Hostile Takeover Ch. 02

"Charlotte, No one ever gets everything they want," I said. "Why don't we find a compromise?"

"I'm listening, my love," she said.

"Okay, I come home, now. I sign over my stock to you, and give you all of yours back. We set it up so that our income from the stock goes to an untouchable offshore account. That will give us something to live on in South America. In exchange, you forget about your mother. We'll never see her again, so it'll be almost as if she's dead. I'll never mention her to you, or anyone else. To us, she won't exist. You and I could be in Paraguay by this time tomorrow night. And we'll never be separated again."

"Deal," she snapped. "Get your ass back here now. If you're not here by tonight, unless you have a really good excuse; it'll get really bad around here. I'll be waiting for you in your office at your precious fucking plant. That's where we started the first part of our life together. So it seems poetic that it should be where we begin this phase of our lives as well."

I went into the bathroom and opened the door to the shower. Amanda screamed.

"Press, you're letting all of my warm air out. Are you coming in here with me?" she asked. Looking at Amanda, I was again struck by how beautiful she was. I really wanted us to be like Nicole and Tim, but I just didn't see it in the cards for us. But I loved her so much that I'd do anything I could to protect her including living out the rest of my life with her psychotic fucking daughter.

"Amanda, I love you, with all of my heart. I'd do anything in the world to protect you. No matter how bad it was." I said.

She kissed me. "I know that silly. Now close the door," she said.

Less than five minutes later, I was in my Mustang driving home. I had my GPS map out the fastest way to the plant. I had no intention of going to South America with Charlotte. The bitch was crazy. But more than that, she felt about me, the way I felt about Amanda. It was true love. I realized then that true love never dies, you have to kill it. Charlotte simply couldn't be trusted. Even if I did honor our deal, Charlotte wouldn't. She'd promised to love and honor me for all the days of our lives, and to forsake all others. That promise lasted less than a year. How long would her promise to leave Amanda alone last? True love requires exclusivity. I still remember trying to kill the silver haired guy in my dreams. Charlotte would never let Amanda live.

Charlotte was definitely resourceful enough to hire underlings to help her do her dirty-work. How hard would it be to have someone up here kill Amanda, while Charlotte and I were in Brazil or wherever? The only real way I could keep Amanda safe, was to end Charlotte. Can you really kill a dead woman?

Chapter7: Amanda

Amanda came out of the shower naked. She wanted Preston to see her naked as often as he could. One of the things she liked most about Preston was his sense of honor. She was very sure he'd never cheat on her. She'd been trying to fight off her attraction for Preston for years. No one would ever understand it but she had fallen for him, the first time that Sam brought him home. He was so shy and reserved, and he looked at her like she was special. She'd caught him staring at her several times over the years. And the looks he gave her were so different from the lust filled glances most men gave her. Men had always looked at her but their attention made her feel like piece of meat, or something to be owned and displayed. Most gave her the impression that they just wanted to fuck her and that was it. Preston's eyes told a completely different story. She saw permanence, there, and love and respect. She wanted the fantasy as much as he did.

Things had never been the way people thought they were, between her and Sam. She grew up in an era, where people got married, and they stayed married, no matter what. She'd been a virgin when she married Sam. He'd been a hard drinking ex Navy man who'd learned the machinist trade while he was in the service. He'd had whores all over the world, and knew what he wanted out of his woman. He'd probably have been better off marrying a whore, because Amanda didn't know anything at all about sex.

Sam had seen her and fallen head over heels in love with the way she looked. She'd seen him as her knight in shining armor and was also smitten. She looked forward to their life together. The only thing she remembered about their wedding night was pain, but she did it for Sam. She tried everything he wanted to try over the next few weeks, but she knew that Sam wasn't enjoying what they did. Neither was she for that matter.

Instead of teaching her to enjoy sex, Sam had simply expected her to already know what to do. It was frustrating for both of them. She began to dread the nights that Sam would come to her for sex. Then she noticed that his visits began to taper off. She thought that perhaps it was like a lot of new things, at first you wanted them all the time, then when the newness wears off, you only want it occasionally.

It took a couple of months of reading articles and talking to other women to realize that something was not right. They were still newly weds, and Amanda was beautiful. By all opinions Sam should have been constantly pestering her. She began to watch his actions and his schedule more closely. It wasn't hard, and with the aid of a few friends, she caught him. Her Sam, her knight in shining armor had feet of clay.

To make it worse, the woman was nowhere near as beautiful as Amanda. In fact she was as plain as grass. She was built like a barrel, but she obviously reached Sam in a way that Amanda despite her beauty couldn't. Sam agreed to stop the affair immediately, and begged her not to divorce him. Neither of them wanted the scandal of a divorce after less than three months of marriage. They agreed to stay together, but things were never the same.

The news that Sam's mistress was with child, plunged yet another dagger into Amanda's heart. And it drove the wedge that separated them even deeper. Sam gave the other woman, enough money to move away and raise her son in a different state. He never mentioned her, the child or even the state they lived in ever again.

Amanda and Sam had separate bedrooms from that time forward. Amanda realized that Sam wanted children, and she did as well so they had regular sex. Twice a year, she went to his room and lay on his bed unmoving while he fucked her. There was no kissing, no embracing, just sex. Amanda counted the ceiling tiles and ground her teeth until Sam squirted inside of her. Then she always got up as abruptly as she could, and left. It was her way of letting him know that they were only doing it to make a baby. There would be no contact between them other than the bare necessities for procreation. Other than that, Amanda learned to pleasure herself, and Sam had his practices too. Amanda was sure that over the years, Sam had other mistresses, but he was smart enough not to get caught again.

On the surface their marriage was perfect. No one knew what lay underneath the façade of perfection though.

Ten years after they got married, Amanda found herself pregnant. Sam was shocked as well. When Charlotte was born, both parents showered her with love and affection, since neither had anyone else to give it to. Charlotte thrived and became spoiled. Charlotte's birth also led to a thawing out of the hostilities between her parents. They became friends again. They really became, great and supportive friends. Amanda made all of Sam's favorite foods and took care of him like the perfect wife should. He couldn't have asked for a better wife and partner. The only place that their marriage suffered was in the bedroom. After Charlotte was born, they never had sex again. There were always lots of little public kisses and hugs, between them. They seemed to be affectionate, but that was as far as it went.

Amanda had realized long before Charlotte's birth that she had never really loved Sam. Finding out about his cheating had ended any hope that he'd ever win her heart.

Preston was the first man she had ever truly given her heart to. When she found out that Sam wanted to try and get Preston together with Charlotte, Amanda was shocked. She suggested every possible reason why it wouldn't work. Sam had argued with her, that she didn't think anyone, was actually good enough for Charlotte. The truth was that Amanda didn't think Charlotte, was good enough for Preston. Whenever Preston came over for a visit, Amanda took every opportunity she could to tease him.

When Preston came over to swim, she often went out and joined them. In her mind she was letting him compare the lushness of her own body to Charlotte's. Imagine her surprise, when she noticed him staring at her, with Charlotte only a few feet away.

Just the fact, that he'd noticed her, satisfied Amanda. She filed it away under things she could never have and went on with her life. Then it all came back when he decided to divorce Charlotte. She actually pushed him into the relationship with Anna, because she was uncomfortable with all the time that Preston was spending with her.

True he was her son in law, but every time he told her she was "hot," her panties got wet. She was afraid of him, so she knew she had to get him another woman, so he'd forget about her.

Then when the attack came everything changed. With the men shooting at her and Anna trying to burn her house down around her things changed. Then strangely enough Preston, as soon as he escaped his own attack, had called her. If he didn't care for her why would he be willing to risk his own safety for her? She didn't really want him to come after her. She wanted him safe, but he left her no opportunity to debate it. She was in danger so he was on his way.

Somehow, when he got to her, she knew everything would be okay. Things would be different but okay. From the look in his eyes, she knew that he loved her. He probably didn't know it yet, but he did. Things like the differences in their ages and the fact that he was married to her dead daughter, simply no longer mattered, to either of them.

Of course Preston wasn't anything like Sam. He just didn't have that killer instinct. He wouldn't just go after what he wanted at any cost. He'd always put her feelings first. She'd been ready since the first night in the motel, but he didn't try anything. Even after saving her life, he was too reserved to even get into a bed with her fully clothed. After she'd made him come to bed and had rolled over next to him, she was sure that once she'd pressed her breasts against his back he'd be all over her. But he didn't try anything.

She had actually reached around him and ran her hand over his dick lightly that morning it, was a hard as a rock. But when he woke up and felt her plastered against him, he'd acted as if he had been the one in the wrong. Nicole told her that some men were simply so honorable that they'd never make any moves on a woman. Even when the woman was giving them all of the signs. She'd had to go after Tim, the first time. She thought that Amanda should go after Preston, and not give him the chance to say no.

So, when she'd registered for the motel room, she had actually asked for a room with only one bed. It was really funny to her. Preston loved her so much that he had automatically assumed that he was in the wrong, when in actuality, she, had practically raped him. It had been so good for her. All of the articles she'd read about how husbands, and long time lovers, usually made love to a woman. Sometimes women had to go out and have a fling, if they had a yen for something a little rougher. It was good to know that Preston could give her both, because she was a one man woman. In all the years of her life, despite what he'd done, Amanda had never once cheated on Sam. She really had loved him, but after his cheating she was never in love with him again.

Now in Preston, she had what she'd always wanted. As a matter of fact she wanted him again, even as she thought about it. She decided to just walk out into the room naked, and see what happened.

She opened the door and called to him. He'd just come in and kissed her in the shower a few minutes ago, so he couldn't have gone far. She looked at the table and saw her phone. There was a light blinking. She'd never seen that light before.

She looked at the phone and it read recording memory full. Who had recorded something on her phone? She played back the recording and heard that bastard Ellington telling her Preston that he promised to sign over all of his Runaway Tech stock if he'd make a phone call. Amanda figured that Preston would use the recording as evidence that Ellington had promised. It wouldn't hold up in court though, Press probably didn't know that. She listened as Preston made the call. He'd forgotten to turn off the recording feature.

Amanda's blood turned cold as she listened to the call, and realized where Preston was probably going. He had sold himself, to try and protect her. Now she understood why he'd come in while she was in the shower. The poor deluded boy was giving himself up to her homicidal daughter, just so Charlotte would leave Amanda alone. He really did love her as much as he said he did. She was not willing to lose that.

Amanda made a phone call of her own. Normally she'd call Hiram for something like this, but she was going to need a new lawyer. She called the plant and spoke to Terry Caldwell. Terry was the one who handled logistics for the plant. He took care of everything from shipping and receiving, to transporting VIP customers and suppliers.

"Terry, this is Amanda Stevenson," she said. "I have a bit of an emergency."

After she packed up all of their belongings that Preston didn't have in the car's trunk, Amanda sat down to wait for her transport. Preston's Mustang was fast and he had at least an hour's head start on her, this would be close. There was no way she'd let him throw his life away.

Chapter8

At 5:45 p.m. A black Dodge charger pulled into the parking lot of Runaway Technologies. The driver got out and looked around in every direction. A security guard approached the car to warn the driver that the plant was closed on the weekends.

The driver shot the security guard and took his keys. Another large man got out of the car and helped him to prop the security guard on his stool in the guard shack. To anyone watching from a distance, it would seem that the guard was reading.

Anna/Charlotte got out of the car and entered the building with the men. Of the 5 men she'd hired these were the only two left. It didn't matter. They were enough to subdue Preston if necessary. They were very large and they were professionals. They wouldn't hurt Preston, because if they did they wouldn't get paid, but they'd make sure he went with her. One way or another, Preston would be hers again in a matter of minutes. After they got safely to South America and she had fucked Preston into submission, she'd send them after her mother and Preston would never know.

"In a few minutes, someone will come into the building after me," she told the two men. "You are not to touch or impede them in any way. Do not let anyone else come in after them. If they attempt to flee or leave the premises without me, stop them. Other than that don't come into the room no matter what you hear. I get kind of wild when we go at it, if you know what I mean."

Neither of the men knew what she meant. Strangely enough, since she'd been in Anna's body, Charlotte had actually been faithful to Preston.

The two men took up stations near the only stairway that led upstairs. They were expecting to see that God Damned orange Mustang pull up. They couldn't believe that fucking car had run rings around their Hemi Charger, but it had.

They were shocked, but didn't say a word when a sleek silver helicopter landed in front of the building. Amanda got out flanked by two security people. They watched Amanda walk up the stairs, and then stopped the security men from entering the building.

"She said only one person was allowed up," said the smaller and smarter of the men. Suddenly one of the security men jumped at the man who'd done the talking. His partner attacked the other man at the same time. They started fighting and slammed each other into the wall. While they were fighting, Preston arrived at the plant. He parked right in front of the charger and while the men were busy fighting, he walked into the building.

Charlotte's smaller thug got tired of trying to keep things quiet. He'd seen Preston go in and knew he had to stop him. That crazy bitch had told them that if anyone other than the first person went in, they wouldn't get paid. He pulled out his gun and shot the security man. His partner was losing his battle with the other security man. The guy probably studied some kind of martial arts. He had kicked Tim in the stomach and then in the leg. It looked like Tim would have trouble getting around. He didn't see Tim pulling his gun either, so it must have been knocked away.

He had no qualms about it, he shot the second security man in the back and helped Tim into the building.

"That little fucker with the Mustang got past us," shouted the thug. "He didn't go up the stairs though, he went somewhere else. Find him." Tim nodded his head and limped out onto the shop floor.

Both of the thugs noticed that the building looked different. None of the main lights were turned on but there were a lot of smaller lights on. There were also noises coming from everywhere. They looked around and didn't see the guy. It was weird and neither, Tim or Bart would admit it, but they were slightly on edge. They weren't afraid, they were trained professionals. As mercenaries they'd hunted and killed men, in jungles and in cities around the world. They'd adjust and adapt to the enemy's terrain, the way they always did. Tim limped off to the right while Bart holding his gun in front of him, stealthily walked to his left. Bart held the gun close to his body so a sudden jab or move wouldn't knock it out of his grasp.

Chapter 9: Preston

The big goofball heard a sound coming from one of my VL20's. The door was open and there was something moving inside the door. I was sure that he thought he had me. He looked around warily, but he was sure I was inside of the machine.

"What a wimp," he said loudly. "What kind of man hides inside of a God Damned machine? Your wife said you love these things. Well dumb ass, they can't protect you. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to make sure you sit your little ass down, while she talks to the woman that went up there." I listened to him ranting from my hiding place near him. He didn't know what I'd cooked up for him. Once again I'm not a violent man, but I needed to get this over with.

He got in front of the machine and looked inside. He leaned inside the large machine expecting to find me hiding in it. "What the fuck," he said. The movement he'd seen, had come from a couple of mechanical clamps opening and closing. I wasn't inside the machine. "Ha ha ha, very funny!" sneered the big man whose name turned out to be Tim. I knew that with a little bit of luck I'd be the one laughing.

I'm not as large as Tim, but I had both surprise and momentum on my side. I also had the fact that Tim's injured leg had left him nearly immobile and off balance.

I ran up behind Tim and pushed him into the machine and slammed the door. Before Tim could react a hydraulic vise, and the moving clamps, closed on his torso, and three five inch diameter solid carbide drills fed down into his chest. The drills were designed to cut through hardened metal in seconds, so Tim's bones and muscle didn't even slow them down. His short sharp shriek of pain ended nearly as abruptly as it began.