Steve laughed when her brother’s face turned
red.
“ I don’t want to hear it,
not any of it.” Simon made for the door and asked Steve to join him
in the hall.
Hell. He knew exactly what Simon wanted to
discuss and he wasn’t having any of it. Dena was a grown woman and
she was his. To hell with her brother’s puritanical ideas. He had a
wife and three kids at home, so he sure wasn’t a virgin.
Before he could start talking, Simon had
moved him into a quiet corner and said, “I don’t know what your
financial status is, but I’m sure your company is sound, so don’t
take this the wrong way. If you need extra guards, a place to hide
her, anything, just ask. She’s my only sister, and while I don’t
like your lifestyle, I respect her right to choose.”
The man just about knocked him to his ass.
“Thank you, Simon. I care about her, and I won’t let her get
hurt.”
“ I know you’ll do the best
you can, but I’ll still worry.”
“ Let me put your mind at
ease. You know I went into the Navy out of high school. Between you
and me, I did five years as a SEAL. I can handle whatever comes
along.”
“ No shit? Why didn’t I know
that before?”
Steve put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s
not something I advertise. Sometimes surprise works better than a
weapon.”
Simon shook his hand. “When all of this is
over, I’d like to sit down with you for an hour or two. I’d like a
chance to get to know you again. Apparently, you’re not the kid I
knew in high school.”
Chapter 11
Ethan moseyed into the diner and spotted
Lloyd in a booth, his back to the door. The jackass didn’t have a
clue about keeping a low profile and watching his own back. He had
a laptop open in front of him and was aware of nothing but the
screen. Easing through the aisles, Ethan stayed out of Lloyd’s line
of sight until he could drop into the seat opposite him. Lloyd, of
course, flinched and cursed like a sailor.
“ What the hell? You scared
the shit out of me.”
Ethan grinned and tapped the laptop. “Your
fault, not mine. Find anything useful?”
If the man had a clue about who they’d almost
had their hands on, he’d have a conniption fit. She’d been so close
to coming with him, and it hadn’t even been planned. Sure, he’d
been following her ass, but the wreck was a freak of nature, the
scenario falling into his lap like manna from heaven.
Test time. “Almost had her just a few minutes
ago.”
“ What?”
Okay, that was too loud and squeaky for
comfort, even for Ethan. “Calm down, will you? She was in a car
wreck and I tried to help her.”
“ You tried to kidnap her
again, didn’t you?”
“ Yes, but it didn’t work
out.”
“ Were you seen?” Lloyd shut
down the laptop and closed the lid. “Well? Were you?”
“ Yes, she saw me. I was
trying to help her.”
“ Right. Help her do what?
Roll over and give you the passwords?”
“ Hey, she had a bump on her
head. I could’ve talked her into anything.”
“ You have a death wish,
Ethan.” Lloyd grabbed the laptop. “Later.”
Damn. No codes and no help from his one
remaining conspirator. This plan was unraveling much too fast for
his liking. Tomorrow, he’d work on Sara, see what kind of info he
could pull out of her.
As for tonight, he had hot plans, with or
without a girl in tow. A new club was opening and dear ole uncle
big shot was a member. And it was a family membership.
* * * *
Steve pulled into his garage and put the door
down before letting her touch the seatbelt release. Reminding her
to stay in the truck until he came for her, he got out and accessed
the recessed panel next to the trash cans. It might look like a
plastic bag holder, but when it opened, a flat screen panel showed
every part of his home’s interior. Forget dogs, gadgets were a
man’s best friend.
He helped Dena out of the truck and grabbed
the one bag he’d allowed her to bring. The stop at her place was
quick and silent and
red.
“ I don’t want to hear it,
not any of it.” Simon made for the door and asked Steve to join him
in the hall.
Hell. He knew exactly what Simon wanted to
discuss and he wasn’t having any of it. Dena was a grown woman and
she was his. To hell with her brother’s puritanical ideas. He had a
wife and three kids at home, so he sure wasn’t a virgin.
Before he could start talking, Simon had
moved him into a quiet corner and said, “I don’t know what your
financial status is, but I’m sure your company is sound, so don’t
take this the wrong way. If you need extra guards, a place to hide
her, anything, just ask. She’s my only sister, and while I don’t
like your lifestyle, I respect her right to choose.”
The man just about knocked him to his ass.
“Thank you, Simon. I care about her, and I won’t let her get
hurt.”
“ I know you’ll do the best
you can, but I’ll still worry.”
“ Let me put your mind at
ease. You know I went into the Navy out of high school. Between you
and me, I did five years as a SEAL. I can handle whatever comes
along.”
“ No shit? Why didn’t I know
that before?”
Steve put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s
not something I advertise. Sometimes surprise works better than a
weapon.”
Simon shook his hand. “When all of this is
over, I’d like to sit down with you for an hour or two. I’d like a
chance to get to know you again. Apparently, you’re not the kid I
knew in high school.”
Chapter 11
Ethan moseyed into the diner and spotted
Lloyd in a booth, his back to the door. The jackass didn’t have a
clue about keeping a low profile and watching his own back. He had
a laptop open in front of him and was aware of nothing but the
screen. Easing through the aisles, Ethan stayed out of Lloyd’s line
of sight until he could drop into the seat opposite him. Lloyd, of
course, flinched and cursed like a sailor.
“ What the hell? You scared
the shit out of me.”
Ethan grinned and tapped the laptop. “Your
fault, not mine. Find anything useful?”
If the man had a clue about who they’d almost
had their hands on, he’d have a conniption fit. She’d been so close
to coming with him, and it hadn’t even been planned. Sure, he’d
been following her ass, but the wreck was a freak of nature, the
scenario falling into his lap like manna from heaven.
Test time. “Almost had her just a few minutes
ago.”
“ What?”
Okay, that was too loud and squeaky for
comfort, even for Ethan. “Calm down, will you? She was in a car
wreck and I tried to help her.”
“ You tried to kidnap her
again, didn’t you?”
“ Yes, but it didn’t work
out.”
“ Were you seen?” Lloyd shut
down the laptop and closed the lid. “Well? Were you?”
“ Yes, she saw me. I was
trying to help her.”
“ Right. Help her do what?
Roll over and give you the passwords?”
“ Hey, she had a bump on her
head. I could’ve talked her into anything.”
“ You have a death wish,
Ethan.” Lloyd grabbed the laptop. “Later.”
Damn. No codes and no help from his one
remaining conspirator. This plan was unraveling much too fast for
his liking. Tomorrow, he’d work on Sara, see what kind of info he
could pull out of her.
As for tonight, he had hot plans, with or
without a girl in tow. A new club was opening and dear ole uncle
big shot was a member. And it was a family membership.
* * * *
Steve pulled into his garage and put the door
down before letting her touch the seatbelt release. Reminding her
to stay in the truck until he came for her, he got out and accessed
the recessed panel next to the trash cans. It might look like a
plastic bag holder, but when it opened, a flat screen panel showed
every part of his home’s interior. Forget dogs, gadgets were a
man’s best friend.
He helped Dena out of the truck and grabbed
the one bag he’d allowed her to bring. The stop at her place was
quick and silent and
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