Page 65 of Knight's Desire

Tristin was finally moving toward the door, looking back at Brick one more time. “You damn well better give updates, or Kat will kill us both. Hang in there, man. Hope’s lucky to have you in her corner.”

Brick watched him go, feeling torn. He wanted be excited for his friends, but he was consumed with worry. What must Hope be going through while they chased down lead after lead trying to find her?

“Here’s a list of properties I found with any connection to David Leonard.” Owen tapped on his keyboard and the screen filled with addresses and photos.

Brick stood in front of the screen, his focus laser sharp as he studied the list. “Son of a bitch! That one address.” He pointed to the screen and waited for all eyes to follow his finger. “Can we get a satellite image of that property?”

“One second.” After what felt like an eternity, but what was probably only a couple of minutes, Owen put another image on the screen, and Brick swore under his breath.

“What are you seeing?” Jay asked him.

“The abandoned house is a block away from Hope’s. The night Isobel was attacked and Hope was almost taken, the attacker disappeared during a foot chase. We suspected he had a car waiting, but we never heard an engine. The bastard was holed up in the house. He probably watched us searching the neighborhood and thought he’d outsmarted us.”

“He could have her there now. It’s abandoned, a quiet neighborhood. No one would notice anything unusual about the realtor coming by.” Jay looked over at Cole. “Let’s get the team mobilized. We’re checking it out.”

“I’ll alert the Sheriff’s Department,” Sydney said.

“Good idea,” Cole agreed. “I’ll get Wings and BB. We’ll take him down, Brick. We’ll get Hope back.”

“I’m coming with,” Brick added, his eyes fixated on the screen. His gut was churning, but not as it did when he joined in an operation. Something was off. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

Hang on, Hope. I’m coming. I swear I’ll find you. Just hang on.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hope scrambled to her feet when David stepped into view. She hadn’t yet figured out how he could move in and out of the room without making a noise. She schooled her features to keep him from seeing the fear that consumed her. Sensing he would only revel in making her afraid, she wanted to appear calm and unaffected.

She smoothed the fabric of her blouse and slacks, thankful she wore flats instead of her typical heels. Knowing she was working with the O’Learys the day she was taken, she had chosen comfort over style. Now she would choose working with her most difficult clients over pretending to be fascinated by her captor.

Still dressed in his tux, David kept his hands in his pockets as he approached her. His smile turned her stomach.

“I hope you’re hungry. The chef created a feast for us. Very delicious and very romantic. The perfect start to our life together.”

“Where are you taking me?”

He pulled his right hand from his pocket and help it up high. A pair of handcuffs dangled from his fingers. “We’re not going far. I need you to walk there, and the cuffs are a precaution. I can’t have you running off until I tell you my plans for us.”

“I can’t wait to hear them.”

After locking the cuffs around her wrists, he pulled a small key from his left pocket and bent at the waist to reach her shackle. She could hit him, knock him over and run like hell. This could be her chance to escape. If she couldn’t make it out, if he caught her before she got her bearings enough to find her way out, he might kill her. She had one shot to get away. It had to be the perfect opportunity, and this wasn’t it. She had to take it easy, bide her time, lull him into a false sense of security. He had to trust her, and then she would have an opening to make her move.

He gripped her elbow and pulled her with him into the shadows. She realized a dark curtain separated the space she was in from the hallway that was on the other side. They stepped through a curved archway, and Hope felt she’d been transported into another realm. Twinkle lights draped over white latticework placed along the edges of the room. Flowers adorned every surface, a mixture of whites, blues and purples, their fragrances mixing to tantalize her senses.

A small round table with a long white tablecloth occupied the center. Candlelight and roses were in the center of the table. The two chairs were draped with a white covering complete with soft pink sash. Delicate china with a fine white pattern trimmed in shining gold was set for dinner. What drew her eye, though, was the wooden arbor at the other end. Lush greenery wove through the slates and were lit up with white lights. It was an alter she’d seen many times as a popular setting for weddings.

And not far from where she stood was the mannequin with the white wedding dress providing a stark reminder of her fate.

Hope stumbled as David forced her over to the table. He pulled her chair out for her, and she sat stiffly, her heart pounding in her chest, creating a roar of noise in her ears. Then he started placing food on the table — stuffed mushrooms sauteed in a wine sauce, a mixed greens salad with nuts, feta cheese and a creamy dressing she couldn’t identify right away, filet mignon with mashed potatoes coated in a lobster cream sauce and roasted vegetables, and then crème brule for dessert. If she had been sharing this meal with someone like Brick, she would have been excited and dived into the delicious food like a starving woman given her last meal. But with David, knowing what he had planned for her once the meal ended, she felt too sick to eat.

“Dig in, sweetheart. You’ll want a full stomach to keep up your stamina for our honeymoon night.”

She swallowed nervously. “And where will we be spending our honeymoon? Do you have a special trip planned for us?”

David scowled, and she immediately regretted her question. “We’ll be spending it here. I can’t be too far from work. People will be looking for you, and I need to make an appearance so as not to raise suspicions.”

“I—uh, that’s smart thinking. You’ve thought of everything.”

“This is the beginning of our life together. I want it to be perfect. How is your filet?”

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