimes involved in. Caleb needed to find another way to bring Tyler down. Maybe he could use Karen in a different way. He had to be sure she trusted him and call in some tough guys for help, but it was time for desperate measures.
Chapter 7
Caleb was relieved when Tyler asked him to sit in on the questioning of his two suspects. If one of them was Caleb’s inside man, he would be able to steer Tyler away from him. Karen joined the two men in the conference room where they awaited the first suspect. There was a huge amount of tension in the air. Tyler was worried about what Karen had done on her date with Caleb. Caleb was afraid that one of the suspects would be his inside man and that the man would panic upon seeing him in the room. If his man thought they had been discovered, he might spill the beans before Caleb could speak. Karen felt guilty over her date with Caleb and feared Tyler was angry.
The first man interviewed was a new hire. He was smart, but cautious. He was also not Caleb’s man. Karen and Caleb both suggested questions that Tyler hadn’t thought of. They all realized rather quickly that this man was not the one they were looking for. The second man never showed. He hadn’t come into work. Phone calls went unanswered. Tyler sent a security team to his address. It was unlocked and empty. This was obviously their man. Tyler called the police once again and set them on the trail of his former employee. He was extremely upset to discover that the culprit was his head of sales. He had known the man for years and could never have imagined him as a murderer.
Caleb was as shocked as Tyler. His man had fled. Caleb thought a hired killer would have more guts than that. There was one other possible explanation. The powerful men backing Caleb became nervous and either pulled out their man or killed him to keep him from talking. If that was the case, then Caleb needed to watch his back. He was expendable, too.
Tyler’s corporation was having a fundraiser that night. To thank Caleb for his help, Tyler invited him to the party. Karen was to be Tyler’s hostess. She would stand by his side as a date and help run the auctioning of the donated items. All the money was to go to the children’s hospital. Tyler enjoyed giving back to the community. He felt it made up for the bad things he had done in his younger years. It was time to let go of all their worries, and have a night of fun and festivities.
The men dressed in tuxes and looked handsome and stately. Karen’s low cut, figure hugging red dress made her look spectacular. The event was turning out to be a huge success. A large crowd of very rich people attended. The liquor flowed and the food was plentiful. Karen presided over the auction and brought in huge bids, raising more money for the hospital than anyone had expected.
The threesome decided to celebrate the success by finishing off the leftover champagne. All three became extremely drunk. When the hook at the neck of Karen’s dress broke and her breasts spilled out, she was too inebriated to care. Tyler laughed drunkenly and helped her finish removing the dress. She stood in the middle of the dance floor in only a thong and silver stilettos. Caleb cranked up the music and Karen started to dance. The men stripped to their underwear and joined in. As a slow song came on, the men sandwiched Karen between them. She rubbed her erect nipples against Caleb’s firm chest and her tight ass against Tyler’s engorged manhood. The rest of everyone’s clothing seemed to fall away. Tyler entered Karen from the back, while Caleb caressed her nipples and her dampened nub. Karen came hard and heavy as did Tyler. Her legs gave way and the men lifted her over to a covered bench. She was spread eagled and ready for more. Tyler poured champagne down her body and both men licked her clean. Karen
was writhing in need when Tyler knelt between her legs and used his tongue to soothe her aching center. Caleb rubbed his penis back and forth between Karen’s breasts. As she cried out with a climax. Caleb pushed his engorged, pulsating member into her mouth, allowing her to drink his cream. The trio stumbled half-dressed to their limos and were taken home.
Karen woke the following afternoon. She felt sore, but satisfied. Her memory of the previous night was sketchy. She was sure, however, that it had been amazing.
Tyler was confused and embarrassed when he awoke. His head was pounding. His mouth felt full of cotton and he was unsure of what exactly had happened after the fundraiser. Had he actually allowed Karen to be used in a threesome with Caleb, or had that been a dream? After all, Tyler dreamed about kinky sex with Karen often. This time though, his body screamed out that it had really happened.
Caleb was elated. He had shared a threesome with Tyler’s girlfriend. He guaranteed that Tyler hated that. One point went to Caleb for causing Tyler stress. As for Karen, Caleb wanted to get close to her and you couldn’t get any closer than sex. He gave himself a second point for that. He showered, dressed and headed out the door. A report was due to his backers and he was going to give it to them in person. He had a question of his own. What had happened to his insider at Tyler’s company? Caleb frowned as he walked to his car. Something was wrong. He saw the slashed tires and the note painted on the hood. Fear overcame his anger as he read, ‘Your throat is next unless you stop him.’ Caleb knew they meant he must stop Tyler. The companies that Tyler was taking over weren’t actually Caleb’s. They belonged to his backers. Caleb had nothing and he had caused them the loss of a shipment of stolen goods and guns with his search and seizure idea. Caleb no longer wondered about the insider. He was sure that the man had been silenced for good. Caleb feared that he was next.
Chapter 8
Tyler also found his tires slashed. The message dug into his hood simply said, ‘Stop or die.’ The police were no longer enough. Tyler called a buddy in the FBI. His friend showed up quickly. No fingerprints were found. The car was searched and declared bomb free. They found a tracking device under the bumper and removed it. Two agents were assigned as bodyguards for Tyler. His buddy suggested that Tyler carry a gun. Tyler agreed. He also decided to delay the final details of his latest take over. It would definitely be better for his health.
Tyler went back into his home and called Karen. He was going to let her know that he was sending men to guard her as well. When her voicemail picked up the call, Tyler assumed she was either sleeping or in the shower. He left a message and called in some heavy hitters to serve as her bodyguards. His next call was to Caleb. Tyler wanted to impress upon him the fact that nothing like the previous night would ever happen again. Caleb’s phone was off. Tyler shrugged his shoulders and made the decision to face Karen in person. He stopped for roses, candy and the antique diamond bracelet that Karen had hinted she wanted. Tyler owed her big time for the drunken threesome he had allowed to happen and the danger she was now in.
His cell rang just three blocks from Karen’s. One of the men he sent to protect Karen was calling. He reported, “You’re not going to like this. The police were here when we arrived. The neighbors called when they heard popping noises coming from the apartment. The windows were shot out and the house tossed. Karen’s car is in the same shape. She is nowhere to be found.” Tyler freaked out and floored the gas pedal. His tires squealed as he rounded the corner and saw the flashing lights ahead. The gears grinded as he slammed the car into park without coming to a full stop. Tyler jumped out and ran for the building. The police grabbed him and held him back. If he entered the building the crime scene would be contaminated. He was assured that Karen was not inside and no blood had been found. Tyler explained about the threats left on his car and the involvement of the FBI. He was instructed to inform the agents of the current situation. Tyler sat on the curb and made the call.
While he waited, Tyler mulled over the recent happenings. It had to involve Nick. How many lowlifes were in Nick’s pocket? Could one of them have taken Karen? How could they possibly find her? No one even knew where Nick lived. He was off the grid. But, he had to be in touch with someone. He controlled his men somehow. There was a faint memory in the back of Tyler’s mind. He had seen something important last night. The hazy memory stayed just out of reach.
Karen was getting antsy. Caleb had knocked on her door just as she finished dressing. He said he had a small house to show her. It was the perfect flip house for Karen. He insisted she come with him now. This house would go fast. As she grabbed her keys, Caleb picked up her phone. He pushed the button that silenced it and slid it into his pocket. He needed to hurry. His goons were set to mess up the house in just a few minutes. Caleb took off at a speed that made Karen gasp. But that was an hour ago. Karen went from antsy to worried and finally to fear as Caleb drove onto a gravel road. He had stopped talking about 15 minutes ago, as Karen begged to know where they were going. When Caleb pulled up to a dilapidated shack and four armed men came out wearing black cloth bags over their faces, Karen’s fear turned to panic. She fought against the arms that reached into the car and pulled her out. She screamed until she realized there was no one to hear. She was dragged through the shack into a small room without windows and pushed down onto what appeared to be a yoga mat. They locked the door as they left. She called out to Caleb but he never came. Karen lay down and sobbed. Another man had fooled her. She had honestly begun to trust Caleb and even considered leaving the man she loved for the attention Caleb gave her.
Caleb paced the floor of the shack. Karen’s sobs were getting to him. She was a good woman and he hated doing this to her. But his backers made it clear. He had to get everything Tyler had or pay with his own life. His life won over Karen’s. There was no contest. Caleb stepped outside so he couldn’t hear Karen crying anymore. The thugs were there to keep both Karen and him in line. The demand for Tyler to sign over everything he owned was sent as soon as he arrived with Karen. If Tyler ever discovered that Caleb was Nick, he would surely kill him. Caleb had put that worry aside. Hair color, blue contacts, plastic surgery and steroids had made him impossible to recognize. The Nick that Tyler knew was gone forever. The new and improved version was going to win this time.
Chapter 9
Tyler kept swearing to the police and the FBI that Nick Malone was behind everything. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe him, they just couldn’t figure out where to look for him. Karen’s neighbors were questioned, her friends were called and her family notified. The neighbors had heard a popping sound and seen men dressed all in black drive off in a black paneled van. These were the only clues.
Officers were sent to known mob hangouts to ask questions about Nick. Others checked the database for stolen black vans. They tried pinging Karen’s cell phone, but it wasn’t near any cell towers. Tyler continued to sit on the curb, rocking back and forth. He felt useless. He racked his brain for ideas. Suddenly his cell phone buzzed. He had a text from an unknown number. It was a ransom demand. Tyler shouted for the closest FBI agent and handed him the phone. The message read, ‘Sign everything you own over to Malone Enterprises and the woman will live, otherwise she will never be found.’
The police advised Tyler that the text was most likely from a throw away phone and therefore untraceable. He wasn’t interested in their information. He just wanted to go to his lawyer and have the paperwork made up to sign over his property. Tyler had realized that things were easily replaced, but not Karen. He loved her. She deserved better than him, yet he still intended to ask her to marry him as soon as she was found. Caleb was right, she needed his attention, not his money. The thought of Caleb brought Tyler’s mind back to the previous night. What had he seen that was so important? He went over everything he could remember, one minute at a time. Then suddenly he yelled, “Shit! It’s him. He made a fool out of me and he’s got her.”
The FBI agent wanted to know what Tyler meant. He
quickly explained, “I just hired a contract worker named Caleb Rogers. He was supposed to help me take over Nick Malone’s businesses. But I just realized that Caleb is actually Nick. He looks very different. He’s changed his hair, his face shape and buffed up, but he forgot about the tattoo. When we were in college, we fought over a girl. Her name was Sarah. She rejected us both and we vowed never to let a woman come between us again. To seal the deal, we got matching tattoos. They said bros not hoes in cursive. They were put across our lower back. I saw it on Caleb’s back last night. He’s Nick.”
An APB was put out for Caleb Rogers and the search was on. A property search showed only one piece of land actually owned by Caleb. It was located in a rural area an hour away. A task force was gathered and sent to the property. Tyler insisted on going along. The FBI objected, but Tyler’s friend was a captain and overruled the others. He made Tyler promise to stay out of the way.
The trucks were parked in the trees half a mile from the shack. The task force split and half went to the left while the rest went to the right. They intended to surround the shack and look for inhabitants. A search proved unnecessary. Vehicles were in plain sight as were the hooded men on the front porch and the one in back. As they watched, Caleb came out the door holding a cloth against his face. He was heard to say, “The stupid bitch kicked me in the face when I offered her food.” The signal went out that Karen was indeed inside.
The FBI slowly closed in. Someone stepped on a small tree branch and the snap caught the attention of the men on the porch. They fired into the trees. Gunshots rang out from all sides and the battle was on. Caleb ran inside the shack and returned with a frightened Karen as a shield. The FBI stopped shooting. Caleb demanded, “Let me go or she dies. I don’t care what happens to her anymore. I just want to live. These men want me dead now. Get me out and you get her too.” Before they answered, two shots rent the air. Caleb fell with blood pouring from a shoulder wound. He took down Karen with him. Blood was running down her face. The task force took out the men on the porch as Tyler ran out of the trees and toward Karen. A third man was brought in handcuffs from the back of the building. The battle was over.
