Chapter 99 Pick Your Poison
The city lights sparkled beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of our hotel suite, a dazzling panorama thirty floors above the ground. I stood facing the glass, mesmerized by the twinkling lights that seemed to flash faster and faster until they blurred together.
"Don't... not here," I whispered, my voice trembling as Ethan's hands gripped my waist from behind.
"Then where?" His deep voice rumbled against my ear as he pulled me tighter against him, the sudden movement making me gasp. "Where would you prefer, baby?"
I bit my lip in embarrassment and deliberately clenched around him. The arm braced beside my head instantly tensed, muscles bulging with veins visible beneath his skin—raw male power on display.
A sharp slap landed on my rear, making me jump.
"Playing dirty?" Ethan's breath was heavy against my neck.
I pressed my lips together in stubborn silence. Yes, I was being difficult on purpose, but I wasn't about to admit it.
Ethan turned my face toward him and bit my lip hard enough to sting. "Seems I've been too gentle. Let's try something—"
His phone rang from the table before he could finish, interrupting the moment.
"Your phone," I said quickly, pushing against his chest. "You should answer that."
In one fluid motion, Ethan lifted me by the waist, carrying me effortlessly to the table where he picked up his phone. He placed it in my hand.
"Hold it steady," he commanded, then answered the call while still holding me. "Speak."
"Sir," came his assistant's voice, "Ananda requests a dinner meeting."
Ethan's voice matched his expression—dark and authoritative. "Tell him dinner won't be necessary. Let him know I'll support his promotion to Major General behind the scenes, provided he clears all obstacles in this market for me."
He ended the call abruptly and tightened his grip on my waist, making me shiver. The phone nearly slipped from my fingers.
Ethan carried me toward the desk, sweeping everything off its surface with one arm. Just as he was about to place me on the now-clear desk, the doorbell rang.
I clutched his phone in my right hand while my left arm wrapped around his neck, clinging to his chest for fear of falling.
My heart hammered at the interruption. "The doorbell," I whispered, suddenly tense. "Maybe your security team needs something?"
"They can call," Ethan replied, making no move to set me down.
"Please," I pleaded, my face burning. "Answer the door."
Ethan's mouth curved into a slight smile as he took the phone from my hand and dialed his security detail.
"What is it?" he asked sharply when they answered.
I couldn't hear the response, but Ethan's expression immediately hardened. "Understood."
Ethan quickly shifted his focus back to me, finishing what we'd started with renewed intensity. Only afterward did he carry me to the bathroom, efficiently cleaning both of us up. His fingers brushed my still-flushed cheeks as he spoke with sudden urgency.
"I need to go to Bangkok. You can't come with me. Security will take you to the airport—you're getting on the first flight back to Los Angeles."
"Bangkok? Why? Is it dangerous?" My stomach clenched with sudden worry.
Ethan's mouth curved into that confident half-smile I'd come to know so well. "Don't worry about me."
I wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my face against his chest to hear the strong, steady beat of his heart. "Ethan, please be careful. Don't do anything reckless."
He gave a soft laugh. "Who was it that said they wouldn't shed a tear if I died? Hmm?"
I lifted my head to look at him. "That was different. I was angry because you were being controlling—not letting me see my friends. But now..." I swallowed hard. "If something happened to you, it wouldn't just hurt me emotionally. It would put me in danger too."
Ethan kissed the top of my head. "You and I are one. Remember that. Your fate and mine are tied together."
The phrase "you and I are one" made my face burn hotter. I pushed away from him. "Go on, get moving. Your security team said it's dangerous, and you're standing here wasting time."
Ethan hugged me tightly one last time, kissing me hard before helping me into a bulletproof vest. He carefully pulled my jacket over it, then led me out of the hotel.
Before we separated, he gripped his security chief's shoulder. "Protect her with your life."
---
The armored SUV sped north along the highway. One bodyguard drove while another sat in the passenger seat with what looked like a small machine gun across his lap and two pistols at his waist.
I sat in the back, clutching my bag against my chest, eyes fixed nervously on the road ahead. The bulletproof vehicle moved swiftly, its engine a low hum beneath us.
We were traveling on a dark asphalt road cutting through dense broadleaf forest. No streetlights lined the way, just the beam from our headlights piercing the darkness. The isolation made me increasingly uneasy.
A large truck approached from the opposite direction. Its high beams flashed directly into our eyes, temporarily blinding our driver.
The bodyguard in the passenger seat immediately raised his weapon, thumb hovering over the trigger. "Ms. Reed, get down," he ordered sharply.
I ducked instantly, using my bag to shield my head.
The truck didn't slow or move aside—it headed straight for us. Our driver swerved hard, barely avoiding a collision.
Multiple gunshots rang out, bullets striking our windshield in rapid succession. Though the glass held, it cracked into a spiderweb pattern. The bodyguard returned fire, aiming at the truck.
Two green jeeps suddenly appeared from behind the truck, one trying to overtake us to trap us between vehicles. Our driver rammed into it, forcing it toward the truck.
My heart pounded so hard I could barely breathe. The smell of blood suddenly filled the car, making my entire body go rigid with fear.
The bodyguard in the passenger seat had been hit in the shoulder. His arm trembled slightly, but he continued firing at our attackers.
Just when it seemed hopeless, three vehicles appeared behind us, unleashing heavy firepower against our attackers. Our bodyguards finally had a moment to breathe.
"Turn around," the injured guard ordered. "Take the alternate route."
As our driver began to turn the vehicle, one of our supposed rescuers blocked our path. The window rolled down, revealing a face I recognized instantly.
Blake Bennett.
"Tell my uncle that I'm taking Liv back to Los Angeles," Blake said coolly. "I'll make sure she gets home safe."
"Absolutely not," the injured bodyguard replied firmly.
Blake laughed coldly. "Do you have a choice?" He pointed his gun at the bodyguard, his finger hovering over the trigger. With a mocking whistle, he uttered one word: "Bang!"
This is insane, I thought. Blake has completely lost his mind.
Blake turned toward my window. "Liv, don't be scared. I'm here to save you. Those men are my uncle's enemies—local drug lords. They want to use you to get to him." His voice grew urgent. "You have a choice right now. Come with me, or stay and become a hostage. What's it going to be?"