Natalie kicked off her high heels by her apartment door while Palmer did the security checks in the apartment.She only moved away from the door when he returned and muttered “clear” to her.Huffing, she stomped to the kitchen. “Can you believe the gall of that guy?” she scoffed.“What guy?” Palmer asked nonchalantly.She gave him an irritated look. “Aaden! Him asking me to be his second wife? As if I can be second to anybody.” She opened the wine fridge and pulled out a white wine bottle. Popping the cork, she poured it into a wine glass and took a large gulp. Palmer stood near the kitchen counter, he’s arms loosely crossed in a relaxed manner, but the tense muscles across his chest and arms gave away that he was anything but relaxed.“If he had said that he’ll leave his wife, would you have gone with him?” Palmer asked, the crossed arms tightening with the question.Natalie couldn’t help but give a gape of astonishment at his words. “No! He had his chance the first time, but instead
Mark opened the door of the black SUV and Natalie smiled at him in a ‘thank you’ manner. Her eyes peeked up to see Palmer already standing by the revolving door of the skyscraper owned by her family’s corporation. Palmer’s eyes scanned the perimeter before landing on her. His eyes darkened with intensity as they took in her skirt suit and her ultra-thin stiletto heels.Palmer’s brow knitted when he glanced at something behind her, his hand sliding up to his gun holster under his jacket. Natalie quickened her steps toward Palmer when her name being called out stopped her in her tracks.Turning to see who had called her, she scowled. “Aaden? What are you doing here? In New York?”Aaden stepped out of the white Rolls-Royce Cullinan, his raven hair combed back in a stylish cut. His olive skin glowed with health from expensive skin products. Aaden’s chauffeur closed the car door behind him before climbing back into the driver’s seat.Buttoning up his Dormeuil jacket, Aaden smiled. “I came
Natalie sat at her large waterfall kitchen island, flipping through a fashion magazine. The television in the kitchen was on, but the sound was on mute. She flipped a page and took a sip of her strong coffee. She needed the caffeine, as she hadn’t slept last night. The thought of Palmer across the hall from her in her own apartment kept her tossing and turning in her king-sized bed. She had hoped that he’ll knock on her door, but she’d woken alone, sexually frustrated and mad at Palmer for being in her safe space. She had nowhere to run from him now. “Mm-hm General, I realize that you couldn’t stop the news from leaking out. I’ll talk to her father to get a press release out ASAP,” Palmer’s gravelly, calm voice pierced the stillness in the open-plan kitchen as he rounded the corner.“Okay, General. Thank you for the heads up. Goodbye.” Palmer placed his phone on the marble kitchen counter and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Natalie, your friends are coming up the elevator. Mark co
Natalie stepped out of her en-suite bathroom, the steam billowing out behind her. She had taken a scorching shower the minute she arrived at her apartment. Trying to wash away the nightmare that was the last 24 hours. Sitting in that school room in Angola, she had felt that she was counting down the seconds to her death. She was sure that even if her father paid the ransom, she would have been killed. Palmer kicking down the door had brought such extreme relief that her body had shaken with it.She sat down at her white and gold dressing table and unwrapped the towel around her head. The wet strands curling around her shoulders. Palmer had held her on the bed throughout the flight to New York until she fell asleep. When she had awakened, he had been there. Awake and watching her sleep. He had informed her that they had arrived and that the car was waiting for them.Palmer had escorted her to the black SUV that was parked on the airport tarmac, and they had driven her straight to her a
Natalie stood up from where she was crouching down on the bucket. She took a water bottle and washed her hands. Pulling up her jeans, she slowly walked back to the spot where she’d made a makeshift bed with the blankets she had been given. She didn’t know what time it was, but she guessed early morning.She slid down to her bed and wrapped a blanket around herself. It was June in Angola and the temperature dropped in the night. The footsteps of the man patrolling outside her windows sounded and she turned her head to look at the barracked window. Had her father paid the ransom already? Were they really going to let her go? Palmer must be furious with her for not staying close to Mark. Why did he leave her bed so early in the morning, leaving her wondering what was happening between them? She gave her head a shake. This was not the time to think about her entanglement with Palmer. She needed to stay alive. Natalie bolted upright when she heard a grunt from the kidnapper that was outsi
“The kidnappers have reached out to her father,” Isaiah said through the phone. “They want 800 mills in crypto.”Palmer rubbed the back of his neck, while changing direction mid-stride in his pacing at the police headquarters in Luanda. “800 mill! What the fuck!”“He wants to pay it, but he’s concerned that they won’t keep their word and kill her anyways.”Tendons stood out in his neck as his heart beat a mile a minute. His grip tightened on the cellphone. Natalie wasn’t going to die; he wouldn’t allow it. “Tell Mr Lopes that Natalie will be safe with us by tomorrow. Tell him to not pay those fuckers.”“Now, Palmer we still need to act like Mr Lopes is going to pay them until we have Natalie. Mark and Ezekiel are still combing through the satellite map to see where the panic button signal is coming from. We need time until we can pinpoint the exact location for extraction.”Palmer dipped his head even though he knew Isaiah couldn’t see him nod his agreement. He kept going through the