A Billionaire's Holiday Love - Posey Parks Page 0,44
arm. “Unlock the truck and slide behind the steering wheel.”
“Ok.”
I buckled my seatbelt and pressed the engine button the second the rear passenger door closed.
“Keep calm and I won’t hurt Canyon.”
My legs wobbled under the wheel.
Shit, Hope. Hold it together.
A police officer stood at the intersection. “Let’s keep traffic moving,” he smiled, waving drivers through.
I turned into the flow of traffic.
Barker laid on the seat, pointing a gun at me.
“Why do you want to hurt me?”
My fingers gripped the steering wheel tight.
“Because you’re the only person Canyon cares about.”
“That’s not true. He loves his family.” My eyes narrowed in the rearview mirror.
“You threw my plan off just a little. I arrived in town the same day Canyon did. He watched you in town square.”
My heart beat in my chest a million miles a minute.
Was that true? Did Noah stalk me?
“Canyon salivated over you. It was obvious he had to have you.”
Barker laughed. “Canyon followed you into the diner. Funny thing happened as I watched your exchange. You were just as turned on as he was. The moment he made the grand gesture at the ice rink, I created a new plan.” A devilish smile crept across his lips.
“He’d do anything to keep you safe. Even give up his company.” His brown eyes darkened.
My eyes widened and my stomach dropped. “You sick fucking rich bastard. I’ll kill us both and this shit will end now.”
He held a detonator up. “I guess all three of us will die.”
The tiny hairs stood on the back of my neck.
I flashed a smile and waved at the bodyguard sitting in the Yukon at the end of the driveway. He grabbed his phone instantly. He was probably calling Vino.
“Park between the houses. Call Canyon and put the phone on speaker.”
My shaky hands retrieved my phone from my pocket. I tapped Noah’s number.
He answered on the first ring.
“Hope, baby. Are you ok?”
My chest heaved, and it felt like my throat was stuffed with cotton.
“Call off your dogs, Canyon, and she’ll be fine.”
Barker placed the gun against the back of my head. “If you don’t, she’ll die.”
“You sick motherfucker,” Noah roared.
“Hope, talk to me.”
My heart sank. “Noah, I’m here.”
“Baby, I’m coming for you.”
“There’s a bomb in your pocket,” I yelled.
Barker bared his teeth and snatched the phone out of my hand. He threw it against the dashboard. The screen shattered.
“You stupid bitch.” He grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the window.”
My ears rung and my head throbbed. I gripped my head in an effort to stop the shooting pain.
Before I knew what happened. Barker yanked me out of the truck. My body hit the snow like a bag of bricks.
Grabbing my hair, he dragged me to the backyard.
“Please stop. This will only end in a blood bath.”
I reached for my Glock. Barker stomped my hand.
“Ah,” I yelped. My fingers vibrated and throbbed.
“On your feet, you spunky little bitch.”
I limped to a standing position. He wrapped his arm around my neck, shoving the Glock against my head.
“Barker, I’m here.” His wide green eyes came into view.
Noah ran toward us, arms raised.
“Get back, Canyon.” He pointed the gun at Noah, then jammed it against my skull.
I winced.
“I’ll give you what you want. I’ll tell the world I stole your recipe.”
“Noah, don’t,” I shouted.
NOAH
BARKER LAUGHED. “I was right. You’d do anything for her.”
He held his arm firm around her neck.
I had to play it cool. There was no way I’d let this bastard harm my woman more than he already did.
The side of her face was swollen because of me.
“Canyon, three years in a row, my parents took us for a family vacation in Aspen. I wasn’t the best skier, so I took lessons. The second year my skills had improved. I took the slopes by storm. My orange ski goggles kept my identity hidden. You got up in arms because I pushed a few kids down the slopes. You yelled these are my slopes. Don’t let me catch you here again. I was sixteen the last time I returned. I was with my girlfriend.”
Fuck. Blood coursed through my veins. This was revenge for shit that happened when we were kids.
Grudge holding bastard.
“Do you remember that day, Canyon?”
I closed my eyes and palmed my face. He was the kid I scared shitless.
“Tell your girlfriend what you did to me.”
He tapped the muzzle against her head. Hope’s lips quivered.
My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. A piece of me died in that moment.
“Ok,” I bit out.
I