Chapter Ten

Unlike other criminal activities he’d been known to engage in, he’d always found kidnapping the most exhilarating. Unlike ordering a simple drive-by shooting or getting drugs into the hands of junkies, it took a lot of planning. Not only did you have to determine the optimal time and the place to grab the person, but also you needed a safe location to stash them until you got what you wanted from them. With so many variables in play, he never left the planning to his boys. He did usually let them do the heavy lifting these days though. He’d put in his time being someone else’s muscle. Now he preferred to distance himself from his organization’s activities as much as possible.

Not this time.

Dale insisted the woman remain unharmed until after he used her to get what he needed. Zane didn’t trust his boys with Becca André. They’d leave her breathing but not untouched. Too much money was on the line to disappoint Dale in any way. After, his boys could have their fun with her. Well, after he had his, of course. There was no way he was passing along that fine piece of ass to his boys before he had his fill.

Zane watched her approach her usual bench. He, along with a few of his most trusted employees, had been following her since the day before they broke into her place. The bitch was predictable during the day, making his job so much easier. Although he could take her from her house at night, it would mean getting her security system disabled. Thanks to his connections, he could get it done before she even realized it was offline, but he considered such a tactic his last resort.

His surveillance of her house and neighborhood showed most of her neighbors had security systems with cameras. At this point, he wasn’t willing to risk getting caught on video taking Becca from the house and putting her into a van.

Besides, such a plan lacked any originality. Anyone could force their way into someone’s bedroom and take them against their will. Not everyone could convince a victim to come willingly.

He could.

He’d done it before, and this afternoon he planned on doing it again.

Zane crossed the span of grass toward her. At the moment, she had her head tipped back and her eyes closed. He was only a few feet away when she looked down at the grinder he had watched her buy from a nearby food truck and started to unwrap it.

Whenever possible, Becca left her office and enjoyed lunch on the National Mall. The sight of the Washington Monument looming at one end and the Lincoln Memorial at the other never grew old no matter how many times she saw it. Thankfully, there were both food trucks and fast food restaurants nearby, so she could get a quick meal and enjoy the view.

Although definitely not the healthiest of options, she grabbed an Italian sausage grinder smothered in onions and peppers after leaving the office and then headed to one of her favorite benches near the Reflecting Pool.

As expected, she wasn’t the only one out enjoying the late summer day. Tourists from around the world as well as others who called D.C. home strolled up and down the area, filling the air with a mix of accents and languages.

Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes and let the sun warm her face. When the scent of her lunch made ignoring it any longer impossible, she opened her eyes and unwrapped the belly-buster of a grinder in her lap. Biting into it, she wondered what she and Connor could do outside again this weekend. All too soon the days would be shorter and, unfortunately, chillier. Before the weather changed, she wanted to soak up as much fresh air and sun as possible, and she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather do it with.

Do it. The innocent thought brought to mind her brief conversation with Kassidy. Or, more specifically, Kassidy’s comments about being with a hunk who gave her multiple orgasms in a row, which, in turn, brought up thoughts of the last time she’d been with Connor.

He’d woken her up Wednesday morning in the most pleasurable way imaginable before heading out. Since then she’d spoken to him, but unfortunately, his assignment as the Stones’ bodyguard and the senator’s party kept her from seeing him. Thankfully, he was supposed to deliver them to the airport this morning, so they should have the whole weekend together. For a moment, Becca closed her eyes again and envisioned him naked next to her.

“Hey,” a male voice said from close by. “I hoped I’d see you here again today.”

Occasionally when she sat out here for lunch, people struck up conversations with her. Impersonal and brief conversations, especially with tourists enjoying the capital for the first time she didn’t mind. She hated the instances when men hit on her because she was sitting alone, and they seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable. Whoever this man was, she suspected he wasn’t stopping to comment about the weather or the sight of the Washington Monument. Becca opened her eyes and glanced at the man standing near the bench and interrupting her pleasant daydream.

“Hello.” She gave him a brief smile rather than telling him to get lost like she really wanted to do.

“I often see you when I stop here for lunch. This is one of my favorite spots too.”

Becca didn’t recognize him, but usually she preferred to take in the view rather than who might be sitting on the surrounding benches. “It’s beautiful here.”

“You must work nearby,” the man said.

She hated to be rude, but she saw no need to tell a complete stranger where she worked. “Uh, yes. I don’t work far from here.”

In her experience, when she didn’t encourage more conversation by asking questions, men usually got the hint and left. Hoping the same tactic would work with this guy, she looked straight ahead and took another bite of her grinder.

Her peripheral vision alerted her to the fact that, rather than walk away, her unwanted visitor sat on the bench and made himself comfortable.

“I started working for the IRS back in January. I moved here from Florida and am still finding my way around. What about you? Have you always lived around here?”

As a general rule, she tried not to judge people based on appearances. Sometimes it was difficult, though, and right now was one of those moments. Exactly what it was about the man, she couldn’t say for certain. Yes, he was dressed in a suit and wore a tie, but despite his clothes and polite talk, she couldn’t picture him working for the Internal Revenue Service or any other government agency.

“I’ve lived here for several years. It’s a great city. There are always interesting things going on.” She shifted her position in an attempt to put more space between them and still remain seated.

“My name’s Ross, by the way. What do you say we go grab some lunch? My treat.”

She didn’t care what his name was. There was no way in the world she’d leave this park with him. Becca gestured toward her grinder. “I’m all set, but thank you.” Please take a hint, buddy, and get lost.

The man moved closer on the bench, and his thigh brushed up against her leg. The slight contact set off warning bells in her head.

“C’mon, I know a great little Italian restaurant about ten minutes from here. You won’t be disappointed.”

If he couldn’t take a hint and leave, she would. “I really don’t have time for anything else today.” She checked her watch. “Wow, actually it’s later than I thought. I don’t even have time to stay and finish this. I’ll have to eat it at my desk.” She wrapped her grinder back up and slipped her purse back onto her shoulder. “Have a nice afternoon.”

She stood and took a step away. For the next week or so, she’d be taking all her lunch breaks safely behind her office door rather than risk running into this guy again.

“Please let me walk you back to your office.” The man stood too, making the warning bells echo louder. “Like I said, I see you here all the time. I’d like to get to know you better. If you’re not busy after work, let’s meet for some drinks or dinner.”

“I’m sorry. I have a boyfriend.”

Rude or not, she didn’t stick around for his reply. She walked away as quickly as possible considering her footwear. She didn’t slow down, either, until she pulled open her office door.

***

Ten minutes later, Zane took a long drag from his cigarette. Damn bitch. Now he had to either go into the house and take her or get her as she left work. Either way, he ran the risk of getting caught on surveillance cameras because, like the houses in her neighborhood, the garage where she parked had a few cameras inside. Whichever plan he settled on, he had to decide soon. Dale Fuller didn’t like to be kept waiting. Anyone else, he’d say fuck it and work on his own timetable, but keeping a man like Dale happy only benefited him and his organization in the long run.

The cell phone on the dashboard rang. There was no name on the screen, just a number. He didn’t need a name to know who would greet him when he answered. Fuck.

He took a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it out the car window. “Yeah,” he said.

“Is it done?” Dale asked.

“Not yet.”

All Zane heard for several seconds was the sound of traffic. Dale always called from public places.

“Why not? You said it’d be done by the end of the week.”

He didn’t need to see the dude’s face to know how furious he was. The rage came through in his voice.

“I made an attempt today, like I said I would. The bitch didn’t take the bait.”

“Do what I’m paying you for. Or I’ll find someone who will. ”

If anyone else spoke to him the way Dale was, he’d suffer for it and then find himself at the bottom of the Potomac. But Zane never knew when he might need Dale and his connections again, so he’d let the insult and disrespect slide.

For now.

At some point, the dude would no longer be a possible asset. Then Congressman Dale Fuller would pay for every slight he’d ever given him.

“I’ll handle it,” Zane said, his jaw clenched so tightly his lips barely moved.

He lit another cigarette. He knew Dale was after information and some chick named Kassidy Buchanan. It was why his boys had taken every computer device in the house while also helping themselves to some expensive jewelry. But whatever Dale wanted hadn’t been on any of them, because he issued the order to grab Buchanan’s roommate not long after they delivered the items. Although it didn’t matter, he wondered what kind of info the guy was after.

“Be sure you do.”

Just another insult Dale would pay for in the future. The dude really didn’t know how close he was getting to the end of his rope. If Dale did, he sure as hell would show Zane some respect.

“I’ll call you when it’s done.” Zane disconnected the call and took another drag from his cigarette.