by Tia Wylder
Guan looked at the gun and took his attention away from me. I reached forward and hit him in the nose with a straight punch, hard enough to shatter it. He dropped the gun and it skidded across the rooftop in the rain. I ran to it as he clutched his bleeding face and picked it up.
“A simple but elegant design. The entirety of my security team has pistols that are manufactured with two safety switches; one in its normal place and one that is hidden. Both must be turned off for the gun to fire. I switched your gun with this one after you shot me in Tanya’s apartment. That was you, wasn’t it?”
Guan tried to explain himself, but his words were lost in thunder.
I aimed the gun at his chest.
“You would have done it execution style, yes? Two in the chest, one in the head?”
Guan continued pleading for his life as I fired two rounds into his chest. As he reeled in place, I fired the last on into his head and he fell onto the rooftop. I didn’t have much time, but I needed to make it look like he finished the job. I pulled out my phone, my wallet, my keys, everything I had that could identify me and kept only enough cash for a cab to the airport, and Guan’s phone in case they called to confirm my death.
I placed everything in Guan’s pockets and dragged him to the edge of the roof. Sooner or later they would know it wasn’t me, but the initial reports would say that I jumped from the roof, confirmed by the identification found on the body. It would be enough for us to get away.
I looked over the edge at the parked cars and the pedestrians below. With one decisive push, Guan flew from the building and soared to the ground below. I heard the crash as he landed on the roof of a parked car. The alarm blared as glass scattered across the ground. Nearby pedestrians screamed and shouted as I made my way back inside the building.
For now, at least, Zhang Wu was dead, and he took his secrets to the grave. Almost immediately Guan’s phone rang. I picked it up and remained silent.
“Is it done?” a gravelly voice asked.
“Yeah,” I said, “It’s done.”
“Good, report back for debriefing.”
The line cut out.
It was time to make my escape.
Chapter Eight
One Year Later
We never stayed in one place for long. Cancun, Argentina, Singapore, we were always on the move. We were married almost immediately, but we wanted to see the world before we settled down. When I found out that Tanya was pregnant, that time had come. We found a quiet place that didn’t appear on any maps and we built a home for ourselves.
It was another perfect day; I was sitting in the kitchen, eating eggs and bacon when I heard the thumping sound of helicopter blades. Tanya emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body.
“What is that? Did they find us?” she asked.
I dropped my fork and held up my hand.
“Just go hide; I’ll take care of this.”
I walked to the front door and pulled my pistol out from the bottom of the umbrella holder. I checked the clip and turned the safeties off as I opened the door. A round man approached with white stubble on his face to match the grey hair on his head. I recognized him immediately. He was my CIA contact, Franklin Pierce.
He held up his hands as the helicopter whirred behind him.
“I’m not here to hurt you, Zhang, I need your help. We all do,” he shouted.
“How did you find me?” I asked.
“That’s not important, what’s important is that those files you stole are no longer in hiding. Someone else has them.”
I shook my head. “That’s impossible, only I knew where they were.”
Franklin reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. He turned the screen toward me. It was an email containing all of the documents I stole. It came from an encrypted address.
“This isn’t possible!”
Franklin put the phone back in his pocket.
“That doesn’t matter now. If these documents go public, you know what it will do to the economy, hell they could even start World War III! You need to come back, you’ve dealt with these people before, you knew about this group before anyone else, and we didn’t listen.”
“I got out of that life,” I said.
Franklin stepped forward and laid a hand on my shoulder.
“Listen, all of your crimes will be forgiven; you’ll get a clean slate and a safe place for your wife. If we wanted to drag you in, we would have by now. You earned this rest, but now the world needs you. Don’t do it for me, or for yourself, do it so you can leave behind a world that’s safe for your son, or daughter, or any other children you have.”
I looked behind me and saw Tanya standing in the entryway. Her hand was gently placed on the round shape of her stomach. I knew what I had to do.
I looked back to Franklin and nodded.
“Alright, I’m in.”
The Billionaire’s Virgin Fiancée
Chapter One
Jackson Wethers crossed his arms over his chest, staring balefully at his elderly parents. They had cornered him in his office, which seemed somewhat customary as of late. He knew what they wanted, it was the same thing they wanted every time they invaded his personal privacy and barged into his office during the week. He tried to keep his expression passive, but it was difficult when the older couple kept beating a dead horse. He had all the respect in the world for his parents; without them, he wouldn’t have this cushy job as CEO of Wethers Enterprises. However, the issue they continued to push was something he simply would not budge on.
“I’m not marrying Lina Estevez,” cutting off his father mid-speech.
“Why not?”
The older man stepped forward. “You can’t just continue to fool around with any girl who catches your fleeting fancy. It’s bad for business, this company has a reputation to uphold.”
Jackson rolled his eyes, reclining in his office chair and propping his feet up on his desk. His mother looked irritated, but he seemed to enjoy in the increasing aggravation that his elderly parents were feeling.
“It has nothing to do with business. You just want to control my life, the same way you always have,” he bit out snidely.
His father sighed in exasperation, tapping his foot repeatedly. “You’ve never taken this job seriously. Marrying Lina Estevez would be perfect for you. She could run the company alongside you, and you wouldn’t have to worry about her running off with our money. You know how women can be,” the older man paused, glancing apologetically at his wife. “Some women, dear, not all women,” he corrected, and the Wethers matriarch rolled her eyes contemptuously.
“I run the company just fine, it’s not like we’re going bankrupt. We’re doing better than we’ve done in years, and it’s because I’ve been in charge. Don’t tell me you’re like those other parents who are insistent upon having grandchildren?” Jackson grumbled, groaning aloud when his parents exchanged a look. He parted his lips to argue his case further, but cut himself short as the door to his office swung open. He narrowed his eyes, only to feel relief upon seeing his personal assistant step into his office with her nose buried in some sort of files.
“Mr. Wethers, I have an update on line twelve, if you…,” she paused, looking up and seeming to realize she had come in at an inopportune time. Jackson considered her with a wry smile, and she reddened in embarrassment.
“Svenka, I’m afraid we’ll have to discuss this later,” Jackson murmured, feeling mildly taken aback when she leveled a glare in his direction.
“Svetlana, sir. It’s Svetlana. I apologize for the interruption, please ring for me when you have a moment to spare,” she grinned, nodding to the elder Wethers with a polite smile. As she turned and walked away, his eyes followed the sway of her hips, gleaming with desire. He smiled to himself, only for an idea to strike him with all the force of a freight train.
He looked towards his parents with a cheeky little grin. “I’m afraid that, despite your very stirring arguments, I can’t marry
Lina Estevez. Now, if you will leave me —” His words were abruptly cut short by his father who slammed fists down on his desk, staring straight into his eyes. “Why on earth can’t you marry her? It’s one thing to say you won’t, but it’s not as if she’s an unattractive young woman. Why can’t you marry her? Why are you being so damned difficult?”
“I can’t marry her because my heart already belongs to another.” He yawned, glancing quickly towards the direction where someone had just left a moment ago.
“Who? Who on earth could you be in love with?” His mother’s eyes bulged from her skull, and she looked nearly ready to faint.
Jackson forced a smile, glancing again in the direction his personal assistant had gone.
“You… you can’t mean,” his father sputtered, staring after Svetlana as well.
“I’m afraid I do. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to have a word with my assistant. Feel free to let yourselves out,” the dark-haired playboy murmured, rising to his feet and swiftly bustling out of his office. He could feel his parents staring after him, they even called out to him, but he had no time to waste. If this plan was going to work, he had little choice but to confront his pretend paramour.
Svetlana Zhukov had been working for him for close to a year now, initially hired as an unpaid intern. She was cute and intelligent, but moreover, she did her job well. That’s why he had not hesitated in hiring her on to his personal team. It helped that she had legs that went on for days, topped with the cutest and roundest bottom. Though he found her attractive from an objective standpoint, her personality tended to be somewhat prudish and cold. He knew she would never go for a quick, no-strings-attached lay, but that wasn’t what he presently required from her.
Though, truthfully, what he needed would likely trouble his young assistant more than sleeping together.
He moved quickly, his strides steady as he made his way through the massive business complex. He paused briefly to check his watch, humming to himself as he noted the time. If he were fortunate enough, perhaps he would find his assistant in the cafeteria area. He changed directions, ignoring the cheerful greetings of his staff members as he walked along. While he considered himself a kind enough man, he didn’t have time to waste with pleasantries. He stepped into the cafeteria, scoping out the area with a terse expression. Relief washed over him once more as he spotted the woman he sought, and he swiftly approached her. She was in the middle of eating a salad, idly perusing some work documents. She seemed entirely oblivious to his presence, and he found himself watching her for a long moment. He quickly shook off the reverie, however, resting a hand on her shoulder.
“Svetanka! Just who I wanted to see!” He boomed, nearly sending the woman toppling out of her chair in fright. She turned to face him, eyes narrowing upon the billionaire playboy with something akin to disdain.
“Svetlana, sir. You are getting… closer, than usual,” she complained, shrugging off his hand. He fought the desire to roll his eyes, wondering why the gorgeous young woman had to be so difficult all the time. “Are you here to discuss the report?” She added as an afterthought, closing the plastic box her salad was contained in and pushing it to the side. She pulled the work report in front of her, and Jackson couldn’t help but wonder how on Earth he would get her to agree to his ploy.
“Actually, I’d like to discuss something a bit more pressing. Privately, if possible,” he murmured, smiling. Immediately, she got the wrong idea, sneering at him. “Nothing like that, Alina. Come on, you’ve got to give me more credit than that,” he huffed. Her expression did not shift, but she obligingly rose from her seat and gestured for him to lead the way. He rested a hand on her shoulder, guiding her in a way that was likely much more intimate than she was used to. She didn’t resist him, however, allowing herself to be led back to his office.
He could only hope his parents had taken the hint and left by then, but one could never tell with the plucky older couple. If they weren’t his own parents, he might have been impressed by their tenacity. As it stood, he could barely stand the weekly reports he was forced to make. They always had some nitpicky issues with the way he ran the company, despite how well the business was doing under his guidance. His assertion that things were better than they ever had been wasn’t made on false pretenses; he truly had improved things when he stepped in. It just seemed the Wethers kingdom was not ready to be released by the metaphorical monarchs.
There wasn’t time to get embroiled in his own issues with his parents, however. He opened the door to his office just a bit, peeking inside to see if it was empty.
“...Mr. Wethers?” Svetlana inquired softly, sounding more than a little confused. He threw the door open grandly, gesturing for her to step inside. She squinted at him, seeming to size him up before breathing a sigh and stepping into the office. He followed behind her, closing and latching the door behind him. “I’m beginning to think I was right to be concerned,” the young woman said blandly, and Jackson turned to face her with a deadpan expression.
“I simply want to discuss this manner in private. A little secret between boss and personal assistant, yes?” He rumbled, stepping towards his desk and resting his hip on the edge. Svetlana lingered towards the door, barely breaking out of her apathetic facade to look vaguely nervous.
“Of course. Anything you need to discuss, sir, I’m all ears,” she droned, and he idly wondered if she was always such a stiff. Realizing it would help his case to see his assistant in a positive light, he struggled to swallow his mounting irritation.
“I have a bit of a problem regarding the number one shareholders in the company, and it is an issue I was hoping you could help me resolve. After all, you’ve always been such a good worker,” he smiled, attempting to look charming. She smiled faintly, pulling out a tissue to wipe away sweat that’s about to drip down her cheeks.
“The shareholders? You mean your parents?” She snickered, obviously trying to swallow her laughter. He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Alright, alright. It can’t be that bad. What seems to be troubling you, Mr. Wethers?” She continued, tapping on her tablet; likely to make sure she could properly schedule what her boss required.
“They want to marry me off. I told them that would be an issue, as I am currently… in love with another woman,” he confessed. The blonde-haired woman tensed, quirking a well-manicured brow at her boss.
“I fail to see how this is any of my concern, or business for that matter. I prefer to keep your private life just that, sir. Private,” she leaned back. “Though I must congratulate you on finding someone who caught those wandering eyes.”
Jackson gritted his teeth, resting his forehead in his palm. He swore the help could be so dense sometimes, but he supposed he owed an actual explanation before getting too cross.
“I’m not actually in love, Selena. I just… needed to get my parents off my back with this whole marriage proposal. I reasoned that the only conceivable way to satisfy them is to fake a relationship,” he sighed. Her eyes widened at the confession, and the realization of what he wanted hit her rather abruptly.
“No. No, no, no. I’m sorry sir, but that’s extremely unprofessional. I can’t… You can’t expect me to pretend to be your girlfriend just for the sake of getting your parents off your back. It’s laughable! There’s no way they would fall for it. You can’t even get my name right!” She blurted furiously. Jackson gritted his teeth, looking entirely unamused by her reaction. He stepped closer to her, and she took a hesitant step back in turn.
“I was afraid you would say that,” the dark-haired man said grimly, and Svetlana’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“You’re willing to fire me over this?” She screeched, quickly losing her cool. Jackson looked taken aback, fervently shaking his head.
“Oh! Oh, no, of course not! I was just going to mention that adequate compensation would be provided in exchange for your services,” he muttered, reaching into his desk and withdrawing his checkbook. He scri
bbled down a number, and from the looks of it, Svetlana was both intrigued and perturbed. He signed his name, extending the slip of paper to his personal assistant. She hesitated, looking as if she very much did not want to accept the offer. However, it seemed that curiosity overruled her morals in that moment, and she reached out to grasp the check. She looked over it, eyes widening at the number of zeroes on it.
“You’ve got to be joking. Isn’t this illegal? Wouldn’t this be considered prostitution?” Svetlana sputtered helplessly, trying to deny how appealing the check was. Jackson simply smiled, reaching out to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“No sexual favors would be exchanged. I would simply require your company and compliance,” he smiled. She looked up at him, looking perhaps more troubled than he had ever seen her before. “Certainly, there’s something that this money could go towards, something special. A vacation to someplace exotic, or…,” he trailed off, waiting for her to fill in the blanks. She muttered something under her breath, staring morosely at the check. “What was that, dear?” Jackson inquired softly.
“I’ll do it. I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend, dammit,” she sighed. Jackson beamed, feeling his spirits lift at the words. While Svetlana looked none too thrilled to accept the job, he couldn’t contain his own excitement. He drew the check away, tucking it into a drawer in his desk. Her eyes widened, and she reached out with a stricken expression.
“Of course, you’ll be rewarded after my parents are thoroughly convinced, and this Lina Estevez is off my back for good,” he smiled, somewhat amused by the sullen expression on his assistant’s face.
“You’re a right bastard, Mr. Wethers,” she muttered.
“I’m a right bastard, honey. Or baby, or even darling if you prefer,” he teased. She rolled her eyes, moving to edge towards the door. “I’d like to assert that we’ll need to start right away. My parents are already under the impression that I’ve fallen for you, and it would only make sense for you to be madly in love with me as well,” Jackson said, not bothering with a modest act. She grimaced, looking as if she were already rethinking her position.
