by J. L. Beck
I’m actually Tucker Midland, the third. My name was the actual company name. It appeared on train trailer boxes, gas stations and natural gas trucks, along with an entire national truck line.TM was the biggest manufacturer of electronics in the entire Midwest. I’d inherited the name, wealth, the company and the headache that came along with it. Just as like my father did. All this money and I simply felt trapped every day of my life. I hated the social events, the stuffy board meetings, and the weight of billions of dollars crushing my soul.
I’d already been through a bad divorce ten years back. I never wanted a steady relationship again. After it happened… I’d paid whatever she wanted. I gave her everything she’d asked for and moved on the best that I could.
I’d dreamt of just being someone anonymous and maybe just live like a regular guy. Working 9 to 5… live in the burbs and be just like everyone else. Join a bowling team, have brewskis with the guys at a local bar every Friday night. To just be—Tucker Smith, the mechanic? Or, Tucker Brown, who worked at construction. Hell, I’d even settle for Tucker Jones who worked at the corner convenience store. At least then… My decisions would only affect myself and my life, not hundreds of stockholders, partners, subsidiaries and thousands of employees. Their benefits, their futures and their 401 K’s…all in my hands.
However, none of that would ever happen. I’d been born to take over a multi-billion dollar company, educated and groomed for it. I was also supposed to pass it on to my son someday. Fat chance of that! That bridge had been burned to the ground already as I’d learned the hard way about family, women and love. The women I’d dated, only wanted me for the money and never love. All I had to do was look at my one failed marriage.
I grinned at my reflection. It wasn’t that I couldn’t get a date. I’m not hard to look at. I shrugged my wide shoulders as my smile faded, but most women just thought my well muscled body and good looks to be just tasty icing on an already lucrative money cake. The models and actresses I’d met at social gatherings did nothing for me. Why would I want to embrace a living skeleton? No warmth, no curves. Then almost always, their personality matched too. A shallow illusion of a woman, all glittery while wearing makeup that must’ve been put on with a paintbrush and layered on like spackle. Not a real woman even on the inside, nothing real to hold onto.
It didn’t matter anyways, even if they had more shape to them, they were all false. I’m simply a walking, muscled meal ticket and every power hungry debutant wanted to cash me in. What about what I wanted? A life where yeah, rent was a struggle to make, but at least you were in control of your own destiny, no matter how small it might be. Then, I wanted to be able to find a woman made just for me, someone who was real, not picture perfect, not a paint by numbers woman…and untainted by greed. Yeah, like she even exists! My ex wife hadn’t been it either and I’d learned that the hard way. I had considered for a long while when the marriage hadn’t been going all that well, that I’d married too young. We had a kid right off too. I hadn’t been ready for that either.
I let out a sigh. I needed to forget about all that. It’d been a long time in the past now.
“Are you ready sir?” A voice called from the hallway.
I sighed as my dream of being Mr. Smith, invisible guy evaporated. I grabbed my Armani jacket and called back to my driver, “Yeah Parker, I’m ready!”
~* * * *~
“Are you sure this is the right way?” I sat forward in the Limo seat.
“Yes, sir.”
Sighing and peering up at the sign, I shook my head. “I don’t like this.” The car stopped and I gazed down at my overly expensive watch. The Board of Directors gave me the garish timepiece for my last birthday. A regular watch would suit me better, but it didn’t matter, time was just…Time. I sighed and tried to be patient. My instructions were precise and I couldn’t leave the car yet. “Parker, have you seen any agents at all?”
“No, sir. But I imagine it’s their job to remain invisible.”
“Yeah, well if this goes wrong? They’d better appear and fast,” I grumbled as the word invisible felt like a catchword to me. To just disappear and start over. It would be so great to be free.
A few minutes went by in silence as I wondered if this might be more dangerous than Agent Moss let on. They needed to ferret out the person who was fronting the whole thing. Well, at least it was something far away from the boardroom or the all too empty gated, locked down penthouse. In fact, I’d never been on this side of town before. I gazed at the truck stop to see it looked rather old and well used. “I bet they have great pancakes.” Yeah a silly thought, a three stack with melting butter and maple syrup. A heady taste and enjoyed while country music hummed in the background. Simple pleasures of a simple world.
“It’s time sir,” Parker announced.
I released a breath as again, my normal fantasy disappeared on me. “Okay. Ready as I’ll ever be.” I checked my pocket yet again for the component. It weighed nothing and was only a quarter inch wide, almost small enough to lose in an instant. “Who would think something this small would be such a big God dammed deal?”
“I don’t know sir. Sometimes, small things can be worth a lot.”
The offhand but meaningful remark struck me as odd. In the years my driver had been with me, he’d never said anything so profound.
“Good luck, Sir.”
“Yeah…You know what Parker?”
“Sir?”
“I think from now on…You can call me by my first name, okay?”
My driver gazed at me through the rearview mirror and then broke out into a warm grin. “Yes, sir. I mean—Tucker.”
I chuckled and opened the door. “Now remember, you’re supposed to take off and wait for me around back, okay?”
Parker nodded.
I shut the car door and the Limo took off as I stood in the lot and looked around. Well, it’s seven, where is this mysterious bad guy? Just then, something caught my eye…vivid red hair.
She stood at the entrance while staring straight at me. Then, she walked slowly toward me.
A woman? Wow, she is cute.
I simply watched her stride, her hips swaying with just the right rhythm. One, that somehow made me go instantly hard. All curves and lush. What the hell? Here I am in the middle of deep shit and I get a rocket fueled hard on? I shook my head and stomped my foot to try to clear away my dirty thoughts.
At my head shaking, the woman paused. Her big green eyes looking me up and down, suspiciously.
I could actually see the emerald hue of those eyes, even from this distance. I then suddenly, felt like I needed to measure up somehow to her perusal of me. Like maybe, she would lose interest? I clenched my fists. Again, I’m fighting the urge to—to what? This isn’t a date, you idiot! I needed to focus. I gave her a polite nod and smiled.
At my nod, she moved again and came closer. In her hand, she held a green envelope.
I studied it. Too small for payment. What the hell?
“Are you waiting for a message?” she asked.
The sound of her voice was sweet. Such warmth and by the sparkle in her eyes, I could tell she probably had a huge sense of humor. I took the envelope from her while feeling totally confused. “Um, yeah? I suppose—I mean I really thought that…”
Her eyes grew wide as she stared over my shoulder.
I turned around and saw a semi truck barreling toward us. “What the fuck?”
The redhead screamed as the truck’s engine roared from a very short distance away. It came closer, definitely aiming straight at us.
I grabbed her and leapt sideways just as the runaway truck veered past. I protectively covered the woman’s body with my own. It hit a row of cars in the parking lot with a mean, violent sound. Crunching metal and scattering glass flew everywhere.
Chapter Three
Macy
Hot looking guy from the limo was lying on top of me. Oh wow, his body is so hard and warm. I shook myself. The minute I first spotted
him my pulse picked up and seemingly, every nerve in my body tingled. He smelled like fresh rain or something and his breath warmed my face. I bet he kisses like—I halted my wayward thoughts—you almost died just now! Thinking of kissing a hot stranger while someone just tried to run you down with a semi truck? I needed to get the hell out of here. I pushed against his chest as the echoing sound of twisting metal and the stinky smell of diesel fuel filled the air.
Looking infuriated, hot guy rose up a little and glared down at me.
I was struck speechless for a full minute as I gaped up at his face. Those blue eyes of his were so piercing, I felt like he might be peering into my soul or something. It took my breath away. My god, where did this guy come from?
The blue-eyed hunk looked around, but still lying over me.
“Can you get off?” I managed to squeak out.
His now puzzled looking eyes dropped to my face again. “No, I’m not sure.”
“Not sure?” I repeated. “About what?”
With his body rigid over me, he lowered his lips close to mine. “Who the hell are you?”
With his lips nearly touching my mouth, I gasped and sucked air in. I became lost in that steely blue gaze again. “Um—I’m just—”
Unexpectedly, he rose up and grabbed my wrist.
“Hey!” I yelled in alarm. Great, hot guy was a nut case. Of course, he was. Did I ever meet anyone normal? No.
He stood me up and grabbed my upper arms. “Did you know they were gonna try to kill me?”
I blinked my eyes in shock. “They?”
“You aren’t going anywhere till I find out what the hell is going on.” He now resumed his glaring at me, then while holding one of my arms, he tore open the envelope. He stared at the page while his face visibly paled.
A loud sound came from behind us and I felt like I was gonna pass out at the sight. Another Semi truck! I struggled with hot limo guy, but he wouldn’t release my arm. “Let go of me!” I screamed as I watched the huge vehicle heading our way. “It’s coming right at us!”
He said nothing as he turned us both around to face the oncoming truck.
Is he nuts? I kept struggling as my heart pounded in my chest. The truck kept coming and my gasping accelerated. “Oh, God!” I yelled as it neared.
He stood firm and quietly kept us both facing toward the semi.
I couldn’t believe any of this was happening. Is he a maniac, setting this whole thing up as some kind of weird death wish? My knees grew weak and he held me up as I almost crumbled to the asphalt in a total freak out. I am gonna die here!
The truck blared its horn and I felt like the sound hit me in violent waves. Its massive engine became even louder, and the smell of diesel fuel overwhelmed me as it came within inches—then stopped with an air hissing, grinding noise.
I stared at the truck’s grill. Peterbilt. It had braked so close—I could read the logo clearly. Hell, I could count the dead freaking bugs on the grate for Christ’s sake. I let out my held breath in a whoosh and my traumatized body collapsed forward.
Good looking nut job scooped me up, then gazed up at the cab. He acted calm and cool as he nodded at the driver, then carried me around it to stop in front of the trailer door at the rear of the truck.
I’m near to hyperventilating and he acts like this happens every dammed day? I vaguely felt him climb up, open the door and set me inside. My shock prevented me from doing or saying anything at all yet. I needed to get away from here and NOW. God dammit, that cardboard box sounded good right about now. What had I been thinking to trust that cartoonish creep so fucking easily?
I turned my shaking body around to see the trailer door slam shut with a metal clanging finality. Hell, I’d move in with Crazy Sally at this point. My racing thoughts kept rambling in lieu of going insane.
It suddenly became pitch dark and I felt panicked while sucking in my breath again. A couple of tense minutes went by as I heard the truck engine change gears and the semi was moving. “What in the—?” A light popped on and I rubbed at my eyes.
Standing above me was my kidnapper—all hot, hard six foot something of him. Again, my voice abandoned me as I stared at his very shiny expensive shoes, then my eyes moved upward. His black slacks were just as pricey as the shoes. All Italian everything, the cost of just his shoes could probably pay my rent for 6 months. My gaze moved up further. I couldn’t help but to notice how built he was. My mind wandered as I envisioned him without his expensive threads. I shook my head to force out such silly notions. This guy is dangerous. Clothes or no clothes! When my eyes moved up past his broad chest, I saw him glaring down at me.
“So, what’s next?” he seethed the question at me.
Batting my eyes in pure bewilderment I was puzzled by his angry stance and accusing glare. You would think I’d been driving the truck from hell and tried to kill him or something! “What?”
“I asked—”
That’s it! I’m pissed now. I stood up on shaky legs. “I know what you asked!” My words came out breathless. This guy may look like candy on a stick, but he’s about to get another kind of licking!
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me.
“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you’d better let me out of this truck. You’re the one who dragged me into—” My sentence died as I caught sight of our surroundings. Totally mystified, I looked around to see the trailer was decked out like a small, posh apartment. A couch, table, flatscreen TV, along with a full sized bed, microwave and even a fridge. Track lighting ran above it all on the metal walls of the trailer. I then spotted what looked to be a fancy port-a-potty! “A penthouse in a Peterbilt? What is this, Pimp My Truck—”
“Why don’t you tell me?” he asked while still glowering at me.
My stunned gaze swung back over to him. “Look, blue eyes…” I caught myself and noted a slight twitch tugged at his lips as though he might crack a smile. “I think you’d better let me out of here.”
“Well, if you want out, you’d better talk to the driver, I think we’re going at about 75 miles an hour and if you jump out?” He smirked at me. “It might hurt just a little.”
I stared at him. His voice just seemed to slide over me as if caressing my skin. Just his tone made everything he said sound inviting and sexually charged even. I felt those dammed goose bumps again and I unconsciously rubbed at my arms.
Ignoring me now, his eyes searched around at the trailer studio and he seemed to spot something on the table in front of the couch.
I followed his gaze. A piece of paper?
He walked over and picked it up. Scanning it, he slowly raised his eyes to me.
I saw an intense look there in his gaze and I took a nervous step back. “Now look—I don’t know what is going on and I don’t—”
He dropped the slip of paper and headed toward me.
I jumped back a few more shaky steps. “Stay away from me!”
While he stalked me, he loosened his tie and then he tore it up over his head, dropping it to the metal floor. Next, he unbuttoned his shirt. He seemed to be disrobing with each powerful step he took.
I bit at my lip and stared in wonder as he tore the shirt off too. Gulping, I stood frozen. Well, Macy you wondered about what might be under his fancy clothes and now, you’re gonna get an eyeful!
A sly smile appeared on his kissable lips, as he stood right in front of me now. He slowly lowered his hands and unbuckled his belt.
I was now openly gaping at him. He’s actually stripping? “Now, wait just a dammed—”
“Strip!” he yelled.
“Oh, no!” I shouted back. “That’s not in my job description, Mister Psycho hot pants. Hell, no. Unh-uh!”
He unhooked his belt and dropped his expensive slacks. “Look lady. This is your game and if you think I’m stripping and allowing you to remain clothed…You’d better think again.” He knelt down and removed his shoes.
When he stood up, I was struck speechless all over agai
n, as I stared at his muscled chest and powerful looking legs. The man was only wearing a pair of black briefs and matching black socks now. I’d been so caught up in gawking, I never realized he was coming my way, till he was just inches from me.
Grabbing me, he pulled me close. “We only have two more minutes!” He tugged at my blouse and ripped it from my shoulders. The tearing of my blouse didn’t stop there as he pulled my slacks down and over her curvy hips. He lifted my body up and removed them completely.
Shock hit me hard, as I didn’t even expect this. I shivered as the cool air hit me. “Stop!” I finally spoke up as I hung over his bare shoulder.
“Can’t,” he tersely replied as he stripped me of my socks and divested me of my plain brown loafers, then set me back down. He gave my body a brief hot look and his focused attention stopped at my wrist.
My shocked gaze followed his…My watch? My eyes shot upward. “Oh, no, you don’t! I saved for a month to buy this watch!”
“Well that’s—” Hot psycho man halted as though some sanity might be pushing its way into his brain. He shook his head at me, then raised his wrist to my gaze. “This would’ve taken you a lifetime to get then.” He tore what looked like a Cartier or Rolex watch from his wrist.
I glared at him as I panted for air. “Well, shit. Mister fancy fucking everything! Mine is just a Timex, but you’re gonna play hell getting it!” I placed my hands on my bare hips.
At my heated threat, he paused and seemed to be studying my face.
It was hard to tell what he might be thinking, but damn if he didn’t look amused. I backed all the way up, till the metal wall met with my bare back.
A slow grin appeared on those yummy lips of his. “Hand it over, or I’ll get it the same way I got your clothing.”
I studied him, staring into those deep, intense but amused blue eyes of his. I knew he meant it. Was I gonna tussle to the death over a damn Timex? Also, I had to consider another danger… if my bare skin met with his again, I may want to give him a lot more than just my stupid watch.