Saved by the Rancher

chapter Fifty-Three


THEY ENTERED THE office, cozy with an overabundance of books lining the walls, a leather sofa with soft suede pillows in blue, of course, and wood tables with crystal lamps. It invited you to sit and read, or simply enjoy the peaceful setting. She wanted to put all this business behind her, curl up on the sofa, read a good book by the light of a fire in the corner river-rock fireplace.

“Are you sure you want to do this now? We can keep the bodyguards and protect you around the clock until you’re feeling better. I don’t need to change the companies into your name just yet. We can wait.”

“It has to be now, Ben. The board is due to meet. David won’t expect me to attend. Not after what happened. We need the element of surprise on our side.”

To prove how ready she was to end this, she took the seat behind the desk and held out her hand for Ben to pass her the papers. She scrawled her name next to every tab, indicating “Sign Here”. She reviewed each one, noting the name of the company and the transfer of the name back into her own, then signed—one step closer to destroying her nightmare for good.

“So what’s the plan for the board meeting?”

“It’s going to be explosive, I can tell you that. The Merricks are very arrogant. They set up the board and the rules that govern them, so whoever holds majority share, namely them, controls the company and the board.

“I was never able to fight David. Physically, he’s stronger than I am. As you can see by my appearance, he always wins that fight. He won’t give up trying to get me back, even though he’s married. He says the family forced the marriage because the woman comes from a good family and has a lot of money.”

“She does,” Ben confirmed. “The Merricks have gone through a lot of their liquid funds. Most of their money is tied up in the company. They got wind a few weeks ago someone’s buying up shares. They’ve tried to maintain their majority share by buying more stock themselves. I don’t think they suspect what’s going on, as the shares we bought have been spread out over time and all these companies, but they’re suspicious.”

“I’m sure they won’t be relieved when they find out there’s a takeover about to happen, and it’s coming from within the company.”

“So how does Cameron Shaw play into your plan? He holds a seat on the board and is president of Ortel, Inc., but why do you want to meet with him?”

“Because I’m making him president of Merrick International. I’ll maintain my seat as CEO, but he’ll run the company. I’ll give him power to do what he’s done for Ortel, but on a much larger scale. It’s the deal of a lifetime for him. He’s good, and I have no doubt he’ll make Merrick even better than it is now. He’s been trying to get the Merricks to make some strategic changes that could have made the company millions upon millions over the past several years, but they constantly vetoed him. Now I’m giving him the opportunity he wants and deserves. He’ll be a very rich man, and I’m going to have babies and reap the rewards.”

“You have it all thought out then.”

“Not everything. The board is easy. David will be unpredictable. His volatile temper is not something I look forward to facing again. His parents will put up a fuss, but they don’t actually work for Merrick. David’s grandfather plans to retire and turn the company over to David. I hope he’ll see this as the better alternative. He’s a shrewd businessman. He’ll realize Cameron will make him a lot of money. Still, it won’t be a Merrick in charge, and that will piss him off. David, on the other hand, will go off the deep end. I expect he’ll come after me.”

“What’s your plan to handle David?”

“I’ll ruin him professionally at Merrick, and then personally in the press. He’s gotten away with hurting me for too long. Everyone will know what he’s done. I may not have gotten the police to do something to help me over the years, but now the world will know.”

“Is that why you wanted the book?”

“Yes. Do you have it?”

“It’s right here in my briefcase. Are you sure you want to look at it? It’s filled with a lot of bad memories. You’ve just been through the latest nightmare, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to compound that by reliving all the others, too.”

“Give it to me, Ben.”

“Please, don’t put yourself through this.”

“Did you bring the name of the man who runs my paper?”

“I have it.”

“Good, I’ll need that, too.”

“You aren’t publishing the book,” Ben stated unequivocally, concerned. “You can’t. Think about Jack.”

“Jack will understand I have to do this. It’s the only way. Taking Merrick away from David will be a big blow. This will be an explosion. Do you think it’s wrong for me to want to ruin him?”

Sad and contemplative, he answered truthfully, “It isn’t your nature to destroy, but to help. You’ve helped me with my charity projects and strangers. This is the only way you can help yourself. I know you well enough to say, it kills you to do it by destroying a person, even one as evil as David.

“Having said that, I think it’s about time he gets what he deserves. He’s used his money and power to do the things he’s done to you. Taking that away and going public with the abuse is the only way to really pay him back and put an end to this. You’re right, there’s no other way. Besides, I’m tired of going up against his dirty lawyers and losing.”

Jenna reached across the desk and took Ben’s hand, squeezing it to let him know she appreciated his support.

“Will you ask Sam to come in here? I have to set up a few things with him. Catch up with Jack. Have a drink, and we’ll all have dinner together.”

Ben came around the desk and pulled her up from her seat. The bandages on her wrists peaked out from beneath her sweater. “It makes me sick to see you hurt. Even worse to look into your eyes and know I didn’t stop the sadness and heartbreak you’ve suffered. I’ll help you any way I can to stop it now, for good.”

He kissed her forehead above the cut over her eye. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more to protect you.”

“You did everything you could. We both know that. Now we’ll end it together.”

“Yes, we will. I’ll get Sam.”

She waited in the office, picking up the book, which was actually a three-inch leather binder filled to capacity, and held it to her chest. The pages contained every photograph she’d ever taken of herself after David attacked her. It had an accounting in her words of each incident and the few medical records she’d managed to keep. Notes he’d written to her. Some flowery and sweet with an undertone of demand. Others threatened and terrorized, promising retribution. The record of the last two plus years of her life. Her murder book.

She didn’t need to open it to remember what happened. She simply closed her eyes and saw each one, heard David’s ominous voice cruelly cutting her down. David never spent a single day in jail for any of it. She vowed there wouldn’t be another incident to put into the book.

Sam walked into the office, dragging Jenna out of her dark thoughts.

“You wanted to see me?” he asked gently.

“Sam. I need you to do me several favors. If you say no, I’ll understand.”

“Name it. Anything for family.”

She rested her hand protectively on the book afraid to let anyone see it, knowing she didn’t have a choice. “This is my murder book. I want you to contact this man at the paper I own and tell him to print my story. The story I want you to put together should consist of some of these photos and notes and an overview of what happened to me since I married David. Every detail is in this book.”

She handed him the business card for the paper and waited for his response.

“I can do that, but are you sure? The press will hound you for more details and interviews.”

He reached out to take the book from her, but she wasn’t ready to let it go and he pulled his hand away.

“I know I’m putting myself into the public eye by doing this. It’s a sensational story. That’s why I trust you to put together something that will tell the story accurately. I want people to know who David Merrick really is, not just the most eligible bachelor who goes out with starlets and lives the rich life. I want them to see the monster hiding behind the elegant facade.”

“I’ll make sure everyone knows. What else? You’re holding something back.”

“I want you to promise me Jack will never see this book.”

“I promise you, Jenna, I won’t let him see it. Even if he did, he wouldn’t feel any different about you. He loves you.”

“I know he does, but if he sees this, it’ll kill him. He’s seen, twice now, what David has done to me. I don’t want him to see all the ways David’s tortured me over the years. This book should never have existed. I should have put a stop to this when I divorced David. I wish I had been able to. Promise me you’ll use only what is absolutely necessary, and you’ll return this to Ben, so he can lock it away again.”

“I promise. I’ll do exactly what you ask, but Jack will see the papers.”

“I know. I also know you’ll do your best not to hurt me, or him, with what you choose to have published.”

“You have my word. What else?”

They sat in the office a long while talking about their plans for San Francisco and the board meeting. Then they planned for what they knew would happen afterwards. She was trusting Sam with her life.

She’d been married to David and had years to plan her revenge. She’d planned well.