Page 78 of Guarding Truth

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Caleb said with Ivy still wrapped around him. “Our distraction worked, but they’ll be back. We only have Alana and Detective Williams as backup. They’re creating a distraction by making the hackers think they’re surrounded, while Officer Slaton has driven off to get a signal to find out where the SWAT team is.”

Juliette took Ivy’s hand and pulled her away from Caleb so he could pass a gun to Noelle. Her eyes connected with his, and she remembered their kiss. Things weren’t over between them.

This was just the beginning.

Caleb had started to toss a weapon to Juliette when the door crashed open. “Weapons down.”

They all froze.

The man’s identity registered.

“Theo?” Caleb’s eyes widened. Juliette’s shock mirrored Caleb’s. They’d all been fooled. His employee stood in the doorway with the two armed guards flanking either side of him.

Theo shrugged. “I assumed you’d figured it out already. Since you’re uber-smart and all.”

“How—how could you?” Caleb stared the man down, his eyes flickering with the fiercest look she’d ever seen on his face. “I trusted you. You staged your own kidnapping? How could you do that to me, not to mention your wife and son?”

He shrugged. “It was the best way to throw off suspicions. Hopefully you suspected Blake. Because who would suspect me faking my own kidnapping?” He laughed.

Noelle made the slightest movement, and one of the armed men approached her to relieve her of her weapon. The other security guard patted Caleb down and then moved and did the same to Juliette.

“What’s your end game, Theo?” Caleb’s face betrayed his anger. “What are your wife and child going to do when you rot in prison? Did you really think you could rob banks and get away with it?”

Theo cocked his nine millimeter and pointed it in Caleb’s face. “Well, thanks to Ivy, we’ll get our money—the money the bank president owes my family for ruining my business. They owe my son college tuition and a future. The bank stopped lending us money, and my family has suffered long enough because of their greed.” With every sentence, Theo raised his voice more. This was not good.

Rushmore had formed as a vendetta against the bank and their lending policies. Juliette decided to keep the man talking. “So, what is Rushmore going to do with the money if the bank pays your ransom demand?”

Theo shifted his gun from Caleb to Juliette. “You, stop talking. You and your bodyguard friend are nothing but trouble.”

Caleb shifted closer to Ivy, who sat on the wooden chair. He stared Theo down and took another step sideways until he was in front of Ivy. “Did you go to work for me with the intention of selling out Cyberskies? You thought you could use my company to further your personal agenda?”

“Blake should have made me his partner. He was going to until you came along. Cyberskies should have been mine.”

So it was more personal than the money. Theo thought Caleb had robbed him of a position.

Theo glared at Caleb, whose eyes never left Theo’s trigger finger. If they didn’t do something soon, this man might snap. Jules instinctively knew exactly what Caleb was planning. She shot him a quick wink of acknowledgement. He’d hit Theo, and Juliette would dive for Ivy and get her out of the crossfire. Noelle blinked twice, agreeing to their wordless plan. She’d be Caleb’s backup.

But before they could attack, Theo changed the playing field. “This ends now.” Theo nodded and the two security guards moved next to Juliette and Ivy.

“I’ll let you decide, Caleb. I’ll let you save one of your loves. The other one dies. Who will it be? Ivy or your pretty bodyguard? You can only save one.”

* * *

SATURDAY, 3:00 A.M.

Theo Payne was one sick man.

Caleb willed his body to stop trembling, but adrenaline pulsed through him at a supersonic pace. One of the security guards pressed a gun against Juliette’s temple. The other trained his gun on Ivy. And Theo blocked the exit, pointing his gun at Caleb.

Ivy. Juliette.

These two were his entire world. How could he choose? He loved them both.

Flashbacks filled his mind. Laz. Juliette. The mountain.

He fisted his hands to keep them from trembling. Juliette gave an imperceptible nod, as if to say,I’ll save Ivy.Tears streaked his niece’s cheeks and dripped onto her shirt. Noelle hovered in the corner, trying to remain invisible, but her clenched fists were ready for action.

“Please, don’t do this.” Ivy pleaded with Theo.

---