Page 68 of Knight's Desire

“Damn son of a bitch. You think he’s hiding her somewhere close to KSI? Bastard would have to have balls the size of boulders to do that, but it’s smart even if it is risky. It hasn’t occurred us to check properties close to the Shoppe. They’re all commercial properties, though. It doesn’t make sense. What is this guy’s end game?”

Brick exhaled. “I don’t know, and I might be wrong about the property close to KSI. It’s just a hunch.”

“We’ve exhausted our leads, so it’s worth checking out. I’ll call Syd.”

Brick listened as Jay relayed his theory to Sydney over the phone, but he was already trying to think of other possibilities. Because if this lead turned out to be a dead end like the others, he wanted to have a backup plan.

Brick could feel Jay’s intense stare on him, and he turned his head, his brow quirked in question.

“I, uh…well, at the risk of having you kick my ass, I think…well, it needs to be said…I mean, someone has to point out…”

“Spit it out, man. We have things to do.” Brick’s tone was gruffer than he’d intended, but he had a feeling Jay was about to say something he definitely didn’t want to hear.

“When Addison was kidnapped…”

Brick held up a hand to stop Jay. Just the mention of Jay’s sister and what happened to her was enough for Brick to shut down the conversation. Addison Colter was visiting her brother when she was taken while shopping in Grayson Cove. She was held captive for a year before she managed to escape Emmett Carter, and Jay and the entire KSI family searched for her all during that year. All leads led nowhere, and they never found her. She found them after she escaped.

“I’m not giving up on Hope.” Brick ground out each word, his voice more like a growl. “I don’t care how long it takes me to find her. I can’t give up.”

“Right. I just wanted to prepare you—”

“I know. I’m not ready for that. I promised her I’d protect her, and I’m going to do that. You know if he escalated to the point that he kidnapped her, he could escalate into doing other things. He could have already abused her while we’ve wasted time chasing our asses.”

Jay paused, studying his friend closely. “Then let’s get going. If Sydney finds a lead, we need to be ready to act.”

Brick led the way out of the house. He was ready to act. He just wasn’t ready for what he would find when he did.

∞∞∞

All around him were rows and rows of white dresses so brilliantly pure, they glowed in the darkness. The faint light from the streetlamp picked up the sparkle in some of the dresses, creating a kaleidoscope effect that reminded Brick he was in a world where he didn’t fit.

And yet this is where he came, to be surrounded by the sweet fragrance of potpourri, to be immersed with sparkling tiaras and lace that extended for days. The Shoppe was achingly empty, a stark reminder that he’d failed the woman he loved.

He didn’t deserve her. Not when he couldn’t protect her. Not when he couldn’t make her feel safe. She deserved that as much as she deserved love, encouragement, and support.

When his team had spent hours combing through evidence only to be at a standstill, he retreated. Instead of going home, he went to the place where he could feel close to her. The Shoppe held her essence in every nook and cranny. Just being among the wedding dresses reminded him of the first time he saw Hope, wearing a dress she created, taking his breath away. He remembered watching her work on her sketches, her hair falling like a privacy curtain over her shoulders, framing her face. Her eyes would be focused, a distinct gleam lightening the dark irises. Her lips would be pursed, sometimes with the tip of her tongue sticking out as evidence of her concentration.

Brick would find himself content to sit and watch her. The lilt of her sexy voice was a sweet sound, but the silence wasn’t so bad when she was nearby.

Without her nearby, being in the Shoppe made him restless. He wandered through the lobby, among the racks of dresses, by the dressing rooms. Seeing the room with the access to the tunnel had him lingering, his anger battling with his shame to destroy his peace of mind.

His steps eventually took him to her office. Sketches were stacked neatly on her drafting table. Her pencils and pens were separated and stored in holders. Her desk was clear of everything but her computer and office phone. The cushions on her couch were fluffed and arranged to suit her.

He moved over to stand behind her desk. His finger nudged the curtain back from the window. He imagined Hope standing in that very spot, staring at that view, lost in thought. Could she see outside from wherever her prison was? Was she looking up at the same sky, watching the same stars, as he was, wondering why he hadn’t come for her? Was she wondering how much more she had to endure?

Brick could see across the alley than ran behind the shopping complex where Hope’s Bridal Shoppe occupied a store front. Beyond the alley was a row of buildings he knew to be industrial. The town was divided into sections. Main Street held shops and eateries, including the diner he frequented. The downtown area was home to more private businesses, like the realty and a hardware store. The retail area, where he was, was a free for all with a mixture of retail and professional establishments.

Then there was an industrial area, which he never had reason to drive through. Factories and warehouses occupied a three-block radius and were large sources of employment. He couldn’t name any of the companies or what they did to generate income. And yet something about them drew his attention.

He moved from the office, through the salon, out the back and into the alley. His steps were measured as he studied the property that separated him from the industrial area. Some of the buildings still showed activity – not surprising for a manufacturer operating multiple shifts.

The ones that were dark with no signs of life were the ones that intrigued him. The stillness stood out to him. He could make out the outline of vehicles in parking lots, but other than the ones with visible lights burning, the buildings seemed deserted.

A perfect place to hide someone.

The path to the Industrial Park was neither straight nor well-taken. Walking in the dark, his boots shuffled over uneven terrain, rocky dirt, and inclined surfaces. He finally reached a gravel lot and blended into the shadows next to the building. Then he watched.

Several minutes passed. Seeing nothing, he moved on, hugging the shadows and pausing to observe. He’d learned years ago that an investigation could be moved forward by just waiting and watching. He repeated his process until he was about to head back to KSI, thinking his hunch was wrong.

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