Page 37 of Obsessed

Maddox

Iopenmy eyes and look straight into the big face of Kane's bodyguard, Jason, Ithink.

"Jeez, you are not someone I want to wake up to." I straighten in my chair and crack my neck and back. It takes me a second to remember we are on a plane. My gaze shoots across to the couch, the last place I saw Ten. She's not there. I try to push to my feet but am dragged back by the bungee cord tied around mymiddle.

"Where is she?" I glance around. Freestone isn't in the plane either. "Where is Angie? Where did he takeher?"

"You don't get to ask questions," Jason snorts. Oscar joins him. They release the bungee cord and lift me to my feet. I sway a second until the sedative clears out of myhead.

The door to the plane is open and movable stairs have been pushed up to the exit. My hands are still bound and I've lost feeling in my fingertips. We reach the exit. There's a black van at thebottom.

I turn to Oscar. "I can walk down on my own. Either that, or the three of us are going to somersault down these metal steps in one big ball." Oscar motions for Jason to go first and he brings up therear.

Warm tropical air circles around me. The airport is small, not a big city airport. The palms, surrounding blue horizon and overall island vibe tells me we are in Hawaii or possibly the CaribbeanIslands.

We reach the van and a shove from behind pushes me into the backseat. No sign of Ten or Freestone. My two sidekicks climb in on either side of me. My mouth is dry and sticky from the sleepingpill.

"Any chance I can get somewater?"

Oscar hits a button on a console in front of us and a small ice chest rolls out. He opens a bottle of water forme.

I cup it between my hands. "Bottoms up." I chug it back quickly and sigh with relief. "That was just what I needed. So where to, boys? How do we get started on thisvacation?"

They both stay stonefaced.

"Man, you guys should lighten up. Looks like you've got it pretty damngood."

"Yeah, until some punk ass showed up to try and spoil the fun," Jason says. He takes the empty water bottle from my hand and tosses it into the icechest.

"Not a punk ass. Just came here to find my partner. And maybe line your boss up to be fitted with a state penitentiary onesie. A nice orange one to go with his blue eyes." I stare out the tinted windows at the good-sized private plane we just left. "Seriously, this guy is rich. If he never got to market his special drug, then how did he get all the money? It can't just be from club dues, although that Lace Underground membership is pretty fucking pricey." Hoping to keep the whole gig from being a complete failure, I decide to find out what I can about the elusive Kane Freestone other than the obvious that he is a sick fuck who is obsessed withTen.

Both men have sealedlips.

"Come on," I say. "I'll bet good money that wherever the hell we are, I'm not ever going to get off thisisland."

They exchange quickglances.

"See, I caught that. Yep, I'm a goner, so you might as well spill some gossip about the boss. I'll bet it's something illegal, otherwise you guys would talk." That implication is enough to open Oscar's mouth. They are both extremely loyal to Freestone that is for damnsure.

"Stock market," Oscar says quickly. "Mostly in pharmaceuticals. He knew which drugs were going to be big money makers and investedwisely."

I sit back somewhat surprised. "Huh, totally legit way to get rich. Never would have guessedit."

"Why the fuck not?" Jasonasks.

"Hmm, let me see. Young homeless women disappear and turn up addicted to some crazy ass drug that makes them horny enough to sleep with saggy balled billionaires. And a couple of those billionaires end up with their heads smashed in. I'm thinking maybe you two muscle heads had something to do withthat."

"Can I just shut him up?" Oscar gets his fistready.

"No, as much as I'd like to see it, boss said to leave himalone."

I sit back just as glad not to be hit in the face or gut again. I'm already feeling like shit from the whole damn thing, including being slipped a sedative in the drink. I'm not thinking straight and have to gain my bearings more to keep one step ahead. Which, considering Freestone always seems to be two steps ahead, isn't going to help much. Even if I find an opportunity to escape or avoid what seems to be my imminent death, I won't go without Ten. I can't leave her with Freestone another day. He's a fucking drug dealer and control freak. She needs to be free of him andsoon.

A trip through town makes it easy to see we are in the Caribbean Islands. Tourists and locals are going about their day, riding bicycles, tasting fruits at the market and carrying towels and surfboards to the beach. We seem be getting closer to the azure bluesea.

"Don't tell me"—I break the fun silence in the van—"We're heading to the boss'syacht."

"You're not as stupid as you look," Jasonmutters.

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