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In retrospect, calling Beck about the pictures as well wasn’t a smart move. She didn’t even think he would be in the office on a Saturday and was surprised when he’d picked up his line. The day after she’d called him she was picked up by Blondie and her thugs. That would put her abduction on Sunday.

The throbbing in her head was getting worse. Then she remembered she’d banged her head when she hit the floor.

Water. She reached under the cot and for the bottle of water, opened the bottle and drank too quickly causing her to choke.

She put the lid back on the water bottle leaving some for later and pushed herself up off the floor. With some effort she took her time and flipped the mattress on the cot before sitting down. At least the other side of the mattress didn’t smell as revolting.

Closing her eyes, she lay on her left side with her hands under her jaw, pulling her knees up to her chest, willing herself to keep calm.

Markie would find her just like she found the pictures.

T
he kitchen was full of raw sexual energy. Beck made sure Markie knew what he was thinking and what he wanted when the meal was over as he watched her while she ate. Markie didn’t think she could deny him what he wanted. She wanted the same thing.

The corner of his mouth turned up into a seductive smile and she remembered the kiss they’d shared. How his mouth felt against hers…how his hand felt against her skin and she pulled on the neck of her T-shirt.

All she could think about was her dream. The clear blue water…the hot sun…the way he smelled…a spicy woody scent.

He put his fork down and asked out of the blue. “Ever been married?”

She half laughed. “Where did that come from?”

He shrugged. “Just curious. You’re beautiful, smart and very talented. Beautiful.”

“You said beautiful already.”

“I know. It’s worth repeating. Even the black eye looks sexy.”

“I think you’re good for my ego.”

“I was hoping to be more than just good for your ego, sweetheart.”

“That’s not a bad place to start.”

She didn’t want to talk about marriage and wanted to keep the mood light between them.

“I’m all for stroking the ego among other things,” he said with a smile taking flirting one step further. Are you going to answer my question or side step it all together?”

Beck was persistent. He wanted an answer and wasn’t going to be happy until he got one. She wasn’t prepared to give him one.

“Is marriage all it’s cracked up to be? You were married and it ended in a bitter divorce.”

Beck poured wine in his glass before he answered. “We both started out wanting the same things and then we didn’t.”

He became serious. Like a shift of the wind his playful mood changed and he had a faraway look in his eyes. It made her wonder if he still carried a torch for his dead wife.

“That simple.” Her gaze narrowed on his face. “You’ve summed up the dissolution of your marriage into one sentence.”

“There was nothing simple about it. It tore me apart. I had to put it into perspective to move on. I thought I’d found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, to share my dreams. In the end, we didn’t want the same things. Then when I got into the car accident, I emerged less than perfect and I think my shortcomings were too much for her to handle.”

“What do you mean?”

Beck sipped his wine then placed the glass back on the table. “I was damaged goods.” He pointed to the scars at the base his neck. “It goes to about mid waist.”

He avoided her glance, staring at the red liquid in the glass. It was clear he wasn’t as comfortable with his scars as he appeared to be. At the meeting that morning he’d said after his divorce he was broke. Monika had taken a lot more from him than just his money.

“That’s my story. What about you? Ever been asked to take the plunge?”

The marriage question again and she couldn’t side step the question. Not after what he had just shared with her.

“I’ve never been married, but I’ve been asked.” Markie didn’t want to talk about her relationship with Jared and changed the subject. “What did the company lawyer have to say this afternoon?”

She picked up her half empty plate and got up to go to the sink. He caught her hand and took the plate from her setting it back on the table. His thumb began stoking the back of her hand and she sat down again pulling her hand away.

“No running away, sweetheart. I told you about my divorce. It’s your turn to share. Why didn’t you say yes?” His eyes held hers and a smile played at his lips.

“I said yes. But he decided I wasn’t what he wanted anymore.”

“Why?” His smile disappeared.

Markie didn’t respond. She didn’t want to talk about it. Why did he have to pry?

“Why?” He asked again reaching across the table lacing his fingers through hers. “Why did he change his mind?”

“Damaged goods.”

“I don’t understand?” Sheer confusion settled on his face and she knew she had to explain.

“Most men have aspirations as far as children are concerned.” She pulled her hands away. “They want a son to carry on the family name or maybe a little girl to walk down the aisle one day. Since I was told I couldn’t have any, it was a moot point.” She raised her wine glass. “I think I’ll have that wine after all. Then you can tell me about your meeting.”

“Whoa. You can’t say something like that and change the subject.”

“Why not?”

Beck made no move to fill her wine glass. He sat there staring at her. Was it pity or shock? She couldn’t tell and didn’t want to know.

Her hand shook as she picked up the bottle of wine. She thought she’d gotten over the hurt Jared had caused when he’d told her he couldn’t go through with the wedding but she was wrong.

The invitations were sent, the church was booked, the caterer was hired and a month before the wedding the groom-to-be couldn’t go through with it. He could live with anything else…the deal breaker was children. He wanted his own and she couldn’t have any.

The odds they’d given her on getting pregnant were not worth dwelling on. What were the words the doctor had used?
More than likely.
More than likely she would not conceive.

Jared didn’t like the odds. What he wanted was assurance not ‘more than likely’ and that she couldn’t give him.

Markie had decided not to open herself up to that hurt again, but had taken the chance and told the man who had made her want to think about marriage again. The look in his eyes was the same one Jared had.

Pity. It had to be.

She couldn’t stand it and pushed him away before she got pushed away. What was she thinking?

They were together to have a business meeting and nothing more she told herself pushing the kiss they’d just shared out of her mind. He was a client. The number one rule you don’t break in business—Never get involved with a client and she was beyond involved.

“The purpose of the dinner is for you to fill me in on your meeting earlier and also discuss how Jamie can assist you.”

“Marklynn?”

She didn’t want him to feel sorry for her. She couldn’t take it and pushed him further away.

“May I remind you that the reason we’re together is to find my sister and—”

“This isn’t about Sydney or Beck Security Systems. It’s about you.”

“It’s all about Sydney and what happened to her and
your
connection to her disappearance.”

The accusation that he might have something to do with Sydney’s disappearance had reared its ugly head once again. It was her anger talking and she said the one thing she knew would hurt him.

“Just to be clear,” his eyes burned with anger. “What’s happening between us means nothing because it’s all about finding Sydney.”

“Yes.” She lied. Lying was easier than facing the truth. Lying was easier because she could keep him at arms length.

“Have you given any thought as to why Sydney took those pictures in the first place, given her history? Yes, I know about her colorful background.”

Marklynn had given a lot of thought as to why Sydney took the pictures. She didn’t like the conclusion she arrived at. She didn’t want to believe her sister was capable of blackmail or involved with what was going on at Beck’s company. There had to be another explanation. Yet, she couldn’t come up with one given Sydney’s past.

“God forbid if you should care about anyone else but Sydney.”

Beck threw his napkin down on the table and got up. She turned away from his probing gaze. The concern that was reflected in his intense dark eyes turned to anger. Anger she could deal with, not pity.

“I have to focus on finding her.”

“She calls, you jump. Is that it?”

“My sister is missing! She’s my responsibility.” Her parents said so and Nan said so she wanted to shout at him.

“Twenty-four hours ago a pick up truck just about ran you over.” He frowned. “Finding her doesn’t have to be your responsibility alone. You’ve an office full of investigators. Let them help you. Jamie could’ve handled the meeting this morning. God,” he raked his hand through his hair, “you could’ve been killed last night!”

“I can take care of myself.” First Nan, then Jamie now Beck…all of a sudden everyone was jumping on the “you’re not alone train.” She could take care of herself and had been doing it far too long to depend on anyone now, let alone Beck.

“Look at you…if you’re not careful you’ll fall flat on your face.”

“I don’t intend to fall flat on my face. I can do what needs to get done which is to find Sydney.”

Not liking the way he was glaring down at her, she got up from the table and left the kitchen. He followed behind her when she entered the living room and moved over to the window, her back to him.

“Sydney is a big girl and I’m sure she can take care of herself
if
given the chance.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” She whirled around feeling a sharp pain in her back. Her eye throbbed.

“Sydney is not a child and her problems are not yours to shoulder. Help her, yes, but trying to fix her problems or her is not your job. She calls and you get shot at and—”

“You sound like Jamie. I’m not having this conversation with you.”

He went on without even acknowledging the fact that she’d spoken. “If you allow Sydney to take responsibility for her life, then you would be free to live yours. Or maybe you’re afraid.” Dark eyes locked with hers.

“My relationship with my sister is none of your business, Beck.”

“Maybe you need to—”

“I think you should leave.”

She didn’t think he was going anywhere until he turned on his heel and headed for the front door.

“Get some rest,” he said closing the door quietly behind him.

Appetite gone, Markie returned to the kitchen and dumped the food in the garbage. Then she crawled into bed. Her conversation with Beck had taken center stage in her mind.

Was it possible that Beck was right about Sydney? He couldn’t be. She wasn’t responsible for Sydney’s behavior. The phone rang and she hesitated before she reached over to the night table to pick it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey it’s Jamie. Good news. I got into Syd’s email. I pulled off a couple I think you should have a look at.”

“Okay.”

“Are you alright, Markie?”

“Yes. Why?”

“You sound funny.”

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not. What’s wrong?” Alarm registered in his voice.

“Beck and I just had an argument” she said after a while because Jamie would needle her until he got it out of her.

“What was the argument about?”

“Does it really matter?” She didn’t want to get into it with him. A tear slid down her cheek and she wiped it away with her shoulder.

“Yes, if it’s about Sydney.”

“Between the two of you, you would think I’m obsessed with Sydney,” she snapped. “She’s missing and could be hurt. I didn’t ask for this.”

“I know.”

“No you don’t know. What you need to understand is that she’s my responsibility and I have to find her.”

“Markie, I—”

“Good night, Jamie.”

•  •  •

Beck sped along the 1-93 North towards Boston. He had a plan when he left his office earlier and it didn’t involve him leaving Marklynn’s house until morning. He wanted a quiet evening. Ah hell, who was he kidding he wanted more than that. He had a seduction scene laid out in his mind.

Everything should have been perfect. Nothing was left to chance. He’d called Jamie to find out what food Marklynn liked to surprise her. The chocolate covered almonds were at the top of the list. Even the wine was carefully selected.

The evening started out promising. The kiss was incredible, intense. It had been a long time since he felt such passion for someone. And what did he do? Messed it up.

Rule number one: Never talk about your ex, dead or alive, in a conversation when you’re trying to impress. The evening moved from seductive to serious in a flash and he had no one to blame but himself.

Marklynn couldn’t have children. He had to let himself digest that information. Once that conversation started the mood changed. She had changed and wouldn’t discuss it. Beck wanted to talk about it, but she had shut down the topic before it got off the ground. By her reaction, he knew that topic was off limits. Period.

Damaged goods.

Beck had thrown the term out in conversation in reference to himself. When Marklynn latched on to it to describe how she felt about not being able to have children he didn’t like the term anymore.

They were both wounded from past relationships. Would they be able to see their way clear to trust each other? He wanted to.

He had always wanted a large family being an only child. Would he be willing to give up children to be with Marklynn? There were options available to childless couples. It was a discussion he was willing to have, but he wasn’t sure about Marklynn. Then again it was a little premature to entertain that kind of thought since he wasn’t sure whether or not she would want to have anything to do with him again other than a business relationship.