Caught in the Crosshair Read Online Free

radio, and smashed it using the fire extinguisher on board.
    Lauren recoiled and gasped. “Why’d you do that?”
    “To protect us from your friends. Why’d you come here?” he asked intently, turning his attention to her. Experience had taught him she wouldn’t tell the truth, but he could tell a lot about her by the lies she told.
    Shaking off the confusion and shock, she sat up. “Who are you? And I don’t know those people.”
    “I’m Jaden Dean. I own a private security firm called Manpower and Technical Solutions, and I’m looking for you,” he said, thumping the fuel dial as it floated, keeping his compass pointed south.
    “Why?”
    “It’s my job.”
    She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. “To do what? Find me, or protect me?”
    “There a difference?”
    “Yes. A big one at that, seeing as how you nearly got us killed back there.” She sat upright and crossed those long runner’s legs, tugging her skirt below her knees.
    “I just saved your life. Or maybe you hadn’t noticed you were being dragged to your death?”
    She stared out at the seas for a long moment saying nothing. “They might have been taking me to my brother. Are you going to use me to get back at them?” The disdain in her voice was palpable.
    “No. I’m the good guy.”
    A disgruntled grunt escaped her. “I can decide that for myself. Is someone paying you to find me?”
    “I get paid to do my job.”
    “Who hired you?”
    “I don’t know,” he said honestly. Even so, he didn’t like the mistrust in her eyes. He couldn’t say he blamed her. The simple truth was he didn’t know. His contacts were clean. This assignment had come from a big shot in D.C. Not that he would’ve shared the information if he’d had it. Several of his men were dead, and this cartel was the link. Still, for some unknown reason, it mattered to him that she trusted him. He told himself this would go a lot smoother if he won her confidence and that was all. “What’s in the overnight bag?”
    “Money.”
    “If you don’t know those guys, why’d you bring a bag full of cash to the beach?”
    “I had no choice.” She looked at him deadpan, her pupils still dilated from adrenaline and fear. “If you’re so good at your job, why don’t you know already?”
    His lips compressed.
    “It’s because of my brother, isn’t it? The reason you’re here,” she asked. A mix of emotion played across her features. Anguish? Was there a soft heart underneath her brave exterior? He already knew she was beautiful, intelligent.
    Her lip curled when she shivered again, and he noticed a small freckle above it. It was sexy.
    “Yes.”
    “How much trouble is he in?”
    He’d swear he just saw her tense expression become laced with anger and bitterness. If she knew, she sure covered it well. Either she truly didn’t know or was one hell of an actress.
    “Money laundering. He’s been one of the top men in North America for the last couple of years.” He wouldn’t share the intel he had about Max having dropped out of sight six months ago, suspected of trying to get his act together and leave the trade behind. Which made even less sense why anyone would kidnap him unless his “dropping out” was a scam.
    “I didn’t know.” Hurt darkened her eyes as she took a moment for that news to really sink in. The catch in her voice had him doubting his initial judgment. Had the news taken her by surprise?
    Then again, there was another possibility.
    Maybe she told the truth. Maybe she was as devastated as she looked. Maybe she did love her brother and she was just
that
demolished by him. A little piece of him believed in her integrity. The whole rest of him, and especially the part which had just been shot, railed against the idea of trusting anyone.
    Not that it mattered. Sticking with her would lead him to the men who’d killed Bryce. Lauren James had just found herself a new best friend. And this would all go a lot smoother if she trusted