Four Simple Words: A Badass and the Billionaires Contemporary Romance (The Sisters Quartet Book 4)

by Mary J. Williams

  Get your bearings. As she regained feeling in her arms and legs, Destry lay quiet and listened. Obviously, she was in the trunk of Miller's car. No way to know how long she'd been out. Traffic heavy enough to keep them under the speed limit surrounded them.

  Destry needed a plan of action. Ideally, the less distance between her and home, the better. On the other hand, the longer she had to get back full use of her body, the more likely she could take down her kidnappers. Neither Miller nor Hunter was in good condition. The only reason they could take her was the element of surprise and her own stupidity. If she hadn't followed her father, she wouldn't be in such a mess.

  Stop, Destry chided herself. She had to concentrate on the here and now. She could kick herself later after she was safe.

  Slowly, thoroughly, Destry felt around the pitch-black trunk for something she could use as a weapon. A lug wrench would be ideal. Or, even better, a screwdriver. Something heavy. Anything pointy and sharp. To her frustration, all she found was trash. Knowing her father's eating habits, she guessed her bed was made up of mostly beer cans and fast food wrappers.

  Wracking her brain, Destry continued to loosen her muscles. As she made slow, tiny circles with her arms, her hand brushed against her leg and froze. Pulse racing, she felt the outline of something wonderfully familiar. Reaching inside her pants pocket, her fingers closed over her Swiss Army knife.

  "Come to mama," she whispered.

  Destry couldn't see, but she could run her nails over the tiny scratches and nicks. Close to tears, she brought the knife to her lips for a heartfelt kiss.

  Voices came from inside the car. Unintelligible, Destry knew an argument when she heard one. Good, she thought. Keep at each other like a pair of desperate junkyard dogs.

  She had her trained, conditioned body. She had her knife. And she had her wits. Now, all she needed was a small window of opportunity to use them.

  ~~~~

  THE HELICOPTER FLEW parallel to the city below. Zach had a contract with Milton Charter Service. But the movie director wasn't the reason they could catch a flight without notice. One of the owners, Deke Milton, had a massive crush on Bryce. When she called, he gladly gave up his night off to help

  The view from above New York was spectacular at night, but Liam wasn't interested in anything except the glowing screen on Noah's phone.

  "Long Island?" Calder shouted. Even with connected headsets, the noise from the engine and whirling blades made communication difficult. "Then what?"

  "The airport? Maybe a boat to Canada?"

  Adam hit on two possibilities. However, Liam didn't think Hunter planned to leave the country. Not right away.

  "Makes more sense to stay close until they get the ransom money. My guess is his house out in the Hamptons."

  "I thought the house was sold?"

  "Won't close for another two weeks." Liam had the most up to date information, thanks to a long phone call with Trey the night before. "The new owners haven't moved in. Hunter probably thinks he can use the place and no one will know."

  "Miller's car stopped." Noah checked the coordinates. "You were right. The address matches Hunter's house. Nice instincts, Liam."

  "What's our ETA?" Liam asked the pilot.

  "Ten minutes."

  "We can't land near the house." Liam hated any kind of delay, but he had to think about Destry's safety first. "No telling what Hunter might do if he realized he's trapped."

  "I know a spot about five miles away." Deke pointed to the map. "A friend of mine lives nearby. For a few bucks, he'll be glad to loan you his truck."

  A lot could happen in fifteen minutes. Liam tried not to run down a list. Most of all, he tried to stay sane. Destry's sisters and their fiancés helped. They felt the same worry, the same love, and the result was a network of support Liam understood and appreciated. His family operated the same way.

  "We'll bring her home," Andi told him.

  Liam knew the conviction in her voice was for her sake, for her sisters, as much as for him.

  He looked out the window and made himself a promise. As much as he loved Destry, he would walk away in a heartbeat and never see her again as long as he knew she was safe.

  ~~~~

  BRUISED AND BATTERED from the ride in the trunk of Miller's shock-worn car, Destry sighed with relief when they finally came to a stop. She hoped by now someone was on their trail, thanks to the tracking device Noah talked her into.

  Even if her sisters knew she was missing, she couldn't wait and hope to be rescued. If the right moment came to save herself, she was ready.

  Carefully, Destry opened the knife. A few seconds later, she heard the car door slam, and the trunk flew open.

  "Wondered if you'd be awake." Ingo Hunter, a few traces of blood around his swollen, discolored nose, kept his distance. "Get out."

  "Make me." Destry gripped the knife and smiled.

  Hunter pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed the barrel at Destry's head. "This motivation enough for you to move your sweet ass?"

  "You didn't say anything about a fucking gun."

  Sweating profusely, Miller wiped his hands on his pants before he took a long swig from a sterling silver flask.

  "You want to try to get close enough to give your loving daughter enough drugs to subdue her?" Hunter sneered when Miller held his tongue. "Didn't think so. I'm the one with the cracked ribs and busted nose. Without the threat of death, she'd take both of us down before you could wipe the dribble of cheap whiskey from your chin."

  Destry tucked the knife into her sleeve. Slowly, she climbed from the trunk. She felt good, all things considered, though she had to grip the edge of the car until her legs could hold her upright.

  "Careful now." Hunter took a step back when Destry stumbled forward. "I need you alive. For now."

  "I don't need you alive, now or ever."

  "Better not take any chances. Miller, tie her hands."

  Her father hesitated, as he should.

  "Don't worry. I won't hurt you," Destry assured him. "Any more than necessary."

  "Jesus. Were you born a wimp or did life make you one?" Hunter waved the gun at Miller. "Tie her up. Now!"

  "Front or back?"

  "Back."

  While Miller fumbled to take a length of rope from the backseat, Destry slipped the knife into the waist of her jeans, leaving her easy access. Covered by her shirt, her father would never notice.

  She kept as much space between her hands as possible while he tied an unintentionally half-assed knot.

  "I'm sorry, kid."

  "No, you're not."

  "Never know when to keep quiet," Miller grumbled. "All your fault. Should have given me the money."

  "You should have been a better father. Seems neither of us got what we wanted."

  "Enough loving chit-chat," Hunter sniggered. "In the house. Now."

  Miller stood aside for her to pass. A single light glowed over the front door, the windows and the rest of the house were dark. In the front yard, a bright white sign hung from a post planted in the ground. In red was painted SOLD.

  "You used to live here, Hunter?"

  "Still do. For the next fourteen days."

  The clues were easy to put together. They must be in the Hamptons. Destry doubted whoever bought Hunter's house would appreciate him using their new home for kidnapping. Obviously, the moral and legal implications didn't worry him.

  Hunter unlocked the front door. Taking a flashlight from his back pocket, he lit a path through the entryway and down the hall for her to follow. Silently, Miller trailed behind.

  "How's the nose?" Destry couldn't resist asking.

  "Painful." He jabbed the gun into her back. "Keep moving."

  They stopped in the kitchen. Far enough from the front, Hunter must have felt safe enough to turn on a small light over the gas stove. As he pulled a chair from the breakfast nook, he winced, grabbing his right side.

  "
Sit."

  "Next you'll say, good dog." Destry lowered herself onto the chair and grinned. "Broken ribs can be tough. Nothing to do except suffer and wait for them to heal."

  "You have a lot of attitude for a woman in your position." Hunter's gaze lingered on her lips. "If only Billie had half your passion."

  "What about my mother?" The question nagged at Destry. Plus, the longer she kept him talking, the better her chances someone would find them. "You went to a lot of time and trouble to latch onto her. She's pregnant with your son, the Benedict heir. Why throw away a billion dollars for a few measly million?"

  "Kinda wondered about that myself," Miller laughed, taking another drink.

  Destry wasn't surprised her father hadn't worried about such a little detail until now. Always ready to jump blind, she often wondered how he survived as long as he had.

  "No reason not to tell you."

  Miller took a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. He looked, but the cupboards were bare. With a shrug, he popped the cork and drank without a glass.

  "Want some?" When Destry shook her head, he shrugged and took several more gulps. "Where was I?"

  "Billie and the baby?" Destry prompted.

  "Right. A tale of woe and deception. I should get your sister to write the book."

  "Sure." Bryce would vomit at the idea. "Books from the villain's point of view seem to do well."

  "Villain? Me?" Hunter looked aghast. "I was the one taken in. Used, abused, and duped."

  "Do tell." Destry scooted forward enough to take the knife from her waistband. As Hunter chugged more wine, she started to cut the rope. "I'm literally on the edge of my seat."

  "Billie was pregnant before we started dating."

  Hunter's revelation almost made Destry drop her knife. To say he took her by surprise was a massive understatement.

  "If you're not the father, who is?"

  "Beats me? Ask Miller. He's as good a candidate as any."

  "What? No. Absolutely not possible."

  "Doesn't matter." Frowning, Hunter dribbled the last bit of wine onto his tongue. "Damn. Empty."

  "Why claim a child that isn't yours?"

  The second the question left her mouth, Destry knew the answer. Hunter laughed as he opened another bottle.

  "Not so hard to figure out. I need money." Hunter laughed as he opened another bottle. "Billie needed a man, always does. This time, she had a specific need." Hunter sighed. "Wasn't ideal. FYI… can't stomach the woman. But, I promised to stay if she had a son."

  "Billie told me. So, why—" Destry replayed Hunter's words in her head. "Did you say if she had a son?"

  "Beauty and brains." He bowed, winced, and stumbled, catching himself at the last second before he fell face first onto the tile floor. He continued as if nothing happened. "Turns out Billie lied. Baby isn't a boy."

  A girl. Another Benedict sister. Destry wanted to laugh at the irony and the sheer wonderfulness of the news. So, she did.

  "Shut up." Hunter waved the gun at her. "Don't need a daughter. Need a son. Freaking pile of money just going to waste. Would have been mine."

  Destry had to give a hand to Billie. The woman had nerve up one side and down the other. She must have assumed by the time the baby arrived, Hunter would be so far under her irresistible spell, he wouldn't care about her lie. As usual, Billie overestimated her appeal and her taste in men.

  "Why kidnap me? I understand Miller's motive. To him, a few million is a jackpot. But you need a lot more if you plan to make a financial comeback."

  Hunter didn't ask how Destry knew about his money problems. He was too occupied with his personal pity party to care.

  "Not a kidnapping."

  "What?" Miller blinked. "We agreed. Took my own daughter. Has to be a kidnapping."

  "She's right, you fool. I need the entire Benedict fortune. A year, two tops, with your daughter's womb, I'll be back with a vengeance."

  "What the hell are you talking about?"

  "You, and I, my beautiful, beautiful, Destry, are going to make a baby."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  ~~~~

  "YOU'RE CRAZY! MENTAL!"

  Miller spat the words Destry was too stunned to speak. He ran a hand over his sweating face.

  "You think I'll stand by and let you rape my daughter?"

  "Actually, I do. You don't have the backbone to stand up to a fly, Miller. How do you think you'll stop me?"

  "Murder comes to mind."

  "Please," Hunter scoffed. "Save your outrage for someone who doesn't know you."

  Destry felt the ropes around her wrists give. Rather than let them fall to the floor, she held them in place, just in case Hunter noticed. She needn't have bothered. He was too far gone on wine and his vision of a warped future to notice anything beyond his own ego.

  "Needn't worry, Miller old man. Rape won't be necessary."

  "Listen, asshole. Even if you drug me out of my head and I can't say no, what you do to me will still be rape."

  "I know a doctor in Moscow who's on the cutting edge of reorientation. A month, two at the most, and you'll be more than willing. You'll beg me to fuck you."

  "Re-orientation? You mean brainwashing." The idea along with Hunter's leering grin, made Destry's skin crawl.

  Across the room, Miller seemed on the verge of tears while Destry grew calmer. She ran her thumb over the knife's razor-sharp blade. Hunter never should have made her a player in his sick nightmare. Time for the monster to die.

  As if he read her mind and finally grew some balls, Miller threw his flask to the floor and charged.

  "You won't hurt my daughter!"

  He didn't get far. Hunter raised his gun and fired.

  Destry couldn't worry about her father, or they'd both die. She refused to let Miller's first real act of bravery go to waste. She sprang from her chair, taking Hunter down in one smooth motion. The gun flew across the room, out of range.

  “Make one false move and I will happily cut off your fucking balls.” Breathing hard, Destry kept her knee in the middle of Hunter's back. He whimpered, squirming like a pinned bug, arms flailing at his sides. "Miller! Are you okay? Say something, damn it!"

  Her father sat up. Dazed, he poked at his bleeding arm.

  "The bastard shot me. He actually shot me."

  "You'll survive." They both would.

  "What am I going to do without the ransom money?"

  So much for his selfless act. The bullet barely grazed his arm, but the impact as he hit the floor seemed to have knocked the chivalry out of him and the stupid back in.

  "What you should have done in the first place. Talk to the feds."

  "But—"

  The back door burst open, Liam leading the way. Destry watched as every person she cared about piled into the room. Andi, Bryce, and Calder. Noah, Zach, and Adam. Any second, she expected Mrs. Finch to bring up the rear.

  "Are you hurt?" Liam pulled her into his arms. "We heard a gunshot."

  "The bastard shot me," Miller whined again for a new audience.

  "I'm fine." Destry let herself enjoy the feel of Liam's strong embrace. Reluctantly, he passed her to her sisters. "Don't let Hunter get away."

  Liam pounced. Rougher than necessary, but completely understandable, he wrenched Hunter's arms behind his back while Noah tied his wrists. For good measure, Adam bound his ankles.

  Trussed up tighter than a Christmas goose, Hunter wasn't going anywhere until the police arrived.

  "We thought we were here to save the day." Andi gave a shuddering laugh. "Should have known you didn't need us."

  "I'll always need you."

  "The police are right behind us. Plus, an ambulance for your father." Zach gave Destry a fierce hug. "Let the EMTs look you over."

  "I'm fine. Really." And with her family around, she was.

  "We're all wrecks. Just another day at the beach for little sister." Bryce shook her head. "Never again, De
stry. Understand?"

  "You know the answer."

  "You'll never change." Bryce's gray eyes filled with loving understanding. "I wouldn't want you to."

  The local sheriff, with a little urging from Liam, let her leave after a brief statement. She promised to return to press charges against Ingo Hunter and fill in all the details.

  Suddenly exhausted, Destry could hardly keep her eyes open. Liam, who hadn't left her side since the police arrived, was happy to let her use him as a human pillow.

  "I want to go home."

  "Your wish is my command." He swept her into his arms.

  "I can walk." Destry yawned. But she didn't put up much of a protest as he carried her to the car.

  "Put your head on my shoulder," Liam whispered.

  Destry did as he asked. The next time she opened her eyes, she was at home, in her bed, still wrapped in Liam's arms. The clock read quarter to eight.

  "How'd we get here?"

  "We flew." Liam kissed the top of her head

  "I smell like Miller's trunk." She wrinkled her nose. "I need a shower. And clean sheets."

  "Just give me a second." He buried his face in her neck. "I was out of my mind with worry."

  "Shh. I'm here. Safe and sound."

  "When I said we needed to talk? You didn't have to get yourself kidnapped to avoid me. All you had to do was say no."

  "Funny man." Destry snuggled closer. Lord, she loved him. "Andi told me you turned into quite the warrior. Giving orders, breaking down doors. Thank you for coming after me."

  "I always will."

  Destry took a long, hot shower, with Liam there to wash her back. He gently dried her off and thoroughly applied her favorite lotion. She let him dress her in a cotton nightshirt. He refused to let her help as he changed the sheets. Once she was tucked in, he didn't ask if he could join her. He simply crawled under the sheets, spooning his body to hers.

  "I love you, Destry."

  "I'm glad."

  More than glad. Her heart felt ready to soar from her body. Destry had things she needed to tell Liam. Once he heard what she had to say, he might regret his words. She hoped not, but she would try to understand.