Grant

Val!

Grant fought against the tangle of the fishing net. The dark embrace of the turbulent waters stifled his lungs. He broke free and swam to his sister but a burst of white bubbles momentarily blocked his path. His hand pushed through the watery barrier, baffled at the sight of the woman floating in front of him, her face obscured by a mane of chestnut and gold. His fingers dragged away the curtain of hair to expose her face. Blaire’s hazel eyes stared at him, unseeing, and a silent roar clawed up his throat.

The Gulfstream touched down in a private Miami airfield owned by one of Grant’s business associates. Their plane taxied straight into a hangar. Out the window, he could see Liam standing in front of two Hummers. Grant didn’t waste any time, and, as soon as the pilot gave the go ahead, he was up from his seat and heading toward the exit.

“Mr. Thorne!” Jake growled after him.

“See to our cargo,” Grant threw over his shoulder. He heard Jake pass the order to Tyler, but his security lead stuck to him like white on rice. He descended the steps of the plane and saw Liam heading straight for him.

Aggression was evident in every line of the man’s body. Jake picked up on the hostility and stepped in front of Grant, but he pulled his man back. If there were a score to settle, he’d rather get that over with so they could focus on finding Blaire.

“Stand down. No matter what,” Grant put a hand in front of Jake’s chest. “I mean it.”

Jake’s eyes passed briefly over Grant before narrowing at Liam in warning.

When his bodyguard stood back, Grant turned to Liam who was upon them. Pain exploded at the side of his jaw and he staggered back.

Grant threw a hand out reminding Jake not to engage.

“Mr. Thorne,” Jake gritted out.

He faced Liam again and the man threw a second punch and jarred the other side of his face.

Grant swore, shook off the pain, and glared at the older man. “That’s all your gonna get until you tell me where Blaire is.”

“I should kill you,” Liam said hoarsely. His face was contorted in ravaged lines that set off alarms in Grant’s head.

“Is she alive?” he asked the one question he didn’t want to ask, and yet it was the one question he needed answered.

Liam nodded with difficulty. “But those fuckers hurt her. Bad.”

A tide of fury ripped through his body, but Grant reined it in. “As long as she’s alive, nothing else matters.” And that was the truth. Just before their plane landed, he woke up to a nightmare that had shaken him to the core. Grant wasn’t a religious man but he’d found himself bargaining with God. Blaire could return to him a damaged woman … all he wanted was for her to be alive and breathing. If he had the ability to absorb her pain for her he would. He didn’t care if it took a lifetime to make her whole again. He would always stand by her. His face must have shown his determination because Liam’s face softened to a degree.

“She’s a fighter,” Liam said gruffly and then he turned to Jake. “The contents of the storage unit are in that crate.” He nodded to an eight-by-eight pod beside the Hummer.

“You had it all along, you son of a bitch,” Grant snarled, getting into the other man’s face.

“Calm your shit, Thorne,” Liam snarled back. “You don’t know what I sacrificed to get this. While you were busy playing real estate mogul in Manhattan, I had to make decisions whether to let a person live or die. To save Blaire, there was only one choice. If she dies, I’m coming after you.”

“You’ll have to come through me first,” Jake snapped, this time shoving himself between his boss and Liam.

“Easy, Donovan,” Grant said grimly. “I’ll face your kind of justice, Watts.”

Jake turned his head and glared at him. “Respectfully, sir? You’re a pain in the ass to work for.”

Liam smirked. “I like this guy.”

Grant exhaled in exasperation. “So what’s the plan? What are we going to do?”

“Not we. My men and I. You guys stay here. This could get messy, and Blaire will have my ass if I involve you in this shit.”

“I’m already involved in this fucking shit,” Grant gritted through his teeth. “I go where you go.”

“Boss …” Jake started, frowning.

“Have you ever killed anyone, Thorne?” Liam mocked.

“No, but I’m a pretty good shot,” he returned. “You say it like taking a life is equivalent to a badge of honor.”

“There’s nothing honorable about taking a life, but if it comes down between them and us, there’s no time to hesitate,” Liam turned his eyes on Jake. “How about you, Donovan, ever killed anyone?”

Jake’s expression turned to stone. “I don’t talk about it.” Jake Donovan had been a marine in the last Iraq war. Grant was sure he had his kills.

“See, that right there is a soldier,” Liam approved.

“Look, are we doing this or not?” Grant snapped. He was getting tired of Liam’s insults and his barbs cut deep. Because of his inexperience in combat, Grant knew he couldn’t take an active part in rescuing his girl, even if he desperately wanted to. They needed the best men for the job. “I want my team to be within striking distance. I’m fully capable of defending myself, so Jake and Tyler can help you if needed.”

“We’re not leaving you unprotected, Mr. Thorne,” Jake protested.

“If Liam needs backup, Donovan, you are ordered to help,” Grant declared. He narrowed his eyes when Jake looked ready to argue. “Understood?”

His head of security’s mouth tightened in a flat line.

“What’s your specialty, son?” Liam asked.

“Sniper,” Jake answered.

“Your skills up to par?”

Jake stepped back, crossed his arms, and stared at the other man.

“Guess they are,” Liam muttered. “Okay, here’s the plan.”