Page 31 of Forgiving His Past (Eagle’s Nest Securities #5)

Her heart had been broken the minute they’d driven away with him standing by himself at the edge of the dock. The expression on his face had been positively lethal, and though she’d doubted his intentions at first, in that moment, Kam knew…

He didn’t do this.

Yes, that was his plan in the beginning. To see if she would give up more information. But she’d made it clear early on that she’d already told him and his team everything she knew.

She closed her eyes and thought about the night she’d woken him because of the whale. His initial reaction had been to go straight into protector mode. And it was only after he confirmed there wasn’t a threat that he let his guard down.

They’d talked. Laughed. And then…

We had sex.

Wild, passionate, uninhibited sex.

It was an unforgettable moment that preceded several others. Ones that, at some point along their unexpected journey, had transpired from incredible sex…to making love .

The vehicle she was in slowed before making a sharp right. The sudden change in motion broke Kam out of her head and back to the uncertain present. With a blink, she stared at the scenery behind her tinted window.

She frowned when she realized they were driving past a field.

“I thought you told Van we had a long flight ahead of us.”

“We do.” Webb kept his focus on the gravel road ahead. “But first, we have to make a quick stop.”

Something about the way he said “we” gave her pause.

Kam glanced back out the window in an attempt to see where these men were taking her. They passed by a trove of tall pine trees, and there…in the distance…was what appeared to be an abandoned farm.

“That’s it, there.” Webb pointed to the place she was seeing.

Her heart kicked hard against the inside of her chest when the SUV began to slow in preparation of taking another turn. This was where they were taking her?

No, no, no, no, no.

This couldn’t be right. Webb was a United States government official. He’d promised Van she’d be kept under night and day protection.

And yet…

Everything about this was wrong, and her gut was screaming that she needed to run. But how? And to where? She didn’t have the first clue where she was.

“Park there, next to the other one.”

Kam looked ahead to where Webb had instructed his driver to stop. They were behind a decrepit, two-story home, parked between it and a large outbuilding with cinderblock walls, an open front, and a wooden roof supported by three large, brick pillars.

Her pulse raced as she realized they could no longer be seen from the road .

“Let’s not keep the man waiting.” Webb opened his door and stepped outside.

As he shut it behind him, the door to Kam’s right opened. Secretary Webb stood to the side and waited. His expression was unreadable, his eyes kept hidden by the sunglasses resting on his aging face.

The man who’d driven them there came around the car’s front bumper. He stopped next to Webb, being sure to position his jacket so she’d see his gun.

Yes, yes. I get it. You’re a tough man with a big, bad gun on your hip. So impressive.

She barely resisted a roll of her eyes at what was most likely a lame attempt to compensate for the smaller “weapon” inside the jerk’s pants.

“Shall we?” Webb motioned for her to exit the vehicle.

With no choice but to comply, Kam slid out of her seat and onto the ground below. Webb turned and started walking, not toward the house, as she’d expected, but toward the other SUV.

The gun-wielding guards walked beside her as if they expected her to run. If there was a chance she could actually escape with her life, Kam would have taken it in a heartbeat. But as it stood, her current situation offered nothing but the option to do as she was told.

For now.

They stopped as the driver’s side door to the second SUV opened. Another suited man—also carrying a gun—climbed out from behind the wheel.

Dark sunglasses, pressed suit, American flag pin secured on his upper left lapel. But it was the coiled cord running from his left ear that piqued Kam’s interest the most.

She waited with bated breath as the man opened the back door. Yet another suited man exited the vehicle. And when he turned to face her, Webb, and his two dutiful minions, Kam thought …

I’ve seen him somewhere before, but where?

Shorter than Van but taller than her, he stood at what she guessed to be around six feet even. His short, dark hair was slicked perfectly in place, and the suit he was wearing looked as if it cost more than a small car.

“Miss Dawari.” The man who was clearly important walked slowly toward her, his hand stretched out to greet her. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Kam looked down at the hand as if it were a snake about to strike. Funny thing, instincts. Hers were almost always right.

“Okay, then.” The man dropped the offered hand and turned to Webb instead. “Let’s take care of this quickly, shall we? I have a White House engagement later tonight that I cannot miss.”

And that’s when it clicked.

God, she felt like such an idiot. Of course, she knew who this was.

How many times had she heard him speak? How many lectures had she listened to where his picture had been splashed across the classroom screen?

It must have been the situation—and their unlikely location—that had kept her from immediately knowing who he was. But now, as he glanced back at her, there wasn’t a doubt in Kam’s confused and terrified mind.

“You’re John McDowell.”

The Vice President of the United States smiled down at her.

“Like I said, Miss Dawari. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Unlike during the lectures she’d been given in school or the numerous interviews she’d watched on the computer and TV, his brilliant blue gaze wasn’t sparkling with laughter or filled with compassion.

It was cold. Emotionless. As if the man were pure…

Evil .

When those same eyes lifted to the man on Kam’s left, her instincts were once again proven right. A meaty hand grabbed hold of her arm as the man on her right did the same.

“Hey!” she yelled. Her fight or flight reflexes instantly kicked in, and she began to struggle. “What are you…let go of me!”

Remembering the moves her father had taught her long ago, Kam slammed a heel as hard as she could down onto the top of the man to her right’s foot. He cried out in pain, his hold loosening enough that she was able to break free.

She turned and began hitting and kicking the other man like a banshee. He lost his grip, and for a moment, she thought she might actually escape. But then…

“Big mistake, bitch,” a voice growled from behind.

With a hard yank on her free arm, Kam felt herself being spun back around. She didn’t see the fist heading for her face until it was too late.

Her head snapped to the side. Pain exploded in her cheek. She was unconscious before her body even hit the ground.