Her Prada Cowboy: McCulloch County Series #1 (17 page)

His eyebrows rose and his eyes
glittered.  He growled softly.

“We’re not married yet, honey.  It is
too early to set such rules.”

“That has nothing to do with marriage
and everything with you and me, you nitwit!”

“Honey, please!  You can’t say things
like that to your future husband!  Nitwit?”

“Yes, Jarrod Parker, so let me make
this abundantly clear.  I will not share you.  So you better hand over that
little black book of yours when we get home.  You won’t be needing it any
further.”

“Yes, Shannon.”

“I am serious, Jarrod!  If I ever
catch you with another woman, I will … I will … castrate you!”

“Yes, Shannon.”

“And your phone too.  I want to go
through your numbers and see how many ‘black book’ numbers there are.”

“Yes, Shannon.”

“I find you humoring me highly
annoying, Jarrod Parker!  … Don’t you dare …!”

He chuckled, slammed on the brakes and
pulled her into his arms.  He looked into her eyes and said seriously.

“There has been no woman for close to
a year. Before I met you I was celibate for a year and absolutely none since! 
Nor will there ever be!  You are more than I want and need in a woman, doll
face.  I want none other.  I am glad you don’t share, because I have no
intention sharin’ you either … ever!”

His lips covered hers and he kissed
her so deeply and passionately, all Shannon could do was cling to him.

They spent two hours on the prairie
and apart from learning a lot, she enjoyed the special time with him
tremendously.  They drove over a ridge and Jarrod slammed on the brakes.

“Bloody hell!”

“Oh my Lord!  Are there any horses in
that field, Babe?”

“Thankfully not!”

He pulled out his cell phone and
phoned his ranch manager, who immediately sent a team, while he phoned the fire
brigade.

Shannon stared at the flames literally
running over the prairie, destroying the bushes and grassland.  They stood in
front of the truck watching the fire raging in the valley below.

“It is spreading so fast, Jarrod!”

“Not as fast as usual.  The rain we
had over the past week means the grass is as dry and is burnin’ slower.”

At that point the cavalry arrived with
the ranch’s own fire truck.  Jarrod told her most of the large ranches have
their own fire trucks because a whole ranch could burn down by the time the
fire brigade arrived.

They immediately set to work and made
a wide fire wall before they started working on the fire.  The fire brigade
arrived forty minutes later and with their combined efforts, they managed to
kill the fire within another hour.

“I want to go and talk to the fire
chief quickly, doll face.  Would you mind waitin’ here?”

She nodded and watched him jogging
down the hill and met up with the fire chief.  They had a long discussion and
she saw him make another phone call immediately thereafter.

He came jogging back and she was once
again amazed that he was not even breathing hard from the uphill jog.  The man
had an amazing physique and was super fit.

He hugged her and looked into her
eyes.  She could see he was worried.

“What’s wrong?”

“The chief says the fire was set
deliberately.”

“Arson? Why would someone do that? 
Who would do that?”

“Who knows; competitors or someone
that wants to give me a setback.  The chief is goin’ to look into it.” 

“Let’s hope they find something.”

“I just don’t feel comfortable with
you being pregnant and us alone out here.  Would you mind if we postpone
tonight until it has been resolved?”

“Of course, Babe. I agree.  I don’t
want to take chances with our children.”

Jarrod was more upset than he cared to
admit.  He was sure the fire was set by the same person  who has been sending
him threats.  Now he was even more concerned that they also knew about
Shannon. 

Reed agreed and said that he has set
additional security teams to secure the ranch and the company. 

Jarrod knew this was not the end of it
though.  They kept the actual launch date secret specifically to safeguard
everyone.  It would only be made public early on Monday.  All the invitations
were sent in secret to the companies, under strict instructions of secrecy.

He prayed there would not be enough
time, once the launch was made public, for them to react or boycott the
launch.  More so, that once the launch was done, he could relax and carry on as
normal.

“Jarrod,
I know you are busy, but may I have a quick word?”

Jarrod looked up and smiled at his
Executive Assistant, Lucy and waved her in.

“Of course, Lucy.  What’s up?”

“Now you know I am not a tittle tale,
but I can’t keep quiet any longer.  She just won’t listen to me.”

“Who?”

“Shannon.  I’ve been trying to get her
to slow down the whole morning, but she just does not stop.”

“Sounds like her.”

“Jarrod, she has not been off her feet
since you arrived this morning!  She has been running up and down from her
office down to the ballroom a hundred times already!  She has not had anything to
eat or drink the whole day!  It’s not good for someone in her condition.   You
need to get her to sit down and get something in her stomach!  At this rate she
will not last until tonight!”

Jarrod’s mouth flattened. 

The hard headed little witch!  She just
never listens!

“Thanks for lettin’ me know, Lucy.  I
will handle it.  I am goin’ to get her somethin’ to eat and then take her to
the penthouse.  I’ll be back later.”

She nodded and quickly walked back to
her office.  Jarrod literally steamrollered to Shannon’s office and was not
really surprised when she was not there.  One of the project team members
informed him that she just went down to the ballroom … again.  Also said, with
a shake of her head.  Everyone has been trying to get her to slow down.  He
found her bags in her office and carried them with him.

He mumbled all the way to the
boardroom and saw her the moment the elevator doors opened.  She was walking
around, checking and rechecking everything.  He shook his head and walked
closer.  She turned and saw him.  A brilliant smile formed on her mouth and
then her eyebrows rose and she chuckled.  She nodded towards the handbag he had
slung over his shoulder.

“Are you setting a new fashion trend,
Babe?”

He smiled and pulled her under his arm
and turned towards the elevator.  She pulled back and tried walking back into
the ballroom.

“No.  Our arrangement was that you
will only do the final ticks, not run around the whole day doin’ all the work! 
We are goin’ for a quick bite and then I am takin’ you to the penthouse.”

“No Babe!  I still have to …”

“This is not debatable, Shannon!  I
want you by my side tonight.  At the rate you are goin’, you won’t make it till
three this afternoon!”

She sighed and caressed his cheek. 

“You are right. I do feel a bit tired. 
I forget sometimes that I am pregnant. But what if there is still somethi …”

“Shannon, honey, everythin’ is fine. 
It has been since last week.  Stop worryin’!  Now come, let’s go.”

He took her to a Bistro for something
to eat and from there directly to the Penthouse.  He walked through the
apartment and hugged her at the door.

“Promise me you will take a nap.  I
will be back around five and we’ll leave for the launch around six thirty.”

“Six.  I need to just do the final
checks before the time.”

“Very well, honey. Six.  Now go …
nap!”

“Yes Jarrod.”

“Lock the door behind me.”

Shannon
turned the lock and went to the main bedroom.  She undressed and put on a pair
of sweatpants and a tee-shirt.  She sank down on the bed and fell asleep within
minutes.

Shannon
opened her eyes with fear clutching her heart.  She couldn’t breathe. She
started to struggle, she looked up and found two masked men standing over her. 
One had his gloved hand over her mouth and nose and was suffocating her.  The
other held a flex cuff which he tried to tie around her hands.  She started to
struggle violently when she started to feel dizzy. She opened her mouth and bit
hard into the gloved hand.  He yelled and ripped his hand away from her mouth.

 He drew his hand back and Shannon
noticed the fist as he started swinging his hand forward.  She covered her
belly with both her hands and went completely still.

“Please!  I’m pregnant!  Please don’t
hurt my baby!”

The green masked man hesitated and he
glowered at her.

“You bit me bitch!”

“I couldn’t breathe!  You were
suffocating me!”

“Did I hear you right, Chick?  You’re
pregnant?”

“Yes, I am.”

The black masked man straightened and
his teeth flashed white in the mouth opening.  He ribbed his partner in the
stomach.

“Hear that?  She is pregnant.  Boss is
gonna like that!  Now we will have a real hold over JP!  A real hold!  There is
no way he will launch that software tonight!”

“Come little lady, we’re leavin’.”

“No!  Let me go!  I am not going with
you!”

They both laughed harshly and Shannon
felt the fear clamp even tighter around her heart.  She glanced at the clock on
the side table as they dragged her into the foyer.  It was already four o
clock.  If she could only delay them, Jarrod might get home before they got her
out of there.  She kicked and bore backwards.  The green masked man crashed
against the side table and the vase with flowers shattered to the floor.  He
turned around and shoved the table over.

He towered over her and glared
viciously at her.

“You have two choices.  Either you
walk, or we carry you, and I promise you, being pregnant is not goin’ to
matter.  One way or the other, we are leavin’ now!”

He held her hands and the black mask
man clicked the flex cuff around her wrists. He took her by the elbow and
turned her to the door.  She noticed that the lock was broken.

“Are you walkin’ Chick, or do we carry
you?”

“I’ll walk.”

They rode the elevator down to the
parking garage and Mr. Green checked for people around before Mr. Black dragged
her out the elevator and into the van Mr. Green brought closer.  She could not
even scream.  They had tied a rag around her face in the elevator.  Black
bundled her in the back of the closed up van and warned her to keep still.

She had no idea where they were going. 
Her sense of direction was poor in normal circumstances.  Stuck in the back of
a closed van rendered it totally useless.  They drove for probably an hour and
a half before they brought the van to a stop.  Black opened the back door and
assisted her to climb out the back.  He took the rag from her face and led her
to the neat little house next to the van.  Shannon looked around, but there was
no sign of another house or any human life.  They appeared to be on a small
holding of some sort.

“Please tell me, why you are doing
this?

Black and Green looked at each other
and laughed.

“Money, Chick.  Lots and lots of
money!”

“Ransom?  For me?”

“Oh no.  We’re after lover boy’s new
software.  It is gonna brin’ us millions!”

“What makes you think he will give it
to you?”

“Well up to this point, we did not
think we would be successful.  Now … with you and his baby …we know we are
gonna start pocketin’ pretty soon!  If he wants you back in one piece and still
carryin’ his baby … he will do what we say.”

They took her to, what she supposed,
the main bedroom of the house with an en suite bathroom.  It was neat and clean
and Shannon sighed in relief. It was decorated in whites and greys and
relatively cool.  Green dumped a duffel bag next to the door.

“We brought you some clothes.  There
are books and magazines in the bedside table and there is cable TV. You should
be comfortable.”

Black walked in with a plate of
homemade food and her stomach rumbled.  The food smelled terrific. 

“We have an arrangement with the
neighbor.  She’s a terrific cook.  Let me know if you need anythin’ specific …
cravings and such.”

“Apricot jam.  I eat apricot jam with
everything.”

“I’ll get some in the mornin’.”

He left two cans of soda and two large
bottles of mineral water on the dresser.  He lifted her hands and cut through
the flex cuffs.  He looked at her and noticed her fear.  His wife was pregnant
herself and he realized how concerned she was.

“Try to relax, missy.  We’re not aimin’
to hurt you.  You will be fine, and just call me when you need anythin’.  It’ll
be over soon.”

She nodded and sat on the bed watching
him leave and heard him locking the door. It was already after six and Jarrod
would know she was missing by now. She sighed and pulled the tray closer and started
eating  listlessly.

Oh Jarrod!  Please find me!  I need
you!

Just stay calm, doll face.

I’m trying.

Good
girl.  

Jarrod
leaned back against the elevator door, a small smile on his lips.  It was just
past half past four, but knowing Shannon, she was probably already dressed and
waiting for him in the den.

He knew what her dress looked like, so
he expected his circuits to be blown to pieces.  On top of that, to walk around
with a hard-on the whole night long!

He reached out to insert the key in
the lock and froze.  The lock was shattered and broken pieces of wood was
scattered on the floor.  He slammed the door open and ran inside.  He skidded
to a halt when he noticed the small side table turned upside down and the
shattered vase.  Flowers were strewn all over the floor.  His heart contracted
with fear.

“SHANNON!”

He tore through the apartment and
skidded to a halt back in the den.  An inhumane scream echoed through the
penthouse.

Jarrod felt as if his blood has frozen
inside his veins.  He took his phone out and dialed Reed.  He answered almost
immediately.  He was already at the Perfecto building.

“Cuz, I’m he …”

“Get over to the penthouse, Reed. 
She’s gone.  Shannon has been taken!  Hurry!”

“Shit!”

The line went dead and Jarrod sat down
on the edge of the couch, his hands hanging loosely between his legs.  He
stared at the turned over table and imagined how Shannon must have struggled to
cause the heavy table to fall over.

If they hurt her or our babies, I will
kill them!  With my bare hands!

Reed stormed through the door barely
ten minutes later and found Jarrod still sitting frozen on the couch, staring
at the upturned table.  A number of Reed’s team filtered through the door
behind him and started to methodically go through the apartment.

 “Jarrod, we will find her!”

He barely registered Reed and lowered
his face in his hands.  Reed swallowed.  He has never seen his strong cousin so
helpless, so totally lost!

“Jarrod! Have you looked at the CCTV
footage?”

Jarrod looked up and shook his head.

“Where is it linked up?”

“Any of the televisions.  We can watch
here.”

“No … I don’t think you should …”

The look Jarrod flashed him closed his
mouth and he sighed.  He found the remote and switched on the huge wall mounted
flat screen television.  He found the channel Jarrod told him and routed to the
time menu.

“Since what time has she been here?”

“Around twelve.”

Reed started the playback from twelve
and they watched her get on the bed and fall asleep.  He fast forwarded then
rewound when his eye caught the movement on the camera on the outside of the
front door.  Two masked men exited the elevator and approached the door.  It
was just before four.

“Good Lord!  I just missed them!  If
only I came home a half an hour earlier!”

Jarrod’s hands turned to fists as they
followed their path through the apartment until they found Shannon in the main
bedroom.  His body stiffened when the man with the green masked placed his hand
over her mouth and the other grabbed her hands.  He saw the fear in her eyes
when they opened and he cursed.

“He is suffocatin’ her!”

He saw the desperation flash in
Shannon’s eyes just before she bit the masked man’s hand.  He jumped up when
the man pulled his hand back, fisted it and started swinging.  He saw Shannon
become quiet, folding her hands protectively over her belly and pleaded.

“Her first thought was to protect our
babies.”

“She is goin’ to be a mother, Jarrod. 
Of course it would be.”

He started walking back and forth,
still watching the footage and cursed nonstop when he watched her struggle not
to leave with them, kicking the table, which toppled the vase. It was the green
masked man that toppled the table. Green mask snapped at her and she stilled. 
She stood demurely while they tied her hands with flex cuffs and walked out the
door and into the elevator with them.

One of Reeds operatives came in with a
CD, indicating it was footage from the garage. He obtained the footage from the
security of the building. Reed loaded the CD in the CD player and fast
forwarded to where they appeared with Shannon.  It was a dark blue delivery
van.  Reed made a note of the license plate registration and snapped at one of
his operatives to trace it.  He came back within minutes, the van was reported
stolen that morning.  It had no GPS or tracking system in.