Authors: Melissa Gaye Perez
“Lia…is that guy putting the moves on you?” he asked bluntly.
Now it was Lia that looked surprised at his accusation. “No I swear. I would just much prefer your company over his is all,” she insisted.
Randle didn’t look satisfied. He looked as if he didn’t’ believe a word she spoke but went about his lunch without speaking any more about it.
Neither of them hesitated to continue their meal. “So what time are you leaving?” she finally asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” he snapped back.
“I’m just curious is all,” she retorted. “I wanna make sure I kiss you good bye.” She looked at him impishly.
“You’re
not
going.”
“You’ve already made that quite clear,” she sullenly replied.
Randle saw her displeasure and truly felt empathy for her. He knew it had to be boring being alone all the time, but just wasn’t willing to risk her better well being by having her travel around with him.
“I’m leaving at 3 o’clock,” he then stated. “James is fueling up my jet now.”
Lia looked surprised that he had actually told her. Her eyes returned to her plate and she took another bite of the lasagna. “That soon?”
“I have an urgent problem to take care of and that’s why you’re not going. There could be trouble and I don’t want you there.”
Lia looked at him not at all surprised. “Okay,” she whispered out. But the disappointment was still on her face. “How long will you be gone then?”
“Hopefully just one or two days. As long as things go smoothly I shouldn’t be long at all.”
That told her he wasn’t really expecting trouble. He just didn’t want her with him.
Randle took his last bite, wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin and stood up. He bent to kiss her cheek. “Now I’ve gotta get my stuff packed. I’ll be back down in a bit.” He left the room and ascended the stairs.
Lia watched him make his way around the curved walkway on the balcony above until she could see him no more. Then she heard his bedroom door slam closed. She immediately rose from the table and ran up to her own bedroom as well.
Finally it was just before 3 o’clock. Lia opened her bedroom door and peeked out. She could see Randle’s back as he carried a couple of bags down the stairway. Two of his men were waiting for him just below. She too had packed her bags. She was intent on going on this trip with him and was not yet ready to give up hope. She opened the door, grabbed her bags and ran down the stairs.
Randle put his hands on his hips and looked at her with a silly smirk on his face as she now came to stand in front of him and dropped the two suit cases to the floor just at his feet.
“I
am
going with you,” she persisted.
The two men laughed out loud. Randle ignored them. “Princess, what am I gonna do with you?”
Lia just stared back nervously with a gleam of hope in her eyes. He hadn’t said no yet so felt there might still be a chance. One of the men grabbed Randle’s bags and carried them out the front door to the waiting car just outside. The other stayed as if waiting for him to make his decision.
Randle took in a deep breath. He reached his arm out in her direction. “C’mon,” he stated as he took her arm and led her out the door. The other man now picked up Lia’s bags and carried them out behind them.
“Yes! I knew you’d let me go! I just knew you would,” she exclaimed victoriously.
Randle just shook his head and laughed as he opened the car door and motioned for her to get in.
Jeffery then approached Randle. “It won’t take me but five minutes to pack a bag.”
“Don’t bother,” Randle retorted harshly.
“But if Lia is going I need to be there.”
“No you don’t.”
Jeffery looked surprised. “But she’s my responsibility sir.”
“No Jeffery, she’s not. Princess is MINE! And your services are not needed this time. I’ll take care of her.”
Lia was already sitting in the car but watched and listened through the open door. She too was startled at Randle’s reaction. But she wasn’t about to question his decision now for fear he might change his mind.
Finally Randle climbed into the back seat of the car and sat next to her.
Lia threw her arms around his neck once he settled into the car and kissed his cheek. “I promise not to be a pain,” she insisted.
“I’m telling you right now Princess,” he began with a domineering tone. “You had better do exactly as I say at all times or I’m gonna whip your little ass!”
Lia giggled knowing he’d never laid a hand on her before. “I promise.”
“I mean it!” he threatened.
She laid her head on his shoulder with her arms still around his neck. Randle could see the excitement on her face as they now drove toward the airport but he was not at all enthused about her presence.
The car pulled up next to Randle’s private jet and they all got out. The two other men opened the trunk and began to move the luggage from the car to the plane’s cargo area. Lia quietly followed Randle on board the aircraft. She had never flown anywhere with Randle before and this was her first time on his plane. She quickly looked all around and was aghast at its luxury. A small mini wet bar to the rear just before a small hallway with a bathroom on either side. Sleek leather benches on the side walls and matching captain’s chairs strategically placed throughout.
Lia chose one of the captain’s chairs next to the window and made herself quite comfortable. Randle took the one next to her and finally the two other men and the pilot were onboard as well. Lia had just realized she has never been outside of Texas before and was getting even more excited than ever now about their trip.
“Randle what part of Arizona are we going to?”
“Phoenix.”
“What’s in Phoenix?”
“Lot’s of people,” he joked back.
Lia grinned at his remark. “C’mon, you know what I meant. Why are we going there?”
“Quit being so nosy will ya? And I already told you, I have business to tend too.”
She clearly saw he wasn’t going to tell her anything about his business. She knew he wouldn’t to begin with and really wasn’t sure why she had asked in the first place.
The plane began to move and make its way to the runway.
“Is it scary to fly?” she then asked looking up at Randle now with slight fear in her eyes.
Randle laughed at her. “Are you sure you don’t wanna stay home?”
“Absolutely not! I’m getting sick of that place,” she responded with a smile.
The plane sat still for a moment then with so much intensity it thrust forward and Lia felt her body being pulled against the back of the chair. She watched intensely out the window as it lifted off the ground and into the sky. All the people, buildings and cars below began to look like tiny ants.
“This is sooo cool,” she exclaimed never looking back.
“I can’t believe you’ve never flown before,” Randle stated.
“I can’t believe I haven’t either seeing how you have your own private jet and all,” she threw back at him.
“Okay, I get the message.”
Then she turned in her seat to face him with so much excitement about her and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Hey Randle, can we fly to Paris, France when your done in Phoenix?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Randle let out a sigh as he reached down to pull up the lever that reclined back his chair and kicked up the foot rest then closed his eyes still with a big smile on his face.
“This is gonna be a
long
flight.”
The remainder of their nearly three hour flight was basically quiet. Randle had fallen asleep and Lia stayed stuck to the window practically the entire trip enjoying the view of the earth from above. The pilot finally announced they needed to put their seatbelts back on because he was preparing to land.
Lia finally pulled herself from the view of the window and reached over and began to shake him.
“Randle…wake up Randle we’re fixing to land.”
He finally awoke and looked at her bright face more full of excitement than he had ever seen.
“Is it over with yet?” He teased then kissed her right on the forehead.
“Almost, we didn’t crash and now we’re fixing to land so buckle up,” she ordered.
Lia returned to her window view and was awed now seeing this new city with its beautiful palm tree lined avenues and all the surrounding mountains as the plane descended and began to circle the airport below.
“Oh Randle, I think I’m gonna love it here.”
“It’s just a couple days Princess then back home,” he warned demandingly. “And you had better not leave my sight! I mean it!”
The plane came down smoothly and taxied its way to a private hanger where a man standing next to a black SUV with dark tinted windows was waiting for them.
Lia stood silently just outside the vehicle feeling the hot air as it blew through her hair and watching Randle chat with the man at a distance while the other two men they traveled with that she now knew as Mark and James were placing their luggage into the back of the SUV. Finally the man walked to the driver’s side of the vehicle at the same time Randle approached her and opened the back passenger door.
“Get in Princess we’re going to the hotel.”
She didn’t hesitate as she got in and scooted to the middle of the seat and Randle climbed in beside her.
“Is there a pool at the hotel?”
“I’m sure there is but you’re not getting in it.”
“Why not?”
“Here we go again,” he answered as he put his left arm around the back of her shoulders and squeezed her head against his chest with his right and gave a playful rub to the top of her head.
“Why do I love you so much Princess?” he asked teasingly.
“Can we at least stop to get something to eat?”
“No. We’re going straight to the hotel.”
“But I’m starving.”
“Look Princess,” he started as he brought her face up to look him in the eye with a deeply serious expression about his face.
“I’m not here on a pleasure trip. I told you it was urgent business. We’ll get something to eat as soon as we get settled into to our suite at the hotel and I make a couple of phone calls okay?”
Finally they reached their destination, a comfy three bedroom suite at the swankiest hotel in Phoenix. Lia quickly searched every room as the valet wheeled in their bags. Marc and James picked out their luggage from the valet’s cart then disappeared off to the two bedrooms on the opposite side of the room from the master suite that had a small living area dividing them. Randle motioned for the valet to take the rest of the luggage into the third room.