by Lina Langley
Sean was exactly the same age as his brother and Knight was supposed to be taking care of him. If this was what he was like when he was taking care of the president’s son, then he sure was terrible at his job.
“I mean I can’t find him,” Knight said. “Thank you for coming with me. And for bringing his laptop.”
“It’s okay,” Don said. “I don’t understand where you could have gone. Did your date go that poorly?”
Knight looked at his brother again. To his surprise, he found that his eyes were welling up with tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of his brother, but the way he had asked that question, Knight couldn’t help but feel responsible.
He blinked and he felt the fat, warm tears sliding down his cheek.
He could feel Don’s eyes on him and they were burning his skin.
Rocky Knight didn’t cry. He definitely didn’t cry in front of his little brother.
He opened his eyes, focusing on the road ahead.
He felt Don’s hand on his shoulder and he turn around to stare at it. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“It wasn’t a bad date, kid,” he said. “It was a really good date. We laughed together, we left together… He knew what he wanted.”
“I know. We talked about it.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. He asked me how I would feel if I dated you,” Don said slowly, dropping his hand to his side. “I mean, I sort of get it. He’s my best friend, you are my big brother...”
“Right.”
“I think he was just trying to be respectful.”
“What did you tell him?” Knight asked. He didn’t particularly care, but there was nothing he could do right then, and he needed to keep driving until they reached the hotel so they could finally try to find Sean Connor. He needed to think about something other than Sean being hurt, because it filled his entire body with dread and it left him paralyzed with fear.
But this, he could do this. He could talk about silly things, like dating, all night long. At least until it came time to rescue Sean and that had to happen as soon as possible.
“The truth.”
“Which is what?”
“Which is that I didn’t think he should.”
Knight swallowed, but he didn’t look at Don.
“I told him you were going to break his heart,” Don said quietly.
Knight swallowed again. His mouth was dry, and he didn’t say anything that he might regret later. “Why?”
“Because he’s just a kid, Roch,” Don said, sounding at least slightly apologetic. “I mean, I know he’s technically an adult, but he’s so… lost. You’ve always known what you wanted. You’re the most self-assured and methodical person I’ve ever met. And I know that once you stop wanting him, you’re going to get over it, but he never will.”
“That’s not fair,” Knight replied thinly as he began to turn right on the highway exit.
“It’s not, it’s not fair to him because he deserves better,” Don said.
“You don’t know if I’m going to get sick of him. You can’t know that.”
Don laughed quietly. “Yes, I do,” he said.
“What?”
“Did you know that, when I was growing up, I didn’t know you were into guys too?”
“I mean, I fail to see how that’s any of your business. Especially when you were a child.”
“I don’t know, call me crazy but it would have been really nice to know that my older brother was also a queer person when I felt alone as a preteen,” Don said through his teeth. “Fucking irrational teenagers, am I right?”
Knight clenched his jaw. He didn’t particularly want to hear how bad of a brother he’d been.
“Anyway, this isn’t about that. This is about Sean,” Don said. “So yeah, I told him you’re going to break his heart, because I think you will.”
“Well, if I’m going to be the one to break his heart, I’m going to have to find him first,” Knight said between his teeth.
“I don’t understand how you lost him.”
“We had sex,” Knight said. “Then I fell asleep, okay?”
“What?”
“I was sleep, and he snuck out of the room,” he replied. “Is that what you wanted to hear? That he wanted to leave me, that he didn’t want to be around me?”
Don was quiet.
“I wish that was what was. But it isn’t. Because he left his phone, he left his jacket, and then he called you?” Knight said. He was merging into the left lane so he could take the feeder street to the Hilton. “That’s the part that doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Okay, say he didn’t enjoy himself. Say he was freaking out, and he didn’t want to do this, and he didn’t want to wake up next to me,” Knight said. “Why would he not just take his phone? Why wouldn’t he call you the moment he left our room?”
“What if he just didn’t want me to say I told you so?”
“Yeah, but you’re his best friend,” Knight said, pulling up to the back of the Hilton. “He still puts up with your shit.”
Don smiled. “I guess,” he replied. “But I don’t think he would have just left. He really likes you. God knows why, but anyway.”
“Let’s just assume he doesn’t,” Knight said. “He would have gone. This is bigger than us. This is about Ellie Connor, too.”
Don nodded. “Yeah…”
“He wouldn’t have left her,” Knight said, shaking his head. “He would have gone home.”
Don watched him. Knight parked near the backdoor, then turned around to look at Don. “Do you have it?”
Don leaned down to grab the laptop bag. “Yeah, it was surprisingly easy to get.”
“I think you are the most thoroughly investigated person that goes to the Connor house,” Knight said. “I’m sure they would trust you with anything.”
Don nodded. He got out of the SUV clumsily. Rocky was a lot taller than him, but he didn’t offer help. He knew Don would have just slapped his hand away anyway.
Don brushed himself off before they began to walk. “Well, that’s good, because if what you’re saying is right, then maybe we’ll be able to find some clues in here.”
Knight nodded. He was done making conversation, he was done thinking about anything other than saving Sean. He practically power walked toward the reception area of the hotel. He was vaguely aware that Don was lagging behind him, maybe because he had little legs, or maybe just because he was a pussy.
Knight didn’t have time for that. He walked over to the reception area, skipped over a couple of families that were in line and looked at the receptionist. She was a plump woman with fabulous curly hair and gorgeous black eyes, but he didn’t have time to think about her for long, he was trying to commit her appearance to his memory.
He was trying to commit everyone’s appearance to his memory, in case that they ended up knowing more than they said they did.
“Sir, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to get in line,” she said, in a voice that was equal parts stern and sweet. “There are other people waiting.”
Knight reached inside his breast pocket and took his badge out. When he spoke, he did it as quietly as he could, towering over the receptionist so that only she could hear him. “Listen to me, this is a matter of national security and I’m going to need your help,” he said. “And I’m going to need it as soon as possible.”
He looked at him for a second, then she nodded quickly. “Hold on. Let me get my manager.”
***
Knight wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact that they were using the room Don had booked for them to do the investigation. On the one hand, he liked that it was private. On the other hand, everything around him reminded him of Sean. And, much to his chagrin, the room still smelled like sex with the windows open.
Don hadn’t said anything about it. Any other time, Rocky knew he would have, but he was too worried about Sean. Knight couldn’t even take ple
asure in his brother being quiet with how worried he was about him.
Knight noticed that he sat down and opened the laptop, but he set his gaze back on Kate immediately. The manager on duty, the woman looked a wreck. She looked even more worried than Knight, though Knight supposed he’d had a lot more practice when it came to hiding how worried he was from other people.
“So you’re certain?”
“Yes, Agent Knight,” she replied thinly. She was standing up near the door, clearly ready to make her escape. “I can give you all the tapes, but we don’t have one of that particular hallway.”
“Why? It seems like things are bound to happen where your vending machines are,” Knight said.
“Yes,” Kate replied. “But the camera had broken and the security company wasn’t here to change it yet.”
Knight bit down on his upper lip. “Right,” he said. “And whose responsibility is that?”
“Mine,” she said. “I was supposed to be the one telling them to get it done.”
“No,” he replied. “That’s not your responsibility. It’s theirs. Give me the name of their company and the name of the general manager, please.”
“And lattes,” Don replied. “Please.”
Knight opened his mouth to tell him how inappropriate that was, but he shut it when he realized that he also wanted a latte and he didn’t want any of the weak coffee the hotel room was sure to have one hand.
“Skim milk,” Knight added as Kate walked out the door. “For both of them.”
Kate glared at him for a second, but then she nodded. The moment she closed the door, Don giggled. “Wow,” he said. “I’ve never seen you do that before.”
“Do what? Order lattes?” Knight said, rolling his eyes.
“Whatever,” Don said, but he was laughing. “Here, I hacked into his computer.”
“You hacked into his computer?”
“No, I know his password,” Don said, tutting. “It’s harryandrondeservedeachother. Like that. No spaces.”
“What?”
“Don’t worry about it,” his little brother said. “Anyway, now we have access to all of his files. His entire life. So tell me, where would you like to buy?”
Knight was plugging Sean’s phone into one of the USB ports of the laptop. His hope was that it would turn on and Knight would be able to unlock it without having to blunt force it or send it to IT.
“I’m trying to think,” Knight said as the computer played the USB port notification. “This isn’t political. It’s not about money. It’s personal. Who would want to take him?”
Don shook his head. “I don’t know. Do you want me to ask some of our frat brothers?”
“I think that’d be helpful,” Knight said, then closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it yet. “Okay. The first thing we’re going to do is go on his social media.”
Don seemed to have to think about that for a second, then he nodded. “Okay,” he said. “You’re right.
Knight pulled up a chair next to him. He stared at Sean’s computer as Don brought up his Facebook page.
“I think you might not want to look at this,” Don said. “It has a lot of private stuff.”
“You’re right,” Knight replied. He didn’t know how much Don knew about his job, but truthfully, Knight had access to everything related to Sean’s private life. And, by extension, Don’s. His brother was probably blissfully unaware of that, and Rocky didn’t want to make things awkward for them. Plus, with the ways thing had changed, he really didn’t want to know about Sean’s private life. At least not if he could help it. “I don’t want to look at it. But I don’t think I have a choice.”
Don nodded. “You’re right,” he said. “So where would you like to start?”
“Check his frequent conversations,” Knight said.
Don raised his eyebrows. “That’s going to be hard,” he said. “He talks to a lot of people.”
“I need to know if he has talked to any of them tonight.”
“Okay,” Don replied. “Let me find out for you.”
He was looking at the screen, his eyes narrow, but Knight didn’t dare look. He didn’t want to see anything too personal and this felt like a huge invasion of privacy. There was no getting around it, of course, but still.
It felt wrong.
“Nothing,” Don said. “I’m the last person he talked to.”
“When?”
“Nine,” he replied.
“Nine? That was… after dinner?”
“Yeah,” Don said. “He said you guys were just about to use the room I had booked and then he sent me a gif of a drag queen winking.”
“Oh,” Knight said as he felt his cheeks begin to redden. He shifted his weight in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable.
“There’s no one else,” Don said, clicking through the rest of Sean’s conversations. “He caught up with some friends, but there isn’t anything weird about any of them.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Don replied. “Seriously.”
Knight closed his eyes, then tapped his fingers on the wooden table in front of him. “Something is wrong with all this.”
“Yeah,” Don said. “No shit.”
“No, you don’t understand,” Knight said. “There’s something off about all this. The call… wait. Is there a way to check messages he hasn’t replied to?”
“There’s the message request folder,” Don replied. “Is that what you’re talking about?”
Knight shrugged. He had no idea how Facebook worked. “Sure.”
“Let me check,” Don replied. He clicked on the computer a couple of times, his eyes turning into slits. “There are… a lot, actually. It’s going to take me some time to sort through these.”
“Sure,” Knight said. “I’m going to go check the hallway, see if he left any clues there or something.”
“Clues?” Don said, furrowing his brow. He didn’t believe him, but Knight didn’t care. He didn’t need his little brother to believe him.
He needed to get out of there and do something.
He stormed out of the room, closing the door loudly behind him and then sprinting toward the vending machines.
CHAPTER FIVE
To his horror, he had fallen asleep. He was still in that dreadful loveseat near the bay window when he woke up, but at least he was alone, which was something.
Dawn was breaking. The night was still dark, but he could see splashes of red and orange over the trees, illuminating the mountains nearby. He wished he knew more about geography. He had no idea what the landmarks meant and his understanding of his location was no better than it was when he had first arrived.
He told himself to calm down. He looked at the TV, wondering how many hours had passed, but it had been turned off. He searched for a remote with his gaze, but the room was dark and his eyes were struggling to adjust.
He sat up. At least he could move freely. There were no restraints on him and he was able to move around. His body felt like it was on fire and every movement edged him closer to the edge of nausea.
Once his eyes were completely used to how dark it was, he began to wander around. He was trying to be quiet, but it was hard not to bump into a few things here and there, especially when they were still covered in sheets. It was making this way harder to navigate.
Sean wondered where Logan was. He wasn’t exactly going to call for him, but Sean didn’t think he would have gone too far. Logan wasn’t stupid. If he had left him unsupervised, it was for a reason.
If only Sean could figure out what it was.
The grand room was out in the open and he knew that he could technically go whichever way he wanted, but he had been in enough mansions to know that they were trickier to navigate than they seemed, and that there was likely to be a security system monitoring him.
He looked up at the ceiling. There was a railing above which he hadn’t noticed before. The light was on in a room upstairs but it looked dim and faint f
rom where Sean was standing.
He patted his pockets, looking for his phone. He knew he didn’t have it, but he couldn’t help but hope. What could have possessed him to leave the room without his phone, he would never understand.
His pockets were taunting him with how empty they were. He continued to walk around, trying his best to remember where the exit was. They had turned left when they had gotten to the grand room, so he was reasonably sure that the way out was by going to the right.
He took a corner. The hallway was darker than the grand room, probably because it had no windows, and it was harder for him to move around the narrower space without making any sound.
He managed to slam his shoulder against the corner of the wall. He grimaced, but he suppressed a yelp. He didn’t want the thing that brought Logan out to be his own voice.
He closed his eyes and waited for a few seconds before he began moving again. He finally reached the door. He wasn’t breathing as he grabbed the handle.
He wiggled it, but the damn thing wouldn’t budge. It didn’t even creak when Sean tried to open it. He swore under his breath, wondering how that had happened. It had been unlocked when he had walked in with Logan earlier and now…
His thoughts were interrupted by low, continuous laughter. “You’re so predictable,” Logan said from behind him.
Sean didn’t want to turn around. He didn’t want to look at Logan’s face. “I just wanted some fresh air.”
Logan chuckled. “You could just ask me.”
“I didn’t know where you were.”
“Waiting for you to wake up,” Logan said. “You seemed tired.”
Sean licked his lips. Logan had approached him and he could practically hear Logan’s breath over his shoulder. He tried to compose his face into a neutral expression before he turned around. “I was,” he said. “Thank you for letting me sleep.”
Logan was so close to him, Sean could see the ridges of his lips. “No worries. Do you want some food?”
Sean was about to shake his head, but Logan clapped him on the shoulder and looked into his eyes. They were about the same height, the same build—maybe Sean could take him then.
“You need to eat something,” Logan said. “Come on. I’ll make you breakfast.”