Her Hidden Falls Bodyguard Billionaire Cowboy - Taylor Hart Page 0,45

for a little over three years, and you were supposed to be caught a long time ago.” He pushed out a breath and pointed at her. “But you were slippery, weren’t you?”

Zoey fumed as she heard the smugness in his voice. She tried to speak, hopping up and down as best she could.

“Not letting you free until we get to Rafael.”

Fear pricked the edges of her chest. Why had she stopped running on the beach when she’d heard someone call her name? Why had she gone running in the first place? She should have waited for Sean to wake up this morning to go running with him. But it didn’t matter, did it? Tears pooled in her eyes, and she hated it.

This shouldn’t be happening. She’d done the right thing.

Ugh. She should have listened to Brian. She shouldn’t have trusted anyone.

Agent Sears let out a sardonic laugh. “You know, I should have gotten you in Hidden Falls.”

Zoey’s brow furrowed as she did her best to understand.

“I had it all worked out. I would grab you there and take you to a different location, then claim that I’d been hijacked.”

It would have been the perfect crime. Still, she hadn’t been able to see who was driving the van. Who else was in on this?

He must have read her mind. “No, it wasn’t anyone else. I was the mole the entire time.” He slapped his leg and guffawed like it was all some hilarious joke. “Think I would share the profit? No way. I would have killed anyone who got in my way.” His lips pinched into a hard line and he grabbed her hair, yanking her toward him.

She tried to scream in pain, but the tape over her mouth only allowed her to whimper. All she could think about was how the man reeked of body odor.

“But your little boyfriend’s family had to get in the way, didn’t they?” He scoffed. “Had to be heroes. Then it all got messy.”

He let go and pushed her back. Her head smacked the back of the van. She glared at him again, which only elicited more laughter. Finally, she turned her face to the side of the van. There was no reason to pay him undue attention.

“Man, this is good.” He grabbed her arm, scowling when she flinched away. “Chill, I’m taking the tape off.”

She braced herself, but that didn’t prepare her for when he ripped off the heavy tape. Her skin burned where the tape had stuck, and she cried out.

He spun her to face him. A wide, stupid grin filled his face. “Tell me the truth. You weren’t expecting me on the beach, were you?” He crossed his leg and leaned back, looking pleased with himself. “I thought it might be the beachline where we would grab you. Mind you, it wasn’t easy, because you were always with him.” He tsked his tongue. “But I knew you had that independent streak in you. I knew it.”

Ignoring his childish, immature satisfaction, she tried to focus. “Why?”

“The money.” He flashed her a mock smile. “I know this will shock you, but your boyfriend doesn’t make that much working for the FBI, and neither do I.”

“How much will you get for me?”

“A lot. Been waiting for this payoff for a long time.” A sinister chuckle escaped his lips, and he looked at his watch. “In less than twenty minutes, I’ll be getting the money wired straight into my account. Then, bam! Off to some beach resort.”

Her mind raced, sorting through her options for an escape. She had to keep this guy talking. “I thought Rafael was locked up.”

Agent Sears smirked again. “He was, until I got him out last night and stowed him away.”

Chapter 24

Sean stood in the helicopter, scanning the highway for a vehicle she could be in. Fear pricked the center of his heart, but he squashed it like he would squash a bug at the ranch. There was no room for fear.

Dear God, help her. Help us. Please help us get her before something bad happens.

He had to get her back.

He was on the edge of the helo with his brothers; they were lending their eyes to the search. Sean couldn’t believe they’d all stayed at Kane’s complex, waiting to make sure the trial went well. But it didn’t surprise him, either. They were the Hardmans, after all.

“How did someone grab her?” Ryan asked.

“It must have been the mole. Someone at the FBI,” Sean said. The dot on the screen was getting