Page 29 of Hacker Christmas

I’d downloaded a floor plan off the internet, and both Antonio and Brock seemed to think Harry held her in the study.I would do anything Antonio asked as long as we got Daisy back. After this kidnapping, I wanted to plant a tracking device in her arm. I didn’t care how creepy that sounded. I never wanted to experience the feeling of losing her again.

“The house should be coming into view about a thousand feet ahead,” Antonio said through the comm. Asher had come with a plane full of tackle gear, including comms for us to hear each other as we made our way to the house.

I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and all I wanted to do was get my woman back. I would never let her out of my sight again. I didn’t know what I would do if Daisy died. Aaron and I both needed her. She made us complete. She was relying on us to make sure we got her out of this cabin safety, and I didn’t plan to let her down.

We were within a hundred feet of the house. The woods had become deadly quiet—the only sound was an owl off in the distance. Brock moved swiftly in front of me and cleared a path through the tall grass in the forest.

I still couldn’t comprehend how or why Aaron’s agent had kidnapped her. Yes, Aaron had made him a lot of money over the years, but now he would spend his time in jail. I wondered what he thought kidnapping Daisy would get him. Aaron would never work for him again.

Antonio’s voice came over the comm. “It’s go time.”

* * *

Daisy

“Wake up, bitch.” I was already awake. Then I felt ice-cold water on me. When I awoke, I felt my hands bound to a chair. During my years spent with Al, I’d crafted the act of pretending to sleep. It might havebeen years ago, but I still remembered how to pretend to be asleep.

I slowly opened my eyes to take in where I was and what had happened. The last thing I remembered was going into the bathroom, and my world went black. I had let my guard down. I’d thought nobody would come after me in Denver.How could someone have known we were there?

When I glanced around the room and ignored the overweight asshole in front of me, I noticed we were in a cabin, and it looked like the same trees that surrounded Aaron’s cabin. I let out a sigh. At least I was still in Colorado. Hopefully, Aaron and Neal would find me. I glanced down and noticed they’d taken my necklace.Fuck.

“You think I would have left that necklace on you? I know Aaron’s a control freak and needs to know where you are at all times. But I want to play with you before I let him know I have you.”

Aaron wasn’t a control freak. I wanted the necklace. It made me feel secure. I did learn one thing though: the fucker knew Aaron, so he wasn’t someone from my horrible past. That made it a little easier. “If you want money, I can get it for you. Tell me what you want. Money, drugs? I can get it for you.”

My main goal was to keep him talking and bide my time. I knew my men would find me, and I knew Brock would work at it too. The crazy man paced in front of my chair. As I followed him back and forth with my eyes, I noticed another man in the corner. He hadn’t said a word since I’d awoken.

“Don’t look at him.” The big man nodded toward the man in the corner. “He won’t help you. I’ve made sure of that.”

“I don’t understand what you want from me.”

“I want to see Aaron suffer, and you are my key to that.” His whiny voice hit a new octave that hurt my eardrums.

I worked to remember everyone Aaron had introduced me to in Hollywood a couple days before. This man didn’t look familiar—I hadn’t seen him at all. “Whatever Aaron did, we can fix it, I promise.”

The crazy guy stopped pacing and trained his bloodshot eyes on me. “He ruined everything and for what? A piece of ass. That is all you are.”

“I don’t understand how I ruined everything.”

He grunted. “He left the industry for you.”

Everything seemed to click into place. “You’re his agent.” I nodded to the guy in the corner. “Who is he?”

“I was his agent until you came around and put new ideas in his head.” He waved his hand in the other direction. “He helped me get you. The detective was on your case. He made your men believe you ran away. When this is over, I will tell him where he can find his family. But in case Aaron gets some idea to come after you, I have a backup plan.”

“Bullshit!” I screamed. “There’s no way Aaron and Neal believe I ran away.” I was livid at the fucker who had tried to trick my men. “Aaron and Neal would never believe you. I bet they’re still looking for me.”

The detective in the corner raised his head “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said, his eyes downcast. “I need my family back. I told them it looked like you ran away and they would have to wait twenty-four hours to make a statement. Your friends left and said they would wait until tomorrow.”

“See? They don’t care about you that much.” My kidnapper sneered at me.

“So, what’s your plan? Keep me here until Aaron decides to work for you again?”

“His chance to work in the industry is over!” the fucker yelled. “I want him to pay for making me look like an idiot.” The man wasn’t rational. He wiped his hand across his nose.

“How did Aaron make you look like an idiot?” I really didn’t care what his answer would be. I needed him distracted so I could continue to work my arms back and forth in the ropes—I needed to wiggle out of them. It would be my only chance. I knew my men wouldn’t have given up and walked out.

“I had promised he would do the next movie for Carwel, and the next day, he announced he was retiring. He left millions on the table. What am I going to do now? I owe people money, and Aaron’s next film would have set me up for a long time. Now they are coming for me.”

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