Read Online CrossFire (Love & Lies #1) by Alex Strong - Free Book Online Page A

phone first, so that he can say good-bye to his only daughter? Isn’t losing his wife to cancer bad enough?”
    Reid’s eyes flew open as he remembered the night Jillian asked him over.
    “Jillian wasn’t being paranoid last week, was she?” he asked. “You were in her house.”
    Casimir laughed. “Well, not me personally. But yes, I have been watching her. She really is quite lovely when she sleeps.”
    Reid’s stomach turned. “But how did you know she was even connected to me? I’d only just met her at that point.” His head was swimming with all the questions.
    “That is not something you should worry about right now. You need to figure out how you are going to get those codes to me.”
    Reid knew that was never going to happen, but admitting it would only get Jillian killed. He needed to buy her time.
    “Put her on the phone,” he said.
    “We have a deal, no?” asked Casimir.
    “Just put her on the damn phone,” Reid growled.
    “Reid?” Jillian’s voice was shaking.
    “Have they hurt you?” he asked.
    “No. Well, yes, but—Reid, what the hell is going on?”
    “I need you to listen to this man, Jillian. His name is Anton Casimir and he is incredibly dangerous,” he said. “But I will come for you. I just need you to be strong. Can you do that for me?”
    “Yes,” she said, and Reid believed her. Now he just needed to hold up his end of the deal.
    “Good. Put Casimir back on the phone. I’ll see you soon.”
    “Okay.”
    Casimir’s voice came on the line again. “You have very good taste, Agent Jackson. It would be a shame for her to become—what is the words—collateral damage. A waste even.”
    “If you lay a finger on her I’ll—”
    “You will what?” Casimir laughed. “You are in no position to make threats.”
    Reid took a deep breath. “What’s the plan?”
    “Good. We are on same page then. I think the best solution is for you to bring me John Davies.”
    “He’s in protective custody,” said Reid. “Even I can’t touch him.”
    “The how, Agent Jackson, is not my problem. If you ever want to see these beautiful brown eyes again, you will bring him, or something just as valuable, to me. You have twenty-four hours, when I will call with further instruction. Keep this phone on you, Agent Jackson. And don’t do anything stupid.”
    The line went dead.
     
    Anton Casimir pocketed the phone and exited the Mercedes.
    “Come, Miss Sandro,” he said, extending a hand to help her out.
    Jillian considered her captor holding the door open as she slid out without taking his hand. She always imagined kidnappers to be hard ruthless men. Thugs even. Yet this man struck her as well-groomed and polished. His salt-and-pepper hair was cleanly cut and brushed forward with a straight cut over the bangs. The severe scar over his left eye was the only thing suggesting he had ever been involved in any kind of scuffle. That and his threatening gaze. She looked out to the end of the pier they had just arrived at. She also never imagined them owning such impressive yachts.
    They stepped onto the aft end of a ship with an outdoor seating area, complete with lounge chairs and a small hot tub. Casimir led her past this through sliding doors and into a plush living room decorated in rich wood and stark white. Beyond this room was a dining area, where breakfast items had been laid out and a gentleman in dress slacks and a button-down shirt was seated, typing something into his phone. He looked up and flashed a smile that Jillian felt was far too charming given the situation.
    “Is this her?” he asked in a British accent as he stood.
    Casimir nodded and walked up to the table to sample a custard.
    “ Dobre, ” he said, nodding.
    A steward Jillian hadn’t even noticed in the corner nodded and left the room.
    “This had better work,” said the English stranger.
    Casimir waved him off. “It is all going according to plan.”
    The English stranger stepped into Casimir’s space. Jillian