Disguised with the Millionaire (Dangerous Millionaires Series Book 2)

by Debra Andrews

  “Something’s happened to her, and I don’t know where to look. And Blake is dead. It’s hard to believe he’d even come into our building if he thought it was booby-trapped. Maybe that wasn’t him who was rigging things at the building. And if he’s not responsible for the sabotage, who else would have it out for the company, me, and now Kate? Could it be Roland?”

  “Roland?”

  “It’s someone in the company—it has to be him. And my mother is acting crazy, she sent Blake to the construction site, saying I’d agree to a sale. He was furious at me, accusing me of playing some kind of game with him, as if to anger him. I feel she’s pitting us against each other, and I don’t know why. Then she accuses me of pushing Blake to his death. On her testimony alone, I might get convicted.”

  “Oh, boy.” James dropped down in a chair and rubbed his cheeks. “It’s not Roland… I can’t believe it.”

  With a stunned look on his face, his grandfather rose from his chair and strode to his study. Trent followed.

  On the way, they passed Vera. “Have you seen Kate or Roland?” Trent asked.

  “Or Eden?” James added.

  Vera shook her head and strode with them down the hall. “I haven’t seen Roland, but your mother and her assistant took out the yacht. It was strange, normally they would have turned on the dock lights, but tonight they didn’t.”

  Trent blew out a frustrated breath. “Perhaps Kate’s with them. She’ll be all right. I’ll radio the boat.”

  His grandfather scratched his head. “Maybe not. I was becoming suspicious… You have the right to information that I’ve withheld from you.”

  Trent frowned. “What information?”

  “I’m sorry Trent. I did it for you! I’ll explain. I brought this on you. I didn’t know how dangerous my meddling could be.”

  His grandfather bent to open his safe and brought out an envelope. With a trembling hand, he took out papers and handed them to Trent. “Forgive me. I should have told you a long time ago…”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Trent glanced at the papers. “This explains everything. You’re saying she’s my adoptive mother. Why do I have the feeling you had a heavy hand in this?”

  “I never intended to hurt you, Trent. I only wanted to help. You needed a mother, and she was married to your father.”

  “Did you force Eden, coerce her…manipulate her into raising me as if she’d given birth to me?”

  “Yes, I did,” his grandfather rasped. “I didn’t want a scandal. And if she’s built up anger and resentment against you and me, it’s all my fault.”

  “This still doesn’t explain why she hates me.”

  “She wanted children and had a series of miscarriages. As it didn’t look like she’d ever carry a pregnancy to term, I insisted she raise her husband’s love child—you.”

  “What happened to my mother?”

  “She died having you. I thought I did the right thing.”

  Trent blew out a deep breath. “I can’t believe this.”

  “I’m sorry I meddled in your life. Eden lost a baby the same day you were born. I thought you would fill the void.”

  “Do you realize that she’s never liked me? I must have been a bitter reminder of all she lost. In addition, a reminder that my father cheated on her… And then to have me brought into the mix. Damn it, if Eden’s been out for revenge, and Kate’s with her, Kate’s in grave danger.”

  After they left the study, Roland walked through the front door.

  Trent was relieved his cousin wasn’t with his mother. “Eden’s played us against each other, throughout our lives, now more than ever.”

  After explaining Eden’s story and her motives for wrongdoing, Trent added, “She had Blake and me—and even you—at each other’s throats, and why after bitterly hating Blake for years, did she start dating him again? She was setting us all up. If she’s working with anyone, it has to be her assistant, Marc Simpson. And if they have Kate, they mean her harm. I’m going after them. Will you drive the speedboat?”

  Roland straightened his shoulders and nodded. “I owe you, Trent. I’ll go with you and help in whatever way I can.”

  Trent strode into his grandfather’s study and unlocked the gun case. “Marc Simpson has military training.”

  After taking a knife and a pistol, he handed a gun to Roland. “You might need this.”

  * * *

  Kate’s eyes flickered open. Above her clouds rolled across an ebony sky where stars splattered like diamonds on black velvet. The December breeze was about sixty degrees and she shivered in her light jacket. Her short skirt rode up high on her thighs, while the thin stockings offered no protection from the cool night air.

  Her arms tingled from the position behind her back and her head ached. She tried to move, but her hands and feet were bound. She still had on one high heel. Alarm shot through her. What had happened?

  Her mouth was parched and she lifted her head and tried to speak—but a gag prevented her. She dropped her head back onto the hard surface.

  Where was she? The smell of salt water mingled with diesel fuel. Engines rumbled beneath her. A boat! Her memories surged back to her of what had happened in the warehouse. That reminder sent alarm rushing through her.

  Kate turned her head. About ten feet away, in the pilot’s house of the Farrington yacht, Eden Farrington stood with her assistant, Marc Simpson. The doors were opened wide to the outside patio deck where Kate lay.

  Why would Eden leave her daughter-in-law trussed up on the deck? Kate’s heart beat at a rapid tempo. Had she and Eden been kidnapped? First Blake had tried to kill Trent, and now Eden was with Marc? It didn’t add up. From Kate’s position on the deck, she could see the lights of condominiums and the tall mast of a sailboat sweeping by. They must be on the New River.

  “I’d better check on her,” Eden said.

  Kate squeezed her eyes shut. She lay unmoving as realization sank in. Trent’s mother—Eden—was in on her kidnapping. Kate was at their mercy. The woman hated to have her for a daughter-in-law, but this was taking things to the extreme.

  Eden nudged Kate with the toe of her shoe, then returned to the console. “She’s still out cold.”

  “Good,” Marc said. “My job will be easier.”

  Kate’s cell phone rang.

  Who was calling? No one would miss her in the middle of the night.

  “Damn it.” Trent’s mother returned to Kate, thrust her hand in her jacket pocket and withdrew the cell phone.

  After the voice mail beeped, Eden played the message. “It’s Trent. He’s out of jail and looking for her.”

  “Thought of a Plan B?” Marc muttered.

  “No. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but we have passports and access to more than enough money. I’ve made your payments, so you can’t complain. I don’t think Trent or anyone else will suspect me of sabotage, but we’ll have to wait it out in the islands until we see if our leaving raises any red flags with the authorities.”

  Kate couldn’t believe Eden was responsible for the drywall and equipment changes. How could Eden think to sabotage the family company and hurt her son? It didn’t make sense.

  Marc put his arms around Eden’s shoulders. “It could still work.”

  “It’s not working if he’s out of jail, and if he’s not blamed for Blake’s murder.” Eden shrugged off Marc’s hug. “Then everything I’ve done has failed.”

  Kate winced. Eden had wanted to pit Trent against Blake— It was more than obvious she hated her own son!

  “Let’s drop her in the water soon, Marc. I don’t like this. Weigh her down with something heavy. I want to make sure she’s never found.”

  Oh my God! They were going to kill her—now! Kate’s heart tripped painfully in her chest.

  “Throw her here? And have the authorities track the last cell phone call?” Marc asked sarcastically. “They’ll put two and two together later, and remember we are out here in the yacht? They’ll dredge the water
and find her. No. When we get out to the ocean, we’ll drop her by one of those concrete buoys where the fish like to feed. There the sharks will make quick work of her.”

  Fear sent chills through Kate. She nearly lost her control, but for the sake of staying alive she lay still and let them think she was out cold. She only took glances through the slits of her eyes.

  Eden choked out a laugh. “You are ruthless, Marc, but she deserves it. I owe you.”

  “I plan to collect, Eden,” Marc said in a low voice. “You know what I want.”

  “Marriage? Are you joking? I don’t want another person controlling my life.”

  “It’s your money I want to control, Eden. That’s the deal—I want marriage or else.”

  Eden poked her finger into his chest. “Are you threatening me? You work for me.”

  “Either that or I want double what you owe me—ten million dollars,” he told her.

  “I don’t have access to the kind of money you’re demanding and won’t if we don’t get away with this. I’ll be stuck out of the country forever. All because that bitch ruined my plans. He was supposed to marry Cecilia and bring my bloodline into the family, and then I wanted him dead.”

  “As you say, Eden, but when everything is back on track with our plans, I mean to collect. We have a deal.” Marc’s voice was flat when he added, “We need to get far away before daybreak.”

  Kate’s head ached badly. Was she dreaming? Why would Trent’s mother hate him? They turned away and Kate could barely hear them.

  After a while, she assumed from the different type of movement that they were out in the ocean. She no longer saw buildings from her position on the floor. All she could see were stars, while the yacht rolled over larger waves.

  “She’s awake,” Eden hissed.

  Kate winced that she’d been caught.

  The ship-to-shore radio beeped.

  “Answer it,” Marc snapped. “Be careful what you say.”

  Eden clicked on the radio.

  “Oh, that’s marvelous, Trent… I’m sorry about what I said to the police about you hating Blake… No, I haven’t seen, Kate. Oh, dear, I hope you find her.” Eden rolled her eyes at Kate.

  Throwing an accusing glare at the woman, Kate struggled with her bonds and tried to scream through the gag, “Trent, help me,” but it was useless as her words were muffled. Tears trickled down the sides of her face and despair overcame her.

  He wouldn’t know she was on his own family’s yacht—or that she really loved him in spite of everything. They’d kill her and she’d never see him again.

  “Kate told me that she heard you discuss with your grandfather about ending your marriage,” his mother said into the radio. “She said something about leaving town. Perhaps she already did. Anyway, darling, don’t worry. Even though I never thought Kate was right for you, call me when you locate her. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to that dear girl.”

  After Eden hung up, Marc murmured, “Good job.”

  “I’m sure the bastard believed me. He said she’d told him the same thing and perhaps she did want the divorce. That maybe she did leave him.”

  Kate’s hopes that Trent would come after her, sank like her chance to live if they threw her into the water with a weight.

  Eden strode to Kate, bent over her, and roughly dragged the gag from her mouth. “Now, you may scream all you want. No one will hear you.”

  “Why?” Kate asked in a hoarse whisper. “You’re his mother. How can you hate him so much?”

  “Oh, you think a mother’s love is special? Think about that when you’ve sunk to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean—food for sharks. As you sink, think about just how much I love my dear Trent.”

  Sheer fright spiraled through Kate. She had to convince this maniac to keep her alive. “What if I’m carrying your grandchild? I might be pregnant.”

  “So, Marc,” Eden said sweetly as she crouched beside Kate. “Let’s hide her away somewhere safe …until my grandchild is born. Does that work for you, Kate?” Eden’s words belied the angry look on her face.

  Kate nodded emphatically. “Yes. Please don’t kill me.”

  Eden grabbed Kate’s hair and yanked back her head. “Just to let you know, this is what I think of Trent having a baby with you.” She stomped her foot on Kate’s stomach. At the excruciating pain shooting through her, Kate doubled over onto her side. Hot tears burned the back of her eyes. If there had been a remote chance she was pregnant, this might have ended it.

  “I…don’t…understand,” Kate said through her sobs, swallowing hard as the waves of pain ebbed.

  “Shut up, bitch. Trent isn’t my son. He’s the whoreson of the woman who stole my husband. His grandfather forced me to adopt and raise Trent as my own. It’s high time I repaid them both.”

  “Does Trent know?”

  “He hasn’t a clue—the stupid bastard.”

  “But you raised him. You must love him.”

  “I was around him as little as possible. I detest him.” Eden pursed her lips. “I had no idea at first you were Jackson’s stepsister, but it was lucky for me that Marc recognized you poking around at the site. He’d seen you at the funeral for your brother. So I had you investigated. Marc left the Halloween mask on the fence to frighten you to leave the company, but you weren’t buying that we were serious. You should have. Now, you die.”

  “But you can’t kill me.”

  “I will because it will hurt Trent.” She chuckled. “I hate the bastard, but you won’t get the chance to tell him how much I do, Kate. He’ll get over you, and if he doesn’t go to jail, he’ll marry Cecilia. If she hadn’t been in the car with you, Marc would have rammed you off the road at the overpass.”

  “So that’s why he stopped… He saw Cecilia in the car.”

  Eden smirked. “If Trent goes to jail for Blake’s murder and yours, all the better. I want the bastard to suffer before he dies. Hopefully, Trent will get the death sentence.”

  Kate clamped her mouth shut. She hoped Trent would put the facts together and realize Eden hated him—before it was too late.

  Eden turned to Marc. “It’s time to get this done. We’re out in the ocean. Get rid of her. Tie her to an anchor and throw her in like you did Carr.”

  “Stephen Carr…he was my brother’s supervisor. You killed my brother!” Kate cried.

  Marc left the helm. “He questioned the equipment orders so he had to go. I swapped his harness with a damaged one a week earlier and then pushed him. His damned supervisor found me on the site and figured out what I’d done. As for Carr, he was okay with looking the other way, as long as he was paid. He was already stealing from the company, but he was gullible. I told him I’d pay him to keep his mouth shut and he could quit working. Worked for a while, until he got greedy. I convinced him to take a ride with me in the yacht. Got him drunk. I gave him a one way ticket to hell at the bottom of the ocean. Like you’re gonna get.”

  Marc crouched beside Kate and leaned over her. She stared into eyes so flat it seemed he had no soul. He touched her hair. “What a beautiful babe. It’s a shame to kill you outright. You deserve more.” He ran his hands through strands of her hair that had long since come loose.

  Kate jerked her head away.

  “Your hair’s like fine silk and so long.” He lifted a strand to his nose, then his mouth turned downward. “Your scent… I know your type. You taunt a man with your looks. Twist his head in a vice.” Marc hauled Kate to her feet and swung her over his shoulder.

  Kate’s heart pounded. “What? No, no! Please…please, don’t throw me in!”

  He kept on walking. She fought like crazy, jabbing him with her shoulders and trying to bite him, even head butting him…until she realized he was taking her toward the staterooms.

  “Where are you taking me?” Kate cried out.

  “Yes, damn it,” Eden snapped, following behind them. “Where are you taking her? Tie the anchor to her and throw that bitch overboard.”

  Mar
c shouted, “Eden, drive. I have to prepare her first. Follow the arrows on the GPS. We’re headed to the islands.” He kept on walking.

  Fright shot through Kate as he took her into a large elegant stateroom with mahogany walls. He threw her onto the king-sized bed. He turned on the bright lights and hovered over her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Too many questions. I’ll have to shut you up.”

  He slammed his fist into her jaw. Blackness overtook her.

  * * *

  When she regained consciousness, Kate found herself still in the stateroom. Her arms were raised and she was tied by her wrists to a chandelier. The raw material of the rope cut into her skin. Her feet dangled off the ground. Her jacket and shirt were gone. She still had on her bra. For a brief moment, she’d wondered if the worst had happened, but she still wore her skirt and tights and didn’t feel like she’d been molested.

  Someone help me. She wanted to scream, but there was no one to help. No one was going to rescue her—particularly not Trent. She had to find her way out of this herself. She hadn’t even had a chance to ponder a way to escape when the cabin door swung open.

  Marc entered, eating a hunk of cheese. He waved a bottle of wine in her face. “Like some?”

  Kate’s heart beating at a rapid tempo, she shook her head.

  “Oh, come on. Cat got your tongue? Sure, you’ll have a drink. All sluts like booze.”

  The way he had tied her, she hung by her wrists. With his tall height, she was two inches below his eye level and her feet dangled off the ground.

  He yanked her head back by her hair, and poured wine into her mouth. “It’s Farrington’s finest. It’s your fault you’re here, you know. You have to pay for your sins for looking the way you do—twisting a man all up inside.”

  Marc ran his hand down her sides and leaned in. He touched his nose to her skin. “Ah, delicious. The boss insists I dump your ass in the ocean, but I got turned on just touching your hair. I wanted you the first time I saw you. It would have been quicker for you if I drowned you right away. I’d planned to resist you—but you provoked me. It’s not nice to taunt a man so he can’t think straight. I knew I had to have a piece of you first. The way I like it, bloody and begging me for every inch.”