The Big O Series

by M. S. Parker

  I did, keeping Liam with me.

  I came up short at the sight of her sitting on the couch beneath the window with a man in a suit.

  She came off the couch in a rush of skirts and Chanel No. 5, her hands outstretched toward me. “Sweetheart. Liam told you?”

  I nodded at her but said nothing out loud.

  “It’s okay to talk about it,” Millie said, gesturing to the man on the couch. “This is my lawyer. I’m not sure if you’ve met before.”

  I approached the man as he rose from the couch, offering my hand. “No, I don’t believe we have.”

  “Charles Gamble,” he said, giving me a polite smile. “Mila, I presume?”

  “Yes.” We shook hands, and I looked over at Millie. “Should I come back?”

  “No, no.” She waved toward the two armchairs that flanked the couch. “Charles and I had an appointment to start looking into the transfer of ownership of the island and resort, but then I got the call from the security team about your place…” Millie passed a hand over her eyes. “Now I can’t think straight.”

  Charles laid a hand on hers, a gesture that seems very familiar. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  She patted his hand but kept her focus on me. “Do you have any idea who might have done this? Should we call your father?”

  “No!” The word flew out before I could stop it or temper my response. With a grimace, I said it again, more softly this time. “No. I don’t think it has anything to do with whatever was going on with my dad.”

  “Why not?” Millie asked, looking confused.

  “Because nothing happened for over a month. I’ve been without a bodyguard for three weeks now, and nothing has happened. It doesn’t make sense that so much time would pass and then here, on the island, something happens. It’s not like newcomers aren’t noticed.”

  “All we have on the island most of the time is newcomers…it’s a vacation spot,” Millie reminded me.

  “Whoever my dad pissed off is probably not sophisticated enough to put some scheme together where some bad guy lies in wait, posing as a guest at a resort like Pleasure Island.” I shook my head at the thought of it. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

  Millie worried the pearls at her neck, silent for a moment before looking at Liam. “What do you think, Liam?”

  I glanced again at the lawyer before focusing my eyes on the man beside me. My gut wrenched at the expression that had settled on his face – grim and turbulent.

  “I think we should talk to Michelle and Jake about canceling the wedding – or at least postponing it.”

  “No!” I gaped at him, appalled at the very idea. “Why would we do that?”

  “Because somebody just tore the hell out of your place,” he returned, his jaw set. “You’re in danger.”

  “We don’t know that.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “For all I know, I pissed somebody off when I came here, and this is just retaliation. I will not ask your cousin and his fiancée to postpone their wedding because of me.”

  Liam opened his mouth like he wanted to argue.

  “No,” Millie said from the couch. “I agree with Mila. This has nothing to do with your cousin. I won’t inconvenience my guests over a family matter.”

  “Mila could be in danger,” Liam insisted.

  “Yes,” I said, drawing his attention my way. “Mila could be in danger – as in me. We’re not canceling any wedding because of me.”

  Liam wasn’t pleased about it. I could see it in the set of his shoulders and the hard lines of his face.

  The attorney spoke up. “I’m concerned about the negative publicity the resort will suffer from based on what is going on.” He pierced me with a hard stare. “Perhaps it’s better if you stayed away for the duration. At least until the culprit is found.”

  I stared at him, my mouth falling open.

  My grandmother spoke for me. “Nonsense. Mila isn’t going anywhere, Charles.”

  He smiled, but the gesture didn’t reach his eyes. I could tell he wasn’t pleased by the decision, but he nodded his head graciously. “Of course.”

  But it didn’t matter if he was happy about it or not. This was my place…or it would be soon. And I wasn’t going to let somebody mess things up for any guest of the resort.

  Thirty-Three

  Liam

  “Liam, I’m tired of discussing this,” Mila said. She did sound tired.

  She wasn’t staying in her bungalow for the time being. Millie had given her another one and had also sent Mila some of the clothes that she’d kept at Millie’s place for visits to the island.

  Now, tucked inside the new bungalow we’d been given temporarily, I tried to get Mila to see my side of things.

  She wasn’t budging.

  I didn’t plan on backing down either, not until it looked like she was taking this seriously.

  “If you’re not going to talk to Michelle and Jake about postponing the wedding, and if you’re not going to see about hiring a bodyguard until we get this straightened out, exactly what are you going to do?” I demanded.

  I was half-sick with worry, and her casual attitude wasn’t making things any easier. It was almost like she wasn’t concerned about the fact that somebody had broken into her home and had gone through her things.

  “I’m going to talk to the security team and have them watch my bungalow.” She lifted a shoulder. “You can stick by my side when you can. I’ll do what the security team recommends. But I’m not canceling the wedding – or any event here on the island. That’s running away.”

  “Sometimes retreat is a wise option,” I pointed out.

  “Drop it with the soldier talk,” she snapped. “I’m not a soldier, and it’s not like I’ve been outflanked in battle or whatever they call it. I’m just refusing to let some jackass make me change how things are done around here. I’ll be more careful. I told you that. What else do you want?”

  I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut, because I wasn’t sure I could answer that.

  “If it was you, would you be making a bunch of changes?” Mila pushed when I didn’t answer.

  I couldn’t lie to her. But I wasn’t about to admit she was right either.

  It didn’t matter. Mila saw it in my face and waved a finger in my direction. “See? You wouldn’t go changing your life around either.”

  “This isn’t about me,” I snapped, closing the distance between us. I caught her shoulders and stared at her, hoping she’d understand. “This is about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I don’t plan on letting anything happen to me,” she said.

  “You didn’t plan on having somebody break into your place and trash things, either,” I fired back at her.

  “Would you stop?” Mila half-shouted. “I’m not letting this dictate how I live my life! I’m not letting you dictate my life.”

  I spun away, shoving my hands back over my scalp as frustration burned inside. “I’m not trying to dictate your life–”

  “Then yank the stick out of your ass about this wedding. I am not going, so your cousin and his fiancée won’t be in danger because of me. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  I turned back to her, gaping. “You think I’m just worried about Michelle and Jake? This is about you.”

  “And my security team and I will handle it.” She planted her hands on her hips as she squared off with me. “We’ll deal with it. I don’t want Michelle, Jake, or any of the guests knowing anything is out of the ordinary.”

  I narrowed my eyes at her.

  “I mean it!” She flung out her arms. “I’m going to be taking over here. I can’t have my guests thinking that I can’t handle an issue like this, should it arise.”

  “I take it that means you don’t want me telling Jake.” I crossed my arms over my chest as I held her gaze. “The woman I’m sleeping with could be in danger, and you basically want me to forget there’s a threat. You want me to just sit in the corner and be a
good little boy while you handle all of this.”

  Mila opened her mouth, then snapped it closed, a growl of frustration escaping her. “Why can’t you let this go?”

  “I just can’t.” Turning on my heel, I strode to the front door.

  “Where are you going?” Mila demanded.

  “Out. I need to breathe.” I yanked the door open. Two security guards stood just outside. The sight of them only made me feel a little better, and I walked right past them while behind me, Mila called my name.

  “You look pissed.”

  Jake settled on the stool next to me at the bar and waved down the bartender. He ordered a beer and turned to face me. “What’s going on?”

  I shook my head.

  I didn’t want him or Michelle worrying about anything when their wedding was tomorrow. I guess a part of me understood Mila’s concern there, but I didn’t understand her overall lack of concern.

  If something happened to her…

  “Trouble in paradise?”

  I glanced up at Jake.

  He snorted. “Don’t look surprised. The only way you two could be less subtle about what’s going on between you is if somebody found the two of you having a quickie poolside.” He cocked his head to the side. “But something’s got you down. Want to talk about it?”

  I opened my mouth, then closed it. After a few more seconds, I said, “Some of it is Mila’s business. Not my place to discuss it.”

  “Think that could be part of what’s bothering you?”

  I looked at him, not following.

  He shrugged. “You’re all tangled up in this girl. Think maybe part of the problem is because it’s her problem…instead of a problem she wants to share with you?” Jake suggested.

  “We’re not really even dating,” I said softly, looking back at the scotch I’d ordered. “There’s no reason for it to be our problem.”

  Tangled up in her, I thought. Yeah, that about summed it up.

  And I had no idea how she felt about me.

  That was a rub too.

  I circled the heel of my hand over my heart before looking back at Jake.

  “Have you told her how you feel?” he asked.

  “I don’t know how I feel,” I admitted. “How can I tell her when I’m still trying to make sense of it myself?”

  “How about I help you out?” Jake leaned in, bumping my shoulder with his. “I think the word you’re looking for is l-o-v-e.”

  I shoved up, shaking my head. “We’re not even dating.”

  “What’s that matter?” Jake asked easily. “You’ve clearly spent time together.” He gave me an eagle-eyed stare as he added, “Lots of personal quality time too.”

  I flushed as I caught his meaning.

  He laughed. “The two of you probably didn’t even wait an hour before hopping in the sack once you got here, kid.”

  “I didn’t know she was here until I ran into her,” I said stiffly. Maybe I wasn’t so uncomfortable with sex now, but I sure as hell didn’t want to talk about it with my cousin.

  “Fine.” He rolled his eyes. “An hour after you saw each other, I bet the two of you were in bed.” He shook his head, one hand upheld. “I’m not asking for details or anything, but the two of you can’t keep your eyes or hands to yourselves. And I see the way you look at her. I know that look.”

  Focusing on my drink once more, I turned the idea over in my head.

  “How do you know when it’s love?” I asked quietly.

  “I think you figure that out when you stop listening to all the noise that doesn’t matter and pay attention to what your heart is saying.” He hitched up a shoulder before taking a sip of his beer. “I knew almost from the beginning that things with Michelle were different. It took me a while to stop fighting it though.”

  “I don’t know if I’m the one fighting things,” I said, staring into my glass of whiskey as if it held the answers I sought.

  There were no answers though. Not even when I tossed the rest of the liquor back and slammed the glass down on the countertop.

  “Well, maybe you should start with that.”

  I shot him a puzzled look.

  “Talk to her. You’re just now having that ah-ha moment. Maybe the two of you need to talk about how you feel and see if that doesn’t clear the air.”

  Talk to her.

  It seemed to be wise advice, although the thought of going back to her while this stalker thing was still unsettled made me even more leery.

  Of course, shying away from the idea wasn’t really ideal, either.

  I heard the echo of Mila’s voice in my ear – that’s running away.

  She was talking about dealing with whoever had been in her bungalow while I was thinking about a different matter altogether, but the same rules seemed to apply. How did running away solve this?

  It pissed me off then because I finally put myself in Mila’s shoes. She was right. I wouldn’t have called off a wedding or any event if I’d been the one in danger.

  Why would I think she’d change anything anyway? Not that understanding that made me feel any better.

  She was strong, stubborn and capable – and she’d just made one hell of a change in her life, one that promised to make her very happy. Maybe I was one of the changes she’d be better off without.

  I didn’t like the way that knowledge settled inside me.

  Not at all.

  Thirty-Four

  Mila

  Mila

  “Liam!” I shouted.

  But he kept on walking. When the door closed behind him, I grabbed a pillow from the couch and hurled it.

  It didn’t go very far.

  It also didn’t make much noise when it fell uselessly to the ground.

  Annoyed with myself, I grabbed the pillow and tossed it back onto the couch before moving over to the door. I grabbed the doorknob, but in the end, I let it go and turned around, my back braced against the smooth wooden surface behind me.

  Liam and I had just gotten back together two days ago, and we’d already had what was probably our first major fight.

  Long after the door closed behind him, I resisted the urge to go after him.

  I already felt trapped, confined inside the walls of this bungalow. Without him being there, it made it worse.

  The temporary space Millie had given me for living quarters was not small, not by any stretch of the imagination. It was one of the presidential suites, almost identical to the one I’d been using since I moved to the island. With broad, airy rooms and a wide patio that opened out into a terraced garden, the bungalow was luxurious, spacious, and beautiful.

  I might as well have been trapped inside a closet. It was like the walls were closing in around me.

  I understood that Liam was worried.

  I got that.

  And I knew Millie was worried too.

  It wasn’t like I was unfazed by what had happened.

  I definitely wanted to know what was going on. It was unsettling as hell to think that somebody had been in my place, gone through my stuff, touched my things.

  “Stop thinking about it for a while,” I told myself, going to the fridge and opening it. It had already been stocked, and I smiled when I saw a bottle of my favorite wine chilling inside. Millie hadn’t lost her touch.

  A glass of wine would chill me out, I figured, so I poured a glass and sipped at it as I restlessly paced the bungalow. Outside, the lights of the resort beckoned me, and I turned my back on them.

  I didn’t want to go to the main building and fraternize or play the genial hostess. I was pissed and upset and lonely.

  Where was Liam?

  How long would he be gone?

  I eyed the phone, tempted to pick it up and call Liam, ask him to come back here.

  But what was I supposed to say?

  I didn’t want him to know how nervous I was, how scared I was. That would only make him get more overprotective.

  Draining the first glass of wine, I poured a second.
There was a fleeting thought that maybe I should eat something – it was well into the evening hours now, and all I’d had at lunch was a salad.

  But the idea of eating anything made my stomach twist.

  Retreating to the couch with my glass of wine, I curled up into the corner and reached for the remote. For a while, I sat there and sipped wine and tried to watch TV, but the fight with Liam kept pressing in on my mind. Why couldn’t he understand where I was coming from? He’d all but admitted that he wouldn’t be changing anything if he was in my position. Why was it okay for him and not me?

  The fact that I had breasts and a vagina instead of testicles and a cock was probably pretty high on the list, and it pissed me off.

  He’s just worried about you.

  I ignored the quiet voice as I stared at the screen of the TV without seeing it. I finished off the second glass of wine and threw down the remote. Getting up, I emptied the rest of the wine into my glass and started to pace the living room, drinking and brooding.

  My head spun a little, but that might have something to do with the fact that I was practically walking in circles across the smooth, polished floors. I felt hot and edgy, desperate for air.

  Unable to take it anymore, I strode into the bedroom and closed the door behind me. A door opened to a terraced garden area that was shared with the other bungalow. I was going to go outside and try to breathe.

  Carefully, taking care not to let the door shut too loudly behind me, I slid onto the patio and left the pretty wooden platform outside my bedroom door, taking the stone path down into the garden that stretched between my bungalow and several others.

  I waited for the vice around my chest to ease up, sucking in air desperately. But the terrace didn’t seem to be much better than inside. I still felt trapped and restless.

  The security guards were still at the front door, and I eyed the gate that opened to the paths.

  I’d told Liam I’d keep the security personnel with me, but I felt like if I didn’t get away from all of this, I might go mad.