by Shelly Bell
“Finn was nothing more than a way to spy on McKay Industries. He means nothing to me. And neither do you. No one matters to me but Father.” Ciara turned her attention back to Ian as if to reassure him of it.
The dynamics between Ciara and Ian caused bile to rise in Jane’s throat.
Ciara hadn’t sent her away to protect her.
She’d probably done it because she didn’t want to lose any of the attention Ian lavished on her.
Her mother looked down at the buzzing cell phone in her hands. “Ryder just went through the gate. I’ll go be a good hostess and let him in.”
“Make sure he followed directions and came alone,” Ian instructed as she breezily strode out of the room. Shaking, Jane prayed that Ryder had some kind of plan to get them out of here.
But apparently, God hadn’t listened.
Because not a minute passed before Ciara marched Ryder into the room with a gun to his back.
Jane jumped to her feet and raced to him. He took her into his arms, careful not to smoosh Maddox between them.
“Are you okay?” His hands were on her back and in her hair. “He didn’t touch you, did he?”
“No.” She swallowed and stepped out of his embrace. “I’m fine.”
“Okay. So I’m here. Now you can let Jane and Maddox go,” Ryder said to Ian.
“Did you bring the SD card with you?” Ian asked.
She looked at Ian, wanting, needing, to know what was so important that her own family was willing to kill her for it. “What’s on the card that makes it so valuable?”
“The program that will make weapons autonomous,” Ryder said. His eyes narrowed on Ian. “So who are you planning on selling it to?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” Ian said, his gun remaining aimed at Jane. “ISIS would love to get their hands on it, but I doubt they could afford it. I’m sure North Korea would pay quite generously for the technology, as would the Russians. Maybe I’ll sell it to all of them. Who’s to say I can’t sell the code to anyone willing to pay the right price?”
“Why didn’t you just kidnap me as soon as you realized there was a piece of code missing from the software?” Ryder asked Ian. “Why kill people rather than just forcing my hand right from the start?”
“What?” Ciara’s face drained of all color. “You did what?” With her gun still on Ryder, she stepped out from her place behind him.
Seemed someone had been kept in the dark.
“Necessary casualties, my dear,” Ian said dismissively to Ciara. “I didn’t want you to worry. I know how little things can set off your depression.” Switching his attention to Ryder, he shrugged. “There aren’t many people who have enough resources to destroy me, but Keane is one of them. That made you off-limits. We even made a pact at the wedding that for the sake of Finn and Ciara, we’d consider each other’s family as our own.”
Considering how Ian treated his own family, that wasn’t saying much.
“When Keane told me he was going to start a restaurant automation business,” Ian continued, “I sent Derek to him. It was a win-win. Keane got designs for his company—unknowingly yours—and I got access to a programmer who could fix the software’s missing code.”
Ryder clenched his fists. If he didn’t have a gun pointed at him, Jane was certain those fists would be flying. “Evan’s suicide? Barbara’s carbon monoxide poisoning? Jane’s car accident? Dreama’s attack? You were behind all of it?”
Ian shrugged. “It was unfortunate that Evan—and possibly Barbara, although I never confirmed it—figured out what the software could be used for. I had to make sure they didn’t tell Keane before I got my hands on it. But Gardner screwed up. The files Evan had created disappeared. I wasn’t pleased when Gardner told me about running Jane off the road. He’d become desperate and desperation breeds carelessness. After he failed to obtain the SD card for me, he was no longer useful.”
How could Ian be so callous? There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Derek would have died even if he had succeeded in his mission.
Jane’s stomach churned.
They weren’t getting out of here.
Her own grandfather was going to kill her.
Ian looked at his watch. “I do wish I had been able to keep my word to Keane, but I’m afraid that circumstances have left me with no choice. The bidding goes live in two hours and my friends around the world would be rather…pissed…if I failed to deliver what I promised.”
Wait. What was that?
It was subtle, just a quick glance at the window and a slight nod, but Jane caught it.
Had Ciara just sent some kind of signal to someone outside?
“And you’re okay with knowing the code will be used by our enemies in weapons against us?” Ryder asked, still deep in conversation with Ian.
Ian bared his teeth in a sneer. “Not my problem. Let our government figure it out. Ciara and I will be retired on our own private island in the middle of the Pacific.”
“Yeah, until the autonomous weapons begin World War Three and your island is wiped away by a fucking tsunami caused by a bomb,” Ryder said.
“We all have to go someday,” Ian said on a sigh. “At least I’ll die in luxury.”
“You already have more money than most people will ever see in their lifetime,” Jane said. “Don’t you care that innocent people like me and Maddox might die because of your greed?”
Ian’s eyes glazed over, giving her the impression that although he was staring at her, he wasn’t really seeing her. “It’s a shame you didn’t get the chance to grow up with me, Jane. Then you’d see that no one is innocent. Life is just one big game and the person who wins it is the one who controls all the power. The code that Ryder wrote is the source of that power.” He looked at Ryder. “Are you really willing to let Jane and Maddox die over it?”
“How do I know you won’t kill them and me anyway once you have the software?” Ryder asked.
“I would never hurt my family,” Ian said.
All evidence to the contrary.
Jane grabbed Ryder by the arm. “Don’t do it.”
Ryder removed her hand from his arm and slid his own into his pocket. He pulled out the SD card and held it in his palm.
She couldn’t hold in her tears any longer. Didn’t care about being strong. Didn’t care who saw them. Ryder had just signed his death warrant.
Ian jerked his head toward the door. “Ciara, put Maddox in the nursery upstairs.”
What the fuck?
Jane quickly weighed her options. She didn’t want to hand over Maddox willingly. But Ciara and Ian had guns. She couldn’t take the chance that Maddox could get hurt if she refused. “Nursery? You were planning this?” Jane said accusingly as Ciara took her son out of her arms without even looking at her.
“Ciara will raise Maddox as her own child.” Ian smiled at Ciara like no father should ever smile at his daughter. “As our child.”
There were so many things wrong with that statement Jane barely knew where to begin.
Without Maddox, Jane’s body shook uncontrollably. Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure it was about to burst. What kind of life would Maddox have with these two? Would they tell him about her or would he grow up never knowing he had a mother who’d died for him?
Instead of leaving the room with Maddox, Ciara quickly deposited him into the car seat and shoved him under a desk. Jane’s pulse pounded in her ears as she realized something was about to happen.
A red laser coming through the window caught her eye.
She wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Ian turned toward the light a second before the window’s glass exploded and a splotch of crimson spread out from Ian’s left shoulder. He raised his gun and pointed it straight at Jane’s head.
She saw her life flash before her eyes. The faces of the people she loved the most.
Ryder shoved her and she tumbled sideways. Ciara jumped in front of her. A gun went off, the noise louder than she’d ever
imagined a gun would sound, and the smell of sulfur reached her nose. She waited for the pain to bloom, the pain that came from being shot, but as her shoulder bounced off the carpet, there was no pain other than from the soreness of falling.
A body lay on top of her.
And another in front of her.
Her eyes took it in and yet she couldn’t process it.
She closed her eyes and opened them again.
There, on her side, was Ciara.
Her mother.
She wasn’t moving and there was blood, so much blood, staining her back.
The sound of multiple footsteps filled her ears as more gunshots rang out. Ryder’s weight pressed down on her, preventing her from going to her mother. She closed her eyes as she waited for it all to be over. There were voices. Lots of them. Men and women. One of them sounded like Keane’s. She’d never felt so helpless until the moment she remembered Maddox was still in the room.
“Maddox!” She fought against Ryder, rolling back and forth in an attempt to get him off of her so she could get to her son. “Let me go! We have to get Maddox.”
“Stay down,” Ryder ordered. “I’ll get him.”
And then the weight was gone.
“FBI! Don’t move!”
“Ciara!”
Jane didn’t stay down. She couldn’t. Not when the people she loved were in danger. She pushed herself to her feet.
On his knees, Finn was by Ciara, kissing her forehead and crying. “No. Damn it. You are not leaving me. Wake up, baby.”
A group of men dressed in all black stood by the door—several of whom she recognized from McKay Industries—with their guns trained on Ian. There were also a handful of men and women wearing FBI vests, some of whom had their guns pointed at Ian and others with their guns on Keane.
Keane and Ian were at a standoff, each with their guns aimed at the other’s heads.
But none of it was important to Jane. Her eyes fell upon Ryder as he stormed across the room toward her with Maddox cradled in his arms.
“Put your guns down on the ground and put your hands on your head,” shouted an FBI agent.
There was a long pause before Keane complied. Soon after, Ian gave up as well.
It was over.
Ryder slammed into her, this time not to protect her, but to claim her, his mouth stealing the air from her lungs. And for a moment she gave in, forgetting the chaos and bloodshed all around them. But Finn crying her mother’s name cut through her sweet reunion with Ryder and brought her crashing back to reality.
She looked over to her mother.
Her eyes were open. Fixed and unblinking. Blood trickled from her nose and mouth.
She knew immediately her mother was dead.
She’d placed Maddox in the safest spot in the room and then had taken the bullet meant for Jane.
She’d saved both their lives.
And now she was gone.
In a little more than a week, everything Jane thought she knew had changed.
People like Keane, Derek, and Ian had fooled her into believing they were trustworthy, while the mother who she’d believed hated her had actually been protecting her since birth.
Maybe if Jane had been less naïve, things might have gone differently. Evan and Barbara would be alive, and Dreama wouldn’t be fighting for her life.
She loved Ryder with all her heart.
But how could she trust her judgment when she’d been so wrong about everyone else?
* * *
Ryder had never been so relieved.
If he’d had his way, he would’ve gone off half cocked and walked straight into Ian’s trap.
Bring the SD card.
No police.
Tell no one.
Yada, yada, yada. Typical psycho kidnapper language.
And Ryder had been so filled with rage and fear, he would’ve followed Ian’s directions to a T. But once Tristan had calmed him down and reasoned with him, he’d called Keane for reinforcements instead.
In the end, his father had come through for him, showing up at Sinclair’s house with his old trusted enforcers, many of whom now sat on the board of McKay Industries.
Oh yeah, and the FBI, although he had no idea how they’d gotten involved.
There were a few minutes there when he thought they might not make it out alive.
But they had…at least most of them.
Finn was kneeling by Ciara, tears streaming down his face. He’d never seen his brother so wrecked. Hadn’t even thought it was possible. He’d always seemed so strong and in control.
He didn’t seem that way now.
The man in front of him was in mourning. Broken.
Ryder would have been the same if the woman lying there had been Jane.
He should have never doubted his brother’s feelings for Ciara. It was obvious to him now that he’d loved her.
Hands together, he and Jane walked over to his brother.
Jane put a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
His brother’s eyes were haunted. “It’s all my fault. I should’ve never talked her into it.”
“Talked her into what?” Ryder asked.
“Taking down our fathers. Working as informants for the FBI. All of it. I swear, Ciara and I knew nothing about your software. I called them after you came by McKay and got them into position here at the house. Keane followed me over here to take matters into his own hands…as he prefers to do. We’ve got enough evidence on both Ian and Keane to lock them up for the rest of their lives.”
Ryder rubbed his temple. “That’s why you were working at McKay?”
Finn nodded. “Keane isn’t all bad, you know. I found plenty of evidence of financial crimes, but from what I’ve pieced together, he stopped his other criminal activities right about the time you left for college.”
“And Ciara? Were the two of you really together or was it just for show?”
“I loved her.” Finn hung his head. “It was real. More real than anything else in my life. I should’ve never approached her at that club two years ago. I should’ve just walked away. Maybe then she’d still be alive.” He pushed off the floor and stood. “The men in our family are cursed.” He let out a pained chuckle. “I wish you two the best of luck. You’re going to need it. I’ve got to go speak to my supervisor and arrange for Ciara…”
Tears gone, he straightened and threw back his shoulders as if he hadn’t just lost his wife. He was all business now as he marched out of the parlor.
Ryder curled his hand around Jane’s waist and pulled her to his side. “I’m sorry about your mom.”
Jane nodded blankly. “Me too.”
A commotion on the other side of the room snagged Ryder’s attention.
“I think he’s having a heart attack!” someone yelled.
Clutching his chest, Keane fell forward onto the floor.
“Keane!” Ryder pushed his way through the throng of people to get to his father. He kneeled down beside him. “Find Finn,” he told one of the agents.
His father’s skin was gray and sweaty and his lips were white. He grimaced. “I need to tell you something before I die.”
“You’re not dying,” he said, taking Keane’s withered hand in his. “The FBI’s worked too hard to see you behind bars to let you go ahead and die on them now.”
“I am dying. This isn’t my first rodeo, kid. Doctor said I didn’t have much time before my heart gave out. Guess tonight was a little more action than I’m used to these days.”
No.
Ryder was supposed to have more time. Time to learn to forgive his father and to let go of all the anger he’d been holding inside of him all these years.
“Maddox is your grandson,” Ryder said, choking back the emotion.
Keane gave a little smile. “I know. I’ve always known.” He coughed. “I’m glad you and Jane found your way to each other. All I wanted was for you to find happiness.” His eyes closed as his body jerked. “I need you and Fi
nn to do something for me when I’m gone.”
“Anything.”
“I need you to find your brother,” Keane said so quietly, Ryder almost couldn’t hear him.
“Finn? They’re going to get him, so just hold on.”
His head rolled back and forth. “Not Finn. Your other brother. Find him.” His father gasped. “Give him…his share and…tell him I looked for him…” His eyes closed and he grew still, his chest not moving.
The medics arrived and tore Ryder away, but he knew they were already too late.
His father was gone.
But he’d left Ryder a parting gift.
A fucking brother.
He could not deal with that shit.
Besides, who knew if Keane’s words were just a delusion brought on by lack of oxygen?
Suddenly, the adrenaline in his body dropped and he was exhausted. All he wanted to do was go home and slide under the covers with Jane and hold her all night long knowing nothing was in their way anymore.
He scanned the room, but he didn’t see her.
Where had she gone?
He found Jane feeding Maddox on the bottom step of the staircase. She didn’t look up as he approached.
“Let’s get out of here and go home,” he said, offering his hand to her. “I need to hold you.”
She still wouldn’t look at him. “I can’t do this.”
“This?”
“Us.”
She wasn’t making sense. She was in shock.
“But it’s over. We’re not in danger anymore. There’s nothing standing in the way of us being together.”
“I know. It’s just…with everything that’s happened…it’s too much.” Her hands were shaking. “I can’t deal with it all right now. I need some time.”
“Fuck time,” he roared, causing Jane to jolt.
Hell, he didn’t want to scare her. But right now she was scaring him.
He lowered his voice and crouched down to speak to her face-to-face. “Please don’t leave me. Just come home with me tonight and we’ll talk about this in the morning.”
“I’m sorry,” was all she said.
He leaned forward, trying to get her to look at him. “What happened to wanting a stable environment for Maddox?”