Disclaimer: The Characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots and The
Center are all property of MTM, TNT and NBC Productions and are used
without permission. Blah, blah, blah, yea, yea just get on with it.
No money has been involved here and no infringement is intended.
01/01/03
"Human life begins on the other side of despair." Jean-Paul Sartre
The Other Side of Despair Part3
Miss Parker sat in an over stuffed chair in the hotel suite, watching her daughter play on the floor. Sydney sat nearby pretending to read a book. The three of them had gone sight seeing for several hours during the afternoon. The long walk and jet lag, combined with the fact that Parker hadn't slept well last night, had left her tired and irritable.
She frowned at Sydney as he glanced at her over the edge of his book. Parker knew that Syd had gone to see Jarod this morning but the psychiatrist had been annoyingly close mouthed about the visit. As they had toured the required sights of Los Angeles during the day, Parker had tried to pry more information out of her older companion. But he had avoided her questions, choosing instead to distract her by turning his attention toward her little girl.
Something in the way Sydney treated his godchild during the afternoon, made Parker think that things had not gone well with Jarod. Syd had spoiled the child unrelentingly and until a short while ago he had been either carrying her around or snuggling her closely. He seemed to be trying to atone for the disappointment Jarod had caused her.
Parker glanced at little Sydney as she played with one of the treasures her uncle had purchased earlier. The child hummed tunelessly to herself as she played. Parker felt desolation clawing at her heart as she realized that her daughter would have to repeat the paternal relationship that Parker had had with her own father. Little Sydney would do anything right now for Jarod's approval, while he was doing his best to ignore her existence.
When the little girl felt her mother's gaze, she turned and smiled brightly. Parker couldn't help smiling back. The girl's grin was infectious. Parker vowed that her child would never feel as alone as she had when she was young. If Jarod didn't want to know his daughter, that was his problem. Parker and Syd could give young Sydney all the love she would need in her life.
Their flight back to Delaware was scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon. Once they had put L.A. behind them, Parker would never look back. She would leave today if she thought they could get tickets. But with the Thanksgiving holiday coming in just a few days, all the flights were booked. Parker would just have to be patient.
Parker stifled a yawn.
"Why don't you go lie down for a while?" Sydney asked as he put aside his book. "I'll keep an eye on Sydney."
Parker sighed. She was very tired. "Maybe just for an hour or so before dinner."
She stood and stretched. "You mind Uncle Sydney, okay?" Parker said to her daughter.
"Okay, Momma. I'll be good." The child answered.
After giving the girl a quick hug, Parker went to her room, kicked off her shoes and sprawled out on the bed. She stared forlornly at the ceiling for several minutes, pondering current events in her life.
Parker still couldn't believe how different Jarod had become. She had expected him to be angry, of course. Parker had kept him from knowing his daughter for the first five years of her life. But the warm-hearted, affectionate man Parker had always known would still have welcomed his child with open arms. Jarod had always been so desperate for affection that the unconditional love from his own offspring would have been like a miracle to him.
But the man she had found last night hadn't been the pretender Parker had grown up with. The cold, isolated, business-like gentleman that Jarod had become was totally foreign to her. He had little regard for Parker or for her daughter.
Parker understood his aversion to her. Parker had hurt him terribly. She had made a colossal error in judgment that had cost her the best friend she'd ever had. Jarod would never forgive her for what had happened just over six years ago. Parker doubted that she would ever forgive herself. But the results had changed the course of her life. Parker wouldn't trade the life she had now for anything.
What bothered her was Jarod's rejection of his own little girl.
As Parker drifted into sleep, memories from those long ago days chased her into unconsciousness and unfolded in her dreams.
-- -- -- -- -- --
"He'll never fall for it." Parker gasped.
"I think you under estimate your own talents." Lyle purred.
Parker stared at her brother in shock. As wicked and vile a creature as she knew him to be, Parker was still dismayed at Lyle's disturbing plan.
"I have to agree with your brother." Raines wheezed.
Parker glared at him. The three of them were gathered in her father's office. Since Mr. Parker had sacrificed his life over the scrolls in Europe, Raines had taken over as Chairman at The Centre. Regardless of what genetic tests had proven, Miss Parker would never think of Raines as her father. And she could never think of this room and belonging to anyone but the man she had always called daddy.
Things at The Centre had grown increasing uncomfortable after Raines was put in charge. The pursuit of Jarod had taken on a frantic desperation that made even Miss Parker nervous. Loyalties were constantly in question and no one trusted each other.
Now Lyle had come up with this idea that made Parker's skin crawl.
"Come on, Sis." Lyle urged. "Use the natural abilities God gave you. You are a beautiful woman."
Parker tried to suppress the shudder that ran down her spine as Lyle's gazed raked along her figure.
"I think," Lyle continued, "that he already has an interest in you along those lines. You just need to encourage things a little."
Parker swallowed. "He won't trust me. He won't let his guard down one bit if I'm around."
Lyle scoffed. "Jarod is a healthy male of the species. Trust me, Parker. Turn on the charm, use a little seductive persuasion and I think you can accomplish a great deal."
Parker squirmed in her seat.
"Who knows," Lyle gloated. "It might do you some good. It's been long time since you've," he paused suggestively. He shrugged. "Let him ring your bell if you want. You've been way too tense lately."
"That's not funny, Lyle." Parker hissed.
"Miss Parker," Raines growled. "Current efforts to capture Jarod are increasingly unprofitable. Our lack of progress is an embarrassment. If Lyle's plan is successful, the Triumvirate will surely reward both of my children for their individual roles in the endeavor."
Parker sighed. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't reveal such vulnerability to these ghouls. "Once Jarod is back in The Centre, I am gone. That's still the deal."
Raines shrugged in acceptance.
Parker shook her head. Things were definitely getting bad. She was actually going to agree to this. Parker had learned to live with a lot of terrible things. She could learn to live with this. She was a Parker. For centuries, the Parker's had been selling their souls in order to get what they wanted. Miss Parker took a deep breath and gave in to her family's curse. She handed the devil her soul.
"I'll have to wait for him to contact me." She said. "Then we'll lay out the details."
Raines grinned wickedly while Lyle clapped his hands like an excited child.
Parker stood and left the room. She strode briskly down the hallway toward her own office. Once safely behind her locked office doors, Parker leaned desolately against the wall. All she could do now was wait and try to come to terms with the bargain she had just made.
Parker didn't need to wait long. Jarod called her at home two nights later.
"What," Parker barked into the phone.
"If you believe our lives are preordained by fate, why are we given so many choices, so many paths to follow?" Jarod was obviously feeling philosophical tonight.
"Jarod." Parker sighed, allowing all the sadness and despair she was feeling to be revealed in her voice.
"Fate doesn't own us, Miss Parker." He said.
"It owns me, Jarod." She whispered. "It always has."
"Only if you allow it to." He said firmly. "You don't have to give in to your family's legacy. You can change your destiny if you want."
A tear trailed down Parker's cheek. Jarod was going to make this so easy. She sniffed just loud enough for him to hear the tears in her voice. "I don't know how to fight it anymore Jarod. It's too hard to fight alone."
For a long moment, the silence on the other end was deafening. Parker was beginning to think she'd overdone it and frightened him away when Jarod finally whispered, "But you've never really been alone, Miss Parker."
There was another long pause. "I would never leave you all alone." Jarod's voice was barely audible.
Parker's heart wrenched in her chest. Her tears of self-loathing and misery came out sounding like sobs of loneliness.
"Parker?" Jarod murmured into her ear. "Are you okay?"
"No." She sobbed honestly.
Jarod played right in to Parker's hands. "Parker. It's time to choose a new path." He said gently.
Parker sniffed.
"Meet me tomorrow in Dover, in front of the bank." Jarod said quickly. He didn't need to tell her which bank. Parker knew that he meant Dovertown Bank, where the two of them had partnered briefly when they rescued Mr. Fenigore from bank robbers.
"Jarod, I can't." she said woefully. If she gave in too easily, Jarod would be suspicious.
"You can." Jarod said firmly. "The choice is yours. I'll be waiting."
Parker heard a click and the line went dead.
The next day was dreary and overcast. Parker arrived at the Dovertown Bank just before noon. She didn't see Jarod anywhere around so she crossed the street and sat on a bench on the corner. From here, Parker could see the front doors of the bank as well as traffic coming from either direction. She settled in to wait.
Several hours passed while Parker sat at the corner and watched the rest of the world go by. She had stopped actively looking for Jarod after the first ninety minutes. She just sat there, staring dejectedly at the cars that passed. Her depression deepened as Parker began to wonder if Jarod would even show up.
Parker was so wrapped up in her own misery, that she nearly jumped out of her skin when he suddenly sat down beside her on the bench.
"Sorry I'm late." Jarod said with a grin.
"You never said what time you wanted to meet." Parker grumbled. "I've been here for hours."
Jarod shrugged. "In all honesty, I've been here since dawn. But I needed to make sure you were alone."
Parker shivered with dread and her lower lip trembled. "Hey." Jarod said soothingly. "Don't fall apart on me, Parker. I haven't got any of Ocee's herbal tea." He put an arm around Parker's shoulders and pulled her gently against his chest.
Parker sniffed and pulled away slowly. She sat very straight and erect. Jarod would expect her to be nervous and wary at first. She had to play this just right if it was going to work.
"What now?" she asked.
Jarod stood and held a hand out toward her. "Now you take the next step on that new path, Miss Parker." He said gently. "Take my hand and come with me."
Parker looked up and gazed desperately into Jarod's eyes. He was smiling reassuringly at her. His eyes were full of warmth and encouragement. Parker hated herself as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her away.
Hand in hand they walked down the sidewalk for a few blocks to a nearby parking deck. Jarod led Parker to a silver four by four vehicle. He unlocked the doors and helped Parker into the passenger seat before sliding in behind the steering wheel.
"Are you hungry?" Jarod asked her as he started the car.
Parker shook her head.
"We'll just go then." He said simply.
Jarod expertly maneuvered the car out of the lot and on to the busy street. The two of them sat in awkward silence for some time while Jarod drove away from Dover on the expressway. Parker picked nervously at the hem of her short skirt until Jarod reached over and laid one hand over hers to settle her.
Slowly, cautiously, Parker moved her hand so that her fingers could intertwine loosely with Jarod's. They rode in silence for a long time, Jarod's hand clasped to hers in Parker's lap. After a while, the awkwardness began to dissipate as they relaxed in each other's presence. Parker leaned her head back against the headrest and watched Jarod's face as he drove.
Jarod seemed wary, not out of fear but out of concern for Parker's current state of mind. He would glance at Parker every so often, casting reassuring smiles in her direction. Parker felt the protectiveness emanating from him. She knew that Jarod's only thought was to take care of her. A warm feeling of contentment washed over Parker and she permitted herself to enjoy the moment. She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until she woke some time later.
The sun was just beginning to set in the distance when Parker was wakened by the sound of gravel beneath the tires. They had pulled off the main road and were headed up a long driveway to a small white house. Jarod stopped the car and killed the engine. He looked at Parker expectantly as she glanced around the property.
The house was a small isolated ranch with a wooden porch that wrapped around the sides. A porch swing hung serenely from a beam not far from the front door. A wicker rocking chair was positioned in such a way that an occupant would be easily able to chat with someone on the swing. Summer flowers blossomed along the walk and baskets of pansies lined the porch railing.
"It seems very nice." Parker said.
Jarod nodded. "It's restful." He said with a smile. "Good for mending a troubled soul."
Parker glanced at him sadly. If he knew how troubled she really was, he'd be long gone by now.
They went into the house as the sky darkened.
"I'm hungry." Jarod said almost apologetically.
Parker shrugged and followed him into the kitchen. She removed her suit jacket, kicked off her shoes and moved to the counter to make some coffee. Jarod had evidently been here before. He knew where everything was located in the cupboards and he gave Parker directions when she couldn't find mugs.
For several minutes, they puttered domestically in the kitchen. Jarod warmed some soup in a pan and made some sandwiches while Parker washed a couple of garden fresh tomatoes and sliced them onto a plate. When the food was ready, Parker did little more than pick at hers. Jarod ate his food ravenously then stole half of Parker's sandwich and ate that too.
Parker swallowed some of her coffee, nearly choking when Jarod smiled brightly at her. He was so content, so relaxed. Jarod's trust in her was so undeserved. Parker felt like the worst kind of criminal. A miserable tear escaped one eye and ran down Parker's cheek.
"Hey." Jarod exclaimed, reaching across the table to clasp her hand. "What's wrong?"
"Oh don't." Parker moaned pathetically. "Don't be nice to me." She put her face in her hands and began to weep quietly.
Jarod sighed. He stood up and pulled Parker into a tender embrace. She allowed him to hold her close as her body shook with sobs. After a moment, Jarod scooped her up into his arms and he carried Parker into the next room. He curled up on a couch with Parker in his lap and he rocked her gently, making soothing circles on her back with one hand.
Parker knew that Jarod was misunderstanding her distress. He was ignorantly trying to comfort her while she was battling her conscience in order to betray him. The irony of it all was nearly unbearable.
"Hush now. Everything will be all right, Parker." Jarod murmured.
Parker looked up at him, startled. "You are an idiot." She said to him.
Jarod grinned crookedly at her. "Why is that?" he asked chuckling.
Rather than answer him, Parker took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
When she pulled back, Parker watched Jarod's face as his eyelids fluttered open and he gazed into her eyes in wonder.
"Parker?" He whispered in awe.
Parker leaned against him and kissed Jarod again, more deeply this time. They were both breathing heavily by the time the kiss ended.
"Parker." Jarod moaned. "Are you sure about this?"
In one fluid motion, Parker hiked up her skirt and threw one leg over Jarod's body so that she was straddling his lap. She could feel his body's reaction pressing against her inner thigh. When Parker kissed him, she could taste her own tears on his lips. She shared the salty flavor with Jarod by flicking her tongue delicately into his mouth.
"Are you sure?" Jarod groaned against her lips.
She answered him wordlessly by pulling at her blouse and fumbling with the pearly buttons until the garment was a puddle of silk on the floor. Parker took Jarod's hand and brought it up to cup one lace covered breast.
Jarod closed his eyes and sighed.
Parker shifted her weight, pressing her hips against his. She squeezed him gently between her thighs making him groan as she applied pressure to the bulge in his jeans.
"Parker," Jarod whispered prayerfully. "Are you sure about this?" he repeated.
"Shut up, Jarod." Parker murmured as she nibbled on his lower lip. "Please just shut up and love me."
Jarod exhaled triumphantly. He wrapped his arms tightly around Parker's waist and stood up. Her arms curled around his neck while she buried her face against his shoulder. With her legs tightly circling Jarod's waist, Parker held on as he carried her down a hallway to the bedroom. Jarod kicked the door closed behind them and he fell backwards onto the bed, pulling Parker down on top of him.
Jarod kissed and nipped at Parker's flesh as he quickly but tenderly divested her of the rest of her clothing. He rapidly shed his own clothes and lay beside her while they kissed passionately again and again. Jarod finally covered her with his body and nestled himself between Parker's thighs. When their bodies joined, they each gasped in wonder at the sensation.
In the minutes that followed, Parker forgot everything else as Jarod brought her to a pinnacle she'd never known before. The passion he showed her was all the more incredible because at that moment, Parker knew that she was loved. Jarod loved her and nothing else mattered. The Centre and Raines and Parker's pact with the devil all dissolved in a shattering climax that tore a delighted cry from her throat.
Jarod lay heavily on top of her, his head pillowed against Parker's breast, as they both panted in the aftermath of their exertions.
"I honestly did not plan this, Parker." He huffed in amusement.
The innocent comment brought Parker crashing back to reality. 'Tell him.' Her mind whispered traitorously. 'Tell him everything now and you can both laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Let Jarod win.'
She didn't say anything. Instead, Parker pulled Jarod closer and kissed him until she had fanned his passion into gear once again.
In the several hours that followed, Jarod gained an intimate knowledge of every inch on Parker's body. If he noticed the contraceptive patch on her lower back, he never mentioned it, nor did he wonder what had caused Parker to even use one.
The two of them reached for each other over and over during the night. While in the throws of passion, Parker could forget about the rest of the world. When her body was intertwined with Jarod's there was nothing that could hurt her. Parker allowed his arms to become a haven for a few precious hours in the dark.
At some point in the wee hours of the night, Jarod lay curled against Parker's back, his arms wrapped lovingly around her waist. He absently caressed little circles around her navel with one thumb while he talked about the places they would go and the things he wanted to show her.
"The world is full of such joy and wonder, Parker." Jarod whispered into her hair. "I want to show it all to you. I want to share everything with you. We'll be happy, I promise."
Parker was thankful for the darkness so that Jarod could not see her tears as she wept silently in his arms.
The real world returned with the sun the next morning.
When Parker woke, she had half hoped that Jarod would already be awake so that she would be unable to complete her plan. But he had been sound asleep with a contented smile curling the corners of his mouth. Parker had slid quietly from the bed and had taken her time getting dressed, still hoping that Jarod would wake before she was ready. She refused to do anything without her clothes on. It seemed too horrifying to deceive him while she stood naked.
Once Parker had finished dressing and again looked like The Centre's intractable Miss Parker, she reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Without bothering to be terribly quiet about it, she wrapped the chain around one of the metal posts in the headboard. With a resounding click, Parker tightly fastened a metal shackle around each of Jarod's wrists.
The sound of the lock clicking into place seemed huge in the silent room and Jarod woke with a start to find his arms above his head chained to the bed.
At first he was confused. "Parker? What are you doing?"
"I told you that you were an idiot." She growled at him. She crossed the room to the telephone, plucked the receiver from the cradle and quickly dialed a number. She kept her back to Jarod as she waited for an answer.
"It's done." Parker hissed into the phone. "Yes." She answered after a pause. Another pause followed while someone on the opposite end of the line spoke. "I have no idea, you'll have to trace the call, I'll leave the connection open for a few minutes."
With that, Parker dropped the receiver onto the end table and turned to look at Jarod. He still had not quite figured out what was happening. Parker scoffed. For someone as intelligent as Jarod was supposed to be, he could be pretty dense sometimes.
Parker picked up a hairbrush from a nearby vanity and started raking it violently through her hair. She could see from the look on Jarod's face exactly when the truth began to dawn on him. His mouth gaped open for a moment then he dragged himself into an awkward sitting position with his wrists manacled at his side.
"Parker." He growled menacingly.
Parker picked the phone back up and barked into it. "Have you got it?" She asked. "Fine." Ending the connection and tossing the phone aside, Parker glared defiantly at Jarod as he glared angrily at her.
With a sigh, Parker picked his jeans up off the floor and approached Jarod cautiously.
"A sweeper team will be here with in the next half hour. You'd better put these on." She said, holding the pants out for him.
"No." Jarod ground out between clenched teeth.
Parker tilted her head at him curiously. "Do you really want them to find you like this, Jarod? Do you want them to cart you away totally naked?"
Parker could see Jarod struggling with his options until he finally allowed her to slide the denim up his legs and provide him with a little decency.
"You don't want to do this, Parker." Jarod said softly.
"You're right, I don't." She whispered wearily.
"Then let me go." He urged. "Just hand me a paper clip and leave the room for a few minutes."
Parker's eyes were huge as she slowly shook her head. "No."
"Come on, Parker." Jarod begged. "We made love last night. It was incredible. Don't throw away something so special."
Parker fought the tears that shimmered in her eyes. She could not allow herself to be teary eyed and vulnerable when Lyle and the sweepers arrived.
"Last night was a dream, Jarod." She told him sadly. "Dreams aren't real."
"But they can be, Parker." Jarod urged. "They can be real if you wish for them hard enough."
Parker laughed caustically. "Haven't you realized by now? Wishes are like fairy tales, Jarod. They never come true."
Panic entered Jarod's eyes as the sound of a helicopter began approaching the house. As the sound grew louder, Jarod contorted on the bed and started to kick frantically at the post holding his wrists.
"Parker!" He screamed.
It occurred to Miss Parker that Jarod was only now beginning to accept the dire nature of his situation. He hadn't really believed that she would turn him in. Part of him still trusted her enough to think that she would release him.
Strong gusts of wind and small debris pelted the window as the chopper landed in the yard. Jarod pulled violently at the handcuffs. A moment later, they heard the front door crash open and Lyle's voice called through the house.
"Miss Parker?" Her brother hollered.
For a heartbeat, she and Jarod stared at one another, his eyes pleading with her wordlessly.
"Back here!" Parker called loudly. That was when she saw the last shred of hope vanish from Jarod's eyes.
He gasped as if in pain and for a second, Parker thought he might throw up. Jarod stared at her in astonishment; unshed tears shimmering in his brown depths. When Lyle and his sweepers appeared at the bedroom door, the look of shock and disbelief on Jarod's face turned in to one of black rage.
As the sweepers approached him, Jarod growled in anger and lashed out with his bare feet. He managed to get one or two good shots in but there were to many of them. By the time Sydney trailed in to the room, the sweepers had Jarod pinned face down with his hands bound behind his back.
But that didn't stop Jarod from shouting out his fury.
"Congratulations, Miss Parker." Jarod hissed. "Daddy will be so proud."
Lyle made matters worse by giving Parker a pat on the back as well.
Jarod laughed maniacally. "Do you know what's the worst part of it all?" He struggled as a sweeper hauled him to his feet. "I was so worried." Jarod growled. "You are so much more experienced than I am and I was really concerned about your enjoyment. So I really went the extra mile so to speak. Don't you agree?" He hissed cruelly.
"You should have told me it was just a farce." Jarod went on coldly. "I would have saved myself the effort. I could have simply fucked your brains out like every other moron who has ever crawled between your legs."
Parker didn't flinch. But inside she felt as though she'd just been hit with a ton of bricks.
Lyle chuckled at the mean comment. "Get him in the chopper." He ordered. Once the sweepers had dragged Jarod kicking and screaming from the room, Lyle looked at Parker curiously. "Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" Parker asked in confusion.
"The extra mile." Lyle purred. "Did you enjoy it satisfactorily?"
Parker lashed out uncontrollably. Her fist made contact with Lyle's chin and he went down with a crash. He sat on the floor rubbing at his jaw with an evil smirk on his face.
"Get me out of here Sydney." Parker rasped. "Take me home."
Three weeks passed before Parker saw Jarod again. She was standing in the hallway on SL-20 waiting for an elevator. She was on her way to Sydney's office with several file folders that she held clutched to her chest. To a casual observer, Parker looked domineering and regal in her brown pants suit and stiletto heels. But the people who really knew her, Sydney and Broots specifically, had begun to worry about her. Parker rarely slept anymore and the dark circles under eyes were visible even though she tried to cover them with make up.
Raines had, of course, reneged on their agreement. Parker was trapped at The Centre. The depression and despair she felt haunted her continually.
Parker stabbed at the elevator button impatiently. She abruptly froze when she saw two large men dressed like sweepers walking down the hallway toward her. Between them the guards half carried, half dragged a miserable looking creature. Dressed only in drab olive cotton pants, Jarod was barely recognizable.
Jarod wore no shoes and his torso was bare, giving Parker an exquisite view of the damage that had been done to him. Jarod had been viciously and repeatedly beaten. Large yellowing bruises were scattered along his body, mingled against fresher purple marks and brand new black ones. His long hair hung limply in his swollen face to stick cruelly in spots where he was cut and bleeding. The pounding Jarod had received was a professional one, deliberately planned to inflict maximum pain without causing any permanent scarring.
Parker pressed her back against the wall in speechless horror. She prayed that they would pass quickly, before Jarod could notice her presence. The silent plea went unanswered as the dreadful trio stopped in front of the closed elevator doors.
Jarod turned his head slightly and glared at her out of one eye. The other was swollen shut.
"I was the price for your freedom, Miss Parker. Why are you still here?" The pretender slurred at her around a mouthful of blood.
"They won't let me go." She whispered morosely.
Jarod started to laugh a low sinister sound. "Not even the Whore of Babylon herself can escape the hell we've built for ourselves here." In a disgusting gesture of contempt, Jarod spat a small puddle of blood onto the floor at Parker's feet.
The elevator doors suddenly swished open and the sweepers dragged Jarod into the empty car. One of the guards politely held the door for Miss Parker and glanced at her expectantly.
"I'll catch the next one." Parker said stonily.
Jarod's malicious laughter echoed in the hall as the doors slid shut between them.
Parker fled, running down the hallway to the nearest restroom where she locked herself in a stall. She lowered the lid on the commode and sat down weakly as she began to tremble uncontrollably. It was a long time before she could ease her shuddering.
Parker finally made it to Sydney's office with the files she'd been carrying. Once her errand was complete, Parker left the Centre for the rest of the day. She went home, curled miserably in front of her dark fireplace, and spent the evening drinking several bottles of malt liquor.
Parker had passed out around midnight. When her phone rang at three in the morning, she didn't hear it so the call went unanswered. As a result, she didn't learn about Jarod's escape until Sydney told her the next morning.
As before, no one was sure how Jarod had gotten away. He had simply vanished from his room in the middle of the night.
Days blended into weeks as Parker, Sydney and Broots were once again assigned to the pursuit of the missing pretender. Parker's life took on a strange desolation. Her days at the office were full of empty leads on Jarod. Her lonely nights were sleepless unless she drugged herself into unconsciousness with alcohol or sedatives.
There was no sign of Jarod. No phone calls, no packages, no red notebooks to be found. As though he had dropped off the face of the earth, Jarod was gone.
Another month dragged by. Autumn leaves fell and the air took on the chill of approaching winter.
Parker left The Centre at the end of another disappointing week of fruitless searching. She pulled her coat around her more tightly as she hurried down the steps toward her car in the parking lot. The day had been as overcast and dreary as Parker's mood. Now, it was five o'clock and Parker mingled with the mass exodus of other employees as they headed home for the weekend. Men in dark suits and women in lab coats all scurried through the biting wind to their vehicles.
Parker didn't pay much attention to any of them so she didn't notice the group of darkly dressed men that walked nearby. She reached her car and unlocked the door. In a smooth, almost casual, motion a tall lean man veered away from the edge of the group as they went by. In her negligence, Parker didn't see the man approaching.
As Parker began to open the car door, an arm came from behind to grab her. Her scream of surprise was muffled by a cloth placed over her nose and mouth. Parker could smell the distinct odor of chloroform. Strong arms held Parker in a vice as she struggled. As the edges of her vision began to blur, the arms spun her around and Parker looked up into the face of a sweeper. His brown hair had been cut short and his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but he looked as cold and formidable as any other sweeper at The Centre. He held Parker in a deadly embrace with one hand while with the other he pressed the drug soaked cloth more tightly against her face.
Just as her world went black Parker realized that the sweeper standing before her was Jarod.
Parker woke up groggily some time later. She blinked as she surveyed her surroundings. She found herself in a small dreary room. The walls were made of wood. The cabin was little more than a shack and Parker shivered as a draft of chilly air found its way into the room. Her shoes and coat were gone as was her suit jacket. Parker was lying on a wooden bed with a cheap mattress. Her wrists were handcuffed together.
Parker sat up and breathed deeply for a moment as the room spun around. The drug she'd been given hadn't completely worn off yet. Once the world stopped tilting, Parker stood carefully and padded barefoot across the cold floor to the door. With her hands bound, turning the knob was awkward but the door was locked. Along one wall was a rickety looking bureau. Parker opened each drawer as quietly as she could, trying to find something with which to unlock the cuffs.
The sound of a key turning in the lock startled her and Parker dashed back to the cot to curl defensively in the corner.
Jarod entered the room wordlessly, locked the door behind him and placed the key in his shirt pocket. He had changed out of the suit Parker had last seen him wearing. Dressed more like him self now, Jarod wore black jeans and a matching sweater. Propping his back against the wall, Jarod slid down to a crouch on the floor and watched Parker intently.
For several minutes the two of them stared silently at one another. The tension finally became too much for Parker and she broke the silence as she asked, "What do you want, Jarod?"
"I want to forget that I ever met you." He said flatly. "I want to exorcise you from my mind and from my dreams." Jarod sighed. "Can you tell me how to do that?"
Parker stared at him wordlessly. She blinked hard as her eyes filled with repentant tears and her lip started to tremble.
Jarod bolted upright and crossed the room in two long strides, anger emanated from him in waves.
"No!" Jarod growled. He snatched Parker up by the arms and dragged her off the bed. Squeezing her arms tightly, Jarod shook her in front of him like a rag doll. "No more of your crocodile tears." He hissed in Parker's face.
"You can't seduce me with your phony sobbing any more." Jarod said cruelly.
Jarod shoved Parker away and she fell backward onto the shabby mattress. Parker shivered as Jarod's eyes went cold and his gaze raked along the length of her body.
"I don't need to believe in you." Jarod said as he approached the bed menacingly. "I can take what I want."
In a blur of motion, Jarod lunged at her and grabbed the chain between Parker's wrists. He yanked the chain violently to the head of the bed and hooked the links over the bedpost. Then Jarod wrapped a vice like hand around her ankle and hauled Parker down the mattress in the other direction so that her arms stretched uselessly above her head.
Jarod kneeled on the bed between her legs and shoved Parker's skirt up her thighs. He straightened long enough to unzip his pants then Jarod bent over her. Parker's eyes squeezed shut as she heard the fabric of her panties tear and she began to realize what was happening.
'Just like every other moron who has ever crawled between your legs.' Jarod had said to her that horrible day. This was going to be his retribution.
Parker gasped when Jarod forced his way into her unprepared body. Tears sprang in her eyes at the pain. He was hurting her and he knew it.
A sob clawed at Parker's heart as the magnitude of what she had done finally dawned on her. Only now did she understand that her betrayal of Jarod's trust had destroyed the precious relationship that they had shared. There had been a time when Jarod had protectively and tenderly watched over Miss Parker. But now her treachery had reduced them to predator and prey. And Jarod was the one doing the hunting.
Jarod thrust against Parker again. His strong fingers gripped her tightly around her legs, biting into the tender flesh of her thighs. With a shifting of his weight, Jarod pulled Parker's hips several inches into the air allowing him to enter her even more deeply.
As Jarod drove into her a third time, Parker could feel him pressing against the very core of her soul. Her body recognized Jarod's and began to react of its own accord. Her next gasp was a combination of astonishment and arousal.
Much to Parker's embarrassment, her excitement grew as Jarod continued to delve into her flesh. The sensations that ran through her were titillating. The rasp of his denim jeans against her inner thigh, the pinching of metal at her wrists served only to further increase her stimulation.
When Parker moaned with pleasure, Jarod grabbed a fistful of her hair and growled angrily at her.
A moment later, Jarod shuddered his release into her womb. He'd barely finished before he jerked his body away from Parker's and staggered to the door. He fumbled frantically with the key in the lock in a blind effort to escape from the room.
The door slammed behind him as Jarod left. Parker lay gasping and stunned on the bed, staring sightlessly at the ceiling. She was appalled, not only by Jarod's violation but also by the traitorous throbbing of her own body. Frustrated, unfulfilled tears slid down her face and disappeared into her hair.
Parker eventually regained control of her emotions. She managed to unhook her chain from the bedpost but was unable to find anything in the room with which to open the handcuffs. Her wrists were red and tender from straining against the metal. After what seemed like hours, Parker curled up on the bed, wrapped her arms around her legs for warmth and fell into an exhausted slumber.
Parker woke with a start to find Jarod towering silently over her. Her heartbeat quickened eagerly at the sight of him.
Jarod held a pile of clothing toward her. "Your things." He explained woodenly.
He dropped the coats and shoes on the foot of the bed and stared at her expectantly. After a moment, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled a small silver key from within. He tossed the key onto the bed beside Parker.
Parker warily took the key and used it to open the locks at her wrists.
Hugging her coat to her chest, Parker gazed at Jarod sadly. "Is that it?" She asked timidly.
"That's it." Jarod nodded.
Parker stared at him agog. "I don't understand." She stammered.
Jarod shrugged. "Not really what I had planned." He said cruelly. "But I don't see the point of raping you again if you are going to enjoy it."
Parker began to cry again. "I'm sorry Jarod. I am really so sorry."
"Save your tears Parker." Jarod hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't waste them on me anymore."
Parker sighed and nodded miserably.
Jarod's anger deflated suddenly and he gazed at Parker with a terrible look of woe. His chocolate brown eyes shimmered with pain.
"I could have made you happy, Parker." Jarod swallowed.
"It wouldn't have lasted." She whispered sadly. "The Centre would never have allowed it."
Jarod turned his back toward her and walked slowly across the room. When he reached the door he stopped and spoke without turning back. "Tell Sydney that I appreciate everything he tried to do for me. Tell him that I will think of him often."
Parker couldn't speak, so she merely nodded instead.
Parker could not see Jarod's face, but she could hear the sadness in his voice. "Goodbye, Parker." He whispered.
Without another word or a glance back, Jarod walked out of the room, leaving the door wide open. A minute later Parker heard another door open and close as Jarod walked out of her life for good. Parker laid her head in her arms and wept.
---- -----
Parker woke from the dream and found her pillow wet with tears.
With a heavy sigh, Parker sat up and stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror.
Parker was never sure how long she had lain in that cabin alone. But she had eventually left and found her way back home.
Remarkably, no one had witnessed her abduction in the parking lot. Because Jarod had released her and she had returned home before the weekend had ended, no one had even noticed that she was gone. Parker never told anyone about her encounter with the pretender.
Parker had realized almost immediately that her time in the cabin coincided perfectly with the most fertile point in her monthly cycle. She knew the chances were very good that she had conceived. Knowing what Raines and Lyle would do if they discovered she was carrying Jarod's child, Parker had set the stage for an elaborate plan.
Parker had gone to the office Monday morning as usual, never mentioning her adventure at the cabin. She convinced Sydney and Lyle that she needed a vacation in order to freshen her outlook on the pursuit of Jarod. Within two days, she was on a plane to Europe.
Parker spent the next three weeks traveling around the Mediterranean countryside. She met a young French college student named Jean-Pierre. Although her relationship with the young man had been a purely platonic one, Parker had made sure that she had several suggestive photos taken of her self with the student.
By the time Parker returned to work, she knew that she was nearly a month pregnant. Parker went to great lengths to gush to Sydney and Broots about her imaginary affair with the Frenchman. When she pretended to discover her pregnancy another month later, it became common knowledge that Parker was carrying a French college student's lovechild.
Even Sydney had believed that his namesake had been fathered in Europe, for Parker had protected her child's secret fervently. If The Centre had learned the truth, Parker knew that her own life would be forfeit and her daughter would be locked away for rest of her life. Her little girl became the focal point for Parker's entire existence. Nothing was more important that the child's safety.
When the youngster had begun to read, at the tender age of 27 months, Parker could no longer deny the truth. Little Sydney looked so much like her father and her intelligence further highlighted her true paternity. But by then, The Centre had been bought out. Raines had retired and Lyle was off in Venezuela or something. The danger was gone.
Parker was still staring into the mirror when Syd appeared quietly at the door and startled her from her reverie.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Parker shrugged. "I was just thinking about Jarod. I wish I could find a way to get through to him. Convince him that I do care about him."
Sydney entered the room and sat beside her on the bed. "You've always had a soft spot in your heart for Jarod, though you tried for years to deny it." He smiled and put one arm around her shoulders. "Jarod has always known that. But I think that in his anger and disappointment, he has allowed himself to forget."
Parker sighed and laid her head on the older man's shoulder. "He seems even more alone now than he was before."
Sydney nodded. "Jarod works hard to isolate himself now. It's a defense reaction. Pure self-preservation."
"He's afraid of being hurt again." She whispered. "I want to help him. But I don't know how."
Sydney squeezed her gently against him. "Neither do I." He said.
"Momma?" a soft voice called from the doorway. "I'm hungry."
Parker smiled at her daughter and held her arms open welcomingly. Little Sydney hopped into the room and onto her mother's lap, where Parker curled around her in a warm embrace.
"Well, what do you want for dinner?" Parker asked pressing a delicate kiss on top of the girl's head.
"Uncle Sydney said we could have Japanese." The little girl said excitedly. "He knows a place where you sit on the floor and eat with chopsticks and everything."
The elder Sydney chuckled. "I've made reservations for six o'clock. We had better get going soon. That's why I was coming to wake you."
Parker clapped her hands firmly. "Well let's get a move on then."
Sydney was helping his godchild put on her shoes a few minutes later when a knock came at the front door. Parker slipped her arms into her jacket before answering. The smile she'd had on her face vanished when she saw Jarod standing in the hall.
"Hello, Jarod." Parker said cautiously.
"My parents want to meet your daughter." Jarod began gruffly. The preciseness of his words did not escape Parker's attention. "If you are amenable to the idea, I can arrange for transportation to the ranch in the morning."
"Momma?" Parker glanced down at her daughter. The little girl was looking up at her questioningly. A glance at Jarod told Parker that he was glaring directly at her. His eyes avoided little Sydney altogether.
Parker frowned as she considered Jarod's request. With a small smile, Parker caressed her daughter's cheek. The girl's father may have no interest in her, but she had other family here. Parker couldn't rob her child of the opportunity to meet her grandparents.
"Okay." Parker agreed.
Jarod nodded and grumbled at her in sharp clipped tones. "Fine. You'll all need to be packed and ready to go by nine A.M." Without any further comment, Jarod turned on his heel and left Parker standing in the open doorway.
End part3
"Human life begins on the other side of despair." Jean-Paul Sartre
The Other Side of Despair Part3
Miss Parker sat in an over stuffed chair in the hotel suite, watching her daughter play on the floor. Sydney sat nearby pretending to read a book. The three of them had gone sight seeing for several hours during the afternoon. The long walk and jet lag, combined with the fact that Parker hadn't slept well last night, had left her tired and irritable.
She frowned at Sydney as he glanced at her over the edge of his book. Parker knew that Syd had gone to see Jarod this morning but the psychiatrist had been annoyingly close mouthed about the visit. As they had toured the required sights of Los Angeles during the day, Parker had tried to pry more information out of her older companion. But he had avoided her questions, choosing instead to distract her by turning his attention toward her little girl.
Something in the way Sydney treated his godchild during the afternoon, made Parker think that things had not gone well with Jarod. Syd had spoiled the child unrelentingly and until a short while ago he had been either carrying her around or snuggling her closely. He seemed to be trying to atone for the disappointment Jarod had caused her.
Parker glanced at little Sydney as she played with one of the treasures her uncle had purchased earlier. The child hummed tunelessly to herself as she played. Parker felt desolation clawing at her heart as she realized that her daughter would have to repeat the paternal relationship that Parker had had with her own father. Little Sydney would do anything right now for Jarod's approval, while he was doing his best to ignore her existence.
When the little girl felt her mother's gaze, she turned and smiled brightly. Parker couldn't help smiling back. The girl's grin was infectious. Parker vowed that her child would never feel as alone as she had when she was young. If Jarod didn't want to know his daughter, that was his problem. Parker and Syd could give young Sydney all the love she would need in her life.
Their flight back to Delaware was scheduled to leave tomorrow afternoon. Once they had put L.A. behind them, Parker would never look back. She would leave today if she thought they could get tickets. But with the Thanksgiving holiday coming in just a few days, all the flights were booked. Parker would just have to be patient.
Parker stifled a yawn.
"Why don't you go lie down for a while?" Sydney asked as he put aside his book. "I'll keep an eye on Sydney."
Parker sighed. She was very tired. "Maybe just for an hour or so before dinner."
She stood and stretched. "You mind Uncle Sydney, okay?" Parker said to her daughter.
"Okay, Momma. I'll be good." The child answered.
After giving the girl a quick hug, Parker went to her room, kicked off her shoes and sprawled out on the bed. She stared forlornly at the ceiling for several minutes, pondering current events in her life.
Parker still couldn't believe how different Jarod had become. She had expected him to be angry, of course. Parker had kept him from knowing his daughter for the first five years of her life. But the warm-hearted, affectionate man Parker had always known would still have welcomed his child with open arms. Jarod had always been so desperate for affection that the unconditional love from his own offspring would have been like a miracle to him.
But the man she had found last night hadn't been the pretender Parker had grown up with. The cold, isolated, business-like gentleman that Jarod had become was totally foreign to her. He had little regard for Parker or for her daughter.
Parker understood his aversion to her. Parker had hurt him terribly. She had made a colossal error in judgment that had cost her the best friend she'd ever had. Jarod would never forgive her for what had happened just over six years ago. Parker doubted that she would ever forgive herself. But the results had changed the course of her life. Parker wouldn't trade the life she had now for anything.
What bothered her was Jarod's rejection of his own little girl.
As Parker drifted into sleep, memories from those long ago days chased her into unconsciousness and unfolded in her dreams.
-- -- -- -- -- --
"He'll never fall for it." Parker gasped.
"I think you under estimate your own talents." Lyle purred.
Parker stared at her brother in shock. As wicked and vile a creature as she knew him to be, Parker was still dismayed at Lyle's disturbing plan.
"I have to agree with your brother." Raines wheezed.
Parker glared at him. The three of them were gathered in her father's office. Since Mr. Parker had sacrificed his life over the scrolls in Europe, Raines had taken over as Chairman at The Centre. Regardless of what genetic tests had proven, Miss Parker would never think of Raines as her father. And she could never think of this room and belonging to anyone but the man she had always called daddy.
Things at The Centre had grown increasing uncomfortable after Raines was put in charge. The pursuit of Jarod had taken on a frantic desperation that made even Miss Parker nervous. Loyalties were constantly in question and no one trusted each other.
Now Lyle had come up with this idea that made Parker's skin crawl.
"Come on, Sis." Lyle urged. "Use the natural abilities God gave you. You are a beautiful woman."
Parker tried to suppress the shudder that ran down her spine as Lyle's gazed raked along her figure.
"I think," Lyle continued, "that he already has an interest in you along those lines. You just need to encourage things a little."
Parker swallowed. "He won't trust me. He won't let his guard down one bit if I'm around."
Lyle scoffed. "Jarod is a healthy male of the species. Trust me, Parker. Turn on the charm, use a little seductive persuasion and I think you can accomplish a great deal."
Parker squirmed in her seat.
"Who knows," Lyle gloated. "It might do you some good. It's been long time since you've," he paused suggestively. He shrugged. "Let him ring your bell if you want. You've been way too tense lately."
"That's not funny, Lyle." Parker hissed.
"Miss Parker," Raines growled. "Current efforts to capture Jarod are increasingly unprofitable. Our lack of progress is an embarrassment. If Lyle's plan is successful, the Triumvirate will surely reward both of my children for their individual roles in the endeavor."
Parker sighed. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't reveal such vulnerability to these ghouls. "Once Jarod is back in The Centre, I am gone. That's still the deal."
Raines shrugged in acceptance.
Parker shook her head. Things were definitely getting bad. She was actually going to agree to this. Parker had learned to live with a lot of terrible things. She could learn to live with this. She was a Parker. For centuries, the Parker's had been selling their souls in order to get what they wanted. Miss Parker took a deep breath and gave in to her family's curse. She handed the devil her soul.
"I'll have to wait for him to contact me." She said. "Then we'll lay out the details."
Raines grinned wickedly while Lyle clapped his hands like an excited child.
Parker stood and left the room. She strode briskly down the hallway toward her own office. Once safely behind her locked office doors, Parker leaned desolately against the wall. All she could do now was wait and try to come to terms with the bargain she had just made.
Parker didn't need to wait long. Jarod called her at home two nights later.
"What," Parker barked into the phone.
"If you believe our lives are preordained by fate, why are we given so many choices, so many paths to follow?" Jarod was obviously feeling philosophical tonight.
"Jarod." Parker sighed, allowing all the sadness and despair she was feeling to be revealed in her voice.
"Fate doesn't own us, Miss Parker." He said.
"It owns me, Jarod." She whispered. "It always has."
"Only if you allow it to." He said firmly. "You don't have to give in to your family's legacy. You can change your destiny if you want."
A tear trailed down Parker's cheek. Jarod was going to make this so easy. She sniffed just loud enough for him to hear the tears in her voice. "I don't know how to fight it anymore Jarod. It's too hard to fight alone."
For a long moment, the silence on the other end was deafening. Parker was beginning to think she'd overdone it and frightened him away when Jarod finally whispered, "But you've never really been alone, Miss Parker."
There was another long pause. "I would never leave you all alone." Jarod's voice was barely audible.
Parker's heart wrenched in her chest. Her tears of self-loathing and misery came out sounding like sobs of loneliness.
"Parker?" Jarod murmured into her ear. "Are you okay?"
"No." She sobbed honestly.
Jarod played right in to Parker's hands. "Parker. It's time to choose a new path." He said gently.
Parker sniffed.
"Meet me tomorrow in Dover, in front of the bank." Jarod said quickly. He didn't need to tell her which bank. Parker knew that he meant Dovertown Bank, where the two of them had partnered briefly when they rescued Mr. Fenigore from bank robbers.
"Jarod, I can't." she said woefully. If she gave in too easily, Jarod would be suspicious.
"You can." Jarod said firmly. "The choice is yours. I'll be waiting."
Parker heard a click and the line went dead.
The next day was dreary and overcast. Parker arrived at the Dovertown Bank just before noon. She didn't see Jarod anywhere around so she crossed the street and sat on a bench on the corner. From here, Parker could see the front doors of the bank as well as traffic coming from either direction. She settled in to wait.
Several hours passed while Parker sat at the corner and watched the rest of the world go by. She had stopped actively looking for Jarod after the first ninety minutes. She just sat there, staring dejectedly at the cars that passed. Her depression deepened as Parker began to wonder if Jarod would even show up.
Parker was so wrapped up in her own misery, that she nearly jumped out of her skin when he suddenly sat down beside her on the bench.
"Sorry I'm late." Jarod said with a grin.
"You never said what time you wanted to meet." Parker grumbled. "I've been here for hours."
Jarod shrugged. "In all honesty, I've been here since dawn. But I needed to make sure you were alone."
Parker shivered with dread and her lower lip trembled. "Hey." Jarod said soothingly. "Don't fall apart on me, Parker. I haven't got any of Ocee's herbal tea." He put an arm around Parker's shoulders and pulled her gently against his chest.
Parker sniffed and pulled away slowly. She sat very straight and erect. Jarod would expect her to be nervous and wary at first. She had to play this just right if it was going to work.
"What now?" she asked.
Jarod stood and held a hand out toward her. "Now you take the next step on that new path, Miss Parker." He said gently. "Take my hand and come with me."
Parker looked up and gazed desperately into Jarod's eyes. He was smiling reassuringly at her. His eyes were full of warmth and encouragement. Parker hated herself as she took his hand and allowed him to lead her away.
Hand in hand they walked down the sidewalk for a few blocks to a nearby parking deck. Jarod led Parker to a silver four by four vehicle. He unlocked the doors and helped Parker into the passenger seat before sliding in behind the steering wheel.
"Are you hungry?" Jarod asked her as he started the car.
Parker shook her head.
"We'll just go then." He said simply.
Jarod expertly maneuvered the car out of the lot and on to the busy street. The two of them sat in awkward silence for some time while Jarod drove away from Dover on the expressway. Parker picked nervously at the hem of her short skirt until Jarod reached over and laid one hand over hers to settle her.
Slowly, cautiously, Parker moved her hand so that her fingers could intertwine loosely with Jarod's. They rode in silence for a long time, Jarod's hand clasped to hers in Parker's lap. After a while, the awkwardness began to dissipate as they relaxed in each other's presence. Parker leaned her head back against the headrest and watched Jarod's face as he drove.
Jarod seemed wary, not out of fear but out of concern for Parker's current state of mind. He would glance at Parker every so often, casting reassuring smiles in her direction. Parker felt the protectiveness emanating from him. She knew that Jarod's only thought was to take care of her. A warm feeling of contentment washed over Parker and she permitted herself to enjoy the moment. She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until she woke some time later.
The sun was just beginning to set in the distance when Parker was wakened by the sound of gravel beneath the tires. They had pulled off the main road and were headed up a long driveway to a small white house. Jarod stopped the car and killed the engine. He looked at Parker expectantly as she glanced around the property.
The house was a small isolated ranch with a wooden porch that wrapped around the sides. A porch swing hung serenely from a beam not far from the front door. A wicker rocking chair was positioned in such a way that an occupant would be easily able to chat with someone on the swing. Summer flowers blossomed along the walk and baskets of pansies lined the porch railing.
"It seems very nice." Parker said.
Jarod nodded. "It's restful." He said with a smile. "Good for mending a troubled soul."
Parker glanced at him sadly. If he knew how troubled she really was, he'd be long gone by now.
They went into the house as the sky darkened.
"I'm hungry." Jarod said almost apologetically.
Parker shrugged and followed him into the kitchen. She removed her suit jacket, kicked off her shoes and moved to the counter to make some coffee. Jarod had evidently been here before. He knew where everything was located in the cupboards and he gave Parker directions when she couldn't find mugs.
For several minutes, they puttered domestically in the kitchen. Jarod warmed some soup in a pan and made some sandwiches while Parker washed a couple of garden fresh tomatoes and sliced them onto a plate. When the food was ready, Parker did little more than pick at hers. Jarod ate his food ravenously then stole half of Parker's sandwich and ate that too.
Parker swallowed some of her coffee, nearly choking when Jarod smiled brightly at her. He was so content, so relaxed. Jarod's trust in her was so undeserved. Parker felt like the worst kind of criminal. A miserable tear escaped one eye and ran down Parker's cheek.
"Hey." Jarod exclaimed, reaching across the table to clasp her hand. "What's wrong?"
"Oh don't." Parker moaned pathetically. "Don't be nice to me." She put her face in her hands and began to weep quietly.
Jarod sighed. He stood up and pulled Parker into a tender embrace. She allowed him to hold her close as her body shook with sobs. After a moment, Jarod scooped her up into his arms and he carried Parker into the next room. He curled up on a couch with Parker in his lap and he rocked her gently, making soothing circles on her back with one hand.
Parker knew that Jarod was misunderstanding her distress. He was ignorantly trying to comfort her while she was battling her conscience in order to betray him. The irony of it all was nearly unbearable.
"Hush now. Everything will be all right, Parker." Jarod murmured.
Parker looked up at him, startled. "You are an idiot." She said to him.
Jarod grinned crookedly at her. "Why is that?" he asked chuckling.
Rather than answer him, Parker took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly on the lips.
When she pulled back, Parker watched Jarod's face as his eyelids fluttered open and he gazed into her eyes in wonder.
"Parker?" He whispered in awe.
Parker leaned against him and kissed Jarod again, more deeply this time. They were both breathing heavily by the time the kiss ended.
"Parker." Jarod moaned. "Are you sure about this?"
In one fluid motion, Parker hiked up her skirt and threw one leg over Jarod's body so that she was straddling his lap. She could feel his body's reaction pressing against her inner thigh. When Parker kissed him, she could taste her own tears on his lips. She shared the salty flavor with Jarod by flicking her tongue delicately into his mouth.
"Are you sure?" Jarod groaned against her lips.
She answered him wordlessly by pulling at her blouse and fumbling with the pearly buttons until the garment was a puddle of silk on the floor. Parker took Jarod's hand and brought it up to cup one lace covered breast.
Jarod closed his eyes and sighed.
Parker shifted her weight, pressing her hips against his. She squeezed him gently between her thighs making him groan as she applied pressure to the bulge in his jeans.
"Parker," Jarod whispered prayerfully. "Are you sure about this?" he repeated.
"Shut up, Jarod." Parker murmured as she nibbled on his lower lip. "Please just shut up and love me."
Jarod exhaled triumphantly. He wrapped his arms tightly around Parker's waist and stood up. Her arms curled around his neck while she buried her face against his shoulder. With her legs tightly circling Jarod's waist, Parker held on as he carried her down a hallway to the bedroom. Jarod kicked the door closed behind them and he fell backwards onto the bed, pulling Parker down on top of him.
Jarod kissed and nipped at Parker's flesh as he quickly but tenderly divested her of the rest of her clothing. He rapidly shed his own clothes and lay beside her while they kissed passionately again and again. Jarod finally covered her with his body and nestled himself between Parker's thighs. When their bodies joined, they each gasped in wonder at the sensation.
In the minutes that followed, Parker forgot everything else as Jarod brought her to a pinnacle she'd never known before. The passion he showed her was all the more incredible because at that moment, Parker knew that she was loved. Jarod loved her and nothing else mattered. The Centre and Raines and Parker's pact with the devil all dissolved in a shattering climax that tore a delighted cry from her throat.
Jarod lay heavily on top of her, his head pillowed against Parker's breast, as they both panted in the aftermath of their exertions.
"I honestly did not plan this, Parker." He huffed in amusement.
The innocent comment brought Parker crashing back to reality. 'Tell him.' Her mind whispered traitorously. 'Tell him everything now and you can both laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Let Jarod win.'
She didn't say anything. Instead, Parker pulled Jarod closer and kissed him until she had fanned his passion into gear once again.
In the several hours that followed, Jarod gained an intimate knowledge of every inch on Parker's body. If he noticed the contraceptive patch on her lower back, he never mentioned it, nor did he wonder what had caused Parker to even use one.
The two of them reached for each other over and over during the night. While in the throws of passion, Parker could forget about the rest of the world. When her body was intertwined with Jarod's there was nothing that could hurt her. Parker allowed his arms to become a haven for a few precious hours in the dark.
At some point in the wee hours of the night, Jarod lay curled against Parker's back, his arms wrapped lovingly around her waist. He absently caressed little circles around her navel with one thumb while he talked about the places they would go and the things he wanted to show her.
"The world is full of such joy and wonder, Parker." Jarod whispered into her hair. "I want to show it all to you. I want to share everything with you. We'll be happy, I promise."
Parker was thankful for the darkness so that Jarod could not see her tears as she wept silently in his arms.
The real world returned with the sun the next morning.
When Parker woke, she had half hoped that Jarod would already be awake so that she would be unable to complete her plan. But he had been sound asleep with a contented smile curling the corners of his mouth. Parker had slid quietly from the bed and had taken her time getting dressed, still hoping that Jarod would wake before she was ready. She refused to do anything without her clothes on. It seemed too horrifying to deceive him while she stood naked.
Once Parker had finished dressing and again looked like The Centre's intractable Miss Parker, she reached into her suit pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Without bothering to be terribly quiet about it, she wrapped the chain around one of the metal posts in the headboard. With a resounding click, Parker tightly fastened a metal shackle around each of Jarod's wrists.
The sound of the lock clicking into place seemed huge in the silent room and Jarod woke with a start to find his arms above his head chained to the bed.
At first he was confused. "Parker? What are you doing?"
"I told you that you were an idiot." She growled at him. She crossed the room to the telephone, plucked the receiver from the cradle and quickly dialed a number. She kept her back to Jarod as she waited for an answer.
"It's done." Parker hissed into the phone. "Yes." She answered after a pause. Another pause followed while someone on the opposite end of the line spoke. "I have no idea, you'll have to trace the call, I'll leave the connection open for a few minutes."
With that, Parker dropped the receiver onto the end table and turned to look at Jarod. He still had not quite figured out what was happening. Parker scoffed. For someone as intelligent as Jarod was supposed to be, he could be pretty dense sometimes.
Parker picked up a hairbrush from a nearby vanity and started raking it violently through her hair. She could see from the look on Jarod's face exactly when the truth began to dawn on him. His mouth gaped open for a moment then he dragged himself into an awkward sitting position with his wrists manacled at his side.
"Parker." He growled menacingly.
Parker picked the phone back up and barked into it. "Have you got it?" She asked. "Fine." Ending the connection and tossing the phone aside, Parker glared defiantly at Jarod as he glared angrily at her.
With a sigh, Parker picked his jeans up off the floor and approached Jarod cautiously.
"A sweeper team will be here with in the next half hour. You'd better put these on." She said, holding the pants out for him.
"No." Jarod ground out between clenched teeth.
Parker tilted her head at him curiously. "Do you really want them to find you like this, Jarod? Do you want them to cart you away totally naked?"
Parker could see Jarod struggling with his options until he finally allowed her to slide the denim up his legs and provide him with a little decency.
"You don't want to do this, Parker." Jarod said softly.
"You're right, I don't." She whispered wearily.
"Then let me go." He urged. "Just hand me a paper clip and leave the room for a few minutes."
Parker's eyes were huge as she slowly shook her head. "No."
"Come on, Parker." Jarod begged. "We made love last night. It was incredible. Don't throw away something so special."
Parker fought the tears that shimmered in her eyes. She could not allow herself to be teary eyed and vulnerable when Lyle and the sweepers arrived.
"Last night was a dream, Jarod." She told him sadly. "Dreams aren't real."
"But they can be, Parker." Jarod urged. "They can be real if you wish for them hard enough."
Parker laughed caustically. "Haven't you realized by now? Wishes are like fairy tales, Jarod. They never come true."
Panic entered Jarod's eyes as the sound of a helicopter began approaching the house. As the sound grew louder, Jarod contorted on the bed and started to kick frantically at the post holding his wrists.
"Parker!" He screamed.
It occurred to Miss Parker that Jarod was only now beginning to accept the dire nature of his situation. He hadn't really believed that she would turn him in. Part of him still trusted her enough to think that she would release him.
Strong gusts of wind and small debris pelted the window as the chopper landed in the yard. Jarod pulled violently at the handcuffs. A moment later, they heard the front door crash open and Lyle's voice called through the house.
"Miss Parker?" Her brother hollered.
For a heartbeat, she and Jarod stared at one another, his eyes pleading with her wordlessly.
"Back here!" Parker called loudly. That was when she saw the last shred of hope vanish from Jarod's eyes.
He gasped as if in pain and for a second, Parker thought he might throw up. Jarod stared at her in astonishment; unshed tears shimmering in his brown depths. When Lyle and his sweepers appeared at the bedroom door, the look of shock and disbelief on Jarod's face turned in to one of black rage.
As the sweepers approached him, Jarod growled in anger and lashed out with his bare feet. He managed to get one or two good shots in but there were to many of them. By the time Sydney trailed in to the room, the sweepers had Jarod pinned face down with his hands bound behind his back.
But that didn't stop Jarod from shouting out his fury.
"Congratulations, Miss Parker." Jarod hissed. "Daddy will be so proud."
Lyle made matters worse by giving Parker a pat on the back as well.
Jarod laughed maniacally. "Do you know what's the worst part of it all?" He struggled as a sweeper hauled him to his feet. "I was so worried." Jarod growled. "You are so much more experienced than I am and I was really concerned about your enjoyment. So I really went the extra mile so to speak. Don't you agree?" He hissed cruelly.
"You should have told me it was just a farce." Jarod went on coldly. "I would have saved myself the effort. I could have simply fucked your brains out like every other moron who has ever crawled between your legs."
Parker didn't flinch. But inside she felt as though she'd just been hit with a ton of bricks.
Lyle chuckled at the mean comment. "Get him in the chopper." He ordered. Once the sweepers had dragged Jarod kicking and screaming from the room, Lyle looked at Parker curiously. "Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" Parker asked in confusion.
"The extra mile." Lyle purred. "Did you enjoy it satisfactorily?"
Parker lashed out uncontrollably. Her fist made contact with Lyle's chin and he went down with a crash. He sat on the floor rubbing at his jaw with an evil smirk on his face.
"Get me out of here Sydney." Parker rasped. "Take me home."
Three weeks passed before Parker saw Jarod again. She was standing in the hallway on SL-20 waiting for an elevator. She was on her way to Sydney's office with several file folders that she held clutched to her chest. To a casual observer, Parker looked domineering and regal in her brown pants suit and stiletto heels. But the people who really knew her, Sydney and Broots specifically, had begun to worry about her. Parker rarely slept anymore and the dark circles under eyes were visible even though she tried to cover them with make up.
Raines had, of course, reneged on their agreement. Parker was trapped at The Centre. The depression and despair she felt haunted her continually.
Parker stabbed at the elevator button impatiently. She abruptly froze when she saw two large men dressed like sweepers walking down the hallway toward her. Between them the guards half carried, half dragged a miserable looking creature. Dressed only in drab olive cotton pants, Jarod was barely recognizable.
Jarod wore no shoes and his torso was bare, giving Parker an exquisite view of the damage that had been done to him. Jarod had been viciously and repeatedly beaten. Large yellowing bruises were scattered along his body, mingled against fresher purple marks and brand new black ones. His long hair hung limply in his swollen face to stick cruelly in spots where he was cut and bleeding. The pounding Jarod had received was a professional one, deliberately planned to inflict maximum pain without causing any permanent scarring.
Parker pressed her back against the wall in speechless horror. She prayed that they would pass quickly, before Jarod could notice her presence. The silent plea went unanswered as the dreadful trio stopped in front of the closed elevator doors.
Jarod turned his head slightly and glared at her out of one eye. The other was swollen shut.
"I was the price for your freedom, Miss Parker. Why are you still here?" The pretender slurred at her around a mouthful of blood.
"They won't let me go." She whispered morosely.
Jarod started to laugh a low sinister sound. "Not even the Whore of Babylon herself can escape the hell we've built for ourselves here." In a disgusting gesture of contempt, Jarod spat a small puddle of blood onto the floor at Parker's feet.
The elevator doors suddenly swished open and the sweepers dragged Jarod into the empty car. One of the guards politely held the door for Miss Parker and glanced at her expectantly.
"I'll catch the next one." Parker said stonily.
Jarod's malicious laughter echoed in the hall as the doors slid shut between them.
Parker fled, running down the hallway to the nearest restroom where she locked herself in a stall. She lowered the lid on the commode and sat down weakly as she began to tremble uncontrollably. It was a long time before she could ease her shuddering.
Parker finally made it to Sydney's office with the files she'd been carrying. Once her errand was complete, Parker left the Centre for the rest of the day. She went home, curled miserably in front of her dark fireplace, and spent the evening drinking several bottles of malt liquor.
Parker had passed out around midnight. When her phone rang at three in the morning, she didn't hear it so the call went unanswered. As a result, she didn't learn about Jarod's escape until Sydney told her the next morning.
As before, no one was sure how Jarod had gotten away. He had simply vanished from his room in the middle of the night.
Days blended into weeks as Parker, Sydney and Broots were once again assigned to the pursuit of the missing pretender. Parker's life took on a strange desolation. Her days at the office were full of empty leads on Jarod. Her lonely nights were sleepless unless she drugged herself into unconsciousness with alcohol or sedatives.
There was no sign of Jarod. No phone calls, no packages, no red notebooks to be found. As though he had dropped off the face of the earth, Jarod was gone.
Another month dragged by. Autumn leaves fell and the air took on the chill of approaching winter.
Parker left The Centre at the end of another disappointing week of fruitless searching. She pulled her coat around her more tightly as she hurried down the steps toward her car in the parking lot. The day had been as overcast and dreary as Parker's mood. Now, it was five o'clock and Parker mingled with the mass exodus of other employees as they headed home for the weekend. Men in dark suits and women in lab coats all scurried through the biting wind to their vehicles.
Parker didn't pay much attention to any of them so she didn't notice the group of darkly dressed men that walked nearby. She reached her car and unlocked the door. In a smooth, almost casual, motion a tall lean man veered away from the edge of the group as they went by. In her negligence, Parker didn't see the man approaching.
As Parker began to open the car door, an arm came from behind to grab her. Her scream of surprise was muffled by a cloth placed over her nose and mouth. Parker could smell the distinct odor of chloroform. Strong arms held Parker in a vice as she struggled. As the edges of her vision began to blur, the arms spun her around and Parker looked up into the face of a sweeper. His brown hair had been cut short and his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but he looked as cold and formidable as any other sweeper at The Centre. He held Parker in a deadly embrace with one hand while with the other he pressed the drug soaked cloth more tightly against her face.
Just as her world went black Parker realized that the sweeper standing before her was Jarod.
Parker woke up groggily some time later. She blinked as she surveyed her surroundings. She found herself in a small dreary room. The walls were made of wood. The cabin was little more than a shack and Parker shivered as a draft of chilly air found its way into the room. Her shoes and coat were gone as was her suit jacket. Parker was lying on a wooden bed with a cheap mattress. Her wrists were handcuffed together.
Parker sat up and breathed deeply for a moment as the room spun around. The drug she'd been given hadn't completely worn off yet. Once the world stopped tilting, Parker stood carefully and padded barefoot across the cold floor to the door. With her hands bound, turning the knob was awkward but the door was locked. Along one wall was a rickety looking bureau. Parker opened each drawer as quietly as she could, trying to find something with which to unlock the cuffs.
The sound of a key turning in the lock startled her and Parker dashed back to the cot to curl defensively in the corner.
Jarod entered the room wordlessly, locked the door behind him and placed the key in his shirt pocket. He had changed out of the suit Parker had last seen him wearing. Dressed more like him self now, Jarod wore black jeans and a matching sweater. Propping his back against the wall, Jarod slid down to a crouch on the floor and watched Parker intently.
For several minutes the two of them stared silently at one another. The tension finally became too much for Parker and she broke the silence as she asked, "What do you want, Jarod?"
"I want to forget that I ever met you." He said flatly. "I want to exorcise you from my mind and from my dreams." Jarod sighed. "Can you tell me how to do that?"
Parker stared at him wordlessly. She blinked hard as her eyes filled with repentant tears and her lip started to tremble.
Jarod bolted upright and crossed the room in two long strides, anger emanated from him in waves.
"No!" Jarod growled. He snatched Parker up by the arms and dragged her off the bed. Squeezing her arms tightly, Jarod shook her in front of him like a rag doll. "No more of your crocodile tears." He hissed in Parker's face.
"You can't seduce me with your phony sobbing any more." Jarod said cruelly.
Jarod shoved Parker away and she fell backward onto the shabby mattress. Parker shivered as Jarod's eyes went cold and his gaze raked along the length of her body.
"I don't need to believe in you." Jarod said as he approached the bed menacingly. "I can take what I want."
In a blur of motion, Jarod lunged at her and grabbed the chain between Parker's wrists. He yanked the chain violently to the head of the bed and hooked the links over the bedpost. Then Jarod wrapped a vice like hand around her ankle and hauled Parker down the mattress in the other direction so that her arms stretched uselessly above her head.
Jarod kneeled on the bed between her legs and shoved Parker's skirt up her thighs. He straightened long enough to unzip his pants then Jarod bent over her. Parker's eyes squeezed shut as she heard the fabric of her panties tear and she began to realize what was happening.
'Just like every other moron who has ever crawled between your legs.' Jarod had said to her that horrible day. This was going to be his retribution.
Parker gasped when Jarod forced his way into her unprepared body. Tears sprang in her eyes at the pain. He was hurting her and he knew it.
A sob clawed at Parker's heart as the magnitude of what she had done finally dawned on her. Only now did she understand that her betrayal of Jarod's trust had destroyed the precious relationship that they had shared. There had been a time when Jarod had protectively and tenderly watched over Miss Parker. But now her treachery had reduced them to predator and prey. And Jarod was the one doing the hunting.
Jarod thrust against Parker again. His strong fingers gripped her tightly around her legs, biting into the tender flesh of her thighs. With a shifting of his weight, Jarod pulled Parker's hips several inches into the air allowing him to enter her even more deeply.
As Jarod drove into her a third time, Parker could feel him pressing against the very core of her soul. Her body recognized Jarod's and began to react of its own accord. Her next gasp was a combination of astonishment and arousal.
Much to Parker's embarrassment, her excitement grew as Jarod continued to delve into her flesh. The sensations that ran through her were titillating. The rasp of his denim jeans against her inner thigh, the pinching of metal at her wrists served only to further increase her stimulation.
When Parker moaned with pleasure, Jarod grabbed a fistful of her hair and growled angrily at her.
A moment later, Jarod shuddered his release into her womb. He'd barely finished before he jerked his body away from Parker's and staggered to the door. He fumbled frantically with the key in the lock in a blind effort to escape from the room.
The door slammed behind him as Jarod left. Parker lay gasping and stunned on the bed, staring sightlessly at the ceiling. She was appalled, not only by Jarod's violation but also by the traitorous throbbing of her own body. Frustrated, unfulfilled tears slid down her face and disappeared into her hair.
Parker eventually regained control of her emotions. She managed to unhook her chain from the bedpost but was unable to find anything in the room with which to open the handcuffs. Her wrists were red and tender from straining against the metal. After what seemed like hours, Parker curled up on the bed, wrapped her arms around her legs for warmth and fell into an exhausted slumber.
Parker woke with a start to find Jarod towering silently over her. Her heartbeat quickened eagerly at the sight of him.
Jarod held a pile of clothing toward her. "Your things." He explained woodenly.
He dropped the coats and shoes on the foot of the bed and stared at her expectantly. After a moment, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled a small silver key from within. He tossed the key onto the bed beside Parker.
Parker warily took the key and used it to open the locks at her wrists.
Hugging her coat to her chest, Parker gazed at Jarod sadly. "Is that it?" She asked timidly.
"That's it." Jarod nodded.
Parker stared at him agog. "I don't understand." She stammered.
Jarod shrugged. "Not really what I had planned." He said cruelly. "But I don't see the point of raping you again if you are going to enjoy it."
Parker began to cry again. "I'm sorry Jarod. I am really so sorry."
"Save your tears Parker." Jarod hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't waste them on me anymore."
Parker sighed and nodded miserably.
Jarod's anger deflated suddenly and he gazed at Parker with a terrible look of woe. His chocolate brown eyes shimmered with pain.
"I could have made you happy, Parker." Jarod swallowed.
"It wouldn't have lasted." She whispered sadly. "The Centre would never have allowed it."
Jarod turned his back toward her and walked slowly across the room. When he reached the door he stopped and spoke without turning back. "Tell Sydney that I appreciate everything he tried to do for me. Tell him that I will think of him often."
Parker couldn't speak, so she merely nodded instead.
Parker could not see Jarod's face, but she could hear the sadness in his voice. "Goodbye, Parker." He whispered.
Without another word or a glance back, Jarod walked out of the room, leaving the door wide open. A minute later Parker heard another door open and close as Jarod walked out of her life for good. Parker laid her head in her arms and wept.
---- -----
Parker woke from the dream and found her pillow wet with tears.
With a heavy sigh, Parker sat up and stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror.
Parker was never sure how long she had lain in that cabin alone. But she had eventually left and found her way back home.
Remarkably, no one had witnessed her abduction in the parking lot. Because Jarod had released her and she had returned home before the weekend had ended, no one had even noticed that she was gone. Parker never told anyone about her encounter with the pretender.
Parker had realized almost immediately that her time in the cabin coincided perfectly with the most fertile point in her monthly cycle. She knew the chances were very good that she had conceived. Knowing what Raines and Lyle would do if they discovered she was carrying Jarod's child, Parker had set the stage for an elaborate plan.
Parker had gone to the office Monday morning as usual, never mentioning her adventure at the cabin. She convinced Sydney and Lyle that she needed a vacation in order to freshen her outlook on the pursuit of Jarod. Within two days, she was on a plane to Europe.
Parker spent the next three weeks traveling around the Mediterranean countryside. She met a young French college student named Jean-Pierre. Although her relationship with the young man had been a purely platonic one, Parker had made sure that she had several suggestive photos taken of her self with the student.
By the time Parker returned to work, she knew that she was nearly a month pregnant. Parker went to great lengths to gush to Sydney and Broots about her imaginary affair with the Frenchman. When she pretended to discover her pregnancy another month later, it became common knowledge that Parker was carrying a French college student's lovechild.
Even Sydney had believed that his namesake had been fathered in Europe, for Parker had protected her child's secret fervently. If The Centre had learned the truth, Parker knew that her own life would be forfeit and her daughter would be locked away for rest of her life. Her little girl became the focal point for Parker's entire existence. Nothing was more important that the child's safety.
When the youngster had begun to read, at the tender age of 27 months, Parker could no longer deny the truth. Little Sydney looked so much like her father and her intelligence further highlighted her true paternity. But by then, The Centre had been bought out. Raines had retired and Lyle was off in Venezuela or something. The danger was gone.
Parker was still staring into the mirror when Syd appeared quietly at the door and startled her from her reverie.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Parker shrugged. "I was just thinking about Jarod. I wish I could find a way to get through to him. Convince him that I do care about him."
Sydney entered the room and sat beside her on the bed. "You've always had a soft spot in your heart for Jarod, though you tried for years to deny it." He smiled and put one arm around her shoulders. "Jarod has always known that. But I think that in his anger and disappointment, he has allowed himself to forget."
Parker sighed and laid her head on the older man's shoulder. "He seems even more alone now than he was before."
Sydney nodded. "Jarod works hard to isolate himself now. It's a defense reaction. Pure self-preservation."
"He's afraid of being hurt again." She whispered. "I want to help him. But I don't know how."
Sydney squeezed her gently against him. "Neither do I." He said.
"Momma?" a soft voice called from the doorway. "I'm hungry."
Parker smiled at her daughter and held her arms open welcomingly. Little Sydney hopped into the room and onto her mother's lap, where Parker curled around her in a warm embrace.
"Well, what do you want for dinner?" Parker asked pressing a delicate kiss on top of the girl's head.
"Uncle Sydney said we could have Japanese." The little girl said excitedly. "He knows a place where you sit on the floor and eat with chopsticks and everything."
The elder Sydney chuckled. "I've made reservations for six o'clock. We had better get going soon. That's why I was coming to wake you."
Parker clapped her hands firmly. "Well let's get a move on then."
Sydney was helping his godchild put on her shoes a few minutes later when a knock came at the front door. Parker slipped her arms into her jacket before answering. The smile she'd had on her face vanished when she saw Jarod standing in the hall.
"Hello, Jarod." Parker said cautiously.
"My parents want to meet your daughter." Jarod began gruffly. The preciseness of his words did not escape Parker's attention. "If you are amenable to the idea, I can arrange for transportation to the ranch in the morning."
"Momma?" Parker glanced down at her daughter. The little girl was looking up at her questioningly. A glance at Jarod told Parker that he was glaring directly at her. His eyes avoided little Sydney altogether.
Parker frowned as she considered Jarod's request. With a small smile, Parker caressed her daughter's cheek. The girl's father may have no interest in her, but she had other family here. Parker couldn't rob her child of the opportunity to meet her grandparents.
"Okay." Parker agreed.
Jarod nodded and grumbled at her in sharp clipped tones. "Fine. You'll all need to be packed and ready to go by nine A.M." Without any further comment, Jarod turned on his heel and left Parker standing in the open doorway.
End part3