Billionaire at Sea 2 Read online

  I stared in out the window, both frightened and confused, as she began driving us back to the house.

  “I want my dad,” I sobbed, feeling betrayed. How could she do this to me?

  “Shush now,” she said, reaching over and patting my knee. “You’ll see him soon enough.”

  ***

  When we got back to the house, she made me take a bath and then gave me some clean clothes to wear.

  “Get dressed,” she said, lighting a cigarette in the bathroom.

  “Mom, I’m scared,” I said, watching as she inhaled and then blew a cloud of smoke out the window.

  “You have no reason to be scared,” she replied, turning toward me.

  I lowered my voice. “I heard Peter and Dan talking. They’re going to kill me.”

  Her eyes hardened. “That’s not true. I’m here. Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”

  I wanted to believe her but my stomach was in knots.

  What if she started drinking, like she always did, and passed out?

  I knew that they could kill me and she wouldn’t even know.

  “But –”

  “You have nothing to worry about,” she said in an agitated voice. “Get dressed.”

  “Okay.”

  Afterwards, she brought me into the bedroom and tucked me into the bed.

  Mom sat down on the mattress. “You should get some sleep. You look very tired,” she said, brushing my bangs to the side.

  “Why are you helping them?” I asked, still in disbelief that she was involved.

  “They’re the ones helping us,” she said. “This way, we can be together, Jake. You want that, too, don’t you?”

  “Yes. But… can’t you just move in with me and Dad? Then we can all be together.”

  “I told you before, Jake. It’s over between me and your father. He’s a selfish asshole.”

  I flinched at the way she spoke of him. In my heart, I knew that my mother was wrong about my dad. He certainly wasn’t selfish. He was always donating things to people. He even loaned money to his friends when they needed it. I’d heard him talking about it with Uncle Marshall once.

  My mother stood up. “Now, quit your worrying, and for God’s sake, don’t leave the house again.”

  “Are you staying here?” I asked as she walked over and pulled the shade down on the window, making the room darker.

  “Yes,” she replied, moving back toward me.

  I relaxed. “Okay.”

  She leaned down and kissed me. “I love you, Jake.”

  “I love you, too,” I replied.

  “Sweet dreams,” she murmured and then left the room.

  I stared up at the ceiling wondering what would happen. I still didn’t understand why my mother was with these men or what she meant by us being together. More than anything in the world, I wanted both of my parents to get along. I wanted both of them in my life. If only they’d fall in love again. Then we could be a happy family. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer, hoping that it would come true. When I was finished, however, the door opened up and Peter stepped into the room.

  Wondering what he was doing, I pulled the covers up to my chin.

  He walked over to the bed and pulled out a switchblade from his front pocket. “I just want you to know that if you try leaving again, it won’t be your mother that you’ll be dealing with. It will be me.”

  “I won’t,” I said, frightened beyond belief.

  “You’re lucky that she showed up when she did. I’d have hurt you real bad, kid.”

  “I know who you are,” I whispered.

  His eyes narrowed. “Oh yeah? Who am I?”

  I didn’t answer.

  “What are you doing in here?” snapped my mother from the doorway.

  I looked over and noticed that she was holding a drink in her hands. It made me even more anxious.

  “Just making sure he knows the rules,” Peter said, putting the switchblade back into his pocket.

  My mother sighed. “He does. He’s just scared.”

  “He should be,” said Peter with a chilling smile.

  “That’s not helping,” she said sternly.

  Peter laughed. “He knows the score now, don’t you?”

  I nodded quickly.

  Peter nodded. “Good. Now, get some sleep and in a few hours, you’ll be reunited with your dad. As long as you behave.”

  I swallowed. “Okay.”

  Peter left and I let out a sigh of relief.

  My mother walked over. “Don’t worry about him. He’s all bark and no bite.”

  I just stared at her.

  Frowning, she told me to sit up.

  I did what she asked.

  “Here,” she said, holding out a pill that was cut in half.

  My eyes widened. “What is that for?”

  “It will help you sleep. Don’t worry. I take them all the time.”

  “I don’t want to,” I replied, looking away from the pill.

  “Just do what I ask and don’t cause any more problems,” she said sternly.

  I felt like crying again. She was making me do things that I knew I shouldn’t be doing.

  “Jake. Take this. Now.”

  I took the pill from her hand.

  “Good. Now, drink this.” She handed me her glass. Inside of it was a light brown liquid over ice.

  “What is that?” I asked, smelling it. I knew there was alcohol in it. It was strong and tickled my nostrils.

  “It’s just rum and coke. It will help you swallow the pill.”

  I held the glass back out to her. “But, I’m not supposed to drink this stuff.”

  “Just take the damn pill,” she ordered.

  Trembling, I put the pill in my mouth and drank from the glass. The liquid burned my throat as I swallowed the pill. I began to cough.

  She patted my back. “I know, it’s probably a little strong for you. You’ll be okay, though. Did the pill go down?”

  My eyes were watering. I didn’t like the taste in my mouth but I felt warm inside. I cleared my throat. “Yes.”

  “Good.” She took the glass back from me and tucked me into bed again. “Now, close your eyes and get some rest.”

  “When are we going to leave here?” I asked.

  “Soon. When you wake up, probably.”

  My eyelids were already getting heavy. “Okay.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, mom.”

  She kissed my forehead and left the room. It didn’t take long before everything went black.

  14

  Mia

  Sitting in the cabin alone, I desperately tried thinking of a plan that could help the situation we were all in. I imagined several different scenarios, and in the end, they all seemed to lead to nothing but disaster for Damian, Ridley, and the others. Even in the event that I was able to free Jake, it was unlikely that the gunmen on the ship would pick up and leave peacefully. I couldn’t let it dissuade me from trying to rescue Damian’s son, however. If I could do that and somehow get a message to him, I knew that there might still be a chance.

  Sighing, I lay down and decided that there wasn’t anything I could do until we reached Jake. In the meantime, I’d continue to warm up to my ex and wait for the right moment to save Damian’s son. I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest.

  ***

  Sometime later, I felt the boat slow. I got out of bed and headed outside. As I stepped out of the salon, I noticed that we’d reached the mainland and were in a residential area, heading through a canal. I watched in silence as John steered the boat toward one of the slips, where a man was waiting. He cut the engine and the man on the dock helped him tie our boat to the slip.

  “Sleep well?” John asked, when he noticed me.

  “A little,” I replied, staring at the large, yellow ranch-style home we were docked in front of. It was a nice-looking place with colorful shrubs and a well-manicured backyard. I wondered if Jake was hidden somewhere inside. �
��Where are we?”

  “Naples,” he replied.

  “Oh. So, what’s next?” I asked when he moved past me to grab his cell phone.

  “I’ll tell you in a minute,” he answered and then got off the boat. He walked over to where the stranger was just finishing up with the ropes. I watched as they spoke quietly to each other and then both looked at me.

  I forced a smile to my face and nodded at the stranger. He nodded back and then they both shook hands.

  “So, does he know what’s going on?” I asked when the stranger went into the house.

  “He knows what he needs to,” said John, looking at the home, a pensive look on his face.

  “What did you tell him about me?”

  “I told him that you were a friend.”

  “Oh.” I looked at the house again. “So, is this his place?”

  “No. I should probably tell you –”

  Before he could finish, the back door opened up and Tracy stepped outside.

  “Wonderful,” I said dryly. “You couldn’t tell me this earlier?”

  “Don’t worry about her,” he said quietly.

  “Hi! I wasn’t expecting you,” she replied with a beaming smile.

  “I know. I should have called you. Looks like you were busy anyway,” said John.

  Tracy was wearing white yoga pants and a light blue tank top. Her hair was up in a messy bun and from the sheen on her face and the towel around her neck, I guessed she’d been working out.

  When Tracy noticed me on the boat, she froze in her tracks.

  “Hi,” I said, secretly enjoying the flush of anger on her face. She looked like she was ready to claw my eyes out.

  “Why is she here?” Tracy asked coldly, ignoring me.

  “Relax. Mia needed a ride,” he replied, getting off of the boat. “She was on Damian’s yacht.”

  Tracy looked confused. “I thought you said that she was dating him?”

  “No. Mia, and her friend Ridley, were just catering the bachelor party,” he replied, running a hand through his hair.

  She frowned. “I don’t understand. Wasn’t that happening this weekend and why did you leave, if that was the case?”

  Interesting, I thought. It was obvious that Tracy didn’t have a clue as to what John was up to.

  “As I mentioned, Mia wanted a ride which was a great reason to leave the party.” He gave her a charming smile. “I really wanted to see you before you left.”

  Her face softened and she gazed at him lovingly. “You’re so sweet.”

  His sweetness left a bitter taste in my mouth.

  He brushed his lips over hers quickly. “So… are you packed and ready to go?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I have to take a quick shower before I leave for the airport.”

  “Where exactly are you going?” I interrupted.

  Tracy smirked. “Somewhere tropical and luxurious. John is going to meet me there in a couple of days. After he takes care of some business”

  “Ah. Well, John is a very busy man these days,” I said, looking at him.

  His lip twitched. “Yes, but I’ll be retiring soon.”

  “And I can’t wait!” said Tracy, throwing her arms around his neck. She stared up into his eyes. “Then we can get married, like we talked about, and start a family.”

  “How wonderful. I’m sure John will be a terrific father. He’s so good with the. You should see how he is with Damian’s son, Jake,” I said.

  John gave me a dirty look. “I need to go and make a phone call,” he said, pulling away from Tracy. “Do me a favor and show Mia into the house.”

  Tracy frowned at his abruptness. “Of course,” she said as he took out his phone and stepped away from us. Sighing, she turned to me. “Let’s go inside.”

  “Okay,” I replied, following her toward the house. “Nice place, by the way. Is it yours?”

  She stopped at the sliding glass door and pulled it open. “No. It’s a friend of John’s.”

  “Is it just you two staying here?” I asked when we were inside and alone.

  “Yes. Well, Travis has been staying here, too. He’s the gardener-slash-maintenance guy.”

  “A live-in gardener. You don’t find that very often,” I said, thinking that he was probably someone John had hired to keep an eye on her.

  “I know. It’s kind of annoying,” she said, lowering her voice. “I feel like he’s always underfoot.”

  “I bet.”

  I looked around the kitchen, which opened up into the living room. It was sparsely furnished and there wasn’t a lot of decor or artwork.

  “I should go and get ready. There’s water and soda in the refrigerator if you’re thirsty.”

  “Thank you. Congratulations on you and John getting married, by the way.”

  She smiled and then her eyes became wide. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you and John were once engaged. He told me about that after we ran into you at the club.”

  Although, she’d been the reason we’d broken up, after everything, I almost felt grateful. “Don’t be sorry. You and he are a much better fit,” I said truthfully.

  “I’m sure you’ll find someone,” she said, looking at me with pity.

  “I think I already have,” I said, thinking of Damian.

  “Good for you. Is he rich?”

  “To be honest, I have no idea how much money he has. I really don’t look for that in a man.”

  It was the truth. I really didn’t know Damian’s net worth and didn’t care He was a loving father and a man who would do anything for his son. Those kinds of traits had nothing to do with the size of his wallet.

  “I used to think that way myself. But, not these days. I work my ass off to look good and as far as I’m concerned, deserve to be with someone who can pamper me. Just like my mother always said, ‘there are a lot of fish in the sea… just don’t let yourself fall for a bottom-feeder’.”

  “Right.”

  Too bad her mother hadn’t taught her anything about ethics, I thought.

  “Well, I’d better go and get ready. It was nice seeing you again,” she said.

  “You, too,” I lied.

  Tracy smiled and then left me alone in the kitchen. Before I could look around the house, John stepped inside.

  “Where is she?” he asked, sliding the glass door shut.

  “She just left to take her shower.”

  He nodded. “Are you ready to go?”

  “I guess. Where is Jake?”

  “Not here, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  “I couldn’t help but wonder.”

  He didn’t say anything for a while, just stared at me. I wondered if he was having second thoughts about me.

  I walked over to him. “Did you find out if the money was sent yet?” I asked quietly.

  “They’re working on it,” he replied.

  “So, what’s going to happen to her?” I whispered, motioning upstairs.

  “Nothing. She’s going to jump on that plane to Aruba and from there, it’s up to her.”

  “Are you going to join her?”

  He reached over and touched my cheek. “I’d been planning on it but now that you’re back in my life, hell no.”

  I forced a smile to my face.

  “You are back in my life, aren’t you, Mia?” he asked, his eyes burning into mine.

  “Obviously,” I said, my gaze not wavering.

  He leaned forward and kissed my lips.

  “What the hell?”

  We both turned to find Tracy glaring at us.

  John ignored her comment. “Why aren’t you in the shower yet?” he asked sternly. “You’re going to miss your plane if you don’t get ready.”

  “I think the real question is ‘why were you kissing her’?” she replied angrily, walking toward us.

  “Oh, come on. It was an innocent kiss,” he replied.

  She raised her chin stubbornly. “Really? From where I was standing, there wasn’t anything innocent
about it.”

  “Honestly, he’s right. It was just a peck,” I said, amazed that I was defending him. But, we were wasting time and I wanted to get to Jake. “John and I are just friends.”

  “Friends don’t kiss each other like that,” she protested.

  “It was nothing at all. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill. Now, for the love of God, get into the shower. If you miss your flight, damned if I’m buying you another ticket,” said John, frustrated. “Do you have any idea how much money I’ve already invested in this trip?”

  Still looking pissed off, she turned on her heel and stomped away.

  John relaxed. “Here are the keys to my car,” he said, pulling them out of his pocket. “It’s the CTS parked outside. Get in the vehicle and wait for me. I’m going to deal with her before she fucks everything up.”

  “Okay,” I said, taking them from him.

  He disappeared and I went to the front of the house and stepped outside. In the driveway were two vehicles, one a Cadillac sedan and the other an SUV. I got into the CTS, started the engine, and turned on the air conditioner. Noticing the glove compartment, I opened it up and was shocked at the contents. Inside was a revolver and a cell phone. My heart began to pound as I took the gun out and checked to see if it was loaded.

  It was.

  15

  Damian

  “What’s taking so long?” asked one of the masked men.

  We were in my office and I’d just gotten off the phone with my financial consultant. Without getting into any details, I’d made her aware of the fact that I needed to round up a large sum of money for an investment opportunity. When she’d started asking me questions about the deal, I cut her off, explaining that I wasn’t able to discuss the logistics of it.

  “Just like I told John, rounding up this kind of money isn’t a walk in the park,” I said angrily. “And I don’t carry all of my account numbers with me when I travel.”

  He shoved the rifle into my face. “I wasn’t born yesterday. If you’re fucking with me, I’ll start fucking with your guests. Starting with… that one.” He motioned toward Ridley, who was in the room with us. The masked man had taken a liking to her in a very bad way. Something told me that if he had a chance to do whatever he wanted with her, she’d be beaten and raped.