Silicon Valley Billionaires - Book Two

I woke up and rolled over, stretching, my limbs loose and relaxed as I pulled Lauren’s warm body closer. Her soft moan brought back memories of last night, when I’d blindfolded her and tied her up.

Among other things.

I grinned against her bare skin as she slept. Lauren Taylor, reigning queen of the biotech industry and, until quite recently, a very uptight virgin, had been letting her wild side out to play lately. I trailed my fingers down her side, wondering if she’d be up for an encore performance this morning.

My phone rang, and I grabbed it, hoping she would sleep awhile longer. On the caller ID, I saw Timmy’s number. I’d thought Lauren’s security guard was asleep in the guesthouse next door. Because he never called to chat, I said, “What’s the matter?”

“Mr. Betts, we’ve had a breach.”

I jumped out of bed. “Is someone here? At the house?”

“No, sir. Not here. I’m afraid it’s worse—it’s Hannah.”

Hannah was Lauren’s younger sister. “What?”

“Someone’s taken her.”

“What?”

“Someone kidnapped her from Lauren’s house. I just got the call.”

Lauren sat up and rubbed her eyes.

I needed to stay calm for her sake. “What about the security guards?”

“They shot the two guards outside. They also shot Wes—he was in the house with Hannah.”

Wesley was Hannah’s bodyguard and boyfriend.

Fuck. “Did anyone make it?”

Lauren’s head whipped around. “What’s going on?”

I motioned for her to hang on.

“Wes is the only guard who made it,” Timmy said. “He’s at the ER right now—I don’t know what his condition is, except it’s bad. But Hannah’s alive, thank God. The security tape shows them leaving with her.”

“Have you talked to the police?”

“They’re at the scene. Do you want me to go too?”

“Sit tight for right now. Call Paragon and let security know what happened. I’ll talk to Lauren and call you back.”

“What happened?”

I sat down and took her hand. “That was Timmy. There was a security breach at your house. Someone broke in and took Hannah. They shot the guards and Wesley, but he’s alive. He’s in the ER.”

Her face went blank, as if the information didn’t compute. “I’m sorry? What?”

I squeezed her hand. “Hannah’s been kidnapped.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it.

“Timmy said the police are at the house—they’ll open an investigation. We have the security tape. I’ll call Agent Marks at the FBI and let him know what’s happened.”

Lauren still looked dazed.

“Babe, do you understand what I said?”

“Is my sister…dead?”

“No,” I said firmly, hoping she’d believe me.

She sat for a minute, staring out into space. Then her gaze focused back on me. “Two of our men are dead, though.”

“Yes.”

“And Wesley…” It seemed as if the news was sinking in.

I reached out to hold her, but she flinched away.

She jumped up, grabbing some clothes. “We killed Li Na’s guards. Now she’s evened the score.”

Li Na Zhao, the Chinese healthcare CEO, had been after Lauren’s technology, her company, and Lauren herself, not necessarily in that order. I knew where Lauren was heading with this line of thought. “Babe, this is not your fault.”

She laughed bitterly, pulling a sweater over her head. “Tell my sister that when she’s crying because Wes got shot—that is, if we ever get to talk to her again.”

“We’re going to get her back. It’s going to be okay.”

“It is not going to be okay!” She hustled past me to the kitchen, shaking her head as I followed close behind. “Hannah warned me—she told me to walk away from Li Na, to let her have the patch—that it wasn’t worth dying for. But I didn’t listen to her because I never listen to her! And now she’s suffering for it.”

Lauren had recently tricked Li Na by agreeing to partner with her on a version of the patch, Lauren’s game-changing biomedical invention. But with my help, Paragon surreptitiously launched the technology, winning the race to rule the global healthcare market.

Apparently, Li Na didn’t intend to let Lauren enjoy her victory lap.

I didn’t know what else to do, so I fired up the coffeemaker while Lauren paced and cried. “This is my fault. I don’t know what I’ll do if they hurt her—”

“Don’t think like that.”

She stopped. “I have to think like that. My poor sister…” She shook her head when words seemed to fail her.

I wished there was something I could do to comfort her, but as long as Hannah was missing, there’d be no comforting Lauren. Other than me, Hannah was all she had.

We stayed in the kitchen for the rest of the morning, fielding calls from the police, the FBI, the hospital, our attorneys, and our security teams.

Wesley was alive but in critical condition.

No one knew where they’d taken Hannah.

Lauren continued to pace, two hectic spots of color in her cheeks. She wasn’t crying anymore, but she also wasn’t talking.

I watched her warily. “Babe, we should probably eat something. This is going to be a long day.”

“She’s probably dead,” she said flatly.

“She’s not—”

Lauren whirled on me. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better but stop. Please. I just want…I just want it to be yesterday. I want to go back. But I can’t, so I need to prepare myself for the worst.”

Her phone buzzed against the island, and she lunged for it. She tapped at the screen and then stood there—I could see her hands shaking as she read.

“Lauren?”

“It’s Li Na. She sent me an email.” She shoved the phone at me.

It seems I finally have something that you want. I’ll be in touch.

I clutched the phone hard, on the verge of shattering it. “I’m sending this to Dave and Leo—to see if they can trace it—maybe we can give it to the FBI.” If anyone could help reverse-trace this, it was the leaders of our Paragon’s IT team, Dave and Leo.

Lauren nodded, her face a pale mask.

“I called my brothers. They’re already on a flight. They want to help.” She hadn’t met Levi and Asher, and this wasn’t how I’d planned on introducing them, but since they ran a private security company, there was no time like the present.

“Are they…familiar with this sort of thing?”

“Yes—Levi’s ex-military. His company handles all sorts of cases, including high-profile kidnappings. He’ll know what to do.” Levi and Ash couldn’t get here fast enough. Waiting to hear back from the police and the FBI was making me crazy. They were telling me nothing, probably because they had nothing to tell.

But Levi would get results. That was why Betts Security was widely recognized as one of the top security firms in the country.

Lauren licked her lips. I poured her a glass of water, and she stared at the clear, level liquid. “I’m going to let her have it,” she said after a minute. “Li Na, I mean. The patch. My company. I’m not doing this anymore—I can’t. I’ll email her back when I can formulate a coherent thought.”

“Okay.” It would’ve seemed crazy for her to say that even yesterday, but this was new territory. “I understand. I’ll help you do whatever you need.”

“I can’t lose Hannah. I would never… I could never…”

I put my hand over hers and squeezed. “I know.”

“Do you really think she’s still alive?”

“Yes—Li Na isn’t going to hurt her right now. She wants your technology, Lauren. She knows that your sister is going to give her the bargaining power she’s been looking for. Li Na’s a lot of things—and completely fucking crazy is at the top of that list—but she’s not stupid. She did this for one reason: to get you to crack.”

She threw up her hands. “Well, she wins.”

“And that’s okay. We’ll get your sister back, and then we’ll go after Li Na.”

“I don’t even care anymore. I just want Hannah safe. Li Na can have Paragon. I’ll just…start over, or not.” She looked around the house. “I could hide here for the rest of my life, I guess.”

I pulled her against me. “I would say I like the sound of that, but I can’t. You’re too brilliant to keep from the world.” I kissed the top of her head. “We’ll figure it out.”

She buried her face in my chest, her shoulders shaking.

I held her close. “Shh. Don’t.”

Lauren’s phone buzzed again, and we both jumped. She grabbed for it. I could see over her shoulder it was from a blocked number. “It’s her—I know it.”

Right before she hit the speaker button, she motioned for me to be silent.

“Hello, Lauren,” Li Na said, sounding infinitely pleased with herself.

“Where’s Hannah?”

“Safe. For now.” Li Na paused to let the implied warning sink in. “And she’ll stay that way if you’re more cooperative than you’ve been in the past.”

Lauren clenched her fists together but held herself in check. “Tell me what you want.”

“The same thing I’ve wanted all along—I want you to sell your existing technology to me. And the rest of your company. I want the patents, the contracts, the equipment—everything. And I want you to consult for me.”

Lauren’s brow furrowed. “Don’t you think the FBI’s coming after you at this point, now that Clive Warren’s dead and you’ve kidnapped my sister? Not to mention shot three security guards? And what about the Chinese authorities?”

Li Na snorted. “I’m not worried about it. I’m helping to reinvigorate Shenzhen—my people won’t touch me.”

The city of Shenzhen, which housed Jiàn Innovations’ headquarters, was considered the Silicon Valley of China. Li Na was practically royalty there.

“As for the FBI,” she continued, “they don’t seem that concerned. Clive Warren was an admitted criminal. They haven’t been in touch about the circumstances of his death. With respect to your sister, I’m sure the authorities are curious. But are they launching a full-scale investigation against me? I doubt it. I’m on Chinese soil, and I covered my tracks. If you have this call traced, it will lead to a cell tower in the Southern District of Russia. I would describe myself as largely unconcerned.”

I wanted to reach through the phone and throttle her, but I kept my cool for Hannah’s sake.

Lauren’s body stiffened with tension. “So you think you’re just going to get away with this?”

“I don’t see why not,” Li Na said casually, as if discussing the weather.

“I need my sister back now,” Lauren said. “Selling Paragon and preparing everything could take months. I can’t let you keep her that long.”

She was right—we needed to get Hannah out as soon as possible. If Li Na kept her in less than pristine conditions, she would never last. I didn’t want to consider what else might happen to Hannah—things worse than a dirty mattress or unappetizing food.

“I anticipated that response,” Li Na said, “and I would allow you to trade yourself for her, if you prove you’re taking meaningful steps toward the sale. Once you show me a P&S and other supporting documents, your sister will be released, and I’ll take you in her place. You can work remotely to finalize the transfer, someplace secure. I won’t hurt you, Lauren. But you’ll be alone—no security detail and no FBI—I learned my lesson the hard way last time. No one will save you if you try to cross me again.”

Lauren’s throat worked as she swallowed hard. “I understand.” She didn’t dare look at me.

“And I won’t stop with you,” Li Na said, her voice calm and decisive. “I’ll come back for Hannah and for your Mr. Betts too. I hear you’re back in his good graces—”

“I’ll do it,” Lauren said. “Just tell me where you want to make the trade.”

Oh HELL to the NO.

“I have to go. I’ll be in touch.” Li Na hung up.

I clenched my fists in rage. “No.”

Lauren started pacing again, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. “No, what?”

“No, you are not turning yourself over to Li Na. She’s not ever touching you again!”

“She’s never touched me! Even when she held me prisoner in Menlo Park, she only ever fucking Skyped me. I can’t let her keep Hannah. It’s me she wants!”

I stood in front of her so she couldn’t pace and plan. “She can’t have you.”

“Of course she can—I have to get my sister out!”

“You’re not in the right frame of mind to make decisions.”

She looked at me as if I had three very annoying heads. “So what? There’s only one decision to make—to save my sister! I’ll do whatever Li Na wants—anything to get my sister back.”

She tried to maneuver around me, but I grabbed her shoulders. “You’re not thinking this through. If Li Na wanted you, she could have taken you in the first place. But she didn’t do that. She went after Hannah because it would hurt you. Because it would bind you to her.”

I watched her warily, trying to ascertain whether she could understand, given her highly agitated state. “She has you exactly where she wants you—finally. I don’t care what she promises you. She’s not going to let Hannah go. She’ll take you, and then she’ll make sure that some guard’s holding a knife to Hannah’s neck the entire time you do her bidding.”

Lauren shook her head. “I won’t go to Li Na until they give Hannah to you. Once that’s done, leave and take her with you.”

“They aren’t going to give Hannah to me.” I fought the urge to shout. “They’ll keep you both, and then Li Na will kill your sister when it suits her. And when she finally gets her hands on the international cash cow that is Paragon and has it up and running—once she’s used you up—she’ll kill you too. And I won’t let that happen.”

“This isn’t about you. This is about my sister, who’s the only family I have left, who’s in trouble because of me!”

“You made me a promise to never put yourself in harm’s way again.”

“This isn’t about me either. It’s about what she’s going to do to my poor sister—”

“This isn’t your fault. And I’m not going to lose you, babe. Not now. Not ever. We’ll find a way to get Hannah back, I promise. But it’s not going to be trading your life for hers. You’re staying here with me.”

Her eyes went wild with fury. “No, I’m not. This isn’t your choice. It’s not some power game we’re playing in the bedroom!”

“You’re right. It’s not.” My voice had a sharp edge. “This is life or death.”

I grabbed my phone. My eyes never left Lauren’s face as I made the call. “Timmy, I need you watching the perimeter. My brothers are landing at SFO this afternoon, and our attorneys are on their way. We need to go on lockdown. Assemble the team. No one else gets in or out of here. Got it?”

I hung up and nodded at Lauren. “Did you hear that? Lockdown. You’re going nowhere unless I give you express permission.”

Lauren looked stricken. And as if she might punch me. “You can’t do this.”

I crossed my arms. “Watch me.”

She’d stormed off then, a litany of curses flying after her along with her long blonde hair. Lauren had to understand that I was doing this for her. I wanted Hannah back too—of course I did. I loved her like the little sister I’d never had. But there had to be another solution. One that didn’t involve my girlfriend being held captive, or worse.

Lauren slammed the door to the bedroom. Fuck. She would never see my side of this without a fight.

I stalked around the kitchen, feeling trapped. I wanted a bourbon. I wanted to punch someone. Smashing crystal glasses against the stone fireplace would do the trick too, but instead, I did the adult thing—the northern Californian version. I grabbed a protein shake and my swim trunks and headed outside to the pool, slamming the stupid drink down on the pool deck. I changed and eased myself into the water. I would vastly prefer to crush something or, preferably, someone. But here I was, swimming laps.

Sometimes being a responsible adult sucked big, hairy balls.

The cool water didn’t ease my anger, but I swam until my muscles burned, not letting myself think about what she’d said. If Lauren tried to trade herself for Hannah, I would lose it. I’d learned the hard way with her. She’d gone behind my back before, trying to get evidence from Clive Warren, her former board member who turned out to be a traitor. But I would never let her be that vulnerable again.

I pushed the thought from my mind as I did another lap, oblivious at first to the warm sunshine and the ache in my muscles. I swam until all thought ceased, until I could feel only the burn in my lungs, arms, and legs. Finally, I pulled up to the edge of the pool…and next to a pair of Italian loafers.

My older brother, Levi, pulled down his sunglasses and inspected me. “You training for something?”

I wiped the water from my face. “I’m trying to keep from throwing shit.”

Levi laughed, and I noticed there were more lines on his face since the last time I’d seen him. “Things are going well with Lauren, I take it?”

“She spoke to Li Na Zhao earlier. Li Na wants Paragon free and clear—and she wants Lauren to trade herself for Hannah.”

His smile vanished. “I’m guessing that’s why there’re guards all over the place—to keep your girlfriend from doing just that?”

I climbed out of the pool, careful not to soak Levi’s suede loafers—I needed him on my good side. Despite being a big, bad security agent, my older brother was very particular about his clothes.

I grabbed my protein shake and a towel and sat, looking at my house. Lauren was in there, somewhere. Probably cursing my name and packing a bag, for all the good it was going to do. “Hannah’s the only family she has left. Lauren’s out of her mind right now.”

“I don’t blame her. Blatant kidnapping and murder are sort of a big deal.” Levi took off his shoes, rolled up his pants, and sat on the pool deck, sticking his feet in the water. “Fucking California,” he sighed, looking around at the mountains and the sunshine. “It always makes me feel bad for Boston. Like my hometown is an ugly stepsister or something.”

“You could always relocate. We need increased security.”

Levi nodded. “Clearly—Silicon Valley’s tough, huh? Security business is booming out here. How’s the guard doing? The one who made it?”

I grimaced. “He’s in surgery. The hospital won’t release any information to us, but we have one of our guys there, waiting.”

“If he comes to, I’ll need to talk to him. See if he remembers anything that can help us.”

“Okay. So…what’s next? And where’s Asher?” Asher was our youngest brother and one of Betts Security’s top analysts.

“He’s meeting with your team. They’re doing a perimeter scan and catching Ash up on your systems. We haven’t been out here in a long time. He needs a refresher course. He’s also going to check out your copter and the helipad in case we need it—have you ever flown that thing, or landed it here?”

“It hasn’t come up.”

“Ah, the discretionary income of a billionaire CEO.” He laughed, then scrubbed a hand across his face. “Back to what we’re doing—we’re going to get Hannah back as soon as possible, obviously. My team’s flying in tonight. What were Zhao’s instructions?”

I shook my head. “She didn’t give any specifics. Yet. She just said that she wants to buy Paragon and she wants Lauren. She said she’d be in touch.”

“Then we’ll be ready for her.”

“But I’m worried about Lauren—she’ll do anything for Hannah. She would die for her—she wouldn’t even think twice about it. I love Hannah too, but I can’t let that happen. Do you understand?”

“Of course I do.” He shot me a look. “Does Lauren know who she’s dealing with?”

I nodded. “Li Na’s crazy, but she’s brilliant. She’s obsessed with Lauren’s technology, and she’s ruthless. Lauren knows who she is.”

The smile reappeared. “I meant you, little brother.”

I looked back out at the water, which was calm, level, and clear—a sharp contrast to how I felt. “Oh, she knows, all right. And she’s not happy about it.”

* * *

LAUREN

After a while, I heard voices out in the kitchen, but I didn’t care. I stayed in the bedroom, pacing a hole in the oriental rug, trying to figure out a way to escape.

I needed to save my sister—that was nonnegotiable. I would do whatever Li Na wanted. I’d analyzed the situation from every angle, and I knew this wasn’t an equation with more than one answer.

I paced, cursing Gabe. He’d gone from my boyfriend to my jailor, and an angry fire coursed through me every time I thought about what he’d said. “Did you hear that? Lockdown. You’re going nowhere unless I give you express permission.”

Someone knocked on the door. Assuming it was Gabe, I said, “Go away.”

My attorney, Bethany O’Donnell, stuck her pretty face into the room. “Can I come in?”

“Do you have news?”

“No,” she admitted, “but can I come in anyway?”

I shrugged and went back to pacing.

Wearing a crisp, dark suit, Bethany came in and sat on the bed. “How’re you doing?”

I just shook my head.

“I’m sorry about Hannah. It’s horrible. Gabe said you heard from Zhao?”

“She called me. She wants Paragon, and she wants to trade Hannah for me. But Gabe won’t let me go.”

Bethany nodded. “Come on out, and let’s talk about it. Gabe’s brothers are here. The one who runs the security company was just telling us he has some insight with how to deal with this. Let’s listen to him.”

“I’m not going near Gabe.”

“Jesus, Lauren.” She narrowed her eyes, annoyed. “He’s just trying to keep you alive. You’re no good to Hannah dead. Let’s go.”

Bethany never minced words, and my sister did need me, so I slunk into the living room behind her clicking heels. I nodded mutely at Gabe and two athletic, good-looking men who must be his brothers, and Kami Robards, Gabe’s attorney.

“Can I get you anything?” Gabe asked me, his voice tight.

“I don’t want anything except my sister back.”

His brothers shot each other a wary look.

“So sorry to hear about Hannah,” the older one said, his tone soothing as he approached me. He was a little shorter than Gabe, powerfully built, with the same dark hair and slightly darker brown eyes. He took my hand. “I’m Levi, Gabe’s older brother. I run Betts Security.” He released me and dropped down next to Gabe on the couch.

The younger one came forward. He was taller than Gabe, with lighter hair, a slightly slimmer build, and hazel eyes. “I’m Asher. The youngest. It’s nice to meet you, Lauren—I just wish it was under better circumstances.” He patted my shoulder and then sank down beside them, forcing me to confront the rugged male beauty of the Betts brothers.

Gabe’s gaze met mine, but he quickly looked away.

“We’re here to help.” Levi leaned forward, his crisp white button-down shirt straining against his chest. “I’ve been involved with multiple hostage situations over the years, in private practice and when I was in the military. We’ll get Hannah home safe.” He turned to Gabe, who appeared to be examining a spot on the floor. “Gabe told me you spoke with Zhao this morning. You’re certain she’s the one who took Hannah?”

“Yes. It was her guards—she basically admitted it.” I swallowed hard. “She wants my company, and she wants to trade Hannah for me.”

Levi nodded. “Gabe mentioned that too.”

“Li Na said that she would only release Hannah if I sell her my company. She wants the technology, the contracts, the equipment, everything,” I explained. “She said she won’t accept anything less.”

“And you’re willing to do that?” Levi asked.

“Absolutely—I don’t think I have a choice. But it’s going to take some time, and that’s a problem,” I said quickly. “I don’t think my sister can handle being a prisoner for long. Li Na agreed to accept me in exchange for Hannah while the sale’s being prepared. But she said I have to show her I’m taking ‘meaningful steps’ in the process before she’ll make the trade—so I have to start getting the documents together.”

“Is that where you left things?” Levi continued to look at me while Gabe studied the floor.

I jutted my chin defiantly. “Yes. I said I would do it.”

“We need to think that through, Lauren, and consider all the options. Li Na isn’t going to let your sister go easily. She’s been chasing you for a while, and she finally has something you want.”

Gabe shot me a heated look. “That’s what I said.”

“What about the FBI?” Kami interjected. “Aren’t they doing anything to get Hannah back?”

Bethany cleared her throat and sat forward a little. “I spoke to Agent Marks on my way here. He said local police are investigating, and the FBI has also opened an investigation. But he said they have no verifiable leads yet.”

“That’s not much of an update,” Gabe said. “He told me the same thing this morning.”

“Li Na was confident they wouldn’t be knocking down her door any time soon,” I said. “She also said that the Chinese authorities wouldn’t touch her. The FBI ran into a dead end connecting her to the guards who held me captive in Menlo Park, and they’ve never linked her to Clive Warren’s death. Our tech guys traced her communication from earlier—it leads to a Russian proxy server. She’s covered her tracks. She’s safe, sitting pretty in her luxury condo on the other side of the globe.”

Bethany turned to Levi. She tucked a strand of platinum hair behind her ear, the enormous diamond-stud earrings she wore reflecting the light, and pursed her perfectly lacquered lips in disapproval. “The FBI will want to talk to you sooner rather than later. Since you’re taking over here, can you at least tell me a little more about your company? How exactly do you operate? Are you licensed? Are you legitimate? I don’t want my client associated with anything illegal.”

“Bethany, let’s worry about that later,” I said, exasperated.

She shrugged her petite shoulders, not backing down. “Let him answer.”

At first glance, Bethany appeared refined and icily gorgeous with her long, stick-straight blonde hair and impeccably tailored suits, but once she dug into something, she was like a pit bull in a china shop. Normally I loved her for her rabid protectiveness, but not today.

I patted her hand. “I just want to get my sister back. I don’t care if it’s illegal. In fact, I hope it is—maybe we’ll actually get something done before it’s too late.”

“Sorry, Lauren, but we’re a perfectly legal operation.” Levi turned to face my attorney. “We’re a legitimate private security company. We’re licensed, and all our men are properly trained and licensed. We handle a lot of government contracts. We get called in on cases like this all the time.”

Bethany raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s the name of your firm?”

“Betts Security.”

“Never heard of you,” Bethany said. She seemed unimpressed by Levi, no matter how pedigreed, muscled, and well-dressed he was.

“And what’s your name, again?” Levi asked.

She crossed her arms. “Bethany O’Donnell.”

“I’ve never heard of you either,” he said under his breath. “But let’s get back to the matter at hand. I wouldn’t expect a lot of cooperation from the Chinese government. Even with the FBI involved, she’ll never be extradited. Corporate espionage is a big game in China these days. The government itself is involved in hacking North American companies.”

“So what can we do?” I asked. With every second that passed, I felt as if Hannah was slipping further from my reach.

Levi watched me. “Li Na wants Paragon because the patch is more sophisticated than anything else on the market, right?”

I nodded. “She’s stolen from me before. But it didn’t do her any good—she couldn’t get the technology to work with just her own team.”

He looked grim. “So she’s failed at that, and she wants more than your sloppy seconds. That’s why she keeps coming back. What drives Paragon is the force behind it—you. Your company is built around you, Lauren. She needs you in order to dominate the market the way she wants to.”

“What are you saying?”

His gaze held mine. “When she says she’ll hold you until the sale goes through, it’s a lie. If she gets you, she’ll never let you go.”

Li Na’s obsession with my technology was like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. “I don’t care. I just want my sister to be safe. She shouldn’t have to suffer because of me.”

“It’s okay,” Levi said. “We’ll get your sister back, and we’ll keep you safe.”

“How?” My scientific brain needed details, not assurances.

“We’ll tell her that we’ll do what she wants and go from there. I’ll figure it out with my team, and I’ll keep you and Gabe involved in the details.”

“And what about her—Li Na?” I asked. My voice sounded flat and faraway to my own ears, as if I were underwater, sinking.

Levi’s eyes, so much like Gabe’s, brightened at the question. “I’ll take care of her, eventually. I think it’ll count as a public service.”

* * *

“I’ll call you if I hear from Agent Marks again. I told him to go through me for now,” Bethany said.

“Okay. I appreciate that.”

Bethany packed up her things. “He doesn’t have any useful information anyway. And listen to what Gabe’s brothers are saying. They know what they’re doing.”

“You didn’t seem too impressed by them earlier.”

She shrugged, pulling the strap of her briefcase over her shoulder. “I had to do that—I have to vet the people around you. Protecting you is my job. But I researched Betts Security before I came over here, and they’re legitimate. They have the experience necessary to help.”

“Then why did you say you’d never heard of them?”

She shrugged. “Because I like to make people sweat.”

I shook my head—that was classic Bethany.

“I just want you to sit tight, okay? I’ll field any calls from the police. Don’t speak to anyone without telling me first. I want your involvement with this as limited as possible—we need to keep things on an even keel since the product launch is still so new.”

“Fine.” Until now, my whole life’s focus had been protecting my technology and bringing it to market. But I could no longer pretend to care about the patch. Now that Hannah was gone, I could see my priorities had been hollow. “I need you to help me get the sale prepared. Are you free for the next few weeks?”

“No, but I’ll clear my schedule. I’m all yours.” Bethany headed to the door. “Do what they say, Lauren. We need to get your sister back. I can’t picture Hannah going more than a week without a manicure, let alone wearing the same outfit two days in a row.”

“I know.” My voice came out thick.

“And make up with Gabe, okay?” Bethany kept her voice low. “He doesn’t want you to get killed. Seems pretty reasonable to me.” She stopped to wait for Kami Robards.

Gabe was talking to his lawyer in hushed tones. After Kami hugged him and left with Bethany, he shot a wounded look my way.

I melted a little. Damn him. I was still angry, but I knew he was trying to protect me. And I knew he was hurting too.

“Gabe.” He looked at me, but then my phone rang. “It’s her,” I announced to the room in general.

“Answer it and get over here,” Levi barked.

I answered the phone, making a beeline for Levi. “Yes, Li Na?”

“Are we in agreement about the details?” she asked, as though we’d never hung up. “You start the process of winding up Paragon and send regular updates to my counsel in San Francisco. She’ll be in touch. If you’re in compliance and things are moving smoothly, we’ll arrange a trade.”

“I already talked to my attorney. We’ll start the process today.” I prayed my sister was okay and still close by. “Can we do this soon—the trade?”

“I’ll send you further instructions when I’m ready.” Her tone was curt.

Levi scribbled something quickly and held up a note. Proof of life, it read.

“I need to know that my sister’s okay before I agree to anything. I need…proof.” I looked at Levi helplessly, not knowing what specifically to ask for.

“She can call you.”

I swallowed hard. “I want to see her. Now.”

Li Na sighed. “She can Skype you. Get your computer set up. But Lauren, if you do anything with this video, like give it to the FBI, you’re going to regret it. Your sister will pay the price for your indiscretion. Do you understand?”

My heart hammered in my chest. “Yes.”

“Get set up for the video conference. We’ll be in touch soon.” Li Na hung up without further explanation.

I headed to my laptop and opened it with shaking hands. “Does this mean Li Na’s with my sister?”

“Not necessarily,” Levi said. He came over and maneuvered the keyboard out of my hands, deftly setting up the site. “Gabe, call your tech people. Tell them to get a line on this. I want it traced.”

Gabe got on his cell phone immediately, talking to Dave and Leo at Paragon.

“What can I say to Hannah?” I asked.

Levi shook his head, continuing his work on the laptop. “Not a lot. Don’t ask her too many questions—where she is, if they’ve hurt her, if they’ve said anything specific. That could get her into trouble. Just ask if she’s okay. I’ll review it afterward for anything I can find that’s useful.”

“But what about—”

“Lauren,” Levi interrupted me. “One step at a time. Now put on a brave face for your sister. She needs you. Ash and I will be over here.” He jerked his thumb to the back of the kitchen, where they would be out of sight.

“Where do you want me?” Gabe asked his brother.

I reached out and grabbed his hand, holding on for dear life. My anger receded all at once, my need for him winning out in a landslide. “Here. Right next to me, where you belong.”

His shoulders relaxed a little. He squeezed my hand and stood by me as the screen came to life, an image of Hannah appearing. My little sister looked like hell. She was pale beneath the traces of her tan, and her eyes were puffy from crying. What was left of her normally meticulous mascara was smudged beneath her eyes.

I clutched Gabe’s hand. “Hannah?”

“Lauren!” she shouted, looking at the screen wildly. “I overheard the guards talking about the plan—do not turn yourself over to Li Na! It’s a trap! They’re—”

“Hannah. Hannah!” The last thing I wanted was for my sister to get punched in the face, or worse, before I even had a chance to talk to her. “Calm down. Stop yelling. Are you okay?”

She looked at me, her eyes wide. “No, I’m not okay! They shot Wes, Lauren! He’s dead! In my kitchen!” Tears spilled down her cheeks. “He’s dead, and it’s my fault, and I swear to God, if you give in to one thing that bitch asks for, I’m gonna rip—”

“Jesus, Hannah! Stop!”

She glared at me through the screen, but at least she stopped yelling for a second.

“Please listen to me. Wes is alive. He’s hurt, but he’s alive.”

“Are you…are you sure?” Hannah looked too afraid to be hopeful.

I nodded while Hannah collapsed back into tears. “Oh my God. Okay,” she said, sobbing. “I saw him. I saw it happen. I thought he was dead.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

She wiped her face roughly and looked back up. “It is not going to be okay. These fuckers…” She jerked her thumb in the direction of her captors, off-screen. “They shot him right in front of me! And I swear to God if you negotiate with these terrorists—”

“Hannah, stop! You’re going to get yourself ki—hurt,” I said hoarsely. “Calm down.”

She opened her mouth to protest again, but Gabe cut her off. “Listen to your sister, Hannah. Please.”

She looked at Gabe desperately. “You!” she cried. “At least someone with some sense! Don’t you dare let Lauren do it!”

“She’s not doing anything—”

“Stop lying!” She turned back to me, another tear spilling down her cheek. “I know why they took me, and I know what Li Na’s after—you. Don’t you do it, Lauren. You’re the important one. The special one. You have a gift to share with the world.”

I clutched at my heart, which she was breaking. “You’re special—you’re the most important person in the world to me.”

She shook her head savagely. “I’m average. I’m nothing. Don’t you dare trade yourself for me. I’d rather die. I’m not kidding, Lauren. I’ll never forgive you.”

Someone in the background barked an order that I couldn’t make out, and the screen went dead.

“No!” I smacked the keyboard and then the screen, hoping I could somehow bring the image of my sister back. “No, no, no.”

Gabe pulled me into his arms, but his touch offered no relief.

My sister, the unrelenting optimist, seemed to have accepted defeat.

I could feel myself teetering, off-balance, very close to the verge of hysteria.

I turned to Levi. “I want you to get her. To do the public service thing.”

He looked at me, clearly not understanding. “What’s that?”

“Take care of Li Na, like you said you would,” I said, my breathing ragged, my heart pounding. “Nobody makes my sister cry like that and gets away with it.”