Page 96 of Moonlit Colorado

“Alright. I promise. If you close your eyes and get some sleep.” I brushed a lock of hair from her cheek.

“And I need to tell my brothers. Ashford and Callum will be furious if they hear I was in the hospital and I didn’t let them know.”

“Taken care of. I texted them last night.Rest. That’s an order.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” But a yawn obscured the last part of that sentence, and her eyes were already sinking closed. I lay my head on the pillow beside Grace’s, smoothing my hand up and down her arm to provide whatever comfort I could.

But inside, I was seething.

NYPD officers had come to the hospital to take our statements. They’d shown up to the hotel as well, but Vincent had gotten away. Same with the woman named Lexi. The police hadn’t found a single witness so far who could identify either of them.

Neither Vincent nor Lexi had been on the wedding guest list. And for all the security cameras in my father’s hotel, the footage wasn’t helping either. Vincent had seemed to know where every camera was and managed to duck his head.

There was a slight possibility that the location of Grace’s phone could lead us to the man, but I had no doubt her device was in pieces in a dumpster somewhere not far from the hotel.

There were clearer security images of Lexi, but still no leads on where we might find her.

The detective assigned to the case hadn’t even wanted to give me those few details until I’d called in favors from the mayor’s office. I hated using my privilege to pull strings that normal people didn’t have access to, but for Grace, I would do a lot worse.

All I cared about was finding the man who’d hurt her. Maybe Vincent was the person who had broken into Grace’s home too. The guy seemed to be everywhere, and I had no idea why.

But as soon as we found him, I wanted answers. Like who Nina Jamison really was, why she had disappeared, and why Vincent was so determined to find her.

And what my brother had to do with all this.

At some point in the future, after the police had finished their questioning and Vincent wasn’t looking over his shoulder, I was going to make him pay. Didn’t matter to me how long it took. I wouldnotlet him get away with what he had done to Grace.

While Grace napped, I responded to the messages I’d gotten since we left the hospital. I’d been keeping in close touch with Margot. Thank goodness for her, because if she hadn’t stepped in to help, I would be going off of zero sleep and zero food. At least I had eaten.

Margot was in her office right now, updating our private investigator and doing anything else she could think of to drum up info for me.

It was more than my family was doing. When Ainsley had suggested she would leave early to check on me and Grace, Bristol had thrown a fit that her maid of honor couldn’t leave in the middle of her reception. Kip and Bristol had kept on with their party even though Grace had been attacked.

My dad had stopped by the hospital last night after the reception ended. Predictably, my father protested that he knew nothing about anyone named Vincent, even though the man had turned up at two different properties owned by Knightly Global.

Whether my brother had some connection to Vincent, I didn’t know, but I planned to find out. One of themanythings I was saving for later when I wasn’t so damn exhausted.

Finally, I succumbed to my need for sleep. My dreams were not pleasant. Full of images of Grace lying on the floor, bleeding. And me standing beside her, so close yet unable to reach her.Powerless.

The buzz of my phone in my pocket woke me. I slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, glad when Grace continued to sleep peacefully. Closing the door behind me, I answered the call. It was from the doorman downstairs.

“Mr. Knightly, your guests have arrived. Should I send them up?”

“Please do. I appreciate it.” I opened my front door and waited there for the elevator. I probably looked ragged. Hadn’t shaved, hadn’t showered.

I’d contacted Ashford last night, asking him and Callum to come to New York. I’d arranged to fly them on my jet as soon as possible this morning. Grace needed her family close just as much as they deserved to be here in person.

For the first time, I wasn’t eager to see my closest friend. But I alsoneededhim here. Not for me, but for Grace. And she needed her best friend. Which was why I’d asked Piper to come along too.

When the elevator opened, Ashford and Callum stepped out first. Piper was right behind them. She smiled at me cautiously, while Ashford pulled me in to a hug when he reached me.

“This isn’t the way I wanted you to finally visit Manhattan,” I said.

Ashford patted my back roughly. “Grace inside?”

“Yeah, she’s resting. Come on in.”

Ashford pulled back, and Callum stepped toward me next, his expression hard as stone. “Callum,” I said. “Thanks for coming.”

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