I wanted to follow Lauren to bed, but I knew she needed some time alone. So instead, I poured myself an extra-large bourbon and one each for my brothers.

“How’s the security guard?” asked Ash.

“Terrible. The bullet nicked his heart, and he fell and hit his head hard.”

“Was there brain damage?” Levi asked.

“They don’t know yet. They put him into a medically induced coma because his brain was swelling. He’s a young kid—it was awful to see him like that.”

“Do they think he’s going to make it?”

“I don’t know.” I gulped my bourbon, anxious to feel it hit. We’d spoken to the attending physician before leaving the hospital, but he didn’t have answers. “They’re hoping the coma will help him heal and let his brain take care of itself without stressing the rest of his body. But I have no idea what’s going to happen. It’s too early to tell.”

“I’m sorry,” Ash said. “He’s Hannah’s boyfriend, right?”

“Yes. He was assigned as her bodyguard, and they hit it off. They’re both in their twenties.”

Ash stared into his drink. “Jesus.”

“Listen, I need you to understand—we have to get this done. I’ll pay you whatever it takes.”

I probably could’ve ordered them to do this—I owned a minority stake in Betts Security. When my brothers started their company, we did a cross-purchase deal with my company, Dynamica, to fund the startup. Levi’s company had been very successful, and part of his success originated from our agreement. Levi owed me, but I held off reminding him because he got douchey whenever I did.

And I needed effective Levi. Not douchey Levi.

“I already told you I’m going to put my best men on this case, including myself and Ash,” Levi said. “And of course, I understand this is personal and it’s urgent. I know you like to be in charge, but you’re going to have to let me do my job.”

I poured myself another drink. “I’m not going to fight with you. You guys are staying here, you’re working for us, and I want to help.” I turned to Levi. “Just please don’t be a dick. Because then I’ll have to break your nose again, and Mom wouldn’t like that.”

Ash laughed, but Levi glowered at both of us. “If I recall correctly, you had some help—it wasn’t exactly a fair shot.”

I shrugged. “Seemed fair to me.” Ash had held Levi when I punched him, but as far as I was concerned, that was water under the bridge.

“Let’s forget about that for now.” I brought the decanter over and poured them each a conciliatory drink. “What are the next steps for getting Hannah back?”

Ash pointed to a picture on his laptop. “The security tape showed part of the license plate on the kidnappers’ car. We’re beginning there, trying to track the plate down. I’m sure it’s stolen, but it’s a place to start.”

“And then we’re going to work with the FBI and the police to see if they have any leads, which I’m sure they don’t.” Levi finished his drink and helped himself to another—apparently, his successful business hadn’t dampened his taste for bourbon.

Not that I had a lot of room to talk. Not tonight.

“Once we get a lead on the plate,” Levi continued, “we’ll start the search. We’ll cast a wide net and try to ascertain their whereabouts. In the interim, I’m going to find out as much as I can. Maybe something will come in handy—I’ll research Zhao’s real estate holdings, or corporate entities of hers that may own real estate—to see if I can find anything local. And we’ll work around the clock. We’ve got you covered.”

That was all I could hope for. “Okay. And Levi?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for being here. This means everything to me. I won’t forget it.”

I went to my room and found Lauren curled up on the bed, weeping. My heart broke as I gently took her into my arms and kissed her cheek. She sobbed and held on to me.

“Can I get you anything?”

She shook her head, still crying.

I cradled her in my arms, wishing I could take her pain away. “Shh, I’ve got you.”

I held her until she finally fell asleep. It took a long time for her body to relax. I tucked her in, brushing the hair back from her face. Her features smoothed out as she finally became oblivious in sleep.

I gently kissed her forehead. “I love you, babe. More than anything,” I whispered, careful not to wake her. “And I am going to make this right.”

* * *

LAUREN

The next morning, I called an emergency meeting with my board of directors. I shivered as I strode through the doors of Paragon, followed closely by Timmy and two of Levi’s guards. Gabe and Levi had both insisted that my personal security be tripled, but I wasn’t worried about myself. All I could think about was Hannah.

Several employees stopped to ask about Hannah. She was a favorite with the staff, always irresistibly upbeat. I answered their questions carefully, saying that we were working on getting her back. I updated them about Wesley—that he was in a medically induced coma, his prognosis questionable.

California sunshine streamed through the windows, but gloominess and paranoia pervaded the atmosphere. My staff looked pale and worried. Eddie had extra guards patrolling the building. We were locked up like Fort Knox, and everyone was on edge.

I nodded at Stephanie, my assistant, as I headed into my office.

Her face was pinched with worry. “Are you okay, Ms. Taylor?”

“No…not at all. But I have a team working on getting Hannah back. And I believe in them.”

“What about the police?” Stephanie asked.

“They’re looking. So is the FBI.” Stephanie loved my sister, and I wanted to give her some hope. They were always chatting and comparing notes on shows like The Bachelorette and other things I’d considered silly. “I promise to keep you posted.”

Her eyes showed a spark. “Thank you. I’ll be praying for her.”

I headed into my office, closing the door behind me. When I considered those things now—the shows, movies, and celebrity gossip Hannah unselfconsciously enjoyed, things I’d always teased her about—it made my heart hurt. What she’d said still haunted me: “I’m the average one.” I’d made her feel that way. Me, with my monomaniacal work habits and my scornful disinterest in normal life. I’d never meant to make her feel average in comparison. Hannah was my heart.

I looked out the window. The grounds surrounding Paragon were covered with dew in the early morning sunlight. How many times had I gazed at this same view, making plans for my company? Even though I had a million things to do, I wandered around my office, feeling lost. Paragon had always been my sanctuary. I’d hidden inside for years, happy to be lost in my research. My ignorance had been bliss, but now I was about to sell my company—my life’s work—to the corporate Antichrist known as Li Na Zhao.

I checked the patch’s sales data from the weekend—we’d surpassed expectations, again. The patient satisfaction surveys were almost unanimously positive: people loved having a quick, efficient, noninvasive medical test. My technology was a runaway success.

Which made this situation that much more maddening.

I wouldn’t be able to control what Li Na did with my company. The patch currently sold for a low price, so most consumers could afford it. Access to affordable healthcare was an important piece of improving the overall health of the planet. I didn’t want my technology priced out of reach, but I knew Li Na would ruin everything I’d worked for by chasing a larger profit.

My phone buzzed, making me jump. “The board’s ready for you,” Stephanie said.

I felt anything but ready. “Okay. Thanks.”

I took a deep breath as I headed into my meeting. My board members had been with me from the beginning. They’d always believed in me and in the patch—now, they were going to witness Paragon’s devastating end.

I sat down and straightened myself, preparing to deliver the blow. “What I’m about to tell you must be kept confidential. I can’t risk the public or our partners finding out any details. It could compromise Hannah’s safety.”

The board members murmured worriedly to each other as I gathered my courage.

I took a deep breath. “I’m selling the lab to Jiàn Innovations. If I don’t pull this transaction together soon, with your blessing, they’re going to kill Hannah.”

Allen Trade put his hand over his heart. “Jesus, Lauren.”

Mimi White winced. Angela Blakely folded her hands together, looking stricken.

This was it. Everything we’d worked for would be taken from us, and this was how it would end, after so much promise.

“What about the police?” Angela asked after a minute. “The FBI? Isn’t anyone doing anything?”

“They’re involved, but there’s a limit to their power.” I shook my head. “My security team believes the Chinese government will refuse to extradite Li Na. With respect to what we can do on American soil, our options are limited. Any legal options would take months or years. We don’t have that kind of time.”

“What about Wesley? And the guards who died?” Mimi asked. “Jiàn Innovations can’t just get away with murder.”

I swallowed hard. “My team’s looking for the people who did this, and so are the FBI and the police. When we find them, they’ll be arrested. But connecting them to Li Na will be difficult—we found that out when Clive Warren was murdered. I know in my heart she’s responsible for his death, but I can’t prove it. I have emails and text messages, but they’re routed through third-party proxy servers on foreign soil. What I have might not be enough to indict her, and frankly, we don’t have time to wait and see.”

“All this, and Li Na’s safe in Shenzhen.” Allen sounded bleak. “But I understand your position—it breaks my heart to see the company sold like this, but our hands are tied.”

I nodded. “Exactly. Of course I don’t want to sell—especially not to Li Na—but I don’t have a choice. The only thing that matters is getting Hannah back alive. Bethany’s started drawing up the paperwork. I’ll reach out to our investors next week and make the announcement to the employees after that. This is going to happen very fast—but I promise to keep you posted.”

The meeting wrapped up shortly after that. There wasn’t a lot more to say, but there was a lot of work ahead. Bethany came to my office to start preparation for the sale. We worked silently for hours. Bethany’s laser-focus mirrored my own, and I found her presence soothing. At least all the work distracted me from thoughts of Hannah.

I reviewed the draft of the Purchase and Sales Agreement and supporting documents as Bethany prepared them, distancing myself from the ultimate meaning of the words. I forced myself to look at them analytically, as if I didn’t have a stake in the outcome of the sale. I didn’t want to think about what I’d lose. I had to stay focused on what I’d get back.

When we’d finished first drafts late that night, Bethany emailed them to Li Na’s attorney in San Francisco. She closed her laptop, grabbed her briefcase, and headed for the door. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

Bethany had been with me from the beginning, so this was hard for her too. But she surprised me by turning and smiling before she left. “It’s a good thing I believe in karma,” she said, trying to sound upbeat.

“Why’s that?”

A glimmer of sympathy lit Bethany’s eyes—she knew how much I was hurting. “Because Li Na’s going to get what’s coming to her, eventually. And I’m going to enjoy the hell out of that.”

I smiled wanly. “I hope you’re right.”

She swished her blonde hair over her shoulder and headed out. “I’m always right,” she called. “That’s why you pay me the big bucks. Now use that big, beautiful brain of yours and figure out a way to screw that bitch over, once and for all!”

I watched Bethany as she disappeared down the hall. Figure out a way to screw Li Na over, indeed. That was exactly what I wanted.

But what can I do to her? What’s her weakness?

My phone buzzed with a text from Gabe, interrupting my train of thought. Babe. It’s late—come home.

I almost felt guilty that I still had Gabe to go home to. God only knew where Hannah was, and Wesley was in a coma at El Camino…

Still, I clutched my phone and hustled to the door. I needed to be with him. We were the only thing that still made sense.

* * *

GABE

Lauren finally got home at midnight. I pulled her into my arms. “Are you okay? I mean, I know you’re not…but I still have to ask.”

She shook her head against my chest. “Just take me to bed.”

As soon as the door to our bedroom closed, she started bawling. “They didn’t find anything today, right?”

“No.” I wrapped my arms around her again. “Levi said it was going to take a while. I’m so sorry…”

She sobbed against me. “It’s not your fault. But I just keep thinking about Hannah… If they’re doing anything to her… I feel so helpless, I feel sick!”

I kissed the top of her head and rocked her back and forth. There was nothing I could do for her except hold her. I got her out of her work clothes and into one of my Harvard T-shirts. Then I held her for a long time, stroking her hair and rubbing her back until her sobs finally subsided and her breathing evened out.

“I wish I could take your pain away,” I whispered when I thought she’d fallen asleep. My heart broke for her. “I would give anything.”

She pulled me against her, awake after all. “You can… You’re the only one who can. Even if it’s just for a few minutes. Just make me feel something.”

She rocked back against me, making me instantly hard. Now that I knew she wanted me, I suddenly had a burning urge to fill her, to take refuge in her.

She turned toward me, our tongues tangling, and an electric jolt went straight to my cock, which throbbed thickly against her thigh. I needed to be inside her.

I rolled her onto her side so I was pressed up against her back. I took the T-shirt off and ran my thumbs over her nipples, which beaded instantly under my touch. She rubbed her ass against me, moaning, as I nipped at her shoulder and neck, showering her with kisses. She leaned back against me, giving herself to me. It made me feel powerful…important. Like I might be able to make everything better, even if just for a few minutes.

I wanted to give that to her. To give myself to her so I could make her forget the pain.

I trailed my cock up and down her slit, getting it slick with her wetness, and she ground herself against me for a few glorious moments. I felt my whole body come alive, responding to hers. Her breath came fast and hot, her movements increasing our friction. I grabbed her hips and positioned her against me, my knee between her legs to open her up.

My cock throbbed against her. I couldn’t wait anymore.

I entered her swiftly, all the way. Holy fuck.

“Oh!” Lauren cried. Then she reached around, grabbing my ass and pulling me in deeper.

I’d learned to follow Lauren’s lead, to listen to her body, and I knew what she wanted. She wanted me deep, and she wanted me hard. I groaned and bucked my hips, already wanting to explode inside her, needing my own release.

I leaned up on my arm, angling myself deeper inside her. I was close to the edge, and I wanted to come, but I held on, because when I came, this would be over, and it felt so good.

I could feel Lauren’s orgasm building as her tight body gripped me harder, pulsing.

I moved over on top of her, covering her body with mine, fucking her mercilessly while she stayed on her side. I was in even deeper in this position, and I felt Lauren’s orgasm begin to rip through her, her body shaking and clenching around me in climax.

She came, calling my name, and I fucked her through her orgasm.

And then I came, finally spending myself into her, giving her everything I had, my thoughts going incoherent, eclipsed by pleasure. She clung to me afterward, and I kissed her sweaty forehead, wrapping my arms tightly around her. “Don’t you ever leave me. I mean it, babe. I couldn’t bear it.”

“I won’t,” she said, breathing hard. “I promise.”

I ran my hand down her cheek. “Whatever happens next, we face it together.”

“Together,” she promised, just before drifting off.

I watched her as she slept, not wanting to take an eye off her, needing to believe she meant it.