Deny Tomorrow Read online

  Pilar came up and handed her a plate of food. “Here, Arianna. You need to eat something. You’ll feel better when you get some food in your stomach.” Trying to console her, she continued. “They don’t mean any harm. They’re poking fun at Juan as much as at you. I’m afraid you’ve created quite a bit of excitement by injuring him and nearly destroying Zach’s bedroom. I don’t believe anything like that has ever happened around here before.”

  Then, suddenly becoming very serious, she said, “I must caution you, however, Arianna. I would not press my luck. There is a limit to how much will be tolerated.”

  “And then what? They’ll shoot me?” Arianna asked. “These men are supposed to be keeping me safe. Not hurt me. Remember?”

  “Just the same, Arianna—” She was interrupted by a servant before she could finish.

  She had not eaten in twenty-four hours and was famished. She devoured the scrambled eggs and bacon Pilar brought her and washed the food down with a large glass of juice. Her stomach now full, she felt refreshed and in much better spirits. Moving out of the corner she had sequestered herself in, she dared to peek out at the group still finishing their breakfast at the dining table. She noticed Lisa was off to the side, sitting on a sofa, talking to Tony. She was smiling and it looked like she was enjoying herself. How could that be? These men had abducted them. Why would you be having a friendly conversation with them?

  “You know,” Pilar said, coming to her side, “you’ve been cooped up for two days now. You need to go out and get some fresh air instead of sitting in here.” Seeing the skeptical look in Arianna’s eyes, she prodded further. “It’s okay. They won’t bite. Maybe you could help Stella bring in the dishes off the breakfast buffet, for instance?”

  Though ambivalent about how she felt, Arianna moved outside and ambled over to the breakfast bar. Zach glanced over at her, a non-descript look still on his face. He was beyond handsome, but that didn’t take away from the fact that he had orchestrated this entire kidnapping plot. All her displaced anger toward Tony now flowed toward Zach, making him the next person she wanted to wound around here.

  She began to gather some dishes and help Stella clear the buffet when Juan approached to refill his plate. “You see this bite mark?” he said, flipping the bandage back on his hand. “You wouldn’t think a little thing like that could do much damage, but thanks to you, I had to get a tetanus shot and take some strong antibiotics to fight infection.”

  Arianna looked at the wound then up at him. “I think it serves you right for attacking me in the middle of the night. I hope you’re not expecting an apology.”

  “No, I’d have been scared too, so I don’t hold it against you.” He flipped the bandage back over the wound and pressed it into place. “A word of advice, however. You might want to think twice before you try that again. The next guy might not be as tolerant as I was.”

  Arianna shrugged her shoulders. There was nothing she could say. He was probably right. He could have done her real bodily harm had he so desired.

  Putting one last dollop of scrambled eggs on his plate, he continued. “Despite what you think, we’re just trying to help you. You might try to cooperate more. We’re really not the bad guys here.”

  “So you say, but it doesn’t seem that way to me. Who are you guys, and why are you trying to help us? I didn’t even know I was in danger and needed help.”

  Juan grimaced and continued to fill his plate, not answering.

  “And it doesn’t help when you guys won’t answer any of my questions. That’s why I don’t believe you. Anyway, I don’t want to be here. I can take care of myself. I can go places where no one can find me if I have to, not to mention all the police protection I can get.”

  Juan chuckled and shook his head. “I know this must be hard on you. But here’s the bottom line, Miss Garrett...”

  “Arianna. Call me Arianna.”

  “Okay, Arianna. First, I get it. I know you don’t understand the danger you’re in, but trust me, it’s real. Secondly, there’s no one else that can help you. And lastly,” he said looking directly at her, “be careful. I wouldn’t press my luck too much and continue to bank on your host’s benevolence, hospitality, or patience.” He reached across the table and brushed her cheek with his knuckle and gave her a wink and a smile.

  Arianna recoiled slightly, but gave him a faint smile back. He was nicer than she thought, but it was the second time today someone had told her not to press her luck. What luck? She had no luck. If she’d had any luck she wouldn’t be here. And what benevolence, hospitality, and patience? She hadn’t seen any of that, either.

  After Juan left, she proceeded into the kitchen and was drying some dishes when Zach came walking through and stopped to say something to Pilar. As he talked, he glanced over at Arianna. Finishing his conversation, he turned and walked right up to her.

  Her heart began racing in her chest, and for some reason, it was hard to hold his gaze. He had coal, black eyes that seemed to look right through her. Much to her dismay, she felt herself start to blush. She hated him so why did she feel she was about to swoon? She was a bright, confident woman. Why had her nerve abandoned her? She felt paralyzed in his presence.

  Zach opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated.

  Arianna looked at him, blushed and looked down at the pan she was drying, then up again, then looked away. Anxious to mask the nervousness he caused in her, she let the pan slam down on the metal preparation table, took a step back, and glared at him.

  He smiled faintly, shook his head and walked away, having never said a word.

  She let out a ragged sigh of relief as soon as he left the kitchen, sure that she’d been holding her breath the whole time. What was that all about, and what was he about to say? She could only imagine. Oh! He infuriated her. Like she said earlier. He was the next person she wanted to wound around here.

  If Pilar had not seen the entire scene with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed it. It was a first. This girl had Zach totally baffled. He had been completely speechless. It looked like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kill her or kiss her. It tickled Pilar to watch these two play this cat and mouse game. Could it be Zach had finally met his match in this girl?

  Not imprisoned, yet not free. Arianna and Lisa once again found themselves trailing along with Pilar as she set about on her daily chores. Moving down the hall toward the foyer, Arianna caught a glimpse of Zach and some of the men gathered in his office. They looked serious as if discussing important business, and she wondered again, just what their business was. As usual, a guard tagged along behind them. It seemed they still didn’t trust her any more than she trusted them.

  This time as they entered Zach’s bedroom, she viewed the room with renewed interest. First of all, she noticed that the bed had only been slept in by one person, and a cursory check of the rest of the room didn’t reveal any signs of a female presence. No woman’s clothing in the closet. No picture on the night stand. No extra toothbrush or woman’s toiletries left behind from an overnight stay. But with Zach’s good looks and great wealth, she was positive there had to be a woman in his life. She just didn’t see the evidence of it at the moment. But, oh, why was she even wondering about this? She hated him so it irritated her that she was giving this any thought.

  She learned Pilar had taken it upon herself to personally attend to Zach’s room, a habit acquired from years of picking up after him since boyhood. Otherwise, she spent more time supervising rather than doing actual physical labor concerning the running of the house.

  They helped Stella straighten another bedroom, which turned out to be Tony’s. Although not as large as Zach’s, it was just as richly appointed. Four remaining bedrooms were used when entertaining out-of-town guests. Juan and Carlos lived in the large guesthouse located behind the pool. Other than this bit of general information, neither maid was too anxious to talk about the occupants or goings on of the house.

  Pilar plumped the last pillow and looked around t
he room with satisfaction. “I think we are finished for today. Everything seems to be in order. Ladies, I’m retiring to my office to attend to some ordering and paperwork. Perhaps you might like to go for a stroll on the beach for a couple of hours.”

  Hmm! Yes. It was a perfect idea. Just the opportunity Arianna had been looking for... her chance to explore possible avenues of escape that existed on the beach. The only problem was “Lurch”, as she had taken to calling the new guard who was never more than a few feet away.

  “Just don’t get lost,” was the only thing the guard said, however, when informed of their plan to take a walk on the beach.

  “You mean you’re not going with us?” Arianna asked.

  “Why? You don’t plan to swim out of here, do you?”

  Arianna rolled her eyes at him. She would if she could, but no, what a ridiculous thought. Before he could change his mind, Arianna grabbed Lisa’s arm and took off. Together they crossed the lawn and headed down the staircase leading to the beach.

  At the bottom of the steps, they were surprised to see a small beach house... something that hadn’t been visible from above. Curious, they stepped up on the front deck of the house and checked the door. Finding it unlocked, they ventured inside and discovered the dwelling had a kitchenette, bathroom, and cozy living room with a fireplace. Done in all natural fabrics, Arianna guessed the quaint little getaway was used for cookouts or romantic evenings on the beach.

  They opened a well-stocked frig and helped themselves to a couple of beers. Sun, sand, and a beer. What a perfect combination. Leaving the beach house, they walked along the shore, feeling halfway free. The further they went, in fact, the more Arianna wondered if it was possible to just keep on going… keep on walking to freedom.

  After a while, Lisa said, “Shouldn’t we start back now? We’ve gone a long way.”

  “Lisa, think about it. This is an island. If we keep on walking, we might be able to walk right back to civilization.”

  “I don’t know, Ari. If that were the case, why wouldn’t the guard have come along with us?”

  “I have no idea, but he didn’t. Look. Down there. Look at that outcropping of rocks. I think we can climb up those rocks to the top of the bluff and escape. We have plenty of daylight and could be long gone before anyone notices.” She looked around and saw no one.

  “Are you sure?” Lisa asked. “This seems too easy to me.” She stopped and looked nervously down the beach.

  “You don’t have to come, if you don’t want to. All I ask is that you don’t go back to the house until I’ve had time to get away.”

  “No. If you’re going, I’m going, too. You’re not leaving me behind.”

  NEITHER GIRL could have known they had been under surveillance from the moment they’d first set foot on the beach. In the line of work Zach was in and considering his wealth, it had become necessary to have around-the-clock protection for himself and his property. He had enemies both known and unknown, and the problem with a waterfront residence—there was no way to put a fence on the beach. You needed a physical presence to monitor for unwanted visitors. A guard, sitting in a camouflaged hut on the bluff above, had been observing their walk the entire time.

  “Base, this is base one. Over,” the guard radioed.

  “This is base. Go ahead, one,” Zach responded.

  “We have a problem. It looks like these two are planning on walking right out of here. Over.”

  “Well, stop them and get them back here. Radio Manny and tell him to get his ass on the ATV and get down there. Over.”

  “Roger that, base.”

  The guard put in a call to Manny, the second guard on duty, hoping he could intercept the girls before they reached the rocks. Stepping out of the hut, he yelled down at them. “Ladies, you need to stop and return to the house.”

  Arianna was startled to see a guard high on the bluff above. “Listen, Lisa. I’m going to make a run for those rocks. He’s too high up to jump, so there’s no way he can get down here and stop me. I can climb to the top of the next bluff and be long gone before anyone can reach me. You stay here, and I’ll send help back once I get to a phone.”

  The guard could see that Arianna was continuing on down the beach so he radioed Zach once more.

  “Base, the one girl isn’t stopping. Manny’s on his way, but not here yet. It won’t take her long to shimmy up the rocks at the edge of your property and be out of here.”

  The guard was taken aback by what he heard next over the radio. All he could do was sputter, “Yes, sir. No, sir. No you didn’t stutter. I copy. Right away, sir!” With that, he yelled down at Arianna, “Miss, I’m asking you one more time to turn around and come back.”

  Arianna ignored him and kept on walking. Just a bit further and she’d be there. She wanted to sprint, but she needed to save all her energy until the very last moment.

  As it turned out, it wouldn’t be necessary. She had walked no more than an additional ten feet, when a hail of bullets from the bluff above burst in the sand in front of her. She froze, paralyzed with fear.

  “Oh, my God, Arianna!” Lisa screamed. “Stop before they kill you.”

  She stood motionless, afraid to take another step. They really wouldn’t shoot her, would they? Another round of bullets peppered the beach in front of her. They seemed to be coming closer and closer or at least the sand was spitting more furiously back into her face.

  “Ahhhhh! Okay! Stop! I’m coming back,” she yelled, rushing back to where Lisa was standing and hugging her for reassurance. It was a frightening experience, and they were both shaking. As they stood contemplating their next move, a guard on an ATV came rolling up.

  “Ladies, you need to come with me. Beach time is over.”

  What could they say? Another attempt to escape foiled. They began to walk silently back toward the house. The guard followed closely behind them on the ATV, talking to someone on the radio. With every step, Arianna began to do a slow burn. Damn! So close. Just a few more steps. Guess they’d be locking her away again. Maybe both of them. At least she’d have company this time. When they arrived at the steps to the house, the guard grabbed her by the arm, having decided it was his job to personally escort her the rest of the way.

  “Let go of me, you idiot. I can walk by myself.” She kicked sand at him and resisted his attempt to physically escort her up the stairs. She wasn’t going to argue with bullets, but by now she’d figured out no one was going to hurt her, and she intended to use that knowledge to her advantage. Despite her best efforts to free herself from his grip, he held on and escorted her all the way to the veranda where Zach, Tony, and Juan were waiting. She jerked her arm away and swung back around trying to hit him, but missed.

  Unwilling to give Zach the satisfaction of letting him know she knew he was in charge, she looked straight at Tony as she spoke. “Well, you’ve finally stooped to a new low… trying to shoot me. They almost killed me down there. So glad you’re trying to keep us safe,” she said. “Of course,” and now half looking at Tony and half looking at Zach, she continued, “maybe you aren’t really the one who told that guard to shoot at me. Just like maybe you’re not really the one who decided to kidnap me in the middle of the night and lock me up here.” Finally, turning to look squarely at Zach, she snapped. “Maybe it’s your silent partner over here who’s too much of a coward to do his own dirty work. You and your stupid help can go to hell!” With that she kicked over a small deck table right at Zach.

  It happened so fast, Arianna never saw it coming. Zach grabbed hold of her and yanking her along behind him, walked briskly to a chair and placing his foot on the lower rung for leverage, threw her over his knee.

  “Ahhh! What are you doing? Oh, my God! Let go of me,” Arianna yelled, in total shock.

  With her feet unable to touch the ground, and his hand pressing into the small of her back, she could only flounder around with no real target to strike and nothing to grab onto except his leg. Without a moment’s hesitation and
with all the force he could muster, Zach rained down several smacks in a row to her unprotected bottom before setting her down with a thud.

  Instantly her hand lashed out to slap him, and just as fast, Zach grabbed her arm before she could make contact.

  “Oooow! You bastard!” Arianna snapped, still attempting to kick and fight him.

  In a blink of an eye, she found herself once again, up ended over Zach’s knee. Kicking and screaming, she continued to call him names and struggle for all her might as he once again smacked her bottom with his open hand as hard as he could. Slowly she came to realize that the more she resisted and the more names she called, the harder he spanked her.

  Finally realizing that all her thrashing about and name-calling was getting her nowhere, she began to beg and plead for Zach to stop. Reduced to tears, she not only begged and pleaded for him to stop, but found herself apologizing for her behavior. She didn’t care. She’d say anything to make this all end.

  As abruptly as he had started, Zach stopped and set her down with a thud. This time, however, it didn’t even cross her mind to lash out at him or let loose with any expletives.

  He snapped her close to him and holding her so tight she could barely breathe, he spoke quietly into her ear. “I speak when I have something important to say so heed my words, Miss Garrett. Your life is in danger because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. If I don’t protect you, an assassin will find you, and he will kill you, so you’re not going anywhere until I say so. In the meantime, let’s get something straight. This is my house. My rules. My way. And you are going to behave yourself. Is that understood?”

  Arianna stubbornly bit her lip and looked away.

  Enraged at her continued insubordination, Zach took her chin in his hand and turned her head so she would have to look him in the eye. “Do you understand?” he repeated sternly, glaring at her and daring her to defy him one more time.