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T alia wasn’t going to cooperate. If Cheryl wanted her to stand, she sure as heck wasn’t going to. The two men beside her gripped her arms tighter, yanking her up, then released her, trying to force her to stand. She wouldn’t.

The person they were selling her to didn’t want an injured woman. She would play the injured woman part up, making it seem like she wouldn’t survive for long.

Cheryl turned to her and growled. The man was arguing with her, telling her sister to leave. When the guy suggested Cheryl toss her into the ocean, Talia’s knees went weaker.

When Cheryl screamed, Talia flinched. She couldn’t believe Cheryl was acting like such a fool. Then the man spun around and punched Cheryl.

The two men standing beside her jumped back. She half-expected the men to rush toward Cheryl, or maybe attack the guy, but they were moving away, and fast.

Two other men were there and punched the guys who’d stuffed her into the trunk of the car. What was going on?

Riding in the trunk of the car had disoriented her, but everything seemed very odd. So very odd. Why were two men attacking those guys? Was she about to be attacked by these people?

“Talia!”

The voice sounded familiar. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the man from the boat pick up her sister and drag her toward the boat. But she wasn’t crying for her sister. The sound of Zip’s voice had made emotions rise. Was this for real? Was she really hearing Zip?

She spun, looking for her man, and there he was. Zip knelt beside her. His hands were on her shoulders, pulling her closer.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Zip?”

“I’m here, babe. I’ve got you. I’m going to carry you. We need to get you out of here.”

“My sister.”

Zip paused, and she looked over, seeing the boat heading out of the marina. Zip said nothing as he picked her up and carried her away from the boats and into the parking lot.

“What is going on?” she asked.

“We found you. I can’t believe we found you.”

“Zip. You were looking for me?”

“Of course.”

Another guy came over to the car where Zip had stopped. “I’m on the line with the police to report that woman being taken. What is her name?”

Talia turned to look at the guy. She kind of recognized him but wasn’t sure. He was one of Zip’s friends. Though she knew her sister would never help her, she couldn’t be the same kind of asshole as her sister was.

“Her name is Cheryl Mast. She was going to sell me to him.”

The other man relayed the information as she hugged Zip tighter. She relaxed against Zip, finally allowing herself to believe the impossible. She’d been found. She’d been saved.

“You came looking for me.”

“I found you.” Zip kissed her forehead and then the side of her head.

She couldn’t hold back the rush of tears. He’d wanted her enough to look for her. If no one else had been there, she might have been taken with her sister. She couldn’t form words, but Zip didn’t seem to need anything from her. She was here, in his arms, and her sister wasn’t going to get her again.

She heard sirens, and the old worry that she would be in trouble hit. But Zip assured her they were coming to help rescue Cheryl and get a statement from her, not arrest her.

Zip had been correct. She was free to leave about an hour later after the woman on the ambulance had checked her out, saying that she wasn’t suffering from anything other than just lack of food and exhaustion. She promised the woman she would go to the ER if she got to feeling bad.

The drive to Zip’s place would take almost an hour, so they stopped by a drive-through and bought her a burger and fries. She couldn’t eat most of it, but she held onto the bag of food as they drove, glad she could nibble as they went.

Once home at Zip’s house, she fell into his arms and cried again. He got her into the shower, and she was grateful for the chance to get clean. He held her as she drifted off, keeping her safe.

When she woke the next morning, he wasn’t in bed with her. For a second, she feared being rescued had been a dream. But this was his room, and she wasn’t being held any longer.

She stepped out of the bedroom, glad to see him at the stove cooking something.

“Hey, you’re up. I made pancakes.”

She moved to him, hugging his side. “Thank you. Not just for the pancakes, but for everything.”

“You’re welcome. We need to head over to Thario’s and thank him. Also, you need to meet him. He did so much to find you.”

Emotions rose. “I’m so thankful for everyone.” She picked up a pancake and shoved a bite into her mouth. She moaned as the flavor spread over her tongue. “So good.” Zip put three more on her plate and set it on the table. “So I was out of it last night. Who else was there?”

“Trip and Bud, and then Smiley and Hop were in the car with us.”

“I need to thank them.”

“Everyone on my team spent time looking for you, along with the guys on Kevlar’s team. They put in the hours and found you.”

“I want to do something for them and tell them thank you.”

“We were thinking about getting together next Saturday for a picnic. We could bring cookies. I’m sure they would be happy to see you.”

“Yes. I want to see them, and I want to bring them cookies I buy from a nice bakery. I really appreciate being found. I would be dead if you hadn’t been there. I think that guy would have taken both me and my sister.” She took a bite of pancake and chewed, shaking her head.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Just wondering what will happen to my sister.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. We did all we could. If they find her, they find her. If not, she’s lost to whatever hell she planned on sending you to.” Zip came over and sat next to her. “I know she’s your sister, but I have no compassion for her. She was going to send you to a fate worse than death.”

She nodded. “I know. Still, I don’t want that for her, but I don’t have the energy to do more than what we have. I won’t go looking for her. If she’s found, good for her. If not, she did this to herself.”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You’re living here with me, right?”

Laughter bubbled up. “Of course. I want to spend my life with you.”

“Good. I don’t want to ever lose you.”

“I don’t intend on getting lost again.” She took another bite and then held up her hand. Zip raised his eyebrows as he chewed. “That tracking thing. I need something. Earrings, a watch, maybe something else. I never want anything like that to happen again.”

“Sure, babe. I’ll make sure I know where you are all the time.”

They chatted about plans and getting the rest of her things as she munched on pancakes. After she was full, they headed to Thario’s place. She really liked him, and liked his dog, Frog. Thario seemed like a really great guy, and she liked him even more after he explained how he tracked other women and what he would and wouldn’t do. He told her he never violated their privacy, but if there was ever a question about their locations, he checked. He also explained that he had a policy about never divulging to anyone else where the women were unless there was an issue with their safety. That his tracking devices were never to be used to spy on people.

She left Thario’s place, satisfied with the tracking device he put in her shoes and the earrings she now wore.

Once back at Zip’s place, she headed to the bedroom to nap. When she woke, she felt refreshed. After washing her face, she sought out Zip, wanting more than just a few sweet kisses.

When she found him in the den, he glanced up as she pulled off her shirt and pushed her shorts and underwear low. He swallowed and then stood, saying nothing as he moved to her. He picked her up, and they were in the bedroom in seconds.

His lips were on her, teasing her nipples as he found her clit with his thumb. He knew exactly how to touch her to send her to heaven. She arched up, needing more as he kissed his way down her body. Then his tongue stroked over her clit. She cried out with pleasure as he took her to heaven.

He knew exactly how to lick and suck her to get her off, and it only took a few minutes for her to be coming around his fingers. He grabbed a condom and slid in quickly, filling her all the way.

“Talia, I’ve fallen so in love with you. I want you forever.”

“Yes. I love you, Zip. Forever.”

They came together hot and fast, neither of them holding back. They would have time together, enough to spend lazy Sunday afternoons exploring each other. She never wanted anything more. Being with Zip was happiness. Together, they would make a great life.