their heads. “No, we knew a limo was scheduled so we didn’t question it.”
She knew that Mitchell was prone to unknown changes in schedule, just to keep bad guys guessing. If she knew, the agents had to be used to it.
“Who was with them?” Riordan said, his tone harsh, his magnetic hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Did they take them by force?”
The agent’s partner shook his head. “No. The limo driver was a chick. She held open the door for them, they piled in and left.” He looked at his partner for confirmation. “It all looked legitimate.”
A groan carried from the other side of a nearby dumpster. In unison, they whipped around and rushed across the back lot. Another groan followed before a muffled cry. Finding a stack of wood pallets, Jaydan threw several behind them, clearing the area to discover the hairdresser lying on her back. The agents squatted down to help her.
Keegan’s phone rang in her hand, startling her. She looked at the screen. Private . Pressing the connect button, her stomach swirled as her gaze connected with Riordan’s.
“Hello?”
“Keegan, my love?”
A sizzle of fear slithered down her spine as reality set in. Her breath came in short spurts, her body quaking from head to toe. She shook her head in denial. “ No .”
“Yes, it’s me, my love.” Cyrus said, his voice filled with tearful relief. “Thank God. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Cyrus,” she whispered, her hand going to her forehead, her mind reeling in disbelief.
The phone was snatched from her hand. Straightening, she whirled around. Clint stood behind her, his blue-gray eyes thunderous, his square jaw tight.
“Matheson.” His deep, low voice made its chilling edge all the more frightening.
“Who is this?” Over the speaker, Cyrus’s voice shifted from relieved to angry. She could see his flawless, sun-kissed brows lowered over narrow, sky-blue eyes, his mouth pinched into tiny, fine lines.
“You can’t guess?” Clint said, as the others listened in.
She clutched Clint’s arm like a life-preserver, praying he wouldn’t let her fall, praying he wouldn’t let her submerge under the abject fear Cyrus’s voice alone had roused with a roar. Her logical mind told her Clint was the last person she should cling to for safety. However, in that moment, when faced with the two threats, Clint appeared a haven of peace in a forest of panic.
Clint said, “Use that sub-par mind of yours, Matheson, and think about it.”
Her chest tightened in apprehension, knowing that would infuriate Cyrus. The truth settled into her bones like a chilling frost.
Her sister and the others were gone. Cyrus was on the phone.
It had begun.
“I guess you’ll die wondering, Matheson, while I’ll live knowing you’ll never have Keegan again.” The men standing around him grinned with their own brand of menace. “But, tell us where you’ve taken the women and I’ll let you see her—through the cell bars.”
Cyrus’s growl carried to her ears, so familiar, so full of promise. “Hear me and hear me now.” The grins around the group vanished. “I vow on her life you will experience pain the likes of which no one has endured before. I will make you suffer to within an inch of your life before I take her body in front of you. You will die watching us and I’ll relish every moment.”
Her heart stopped, twisting her stomach in a rope of fear and fury.
Don’t give in, Keegan. You’re surrounded by protection. Don’t let him do this to you.
Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath and let it out. She couldn’t let this happen. Whether Clint played them all or proved to be the loyal friend they all believed him to be, she couldn’t let him fight her fight. She had to do this. She had to defeat Cyrus if she hoped to have any peace at all.
However, it couldn’t be at the expense of the others. And, Natalie. God, not her sister. This was supposed to be her wedding day.
Without looking at
She knew that Mitchell was prone to unknown changes in schedule, just to keep bad guys guessing. If she knew, the agents had to be used to it.
“Who was with them?” Riordan said, his tone harsh, his magnetic hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Did they take them by force?”
The agent’s partner shook his head. “No. The limo driver was a chick. She held open the door for them, they piled in and left.” He looked at his partner for confirmation. “It all looked legitimate.”
A groan carried from the other side of a nearby dumpster. In unison, they whipped around and rushed across the back lot. Another groan followed before a muffled cry. Finding a stack of wood pallets, Jaydan threw several behind them, clearing the area to discover the hairdresser lying on her back. The agents squatted down to help her.
Keegan’s phone rang in her hand, startling her. She looked at the screen. Private . Pressing the connect button, her stomach swirled as her gaze connected with Riordan’s.
“Hello?”
“Keegan, my love?”
A sizzle of fear slithered down her spine as reality set in. Her breath came in short spurts, her body quaking from head to toe. She shook her head in denial. “ No .”
“Yes, it’s me, my love.” Cyrus said, his voice filled with tearful relief. “Thank God. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Cyrus,” she whispered, her hand going to her forehead, her mind reeling in disbelief.
The phone was snatched from her hand. Straightening, she whirled around. Clint stood behind her, his blue-gray eyes thunderous, his square jaw tight.
“Matheson.” His deep, low voice made its chilling edge all the more frightening.
“Who is this?” Over the speaker, Cyrus’s voice shifted from relieved to angry. She could see his flawless, sun-kissed brows lowered over narrow, sky-blue eyes, his mouth pinched into tiny, fine lines.
“You can’t guess?” Clint said, as the others listened in.
She clutched Clint’s arm like a life-preserver, praying he wouldn’t let her fall, praying he wouldn’t let her submerge under the abject fear Cyrus’s voice alone had roused with a roar. Her logical mind told her Clint was the last person she should cling to for safety. However, in that moment, when faced with the two threats, Clint appeared a haven of peace in a forest of panic.
Clint said, “Use that sub-par mind of yours, Matheson, and think about it.”
Her chest tightened in apprehension, knowing that would infuriate Cyrus. The truth settled into her bones like a chilling frost.
Her sister and the others were gone. Cyrus was on the phone.
It had begun.
“I guess you’ll die wondering, Matheson, while I’ll live knowing you’ll never have Keegan again.” The men standing around him grinned with their own brand of menace. “But, tell us where you’ve taken the women and I’ll let you see her—through the cell bars.”
Cyrus’s growl carried to her ears, so familiar, so full of promise. “Hear me and hear me now.” The grins around the group vanished. “I vow on her life you will experience pain the likes of which no one has endured before. I will make you suffer to within an inch of your life before I take her body in front of you. You will die watching us and I’ll relish every moment.”
Her heart stopped, twisting her stomach in a rope of fear and fury.
Don’t give in, Keegan. You’re surrounded by protection. Don’t let him do this to you.
Gritting her teeth, she took a deep breath and let it out. She couldn’t let this happen. Whether Clint played them all or proved to be the loyal friend they all believed him to be, she couldn’t let him fight her fight. She had to do this. She had to defeat Cyrus if she hoped to have any peace at all.
However, it couldn’t be at the expense of the others. And, Natalie. God, not her sister. This was supposed to be her wedding day.
Without looking at
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