Wild Suspicions (Romantic Suspense) (10 page)

“
No, I don’t think so.” She was becoming increasingly agitated. “I don’t think I should go.” The engines started and anxiety gripped her. There was something going on here – with Parker, with Garrett, with the two men in the back. “I think I should stay in Dubai, or maybe return home. We’ll talk when you get back.”

Liddie should have
gone home as soon as they’d landed, like Garrett had warned. What was she getting herself into? Fantasies were called fantasies for a reason. Sleeping Beauty didn’t have two men in her bed, and Prince Charming never stole passports.

Parker ripped open
a granola bar wrapper, ignoring her request. “Here, eat this. I promise to get you some good food soon.” He jumped up and pulled a blanket and pillow out from a cabinet near the sofa. “You’ll feel better in a little bit.”

Liddie felt the plane start to move.
She felt ill. Instinct was telling her to get away.

“
Parker,” she asked slowly. “Do you still have my passport?”

He stood
in front of her holding the pillow and blanket. She could see that he hadn’t expected the question and for a moment – a flash of a second – imagined him placing that pillow over her face.

“
Of course. I hold onto everyone’s passports,” he explained nonchalantly. “It helps us get through customs faster.”

Since she had never traveled internationally before, it sounded plausible
, but Liddie wasn’t sure whom to trust anymore.

Was Garrett planting doubts
to undermine Parker? What had he been doing in her room last night? Liddie couldn’t even trust herself. She’d left the United States with one man, and landed in Dubai with two. The thought of it was more than a little scary, especially when she didn’t know where they were going.

The wheels left the runway and the jet hit the air.
She put her head in both hands. “I wish you’d tell me where we’re going.”

Parker sat
next to her, saying nothing. When the plane leveled off, he pulled Liddie out of the chair and led her over to the sofa. “Lay down,” he ordered.

Liddie placed her head
on the pillow while he covered her with the blanket. She didn’t want to sleep, but if lying down kept him away from her right now, she was fine with that.

He knelt down and
planted a swift kiss on her lips. “Sleep it off, Liddie. We’ll be there soon.” Parker pushed the granola bar up to her mouth. “Take a bite, honey.”

She did.
It was better than nothing. He left her side for a moment, and when he returned with a glass of ginger ale, the granola bar was gone.

“
Drink this,” he urged. “It’ll take away the nausea and help fill your stomach.” He watched until half the soda was gone, and then walked away.

Liddie lay there trying to remember if she
’d done anything more than kiss Garrett in the hotel room. She didn’t think so, but the memory of it was coming back slowly. She was sure they hadn’t had sex, and yet there was an intimacy that couldn’t be denied.

The thought of Garrett
inside her caused Liddie to grasp the blanket. His bare chest, unshaven face and work-worn hands had rubbed against her various body parts with a curious appreciation and harnessed desire. A blush blew through her body. Then, just as suddenly, it went away.

Liddie was so tired. With lids too heavy to hold open, her eyes closed. She couldn
’t understand why. Thoughts of Garrett Wade did anything but sedate her. He couldn’t have that effect on any woman. So why was she drifting away?

Liddie wanted to know, but couldn
’t think clearly. This, she decided, couldn’t be jet lag.

Parker poured himself a scotch. The scare at the airport had put him on edge. He should have planned this trip better. There was so much at stake. For some reason, he thought Liddie would be easier to deal with. He hadn’t considered that items like the passport, laptop and cell phone would concern her so much.

His father h
ad warned him, but Parker didn’t care. He wanted Liddie. He wanted her desperately. The only problem now was that Liddie couldn’t be distracted by luxury. That, he should have realized and planned for. Now, he was winging it with excuses, and she was smarter than that.

Already she was getting skittish. Wondering about things that other women could have cared less about. It wasn
’t enough that he’d taken her halfway around the world, bought her a new wardrobe and promised a vacation to remember. No, Liddie had to think things out. Liddie had to worry.

Now
Parker was worried. Had he gone too far with the drugs? Was she becoming suspicious?

It
’s very possible that Liddie could become a dead weight, or worse yet, a big-mouthed danger. It was too soon to tell. It’s also possible that she’ll get on board and fall in easily with the Maxon family plan. That was still his hope. She’d understand the precautions he’s had to take once she knew the deal.

He looked back. Soft hair flowed over the side of the sofa and he pictured himself nuzzled up
against the pretty assistant, pulling her head back and kissing her hard.

Liddie
was such a sweetie in the office. Her clumsy flirtations and wardrobe choices left him physically hard and wanting for days. It didn’t matter if he was with someone or not. It was always fun to get back to the office and have a flirt with her.

Maybe that old saying was true. Y
ou always want what you can’t have, or something to that effect.

Parker finished the whiskey with a snort. He
hoped she’d get on board. It would make things so much more pleasant. One thing was certain, though, with or without the pills, he would have her.

Three taps on the cockpit door.

Garrett
closed his eyes and sighed. Three knocks meant Parker wanted to talk. He turned control of the plane over to Mike and joined Parker at the bar.

T
he whiskey was already poured into two shot glasses. Parker handed one to Garrett.

“
Cheers,” he pronounced, before downing the booze in one gulp.

Garrett did the same, and Parker poured another.

“So what do you think?” he asked nodding toward Liddie.

Garrett grunted.
“I think she’s hot. What the hell do you think I think?” Garrett watched him closely. This could be a trap to get him off the plane. Immediately he wondered if Liddie had mentioned anything.

If she did,
all was lost.

Parker laughed.
“You don’t have to tell me she’s hot. But do you think she’s going to be a problem?”

Garrett shrugged.
“She’s got it bad for you. If she figures it all out, buy her something nice.”

Parker pursed his lips in thought.
“I don’t think that’s going to work with her.”

“
Are you kidding me?” asked Garrett. “Did you see her with all those shopping bags? Now that she’s had a taste of that, do you really think she’d turn on a dime and give it all up?” He drank another shot, knowing Mike was fit to fly even if he wasn’t. “I don’t think she’ll be a problem.”

“
I do have big plans for her.”

As soon as the words left Maxon
’s mouth, Garrett felt his blood burn hot.

“
What kind of plans?’ he asked. “I mean, aside from the usual.”

“
Well, a guy like me has to think of the future,” he let the sentence end there and then laughed. He gave Garrett a playful punch on the arm. “So what were you doing with my girl in the bathroom?”

The bathroom.
A gust of relief blew through Garrett. That excuse was one he could handle.

“
What the hell do you think?” He laughed. “Don’t worry though, she doesn’t want me.”

Parker giggled like a little boy
.

“
You go ahead and laugh,” said Garrett, teasing Parker like a high school friend. “But I’ve seen those breasts.”

Parker
slapped the bar with mock indignation. “You bastard!” He grabbed the bottle and poured himself another shot. “She’s a beauty, though, isn’t she?” He breathed deep and glanced back at Liddie. “I mean, I’ve been holding back for years.”

Garrett gave hi
m a playful slap on the back. “You gotta get points for that.”

Parker nodded.
“Can’t tell you how many times I almost bent her over the desk at work. Thought about it every day.”

He mimicked the movement
, and Garrett put the shot glass down for another. “You’re a better man than I,” he replied with a smirk, “though you risk the chance of scaring her away.” He pointed a finger at Parker. “I wouldn’t push her too hard. She doesn’t forgive easily.”

Parker nodded quickly.
“Agreed. I’ve got to lay off the pills, too.” He shook his head. “But it makes them so much more relaxed, if you know what I mean.”

“
Did you ever… in the office?”

“
Well, I had to test them on her,” explained Parker. “Just a couple of times, so she wouldn’t notice, or go to sleep.” He flung his head back with a laugh. “I had her picking things up off the floor. In a little skirt and heels, too.” He rubbed his chin with the memory. “She even popped a few buttons. It was classic.”

He pulled
a cell phone from his pocket and paged through it. “Here, I took this after telling her my gold pen rolled under a corner table. She had no idea.”

Garrett looked at the image on the cell phone screen. It was Liddie
from behind, leaning over a table of some sort. Her skirt had risen up, revealing a pair of pink panties seductively stretched to barely cover a creamy butt.

He
felt his stomach flip as he wondered how many men had seen the photo. Parker Maxon disgusted him. If it were possible, the scumbag would be on the floor right now, bleeding profusely. Garrett held firm. He had to stay in character, no matter what.

“
Forget my monthly bonus,” he said with effort. “Just text me that photo.”

“
Well, let’s make a deal,” said Parker, patting him on the shoulder. “If she gives me any more problems, she’s yours. Do as you please with her, I don’t care. Just make her disappear before my father finds out.” He playfully pressed a finger into Garrett’s chest. “But, until then, she’s mine. Don’t even think about taking her before I say it’s okay.”

Garrett nodded.
“Sounds like a plan.”

Parker
turned to look at Liddie with a sigh. “Better you than Jerry. I owe her that much.”

“
Got her passport?” asked Garrett. “I know a place that’s pretty remote if we have to run.”

Parker nodded.
“Funny you should ask, she’s been bugging me about it. Don’t worry, though. I’ve got everything you’d need to take her anywhere you want.” He choked on a gulp of booze and Garrett almost hoped he died, right there in front of him.

“
Just remember that it’s only if she doesn’t play. If she’s on board, she’s all mine for a few years. I’ve got plans,” Parker repeated. “After that, I’m sure we can work out another arrangement that’s fair for both of us. If you still want her, that is.” He wiped his mouth and held out his hand. “Deal?”

Garrett looked toward Liddie and nodded.
She’d just been traded like an animal.

“
Deal.”

Liddie lay on the sofa trying to keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to sleep. Fighting to keep a clear head, she strained to make sense of what was going on by the bar.

Garrett and Parker.

The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was seeing the two of them, together at the bar, laughing.

“
Wake up, Liddie. We’re
here,” Parker whispered.

Liddie
slowly lifted herself up and pushed the blanket off. Her head hurt again. She ran a hand through loose hair, reaching in a pocket to see if she’d tucked a barrette there. Nothing.

“
Where is here?”

Parker smiled.
“We’re in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur to be exact.”

“
Malaysia?” Liddie’s eyes grew wide. “Really?” She hadn’t expected that. Malaysia was not a huge player in the paper industry. It didn’t produce enough paper to support its own needs, let alone exporting to the U.S. “What business have we got here?”

“
Fast business, so come on,” Parker insisted gently. “We’ve got to get moving.”

Liddie
dashed into the bathroom to freshen up. The water felt good on her face. A hollow pain pulsed in her head. Traveling with little food and all that champagne was taking a toll on her body. Perhaps that was the cause of her fatigue. The lack of food and so much alcohol. It could also be clouding her judgment. While Garrett enjoyed planting suspicions, she wondered if it were his actions, and not Parker’s, that were more questionable.

She couldn
’t be sure what to think. Maybe this was a chance for her to leave. She was in a city. A big one. There were places to hide.

Hide?

The thought confirmed what Liddie had feared. As much as she wanted to pretend otherwise, red flags had been popping up this whole trip. She’d lost trust in Parker, and the memory of Garrett Wade and her boss at the bar, laughing, warned her not to trust him as well.

“
Liddie!”

She left the bathroom and hurried to meet Parker who was waiting by the cabin door.
Her suitcase had already been taken out.

They stepped out of the plane
. The air was humid, and she guessed the temperature to be in the high eighties or low nineties.

Liddie looked around. They were deep into
a long airplane hangar, the sunlight shining bright from one end, at least twenty or thirty yards away. Parker ushered her over to a white van. The side door was open, revealing two bench seats. He pushed the back of one seat forward and hustled her into the far back.

Liddie
immediately noticed that most of the windows were blacked out. She couldn’t see anything. Only the front windshield and driver’s side windows were clear.

She
looked around the inside of the van as Parker stepped out to speak with his men. No phone, no laptop, no passport. She’d have to push down the seat in front of her to access the door.

Liddie began to get that feeling. That vulnerable feeling
that women get when finding themselves alone in a scary place, like a deserted parking lot at night. A very confident self-defense instructor had warned about such a feeling in a class she’d taken with Melody.

“
Pay attention to your instincts,” the woman advised. “If you don’t feel comfortable in a situation,” she said, “there’s probably a good reason why.”

Liddie
pushed the seat in front of her forward and began to move toward the door. She’d tell Parker something about feeling sick or something. Then she’d run.

Before she could pull on the handle, Parker opened the door
.

“
Move over, hon,” said her boss sweetly. He gently pushed her back and climbed in to sit beside her.

Liddie
collapsed back into the seat.

Jerry and Paco piled in and silently
plopped themselves on the bench seat in front of her. Parker turned to give her a smile.

“
You’ll feel better soon, Liddie,” he assured her. “I’m taking you to a place that few people see. It’s quite beautiful.” He tapped on the window to give a signal, and then put his arm around her shoulders. “Relax. It’s a long ride, but worth it.”

“
I can’t even see out the windows,” Liddie complained. “How can I see Malaysia like this?”

Parker laughed.
“You’ll see plenty, don’t worry about that. It’s a security issue, that’s all. Before we leave, I’ll take you souvenir shopping at some of the markets. They have beautiful batik fabrics and woodcarvings. You’ll be able to buy gifts for your friends.”

He lifted her chin and plante
d a long, deep kiss on her lips, then released. His brows came together. “Kiss me back, Liddie,” he demanded, the tone of his voice turning dark.

“
I’m sorry, Parker,” she responded quickly, and then lifted her lips to his. He raised his right hand and pinched her chin to hold her face in place. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue pushed against her lips until she let him in.

Liddie felt him
slide his body closer, placing a hand between her thighs. He breathed against her face and, when she tried to end the kiss, his fingers pinched her chin harder and held tight. The message was clear. She was not to move until he desired her to do so.

It was the
harshest kiss she’d ever experienced. Liddie realized, with sudden dread, that Parker had just declared ownership.

The driver
’s door slammed shut, and he released her face with a quick lick.

Liddie
looked forward to see Garrett’s eyes staring back in the rear-view mirror. She touched her chin, sore from the pinch and turned away.

The
engine started, and the van jerked forward.

“
Here we go,” said Parker cheerfully.

The drive was long and difficult for Liddie, as Parker continued to loose all charm. The farther they traveled, the more arrogant he became. From a jovial and doting boss, he was morphing into a self-absorbed and unconcerned lover.

“
Maybe I’ll take you to Australia,” he announced in a ramble that included her learning to surf. Then he moved on to the possibility of the Maxon Corporation purchasing a sailboat and competing in the World Cup. From there, Parker debated the pros and cons of living in Brazil or Guatemala. Liddie pretended to care, but truth be told, none of it made much sense.

Then it hit her as to why. Parker had
taken another kind of pill. She hadn’t a clue as to what, but his energy was high while his thoughts were erratic.

“
What’d you take, Parker?” she asked bluntly.

He stopped talking and looked at her in shock.
“What are you talking about?”

Liddie glanced toward the rear
-view mirror at the front of the van. Garrett stayed focused on the road.

Parker
looked toward the front as well, and then turned back to Liddie. “You got something to say to me, Liddie?”

This is not the time, or place, to confront him. Let it drop.

Liddie listened to the voice inside. She smiled and shook her head. “I wish I had your energy.” She put her hand on his. “I’m already worn out, and this trip has barely started.” She rested her head on his chest. “Maybe I’m not meant for this.”

Parker
’s heartbeat was strong and fast. Liddie felt his hand come up to pet her hair.

“
It’s an adjustment, Liddie. I realize that.” He took a deep breath. “But it will be worth it in the end. I promise.”

Liddie c
losed her eyes. More promises. Whatever this was – a romantic business trip or fantasy vacation – Parker had some sort of future in mind for the two of them. A day ago, that would have been thrilling to hear. Now, it was scary.

As time
dragged on, the roads got bumpier and the night darker. Liddie realized that they were no longer near the city. The air in the back of the van was stagnant, and the odor of Jerry in the seat in front of her was beginning to chip away at her sanity.

After another half hour or so,
Parker finally stopped talking. The silence in the van was only broken by the sound of its engine revving and undercarriage creaking to withstand the cracks and crevices of broken roads.

Th
ough the night was pitch black, Liddie realized they were travelling through miles of heavy forestation. Every twenty minutes or so, rain would fall hard and then stop. Traffic and paved roads were left behind.

Liddie
troubled over the knowledge that, wherever they were going, it was remote. There were no escape plans to be made, no options to be explored. Not until the van stopped and they arrived at a destination. For now, Liddie sensed that the only safe play was to keep Parker from getting angry.

Ultimately, the
dirt roads turned to mud. The van struggled in several areas to keep moving at a good clip. Liddie watched Garrett work the clutch to keep the vehicle from becoming stuck. Finally, he came to a stop. The ignition was switched off and Garrett, Jerry and Paco grabbed flashlights before opening the doors and jumping out into the night.

“
Let’s go,” Parker urged. She followed them out, into the darkness. Exotic noises, louder than countless crickets on a summer night in Jersey, filled the air. As the men walked, large bugs flew into the beams of light created by the flashlights. The air was clearer and much cooler than in the van.

Parker
directed her gently by the arm. There was no place for her to go. Liddie realized they were walking through a path in the deep forest. A jungle. Vines and tropical mangroves rose up around all sides to scratch at her arms.

After a few
minutes of pushing through the foliage, they’d reached a small clearing where another car was parked. They were changing vehicles. Parker patiently held her to his side as the other men loaded the suitcases and a few other provisions into a dark SUV.

“
The van won’t make it through some of these dirt roads,” he explained. “We’ve got to take the Land Rover.”

Jerry
plopped himself into the front-passenger seat. Paco jumped in the back with the luggage.

The ground was wet and muddy.
A faint mist of rain hit her bare shoulders and Liddie shivered. Parker went to one side of the car. “Go around to the other side,” he directed. “It’s not a seat you can slide across.” The fact that he didn’t walk around to open the door for her was not lost on Liddie.

The mist quickly turned into a heavier rain,
and the sound of drops hitting millions of leaves filled the air. Liddie ran around to the other side of the car where Garrett stood with a flashlight. Liddie looked up at him.

“
Will you help?” she whispered.

“
Get in the car, Liddie.” Garrett’s voice was flat and stern. He opened the door, took her arm, and firmly guided her into the seat. Before letting go, she felt a small squeeze.

Was it reassurance
, or another expression of arrogant possession? She couldn’t be sure.

Garrett started the car and turned o
n the headlights, revealing a tunnel of illuminated flora, vines and mud. The road was so primitive, their bodies bounced around, hitting the insides of the SUV. By her estimation, they were at least four hours from the city and though there was nothing stopping her from jumping out, there was absolutely no place to run if she did.

Tears threatened, but
Liddie pushed them back. It wouldn’t be helpful to fall apart now. The lush, monstrous vegetation of a wild world was beginning to crush all hope. Liddie was experiencing the collapse of her fantasy while driving into the abyss that was Parker’s.

Suddenly the Rover stopped. Garrett cursed.

“
What’s wrong?” demanded Parker.

“
Road’s blocked.”

Liddie leaned forward to look out the front window. Garrett had stopped the
SUV and it was obvious why. A large tree, covered with foliage was lying across the path in front of them.

All four
left the car, with Paco jumping out of the back carrying several machetes. He distributed them to the men, who used the long, sharp blades to rip through the greens. Parker even pitched in. With the boyish enthusiasm that had first attracted her to him, he was helping to lift the tree and move it to the side.

They continued to thrash at the overgrowth
to clear the path. Without Garrett, she thought, the task would take three times as long. Liddie watched them work silently in the light of the headlights before realizing that she’d been left alone and hadn’t taken advantage of the freedom. She turned to look in the back, where Paco had gotten the machetes.

T
here was no light illuminating the inside of the vehicle, but she hoped to find something that could be used as a weapon, if needed.

A
flutter of fear flew through her. The fact that she now found it necessary to locate a weapon proved that she’d come to fear the men. Her growing discomfort in their presence had become too strong to deny.

Parker
had taken her passport and her laptop. Then her cell phone disappeared. He’d shown not a trace of outrage over how she’d been treated by either Garrett or the two thugs. How could she continue to trust him? How could she ever love him?