She banged through the door and into the suite at the rear of the boat. This yacht was massive. She’d never seen anything like it except on those television specials where they toured ridiculously wealthy people’s homes and yachts.
Thankfully, her father’s room was quiet and dark. She didn’t dare flip on the lights, but called out softly, “Papa?” It wasn’t a term of endearment anymore, just what he’d expected her to call him during his infrequent visits. She’d taken to calling him father the past few years to tick him off, but in her terror, the old term came out.
No answer.
Maddie shut the door behind her and turned on a side lamp, not wanting the bright overhead light on. She set her picture frame down and crept toward his safe. He’d told her the combination when he gave her a tour of the ship and told her to take out the weapons, money, papers sealed in a waterproof packet, and the flash drive if there was ever an emergency.
She wondered if they’d been attacked by another pirate ship; apparently there were a whole slew of them. Maybe his troops had started an uprising. Her father controlled them with an iron fist, and the fear in his staff’s eyes made her sick. Maybe they were finished being afraid.
Quickly unlocking the safe, she pulled out a pistol first and inserted bullets into the chamber. Her hands only shook slightly. One of the few things her father had taught her when he’d visited—besides the fact he adored her mother, and Maddie was an unfortunate by-product of their romance—was how to shoot a sidearm.
The door cracked open. Maddie whirled, her finger tightening on the trigger.
“It’s me,” her father, Armando, whispered, sliding into the room. “Nice job getting the revolver.” He slid the deadbolt to secure the door, then pushed a heavy dresser in front of it.
Maddie’s arm slackened to her side as she watched him. Finally, she found her voice. “What’s going on?”
“Bello has made his play.”
“I thought you trusted him. You said he was like a son to you.” Her voice escalated with her terror.
“Lesson learned. Never trust anyone, my love.”
He had no right to use terms of endearment. “What does he want?”
“My money. My power.” He shook his head and strode past her to the safe, muttering, “And you.”
Maddie’s entire body shuddered. She’d rather be ripped apart by a shark; at least she could retain her virtue and self-respect. “And you’re just going to barricade us in here and hope he changes his mind? Great plan, Pops.”
“I’ve got a better one.” He pulled the flash drive that was sealed in plastic out of the safe and handed it to her. “This is the most important thing I will ever give you. Keep it safe until you can turn it over to Homeland Security. Hide it where you won’t lose it.”
Maddie tucked it into her bra.
“Good girl.” He entered a code and then yanked open a side door. Maddie found herself looking at a small boat. “Get in. Bello and I had planned to have you take the papers and flash drive to America when we dropped you off in San Juan next week and make us honest men, but apparently he has other plans. At least he doesn’t know about the escape boat. It’s nothing fancy, but should get you to the nearest island. Go west or south.” He actually smiled like this was funny.
Maddie’s stomach dropped. How was she supposed to know what direction to go in the dark? “Me or us?”
“Only you. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.” Her father shoved the sealed bag into her hands. “This is a paper copy of everything on the drive, some cash, and several different passports, social security cards, and birth certificates for you and your mother.”
“What? Reverse a minute. Go back to why you aren’t coming with me.” She didn’t like her father, but she didn’t want Bello killing him, and she really, really didn’t want to be alone on the ocean at night.
Her father grasped her upper arms in his thick hands. He was a strong man and had probably been good-looking before a life of thieving, lying, and too much alcohol robbed him of his youth and his daughter’s respect. “I’m dying.”
Maddie’s mouth opened, but no words came out.
“It’s all right, love. The liver’s gone. Cirrhosis. I’ll be glad to be done with all of this.” He gestured toward the door and the gunshots. “I’ll miss seeing your mother …” His eyes glossed over for a second before he focused in on her again. “And I’ll miss you.”
Maddie knew that was a lie. Though he took her mother on extravagant vacations several times a year, he rarely came to see Maddie, and this was the first time she’d been invited to go anywhere with him. It was turning out fabulous.
“But I’ve made my peace with God and man, and I’ll die protecting my beautiful daughter.”
Maddie had to bite her tongue, not sure how a pirate who fed off others’ fears and misfortunes could make peace with anyone on heaven or earth. A banging on the door and a barrage of bullets into it announced Bello and his cronies. Maddie jumped but luckily didn’t scream this time.
“The drive will explain everything, and it also has access to accounts that will make you a wealthy woman. Hold on to the papers if at all possible, but the drive is essential.” He bent down and kissed her forehead then gave her a brief hug. “You’re the best part of me, my love. Thank you for becoming so much better than I could’ve dreamed.” He directed her into the boat and sat her down. It wasn’t much bigger than a canoe, but it had a motor at the back. “When you get to land, follow the instructions. Someone I trust will come pick you up and help you create a new life and identity. Your mother too.”
“But I just graduated.” Six years of hard work down the crapper because of her father. If he wasn’t dying, she’d be tempted to shoot him.
He smiled that placating smile parents gave to two-year-olds. “You can pick whatever degree you want. Don’t go to Belize, Honduras, or Grand Cayman. Bello and the other pirate captains won’t stop looking for you until the Coast Guard uses that information to capture them. America should be safe. They’ll be more leery of the U.S. authorities.” He nodded to her. “Be safe and be happy, my love.”
Another barrage of bullets came at the door. Maddie’s heart was in her throat. She had no clue how to say goodbye to a father who had caused her to doubt her worth her entire life. Yet she didn’t want him to die from cirrhosis or Bello’s gun. This was the first time in her life that he’d seemed to care, and now he would die protecting her from Bello.
Her father pushed a button, and before Maddie had time to say anything, the boat was lowered into the water. She clung to the sealed packet and the gun, watching her father’s face.
“Start the motor,” he yelled. “There’s a pull cord at the back. Go.” The ropes released her boat, and it almost capsized from the force of the yacht’s wake. Maddie bit her lip to keep from crying out.
The compartment closed and the yacht sped off, her little boat bobbing in the waves. She held on to the side and prayed. Maddie could see men on deck with guns drawn. Luckily, it was a dark night and they didn’t notice her. Soon the yacht was pinpricks of lights in the distance.
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Coming Soon from Gelato Books
The Angler, the Baker, and the Billionaire
from author Amberley Day
Sophie Molina tucked a dark curl behind her ear, and looked out the plane window for the tenth time since boarding. Nothing had changed. There wasn’t even moonlight to accentuate the clouds. No matter how many times she looked, the dark night only stared back, empty and cold.
All day long Sophie had tried to shake the feeling that she was leaving light and heading into darkness. San Francisco was sunny and warm that morning when her plane left, even if her spirits weren’t. Her layover in Seattle was partly cloudy, and the farther north she traveled on her way to Alaska, the more clouds blanketed her view. Even the sunset was a nonevent.
She’d never f
elt depressed from lack of sunshine before, but then she’d lived her whole life in California. Maybe six months in rainy Sitka, Alaska, wouldn’t be the pick-me-up she was hoping it would be.
Or maybe it was just the heaviness in her heart that made the day feel so dark.
Once she’d arrived in Juneau, the short connecting flight to Sitka was a puzzle. Sophie knew there were major airlines that flew directly into the isolated town of Sitka—she and her mom had taken direct flights from Seattle many times when they visited during her summer vacations—but her cousin Rodger had insisted on arranging this last leg of the trip. She didn’t know Rodger well. He was more than ten years her senior, so not one of the many cousins she played with as a child. As she took in her surroundings, she wondered if this flight was Rodger’s way of showing off, and what connections he had to make this a private plane possible.
The private jet was tastefully decorated, and luxuriously comfortable. It smelled new. The only other passenger, a pretty woman with short dark hair and an expensive-looking business suit, was busy on her phone and laptop. She sat at the opposite end of the cabin so Sophie didn’t hear her conversation, but she’d smiled and waved when Sophie first boarded the plane.
A few minutes after takeoff, the flight attendant asked Sophie if she cared for a beverage, or possibly a chicken Caesar salad.
“A salad?” Sophie asked.
“Yes. Or, I could make you a sandwich, if you’d like.”
Sophie ran her fingers through her hair. Whatever this gig was that Rodger had arranged, she didn’t want him to receive a bill for extra service. Even though she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, she folded her arms over her stomach.
“No, I’m fine, thank you.”
“Please do have something.” The stylish brunette passenger had abandoned her phone and computer and switched to the seat opposite Sophie. “I’m starving, and I hate to eat alone. Hi, I’m Marisa.”
Sophie shook her extended hand. She felt underdressed in her sweater and jeans. “Sophie. Nice to meet you. I’m not sure … How much is the salad?”
One of Marisa’s perfectly-shaped eyebrows went up a fraction. She exchanged a glance with the flight attendant. “Two salads, thank you, Carol.”
The attendant nodded, and disappeared through a doorway.
“No charge,” Marisa said. “If you’re on the plane, food and drinks are included.”
“Wonderful. Thank you.” Sophie looked around, again wondering how she’d managed to be here. She took a closer look at Marisa. Expensive clothing, sleek haircut, and very comfortable in this setting. “Is this … your plane?”
Marisa laughed. She relaxed back into her seat. It was near midnight. Sophie was tired, but thought Marisa looked even more so.
“No, not mine. My … employer. Don’t you know whose plane you’re on?” When Sophie shook her head, Marisa continued, “I was told you’d be here, but nothing about who you are.”
Sophie squirmed. “I’m not really sure why I’m here. My cousin Rodger—“
“You’re Rodger’s cousin?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“Of course, I know Rodger, and his wife, Cathy. They’re lovely people. I’ve met many of the Platskys.”
“I’ve barely met them myself, just summer visits when I was younger. I grew up in the Bay area.”
“I love San Francisco. We have an office there.”
“Oh? What’s the name of your company?”
Marisa hesitated. “It’s mostly an investment firm. Probably nothing you’d recognize. What brings you from California to Sitka, Sophie? Taking a vacation?”
The salads arrived just then, and Sophie took the distraction to think contemplate how to answer Marisa’s question. It wasn’t a simple answer, and she really wasn’t sure why she’d been invited, or why she’d agreed to come. She suspected the invitation had been something in the way of a pity invite, but she found she’d wanted to accept it.
She finished her first bite of tender chicken, and said, “I’m coming to help Cathy open a business.”
“Is she expanding her catering? She’s a wonderful baker.”
Marisa really had met her family. “I don’t know if she’s still planning on catering, but she’s opening a storefront, somewhere along the water.”
“That’s wonderful! Have you ever had Cathy’s cinnamon rolls? To die for.”
“No, I haven’t. I’ve heard a lot about her baking, though, and seen a lot of beautiful pictures.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat. If you’re coming to help her, are you a baker also?”
Sophie took a drink of water to help with the sudden lump in her throat that had nothing to do with her food.
“Yes, I am,” she said. “Tell me more what it is you do that has you flying on a corporate jet.”
Marisa speared a piece of lettuce with her fork. Sophie looked down and was surprised to see that her own salad was already half finished. She hadn’t realized how hungry she’d been.
“I’m an executive assistant,” Marisa said.
“Secretary?”
“A bit more than that. I mostly make it possible for my boss to be wherever he wants to be, and still run a large corporation.”
“So, you do all the legwork, and he gets all the glory?”
“Sometimes it feels like that. He’s a genius in his way—don’t tell him I said that, I don’t want it to go to his head—but he can be demanding, too.”
“I bet.”
“Take tonight. I really could have waited and come up Monday morning, because there’s nothing that can’t wait until then. But what does he say? ‘I want you here tonight so I can have you working tomorrow by five.’”
“Five in the morning? On a Saturday?” Sophie said. “That’s almost as bad as a bakery.”
“Yes, it is, isn’t it? Sometimes that’s the price of international business. Or in this case, doing business with New York from Sitka. Anyway, I shouldn’t complain. I do love the travel and the pace. I would occasionally like a vacation, though.”
“From the sounds of it, I should think you’ve earned one.”
“Many times over. And to be honest,” Marisa said, a warm glow lighting her eyes, “the first chance I get for a vacation, it will be my honeymoon.”
“Congratulations!” Sophie said. “How long have you been married?”
Marisa slumped. “That’s the thing. I’ve been too busy for us to set a wedding date, much less a honeymoon.”
Sophie frowned, righteously indignant for this stranger.
“That’s terrible. You need to tell that boss of yours to cut you some slack. He can’t be paying you enough to make it worth putting off your wedding.”
“That’s the thing.” Marisa’s smile was tired. “He does make it worth my while. Or at least it’s been worth it, up till now. I think my fiancé is getting tired of waiting. I know I am.”
While the conversation turned to the sights to see in Sitka, Sophie still found herself disliking this mystery boss who took the obviously devoted Marisa for granted.
When the plane landed, Sophie walked down the stairway to the dark airport tarmac. Even at the airport, the cool, fresh air—so different from San Francisco—brought back memories of her childhood, and her mother. She breathed it in deeply. Maybe it had been a good idea to come north, she thought. She looked once again for a view, but found that the Sitka, Alaska, night was a dark grey mass of clouds.
Sophie waved a quick goodbye to Marisa, and went to meet up with Rodger. Marisa had said she had a float plane to catch. Sophie wished she’d had more time to get to know this friendly and articulate woman, but the mysterious Marisa had already stepped into a waiting car and driven off into the Alaskan night.
Check out these other Destination Billionaire Romances
If you enjoyed Everything to Lose you will love the other books in the Destination Billionaire Romance series.
The Reclusive Billionaire by Lucy McConnell
Shad
ows in the Curtain by Cami Checketts
Almost Everything by Taylor Hart
The Lucky Billionaire by Jeanette Lewis
Hawaiian Masquerade by Rachelle J. Christensen
Caribbean Rescue by Cami Chechetts
Keep reading for a sneak peak at The Angler, the Baker, and the Billionaire by Amberlee Day.
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Also by Jennifer Youngblood & Sandra Poole
The Almost an Angel Series
Book 1
Candlelight Kisses
Book 2
Heart of the Billionaire
Romantic Thrillers
False Identity
When Darkness Falls
About the Authors
A native of Alabama, Jennifer writes with her fearless writing partner, Sandra Poole, who also happens to be her mother. They have written multiple novels, one collection of short stories, and a children's book called THE HUMONGOUS FUNGUS, written under the pen name of Periwinkle Blue and illustrated by world renown portrait artist, Michele Anderson. Jennifer loves cooking, spending time with family, and occasionally breaking away from her hectic life to take spontaneous trips to exotic and sometimes not so exotic locations. She couldn't survive in a world without chocolate, good books, family, and friends. She now lives in the Rocky Mountains where she and her mother continue to write together.
@authorjenn1
www.jenniferyoungblood.com
Everything to Lose (Destination Billionaire Romance) Page 16