The Baby Contract (The Billionaire Bachelor Series) (22 page)

Abby focused on her breathing, keeping her fear under control. God knew what might happen to the baby if she didn’t stay focused. She had to stay alive; she wouldn’t let her baby die.

She worked at the tape around her wrists, trying to loosen it. She heard Spencer talking with the man who’d carried her inside. She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to hear the conversation. A minute later, the closet door opened and she stared up into a pair of familiar slate-colored eyes. They were cold, and a shiver ran over her flesh as he yanked the gag out of her mouth.

“What do you want from me?” Her mouth felt like cotton after being gagged for so long.

“To be honest, I want you to disappear into thin air,” Spencer returned, a tight grin on his face. “But since that’s not possible, I’m looking at other options.”

“Why in the world would you want me dead?” She refused to break eye contact. If the bastard wanted to kill her, he’d have to stare her in the eye the whole time. “I haven’t done anything to you.”

“You heard our conversation, did you? Well, if you recall, I want you alive and I want you to be reasonable.”

Her nostrils flared. “Reasonable? You kidnap me, drag me out to who knows where, and you want me to be
reasonable
?”

“I want you to take ten thousand dollars and leave the country,” Spencer continued, ignoring her. “I hear the Bahamas is nice this time of year. Lay low and play dead. That’s a better alternative, don’t you think?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but he held up his hand. “And I know you’ve been offered a great deal more, but consider what’s at stake. My colleague wants you dead. I don’t want that on my conscience, and I’m offering you a choice. Leave the country, don’t have any contact with Liam, don’t allow your child to be declared an heir to his empire, and we’ll be copasetic.”

“Why in the world would you go to all this effort to keep me away from Liam?”

“It’s business, and nothing for you to concern yourself over. Now if I have your word, I can get you out of here and on a flight in a matter of hours. First class even, if you so desire. And remember, if you
do
contact Liam or the cops, my colleague has all the money in the world to make you truly disappear into thin air. I’ll let you sit in there and think things over.”

Left alone again, Abby thought over Spencer’s offer. A horrible feeling in her gut told her that escape wouldn’t be the easy out he’d offered. The other man had sounded too desperate to be rid of her. Spencer promised she could leave alive, but what if the other man returned before that happened? She swallowed and drew her knees to her chest. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she wished so much to wake up from this nightmare.

“Crying won’t help,” she mumbled to herself.

She sniffed and worked the tape on her wrists. Just a little more… One hand slid out.
Eureka!
She quickly undid the binds around her ankles.

Abby wasn’t sure if she was alone in the home or not. She pressed her ear to the closet door, listening. Silence. She hoped that meant the place was vacant as she eased the door open and peered out. The place looked empty, illuminated by a couple of gas lamps, and she tiptoed down the hall. The home was a hovel and probably wasn’t used regularly judging by its tattered and smelly state.

She wrinkled her nose and peeked out the window by the front door. The huge man stood outside it, messing with his cellphone. She needed that phone to call 911.
Weapons?
Nothing immediate presented itself. In the kitchen all she found was an old aluminum skillet, little use for a makeshift club. No knives, but the idea of stabbing another person left her feeling queasy, regardless how desperate her situation was.

She frowned when she spotted what looked like glass pipes used to smoke meth or crack. If the place had been used to cook meth then her baby could be at risk—another fear to add to the ten others foremost in her thoughts. No chemical smells hung in the air, and she took that as a good sign.

Abby tiptoed back through the house and peeked outside to the guard. He shoved his phone in his pocket and left the front door, disappearing from view. She watched him pass by windows along the side of the trailer toward the back of the house.

It was her one chance. She grabbed the doorknob, ready to run.

Chapter 25

Liam had followed the strange Subaru from Abigail’s home until it stopped outside of a trailer house which sat in a desolate area. He parked his SUV well out of sight of the place and kept to the shadows until he found a spot behind an outbuilding. A bruiser of a man climbed out of the car and Liam watched as Spencer and Richard met him.

He’d received several texts from her, brief and to the point.

I’ve had a better offer. Our deal is off. Don’t bother to look for me, I’m already gone.

Liam had raced to her home, needing to reason with her. Abigail’s necklace in Richard’s office, her sudden change of heart, the God damn man had gotten to her. He had felt more anger than he’d ever known when he believed she’d been bought by his rival. Anger stemming from betrayal. He’d held so much hope that she might love him back. His entire future had tottered on her loving him back.

When he’d arrived at Abigail’s place, he’d seen the silver car parked in the carport of the vacant next door house. Suspicious, he’d stayed across the street and cut the lights and engine. In less than a minute he’d seen a huge form sneaking through the shadows with a limp body draped over its shoulder. Liam briefly considered calling the cops as he followed the car from a safe distance out of town. Then he imagined all sorts of terrifying scenarios: a shootout, Abigail being caught in the crossfire, Abigail being used as a hostage in a standoff.

If he could get to her first and rescue her then he’d call the cops and let them handle the rest.
After
he’d gotten his hands on the brute who’d kidnapped her.

Spencer and Richard had appeared, throwing all his plans for revenge out the door. Now he listened to the two men, catching bits and pieces of their conversation. Richard wanted Abigail dead, and Liam knew the only reason behind it. Whitmore Incorporated. Ice ran through his veins, Abigail’s life was in danger because of some damn soulless corporation. And his own cousin had conspired with Richard purely for greed. It felt too impossible to believe even as he watched it with his own eyes.

The bruiser pulled Abigail from the trunk and carried her inside. Liam’s first concern—make sure Abigail was safe. He watched her fight her captor. She was alive and appeared uninjured. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to make a rush for her. He
had
to have the element of surprise against someone as large as the bruiser. Marty had taught him a lot in a few months but Liam wasn’t foolhardy...he’d make sure he had the upper hand first.

Richard left and Spencer went inside the home. Despite all his cousin’s shortcomings, Liam had never once taken him for a man who’d kidnap and do God knows what to another for money. Especially an innocent pregnant woman. He scowled, cursing himself yet again for bringing this down on Abigail. If not for Whitmore Incorporated, she’d be safe and sound in her bed.

He inched his way through shadows, needing to make it to the home before Spencer had a chance to hurt her. He hadn’t made it ten feet when Spencer strode out the front door and went to his Mercedes parked beneath a tree. Liam watched the car pull onto the county road and disappear.

The bruiser was stationed outside the front door. Liam picked up a rock and pitched it behind the trailer. He heard a
ding
then
thump
. The bruiser shoved his cellphone into his pocket and left his post, walking around the home. Liam rushed for the door. It burst open before he made it up the steps. Liam skidded to a halt as Abigail slammed into him. He grabbed her, catching her as she toppled backward. Her eyes widened.

“Liam? Oh my God, behind—”

Liam was yanked backward, off the front porch. He had the sickening sensation of falling through air. He landed hard on the ground, knocking the wind from his lungs as he tumbled. He lay helplessly, trying to draw breath. The bruiser, illuminated by the faint moonlight, sneered down to him, laughing. He cracked his knuckles.

“Run, Abigail!” Liam shouted when he found his voice. The bruiser turned toward her as she fled toward the perimeter of the yard.

Liam struggled to his feet. “Hey!”

The man turned back to Liam and growled, lowering down like a bull before charging. Liam braced his legs wide, balanced and ready for the battle. He’d go down fighting to his last breath for what mattered most in his life—Abigail.

He jumped out of the way of the man. The bruiser recovered and whirled, throwing a hard right. Liam ducked and sent an uppercut into the bruiser’s chin. He
oomphed
and shook his head, spitting in the dirt. Liam landed a left jab into the man’s kidney before Liam caught a hard knock in the jaw. He staggered back, stars flashing in front of his eyes. Another blow caught him in the gut and Liam’s breath left in a whoosh. He grabbed the bruiser around the middle, and they grappled.

He felt the man’s greater weight, but he refused to give in to defeat. Not when he had everything in the world to fight for. He clung tight, digging his shoes into the dried earth as the man tried to force him to the ground. If he got him down, God knew if Liam would be able to get back up.

Every muscle in his body burned. Liam bared his teeth. The hulk grunted and suddenly released him. He toppled sideways, holding his head. To Liam’s shock, Abigail stood nearby with a huge rock between her hands.

“I told you to run,” Liam hissed, keeping an eye on the other man who seemed dazed by Abigail’s blow.

“I wasn’t going to leave you alone with this guy,” she countered. “Should I hit him again?”

The bruiser fell onto his back and let out a big sigh. He was out.

“No, I think he’s down. Let’s get out of here.”

Abigail didn’t move, staring at their attacker and dropped the rock. “Maybe I hit him too hard?”

Liam grabbed her hand. “Let’s not forget the bastard would kill us in the blink of an eye, Abigail.”

“But…”

He let out an exasperated groan. “I understand you have that caretaker instinct, but we’ll let emergency services deal with him. Okay?”

Abigail released a hard breath. “Fine.”

They turned. Liam froze, the muzzle of a handgun pointed at his face. Abigail let out a startled cry as he blinked, focusing on its owner.

“Spencer,” he spat. Abigail squeezed Liam’s hand.

“Cousin,” Spencer returned. “I really wish you wouldn’t have come out here.”

Liam’s head swam with his anger, if not for Abigail’s tight hold on him he would’ve charged Spencer, gun be damned. “What the fuck are you going to do, Spencer,” he asked through gritted teeth. “Shoot us? Is Whitmore really worth all of this?”

The hand that held the gun trembled. “I’m afraid I got myself in a tight spot, and I don’t have much choice.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. No choice? How the hell did you
not
have a choice in kidnapping Abigail?”

In the darkness he could make out the scowl on his cousin’s face. “Richard and Martin drive a hard bargain. Once you’ve made a deal with them, you’ve made a deal with the devil. I’m in a shitload of debt, and this is my one way out of it.”

“Please, Spencer,” Abigail said, her voice soft and desperate. “Think this over. We can all walk away from this right now. I’ll still take the deal you offered me and leave the country. You’ll never hear from me again.”

“I’m afraid there’s no walking away, not now. Things have gone too far, thanks to Liam’s interference. He’s not one to let go of things.”

“You’re wrong, Spencer. If it’s Abigail’s life that’s on the line, I’ll forget this ever happened if you’ll let her go. I’ll hand over the damn company tonight.”

Spencer shook his head. The night seemed to darken like the shadow of death hanging over them, and a chill raced down Liam’s spine.

“We grew up together. We’re blood,” Liam said, trying one last desperate tactic.

Spencer’s hand drifted down a hair. “We’ve never liked one another, cousin. Don’t try to convince me otherwise. Not once have we ever had any type of bond outside of running Uncle Liam’s company.” The gun barrel dropped lower. “I’m sorry, I really am,” Spencer said. “I’m sorry for Aunt Caroline, I’ve always liked her. She’ll take this hard.”

Liam saw his one chance. He lunged toward his cousin, grabbing him in a bear hug, groping for the gun. Everything happened within the span of heartbeats. The two men wrestled, and a loud
pop
shattered the air. Abigail screamed. Liam shoved Spencer to the dirt, having wrenched the handgun from his fingers, and he spun to face Abigail. She was doubled over, gasping for air.

“Liam,” she cried out. “Liam, I’ve been shot.”

Chapter 26

Abby hated the antiseptic odor of hospitals. She wrinkled her nose.

“Thank God you’re okay, Abigail. I thought I’d lost you.”

Abby smiled up from the hospital bed as Liam grasped her hand between his own. A rapid staccato filled the room from the monitor attached to her stomach. The baby’s heartbeat was reassuring, strong and normal according to the doctor. The bullet had grazed her upper arm, more terrifying in the moment than deadly. It would heal, but the hospital was keeping her overnight for observation.

“I don’t think you’ll get rid of me so easily,” she said, staring up to the very tired-looking man holding her hand.

He chuckled at her humor before kissing the tops of her fingers. Abby knew she was in deep with the Takeover Tyrant, her knight in shining armor who’d swept in to rescue her. His eyes shone with sympathy, and she dared not imagine what else she might see there. What she wanted to see there more than anything else. An admission hung at the back of her tongue
I love you, Liam.
She deserved to have her words heard, yet they were stuck in place. Fear gripped her heart each time she opened her mouth to voice them—an act almost more frightening than being kidnapped.