Chapter 2 The Wilderness Negotiation

The pilot chuckled to himself. 'Jeffery Benson -angel.' Still grinning, he wiped his forehead, removing the beads of sweat. 'Now, please step out and keep your head down until you're clear of the blades ma'am. I'm flying back to Miami to pick up a package and then heading to New York.'

Bethany remained in her seat, reluctant to leave her last connection with civilization. 'You're not waiting? He said I could only have ten minutes...'

It seemed utterly absurd to have traveled this far for only ten minutes, but she had no other option. It was this or give up, and there was no way she was giving up. Her only hope was that he might agree to give her more time, as she knew that ten minutes wouldn't be sufficient to get herself out of the predicament she had fallen into.

'If there's anything left of you when he's done, I'll come back and collect you. Take the path to the left and, whatever you do, stay on it. This is the wilderness, not an amusement park. Be cautious of the wildlife.'

'Wildlife?' She had been too preoccupied with her impending meeting to consider wildlife. She gazed skeptically into the dense forest surrounding them. Some areas were completely shaded, while in others, the sun pierced through the thick canopy, casting spotlights onto the forest floor. Was it her imagination, or was everything moving?

'You mean insects?'

He grinned mischievously. 'Over two thousand different species at the last count. And those are just the ones we've identified.'

Attempting not to dwell on all those legs scuttling toward her, Bethany smoothed her skirt over her knees and wished she had worn trousers. 'And what about snakes?'

"Indeed, there are snakes," the pilot grinned, eyeing her choice of shoes, "and then there are the giant hyenas, tigers, racoons, and-"

Bethany interrupted him with a breathless smile, not wanting to hear more about the potential dangers. Any moment now, she thought she might beg him to fly her back home. "I'm sure Mr. Jeffrey wouldn't live here if it were that dangerous."

The pilot chuckled heartily. "You clearly don't know much about him. He lives here because it's that dangerous, baby doll. He has a low boredom threshold and likes to live life on the edge, so to speak."

The condescending term "baby doll" irked Bethany, pushing her past her nerves. Throughout her life, she had been patronized and underestimated. She had faced doubt and dismissal, and she had proven people wrong repeatedly. But now, she was in danger of losing everything she had worked so hard for, and she couldn't allow that to happen. This was perhaps the most crucial battle of her life, and she was determined to win. Despite her self-doubt and the fact that she was probably the least qualified person to negotiate with a billionaire with a computer-like brain, she was resolved to succeed.

Bethany had to clear her mind of everything except the dire consequences of failure and the livelihoods of those depending on her. If she faltered, her employees would lose their jobs; it was as straightforward as that.

Should Jeffrey Benson decide to call in his loan, it would be the end of everything she had built.

The oppressive, humid heat clung to her like an unwelcome shroud, and she pushed aside a damp strand of hair. Her gaze drifted up to the towering trees, rising to such magnificent heights that they made her surroundings feel like a remote and exotic paradise.

"Isn't he afraid, living out here?" Bethany wondered aloud.

The pilot, chewing gum, offered a wry smile. "Jeffrey? He isn't afraid of anything."

Dreading any further discussion about Jeffrey, Bethany stumbled out of the helicopter, her legs trembling. She couldn't determine whether she feared the jungle or Jeffrey Benson more at that very moment.

In a world obsessed with celebrity and image, Jeffrey scorned both, rejecting any invitation to discuss himself. He had no need to do so, as others gladly filled the void. The tabloids brimmed with stories of his relentless pursuit of wealth, his prowess as a lover, and his steadfast refusal to indulge in "happily ever after."

Once. Once he'd done that and the news of his glamorous wife's

departure from his life after less than three months of wedded bliss had

filled the newspapers with stories that had lasted longer than the marriage.

He'd been impossible to live with.

He'd ended their relationship by email.

He was only interested in making money. And more money.

The speculation had been endless but if any of it was to be believed

then Jeffrey Benson was little more than a machine and she knew, she

just knew, even before she had to fight for her business, that he was

going to be just the sort of man that brought out the worst in her.

She wouldn't look at him, she promised herself. If she didn't look at him

she wouldn't become tongue-tied or stammer. She'd just pretend that she

was in her small sitting room at home, talking to the mirror as she

always did when she had an important presentation to memorise.

Grace felt her stomach lurch again and this time the feeling of sickness

that enveloped her had nothing to do with the helicopter and everything

to do with her past. At times like this-times that really mattered-the

memories rolled up behind her like a giant wave, waiting to engulf her.

For her this was the ultimate test. And she wouldn't fail. She just

couldn't.

Too much was at stake.

There was no reason to be afraid of Jeffer Benson, she assured

herself as she stroked a hand over her straight, formal skirt and forced

herself to move forward onto the wooden walkway that was suspended

above the forest floor.

His personal life, no matter how dark, wasn't her concern. This

meeting was about business and, whatever murk hovered around the man, he was a businessman, like her father. When she showed him her

plans for taking the business into profit, he'd be positive. He'd change

his mind about calling in the loan. She would save everyone's job and

then she could fly home and leave the hyenas s, the snakes and the

billionaire businessman to their secluded jungle retreat.