She's His Everything (He's My Body Guard Sequel)

(32) The Betrayed

Rayner and I scaled the building down a long ladder with wind whipping through our hair and I tried not to look down and just focus on not falling to my death killing Rayner in the process. I worried over how wobbly Rayner was until we were safe on the ground. He put his head down and led me quickly across the parking lot trying not to limp. Pain written across his face, "This is insane you're still hurt we have to go back." Rayner shook his head and as if on queue a bullet fired out over a line of cars and we both dropped to the ground Rayner's arm shielding my head.

"We can't go back, I should've known this would happen." He cursed pulling out his gun from my duffle bag that I didn't notice him slip in. He started loading the clip while we ducked behind some cars. "What? Know what would happen?" I fired at him wondering if my suspicions were valid. "Riley's daddy put money on our heads." He said wrapping his leg with more gauze and tape he'd also predicted he'd need tearing it with his teeth. He tied his boots tighter and then wobbled to his feet. "Come on we have to hurry." I jumped up and he shielded me as we ran across the street and into a busy parking lot.

There was some kind of night flash sale and Rayner crouched into a small crowd while scanning the lot for potential danger. "We're gonna call Beck. He's the only person I trust right now. Let's find somewhere to lay low for a minute." He was sweating bullets already and I knew he was tapped out. I helped support his weight while we scurried through the small crowd of people through the department store and into the small shopping mall.

I helped him sit down in the tiny food court that was closing up for the night while he made a few phone calls. "Beck's coming for us." He explained standing again shifting his weight off his injured leg wrapping his arm around me again. "We need to keep moving. Come on." He led us to the far west exit of the mall and we waited outside against the wall for whoever was coming for us.

It didn't take but ten minutes and Rayner's phone rang again. "West exit." Was all he said into the phone and hung up pulling me into him by my waist. "He's here it's okay." He assured me and a few seconds later a sleek black car pulled up. Rayner opened the back door and I slid into it and he eased himself in beside me in the back. Two men were in the front. The passenger turned to look at us while Beck who was driving kept forward.

"You look like shit Linehan." The officer riding shot gun teased. Rayner ran his fingers through his wet hair, "Feel like shit too. "He responded to him leaning forward to pat his chest roughly. "We are being followed." Rayner said peeking in the rear view. Becks sharp eyes looking in the rear view. "I know. It's fine I have a line of men waiting to lay out the nail strip." Rayner reached over me buckling me in then buckled himself as the car picked up speed.

"Hold on." Rayner smirked with a wink, but I knew he was just as anxious as I was as Beck drove faster onto the busy highway. I looked back and saw another black car picking up speed behind us. I clutched the door handle and Rayner's arm reached out in front of me as if it would stop me from expelling out of the car in the event of an accident. I heard something impact against the back glass, and Rayner pushed me down under him. "They're shooting?!" I squeaked surprised they would be that bold in the middle of the city. "We're coming up on our team just one more mile." Beck assured flooring it. We flew around a curve and there was the spike strip and as if they'd been tipped off the car stopped just far enough behind to turn around and speed away the direction they'd come from.

"Shit!" Beck yelled slamming his hands on the steering wheel seeing the car speed off in the distance after pulling a hard u-turn. He threw the car into park jumping out after we'd come to a screeching halt. I tried catching my breath now that we were still and calm my nerves. I was shaking like a leaf Rayner looked around pulling my head closer to him kissing my temple smoothing my hair.

He unbuckled and opened the door, "Stay here." He told me and the officer in the passenger seat also left me here looking out the windows at the group of officers next to their cars. I could barely hear Beck yelling at his team. "I want this over tonight!" He demanded, "Rayner," he turned his attention to the car briefly and then I couldn't hear him because he stopped yelling.

I chewed on my lip waiting for our next move. Rayner limped to me opening the door motioning for me to follow him. He limped with a set of keys toward a black SUV, "Beck wants us to go to a hotel and he's sending a medic over to stitch me back up." He explained opening the car door for me looking around suspiciously then closed me inside. I buckled up and Rayner winced getting in driving to our location. A couple cop cars followed one in front of us the another behind us and I felt like the president or something.

We made it safely to the hotel and as told a medic patched up Rayner quickly while he relaxed back into one of the beds looking exhausted. The medic had given him pain meds and he struggled to stay awake eventually falling asleep. "Tori can I have a word?" Beck poked his head into the room seeing Rayner laid in bed eyes now closed. He shut the hotel door leaning against it.

"Sure." I agreed joining him in the corner of the room. "I'm staying right next door I just wanted to fill you in on some information. Riley's father posted his bail which means he's out." My heart sank. "Don't worry we are gathering evidence to put him back away for good, but in order to do that I need your help." I nodded agreeing to do whatever he needed. "What I'm asking you're not going to like." I nodded again slowly unsure where this was going. "It's suspected Riley's father Maverick is money laundering, cleaning money for the cartel. I know you'd hate to think anything less of your parents but we suspect they were cleaning money for him with their business. I know this comes as a shock to you." He empathized holding my shoulder when I fell into a state of shock. Trying to remember anything about my parents business realizing I didn't know much.

It made sense of why my parents never talked about their work. "In order to obtain more evidence I need more... incrimination. To solidify these people stay behind bars. Which means I need you... to be the bait." My eyes narrowed knowing he wanted to stage some kind of trap. "Maverick wants his money that he thinks your parents stole from him. At this point I'm unsure where the money went. I hope it can bring you some comfort in knowing I do have some ideas just not the who and why." I waited for him to continue.

"I believe Officer Burns was placed in position to transport said money from your parents to Maverick. Where the money disappeared in transit. That's where things get foggy. After speaking with Burns he believed your parents replaced over half the money with fake bills. Burns was then at that point beaten and recruited by Maverick to get the money from your parents by all means necessary. They jumped the gun and I'm sorry for the bluntness but murdered your parents. So that leaves the mystery of who was the middle man from your parents to transit. Who packaged the money? Who replaced the bills?" My face screwed in wonder as I wracked my brain to think of who. Who else was there? Who would betray my parents? Who could? Unless...

"Ramona." I whispered a sick feeling in my stomach, "Ramona?" He asked, "She works at the country club. I overheard her talking to Riley about the missing money. And she, she had emails— from M. Greenbriar." I felt like I might actually vomit. She'd been so overly welcoming and nice to me. "I'll send some men to look into it." He tapped on his phone and made a couple phone calls before we continued with making our plan.

"Where's Jackson?" I asked thinking about how he'd been arrested as well and Beck scratched his head looking at the wall, "Someone posted his bail too. We believe he's involved ..." My stomach dipped and I felt a few hot tears stain my cheeks. This betrayal cut deeper than the other's had. "Tell me the plan, I'm in." I stated angrily. I decided I wasn't going to be blindsided again. This had to end.