Billionaire Undaunted: The Billionaire's Obsession ~ Zane

by J. S. Scott

  “It’s the weekend. The money may not be accessible,” she stalled.

  “They’re Colters.” Sean spit out the name like it was vile. “Those bastards can get anything they want. I want a million dollars in unmarked bills, and the laptop from Zane’s home lab.”

  “Is anybody else there in the lab with you?” Ellie saw Tate nodding at her out of the corner of her eye.

  “Nope. Everybody took the weekend off. It’s just me and the asshole who distracted my woman, turned her head with money.”

  Ellie’s hands were shaking, so Tate took the phone from her, keeping it in the same position. She wanted to argue with Sean, tell him Elena had never been worth all of this, that Zane had never had the slightest interest in her, but she didn’t. Zane had never encouraged the woman. Ellie had seen that firsthand. But it was impossible to reason with a man who had gone off the deep end. Unfortunately, she’d learned that the hard way.

  While she was grateful that Sean couldn’t hurt anybody else in the lab, she was terrified for Zane. “I want to talk to him. Put Zane on the phone so I know he’s still alive.”

  She heard a scuffle and then Zane’s desperate voice. “Ellie, don’t come here. Call the police and let them handle it. He’s not going to let either one of us go. He’ll just kill us both.”

  Sean must have gagged Zane again, because it was quiet as he came back on the phone. “He’s wrong. If you follow my instructions, I’ll let him go. I’ll have the means to become a very rich man with the money and his research. If you bring in the police or I see one police car sitting in front of this building, it’s over. Bring the stuff by morning and come alone. If you don’t, your boyfriend is dead.”

  Ellie panicked as she heard the distinctive sound of a dead line. “Sean! Wait! Please!”

  Tate clicked out of the call and put her phone down on one of the tables in the family room.

  “Disgruntled employee, I take it?” Tate asked.

  Ellie quickly explained everything she knew about Sean and Elena to Zane’s family, which was really very little. Then, she shared everything that had happened on the phone call.

  “So it’s some fortune-seeking bitch who isn’t even worth it,” Marcus commented disgustedly.

  “I don’t know what to do,” Ellie admitted. “I don’t even know how to access Zane’s lab here. He always meant to take me down there, but we never got a chance before we left for Denver.”

  “You know the project he’s working on?” Blake questioned.

  “Yes. Not in depth, but he said he’s been working on some vaccines for some worldwide diseases. Since it was going to take years, he started the project on the side. I don’t know how close he is to being finished, but I know that putting that research into the wrong hands could be disastrous if making money is the only objective to wanting the studies. Zane didn’t want pharmaceuticals. He wanted prevention. That’s why he kept it a secret. He wanted to take the research all the way to vaccines, and he’s meticulous about thorough research and replication before he acts on a discovery. He probably felt he could share the project information with Sean. He’s the director at the Denver office. Zane’s information should have been safe with Sean.”

  “Where’s his lab?” Tate asked urgently.

  “Underground. But it has security.”

  Tate grinned. “Not a problem. Just lead me there.” More seriously, he asked, “Marcus, can you round up the money?”

  The eldest Colter was already texting. “I’m working on it.”

  Ellie led Tate to the entrance of the underground lab and slid the front panel aside. Tate gently pushed his way in, looking at the security device on the door.

  “It’s a fingerprint scanner,” he observed, playing with a few of the mechanisms on the heavy door.

  “So we can’t get in without Zane’s print?”

  “Generally, no. Not unless he reset the door to accept your prints, too.”

  “He didn’t,” Ellie said sadly, wishing she had pushed more to see what Zane was doing in the lab. “I don’t think he wanted me down there alone. He said there were too many harmful substances there.”

  “Don’t worry, Ellie. I can breach the system. I just need to get some tools, and it might take me a while. But no security system is unbreakable if you know enough about them.”

  Ellie knew that Tate was probably one of the best people to have around if she needed somebody to break and enter. “Okay. What else can I do? Should I report this to the police?”

  “Hell, no,” Blake commented as he came to check out what Tate was doing. “They’d have police swarming the building. The minute this asshole sees a cop car, Zane’s chances of getting out alive aren’t good.”

  “He’s right,” Marcus remarked, having followed Blake into the hallway. “The cops are going to do what they’re trained to do. That means SWAT teams, hostage negotiators, and all of the other things that will get Zane killed. Once Tate breaks into the lab, we’ll handle this.”

  “I’m going with you,” Ellie said stubbornly. “He told me to bring it, and if he sees you guys, it could turn out badly. Besides, I know the building. I know how to get in without being detected. I have the codes for the alarms, and I know where the lab area and offices are located.”

  “You’re not going,” Tate said flatly. “Zane would never forgive us if something happened to you. Christ! You’ve just recovered from being kidnapped.”

  “If you don’t take me with you, I’ll show up there anyway,” Ellie argued. There was no way she was staying behind.

  “I’m going, too,” Blake insisted.

  “Neither one of you are trained in hostage situations. Just let Tate and I deal with it so nobody else gets hurt,” Marcus said gruffly.

  Ellie crossed her arms and glared at all three men. “I have to go. He’s expecting to see me. How do you think you’re going to explain when I don’t show up? If you catch him off-guard, we might have a chance.”

  “She has a point,” Tate ventured. “But you know Zane’s going to be pissed.”

  Blake shrugged. “Better angry than dead.”

  “I don’t like it,” Marcus rumbled. “It’s too dangerous for Ellie.”

  Frustrated, Ellie turned around and went back into the family room, hoping for some backup. All three men followed.

  “It’s not that we don’t think you can do it, Ellie,” Tate said as he entered the family room with the others right behind him.

  “Then tell me what it is, because I’m going to be there whether you like it or not. It’s Zane’s only hope right now. If he sees you two, he could kill Zane.” She took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

  “You have to understand that we can’t put your life in danger. I would kill anybody who let Lara come to any harm, including one of my brothers,” Tate answered irritably.

  “I’m going, too,” Lara informed her husband matter-of-factly. “You could use another skilled professional with a gun.”

  “Like hell you will,” Tate argued angrily, giving Lara a warning glance.

  Ellie saw Chloe sitting on the couch with a crying Aileen, trying to comfort her mother. All this arguing wasn’t making this any easier on Aileen or the rest of the family.

  “Stop!” Ellie raised her voice to be heard over all the noise. Now wasn’t the time for debating. “I think all of you need to understand that nothing will keep me from being in that building tomorrow morning. Zane saved my life. He never gave up on me, even though he should have.” She hesitated before adding, “Since he never gave up on me, I’m never giving up on him. I’d rather die trying than live in this world without him.”

  Tears were streaming down her face as she finished her speech.

  “We know you care about him,” Blake said quietly.

  “I. Love. Him.” Ellie put emphasis on each word. “I love him more than anything else i
n this world.”

  God, she wished she had told Zane how she felt. Now, it seemed so petty to be worried about his reaction.

  “Are we going to make a plan, or are we going to sit here and argue?” Marcus asked drily.

  They all decided that a plan was the best option.

  Zane knew he was going to die. It was just a question of when Sean decided to off him. The only consolation he had was that at least Ellie wasn’t here with him, and he knew his brothers would keep her safe.

  It had been a long night, Sean keeping Zane in a state of semi-consciousness so the guy could sleep.

  Like it wasn’t enough that he was tied to a chair in Sean’s office with so much overkill that Zane couldn’t possibly get loose. And dammit, he’d tried. Over and over again. The moment he started making too much noise, Sean would wake and bash him over the head again. Thankfully, Zane could hear his employee snoring from his office chair behind him now.

  Really, he found it pretty ironic that he was being held captive in an office he owned and had given to Sean when he’d hired him not all that long ago. It was a damn nice office, too. Now, he regretted not putting his director in some crappy cubbyhole somewhere instead of granting him an executive office as nice as his own.

  Zane tried not to make a sound as his head began to clear. He wanted to be awake and conscious in case the police arrived, to see if he could do anything to help keep himself alive. Honestly, he’d expected police intervention way before now. It was definitely morning, and by looking at the sun rising through the window, it was well beyond dawn.

  Fuck! He hoped to hell that Ellie wasn’t planning on carrying through on Sean’s demands. The bastard would kill them both in a heartbeat if she came walking into the building with the stuff Sean wanted. Zane’s heart chilled.

  Whatever Sean’s issues were, they weren’t with Zane. He’d just become his employee’s fixation, a target that didn’t really exist.

  Why did I never see the signs? How was he able to hide this side of himself for so long?

  Zane knew it happened. Hell, he’d just seen a news story about a father, husband and seemingly normal man with no criminal record who just went off one day, killing multiple people in a mass shooting.

  Maybe Elena’s apparently final desertion had set Sean off, but Zane had no doubt that Sean’s mental issues had always existed and had been hidden away, just waiting for the right reason to go psychotic. The guy might have a brilliant scientific mind, but in other areas of his brain, there were definitely some major problems.

  Turning his head slowly, he looked at the clock.

  Almost nine!

  He was getting nervous, worried about the fact that the police still hadn’t showed. Was Ellie really going to try to bring what Sean wanted? Please God, no!

  Not possible. I never got her access to my lab in Rocky Springs.

  However, Zane knew that Ellie would have needed to work with his family if she wanted the money Sean wanted, and his brothers could be downright dangerous. With Tate and Marcus’s skills, Zane didn’t doubt they might try something themselves. It was the only explanation for why the police weren’t here.

  God dammit! The last thing I want is for any of them to get hurt.

  He would probably have a better chance of getting out of this alive if Tate and Marcus were planning something together. Truth was, he wanted to live. Zane didn’t want to leave Ellie on this Earth alone, and he wanted to be around for her. They hadn’t had enough time yet. He wasn’t ready yet.

  I never told her how much I love her.

  That was Zane’s deepest regret. Maybe he wasn’t a romantic guy, and maybe he hadn’t been all that good at telling Ellie exactly how he felt. But damn! How hard was it to tell her that he loved her, that he’d do damn near anything to see her smile?

  Obviously, it was difficult or he would have already told her. He hadn’t wanted to scare her off by pouring his heart out all at once. Now, he wished he would have just taken the chance.

  Sean’s snoring suddenly stopped, and Zane quickly closed his eyes. Better to look like he was still unconscious until something happened, and he knew something would. He knew his brothers, and they weren’t going to leave Zane’s fate to the police, especially when Sean had threatened to kill him the minute he saw a police car.

  Something was going to happen. He knew his family was up to something. He just wished he knew exactly what they had planned.

  Ellie waited long enough for Tate, Marcus, and Lara to gain access to the ventilation system. She’d let them into the building through the delivery entrance with her key before coding in the numbers that would stop the alarm system in the area, and relocking the back entrance after the three of them were in place.

  Once their plan had been worked out the night before, Blake had been excluded because what they were doing wasn’t exactly the way the government would approve of handling the situation, and Blake had a senator’s seat to consider. He hadn’t been happy, but he’d finally bowed out, mostly because he didn’t want to be a hindrance since he had no experience in law enforcement.

  I have to be patient. I have to give them time to get through the ventilation system.

  Ellie hadn’t slept, but she was far from tired. Her nerves were on edge, and her hands were shaky as she made her way to the front entrance of the building. She knew she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t afraid, but it was Zane’s life she was afraid for right now.

  What if he’s already dead?

  She had to stop and take a deep breath, clear her mind of negative thoughts. There’d be no functioning the way she needed to if she panicked.

  A cold chill ran down her spine, and she instantly knew she was being watched. The window in Sean’s office looked over the entrance, and Ellie was positive he was scrutinizing her every move.

  Hefting the duffel bag over her shoulder so he could see that she was carrying a bag and a laptop under her other arm, she unlocked the door of Colter Labs and stepped inside.

  With a glance at the alarm panel, she noticed that the system for the main building was off. Sean had either never reset the office and reception alarms, or he’d just shut them off before she entered.

  Her phone rang, and she startled, nearly dropping Zane’s laptop. Hurriedly, she sat the bag and the computer on the receptionist desk and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jeans.

  She looked at the caller ID before she answered. “I have what you want. Now I want a trade.” Her voice was surprisingly firm. Anger that Sean had brought Zane into his crazy game was fueling her courage right now.

  “Come up to my office alone,” Sean warned.

  “I am alone,” she shot back at him. “I’m on my way, and I want to see Zane.”

  “He’s here, and he’s not very happy right now,” Sean replied cheerfully.

  “What did you do to him?” Ellie asked furiously, only to find that the line was now silent.

  “Dammit!” She shoved her phone back in her pocket and gathered up the items on the desk, and then made her way to the elevators that led to the offices.

  By now, Tate, Lara, and Marcus should be in position. Ellie wasn’t sure what had finally made Tate relent and bring Lara along with him. But Ellie had heard him remind his wife of her promise before he’d gone into the building, so Ellie knew Tate didn’t believe Lara should be anywhere near the dangerous situation.

  Ellie took some deep breaths before the lift stopped at the floor where Sean’s office was located, trying to keep as calm as possible. Her greatest fear was that she couldn’t save Zane.

  He never gave up on me. I won’t give up on him.

  The words had become her mantra, her strength. She’d give her life in exchange for Zane’s in a heartbeat; she was just afraid that she wouldn’t have the chance.

  Sean’s office door was open, and Ellie felt her heart hammer
ing against her chest as she walked into the space slowly, frantically looking for Zane. “Where is he?” she asked, feeling like she wanted to smash the evil smile off Sean’s face as he greeted her at the door.

  “I’ll take those,” he growled menacingly, snatching the duffel bag and laptop from her arms.

  Her eyes caught sight of one of Sean’s office chairs moving, a pair of hiking boots flat on the floor. “Zane!” She ignored Sean, who was rifling through the bag to make sure it contained real money, and ran to the chair.

  Fury coursed through her body as she saw how he was literally tied from neck to knee into the chair, blood streaming from his head, his face bruised. “You bastard,” Ellie turned and cursed at Sean. “You hurt him.”

  “I didn’t say I wouldn’t have a little fun,” Sean answered nonchalantly as he pulled his handgun from his waistband and pointed it in their direction.

  “You said you wanted a trade.” She tried not to flinch as Sean carelessly waved the gun in the air before retraining it toward her and Zane. She kept Zane’s back to Sean while she faced him, her body beside Zane’s chair. If Sean was going to shoot Zane, he’d have to come through her first.

  “Surely you aren’t that ignorant, Ellie,” Sean answered. “If I let you go, then what? I’d be on the run for the rest of my life. That’s not the way I have things planned. I kill both of you, and by the time they find your bodies, I’ll be on my way out of the country. I have a charter waiting, and I can sell scientific discoveries anywhere. A million dollars can go a long way to setting me up where I’ll be safe.”

  “Zane’s family will hunt you down like a hound dog on the scent of a rabbit. They’d chase your ass to the end of the Earth if they had to,” Ellie hissed.

  “There are places that even the Colters can’t reach. Besides, they can’t prove that you two didn’t have a little domestic dispute and ended up with a murder/suicide situation. I can make it look that way.”