The inside of the plane was fairly large and open. Six plush seats that looked as if they lowered all the way down into beds were in the center. Small tables were by each, and everything was a creamy buttery yellow. Even the carpet was a tone darker but still buttery. It was plush; that was the only word that would come to my clouded mind. I’d never been in a private jet before, and while this was beautiful I could do without it forever.
The driver man got on, stowed my bag, then took a seat in the back of the plane away from me. Definitely a bodyguard. Like I was going to jump out of a moving plane or something. If at any point in time, I do not follow through with Mr. Beacon’s requests, my parents were to pay all the medical costs, debts paid, and lose everything.
I wouldn’t do that.
No matter what the man did to me, I was determined to see this through.
Lift off came all too soon, and I wished there was a rewind button and my life would go down a different path. That my mother wouldn’t be sick. That my father didn’t make a deal with the devil himself. All of it. Unfortunately, this was an impossibility.
The entire flight my nerves battled, and my heart never stopped trying to thump out of my chest. I had never even flown before, and here I was on a private jet, alone. My thoughts ran wild. Being someone’s property was never in my cards or my life plan, so to speak. Alas, it was what was dealt to me. Even when the attendant asked me if I was hungry I turned her down, knowing if I ingested something I’d puke it up.
Two hours maybe three, I wasn’t exactly sure, and we were touching down. The pilot was smooth, and I barely felt a thing.
Knowing I was one step closer to meeting my “boss”, I felt my pulse quicken and my palms sweat. I was dizzy and felt like an elephant was dancing a Tango on my chest. Looking out the window, water was on the left side and land on the right. Palm trees littered everywhere. And as we stopped, the airport was super small. It seemed like only private planes came here because there were no commercial planes in sight.
This wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. When I last spoke with Mr. Beacon, he told me I’d be staying in his home with him in California. I had no idea he lived on what looked like it could be an island. Only packing one swimsuit may not cut this trip. He left me with very little information, so I had been completely unsure of what was ahead of me.
I just figured California would mean sun. That was all I had to go on.
This place, though, was beautiful. Unbelievably beautiful. Something that had been in my dreams to see at some point in my life. A home on the beach. And here it was. There was no way to change the circumstances and I needed to make the best of it. The beach was going to become my new best friend. At least I could find some sort of escape for myself to survive this. Anything to stay as far away from Mr. Beacon as he’d allow.
We exited the plane and moved to a waiting car, where driver man got into the driver’s seat, and we took off after he loaded my things.
The scenery was breathtaking. White sand and crystal clear blue water on one side and houses that looked like mansions on the other. There were a few homes out on the water, though, and they looked like they could be my home away from home. They were like huts and had decks that led out to them, looking over the ocean. Palm leaf roofs were on top and very open to the outside.
Sleeping here must be calming with the waves and the air so clean and crisp. While beautiful, I couldn’t help but think about the reason for my attendance. Not exactly a paradise for me.
We didn’t discuss specifics on the phone, Mr. Beacon and I. Only that I’d stay a minimum of one year and do whatever was asked of me. Should my mother need further medical care and financial assistance then I would then continue my tenure with the man; my freedom would only come when my mother was healed or Mr. Beacon deceased.
Upon his death, I would be provided for monetarily as if I were his widow. The only assertion I had was that Mr. Beacon would not take me as his wife, in that we would not be married. However, anything—and yes, he was clear that anything—he requested of me I was to freely give.
There were some things I drew lines under, but that didn’t mean once with Mr. Beacon he’d follow through. I figured when the time came, I would face any obstacle.
First and foremost, I had to agree to these conditions. There was no ‘pass go and collect two-hundred dollars, get out of jail free card’ here. Come what may, whatever it may be, I would take it head on.
The driver kept going further out, past the huge homes, past the huts in the water, past what looked like everything, and then there was nothing but sand. Another twenty minutes later, we were pulling up to something out of a fancy movie. Those mansions on the way here and those huts—not a single one touched what was ahead of me. This home was both of those wrapped up into one. It even had a long deck that led out to a mini house in the water.
Holy hell. This was where I’d be staying?
This had to be some kind of joke. Or maybe the joke was on me, and Mr. Beacon wanted me far away from civilization. Away from prying eyes that may think his treatment of me was unfair.
That thought sent a chill up my spine.
“Ma’am, we’re here,” driver man said, putting the car in park, then getting out and coming to my side. My gut twisted into knots, and as much as I wanted to pull on the door so he couldn’t open it, I didn’t because that would be showing weakness. That promise about staying strong and not showing anything was one I would follow to the letter.
You are strong. You’ve got this.
The door opened, and the salty air felt wonderful on my skin. This appeared to be heaven. I was afraid it was going to far too soon become my hell.
Next I’d be on one of those Criminal Minds shows were a serial killer came to an island and took everyone out. As long as that Derek Morgan would rescue me, that would be perfect. Even though he should be with Penelope, she’d have to share.
Pull your shit together, Enissa! You are not on some damn television show or in some book.
The front door opened and all the air left my lungs, my feet stopping on their own accord.
It was absolutely not Mr. Beacon standing in worn board shorts and a tee. No, this man was in a league of his own. He had hair so dark it should be bottled and sold on a drug store rack. It was wild and unruly, framing his chiseled face. He had tattoos in a tribal design that peeked out from under the sleeves of his white shirt, carrying all the way down his arms. He had a beard that wasn’t long and overdone, but rather neatly trimmed and still filled out more than peach fuzz. The definition of the muscles of his arms and legs were something that could be featured in a fitness magazine.
The fact that he worked for Mr. Beacon, though, had me instantly hating him.
Welcome to Hell, Enissa, even if it looked like Heaven, this was all a mirage.
2
Garrett
Standing at the door of my private getaway, I studied the woman walking toward me. She was beautiful with that fifties bombshell body with curves for days, all tits and rounded ass. Brunette hair and in the light a splash of red that shown in the warm sunlight. It reached her mid-back with waves and split down the side. Plump lips that I’d bet a million bucks would light up her face if she smiled. A complete packaged rolled into beauty headed my direction.
She was more than I expected.