by A. K. Evans
“Great! Where exactly is your studio?”
“Do you know where Tasha’s Café is? It’s on the corner of Pine,” I said.
“Yes, I do. I’ve been to Tasha’s a few times.”
Nodding, I explained, “I’m on Pine at the opposite end of the block, next to Harvey’s Tool Box.”
She smiled, rolled up another mat, and declared, “I know exactly where that is. Do you have a website where I can check out the class times?”
“Yes, but I probably won’t have those sorted out until sometime next week,” I answered before giving her my website and rolling up my last mat. “Just check it out around this time a week from now.”
“That’s perfect. Thanks so much.”
“No problem.”
“Did you need any help with the mats?” she asked.
I shook my head and insisted, “Thanks, but I think I’m alright.”
She hesitated a moment, but finally said, “Okay. Then, I guess I’ll see you soon at your new studio.”
Smiling at her, I replied, “Sounds great. Thanks for helping me roll these up.”
With that, Tanya turned and walked out. I went to my bag, pulled out Holden’s zip-up hoodie that I still had and slipped it on. It was much colder outside, but I still had the heat in my body from the class. Once I’d gathered up my things and packed them into my bag, I loaded the mats up into my arms. Then, I walked out.
I stepped outside into the cold and instantly felt grateful that I had zipped up Holden’s hoodie. It was significantly colder out than when I had arrived. When I made it to my car, I opened the trunk and dumped the mats inside. No sooner did I close it when someone came up behind me and put me in a chokehold.
Seconds later, everything went black.
What a waste of all that you are.
For weeks now, I’d heard Leni’s voice repeating those words to over and over. And when I heard them, I could hear her disappointment. More than anything else, knowing that Leni was disappointed in me was like pure torture.
Because when I recalled her saying those words along with all the other things she said to me, it took everything inside me not to go back to her. Somehow, I’d managed to stick to my guns and keep myself away.
But today, I was finally admitting defeat. I couldn’t do it any longer. I had to surrender. Sleep and my appetite had eluded me. My parents were devastated when they heard I’d ended things between Leni and me. And while he didn’t ever do anything but offer his undying support, I knew Reece was disappointed in me, too.
Unless I found a way to completely focus on my work-related tasks, no other thoughts consumed my mind. It was only ever her.
All I’d done for the last several weeks was miss her. When the pain of not being able to see her or talk to her had grown to be too much to handle, I had to admit the truth to myself. I didn’t just care about Leni. I loved her. If I didn’t, it wouldn’t have hurt this bad.
Any doubts that I had about it flew out the window when I realized that no matter how much time passed, the pain never lessened. When things ended with Kristen, it didn’t feel this bad for this long. That’s when I knew that it had been Leni the whole time. She was the one for me. She was the reason why things never worked out with Kristen.
But now that it had been weeks since I’d last seen her, I didn’t know what to do to make it right. I didn’t even know if I still could. For all I knew, she could have moved on already. The thought of it made me sick.
I was still at work.
I could have left hours ago, but this had become my new normal after Leni. Going home meant that I was stuck alone with my thoughts. At least if I was at work, I could find something to do to occupy my mind a bit. It didn’t always work, and sometimes I even found myself struggling to keep my focus, but it was better than being in bed wishing she was there with me.
The only plan I could come up with was to just go to her and hope she’d be willing to see me. Just as I was about to get up and round my desk to leave my office, Tyson’s frame filled the doorway.
“Everything okay?” I asked him.
“I’m good, brother,” he replied. “The better question would be… is everything okay with you?”
I didn’t respond. I simply gave him a look that told him I wasn’t in any mood for him to give me grief. Tyson ignored my look, walked in, and sat himself down in the chair on the opposite side of my desk.
“What’s going on?” I wondered.
He cocked an eyebrow. “You tell me.”
The guys didn’t know anything about my relationship with Leni. All they knew was that I’d overreacted when I caught the guy who’d been setting the fires and was responsible for nearly killing Leni. They took that overreaction to mean that I felt something for her. I didn’t necessarily deny it, but I also didn’t give them anything to indicate that they’d gotten it right either.
When I didn’t reply to Tyson, he pointed out, “Look, man, I know you probably think I have no right to be here telling you anything about this, but somebody’s got to do it. This isn’t you. For weeks now, you’ve been getting here early and leaving late. I understand dedication to the job when there’s something to investigate. But that’s not what’s happening here.”
“I’m a grown man, Tyson. I think I can make my own rules up about how I spend my time, especially when what I’m doing isn’t affecting anyone else.”
“I’m not saying you can’t. But if you’re a grown man as you put it, why don’t you be one and own up to your feelings?”
My eyes narrowed at him as I shot back, “Excuse me?”
Before Tyson could respond, Gunner appeared in the doorway. He didn’t hesitate to join in the conversation. “It looks like Tyson has finally said something,” he surmised.
What the hell was going on?
Confusion washed over me. “Is there something going on that I’m unaware of?” I asked.
“You mean other than the fact that you feel something deep for this girl and you won’t admit it?” Tyson challenged.
I stared back at him and said nothing.
He kept going. “Your silence says it all,” he started. “We’ve all seen it, and I’m sick of watching you sit around and do nothing about it. That girl loves you.”
“How do you know anything about what she feels?” I asked.
“Because she broke down crying in my arms nearly a week ago,” he offered.
My whole body tensed. “What?”
Tyson grinned. “She’s cute,” he taunted me. “I can see why you fell for her the minute you laid eyes on her. And then knowing she does yoga. I bet that girl is real flexible. That’s got to be a lot of fun.”
“You better stop fucking talking about her like that,” I warned him. “Tell me why you were with her and how she ended up crying in your arms.”
“That’s a lot of emotion for someone you claim to not have any feelings for,” he goaded me.
I looked to Gunner. “Hayes, man, you need to talk some sense into him,” I advised him. “Otherwise, you’re going to be breaking up a fight in about five seconds.”
“Tyson,” Gunner called. When Tyson looked to him, Gunner urged, “Just tell him.”
“What?” Tyson threw his hands up. “It’s not like I’m saying something that is different than what everyone else in the office is thinking. I see a man I respect, a man we all respect and care about, throwing away something really fucking good. For someone who’s so smart, this nonsense is just that. Nonsense. Holden, brother, you live your life using logic and sound reasoning. You can’t possibly tell me that it’s anything but illogical for you to think that you won’t be able to have a healthy, loving relationship again. That’s just not possible. Especially not when the girl I met is the girl you’ve got that shot with.”
He paused a moment while I took in everything he’d said. None of what he said was wrong. Obviously, he didn’t know that I’d already admitted to myself that I loved her and that I was planning to do whatever I had
to do to get her back.
As a result, he continued, “Her studio is mostly renovated. Pierce’s woman was all about helping your woman get her place looking nice again. So, Pierce asked me if I’d go over with him and help out with some of the heavy lifting.”
“Why was she crying?” I asked again, my jaw clenched.
Tyson shrugged and answered, “I don’t know, honestly. One minute she was talking about you dancing, and the next minute she was crying her eyes out.”
This was just wonderful.
“Dancing?” Gunner repeated.
“Apparently,” Tyson replied before bringing his attention to me. “Didn’t know you had that in you, Locke.”
I just shook my head at him.
“I’m going to go and talk to her,” I announced.
I watched as their eyes widened in shock. “Just like that?” Tyson asked. “You mean all I had to do was come in here and say all that? Fuck. We could have ended this madness weeks ago.”
I shook my head. “No, asshole. I decided about ten minutes before you came in here that I’m no longer interested in trying to fight this anymore. I can’t think about anything but her right now. So, I’m going to go to her place and see if she still wants to try and work this out.”
My co-workers, who were my closest friends, grinned at me. Tyson added, “She will.”
Just then, we heard the buzzing coming from our front door. Entrance into the Cunningham Security office was impossible without either having the code or being buzzed in. It was late, well after our normal business hours, so not only was Deb, our receptionist, already gone for the day, but the three of us immediately grew alert as well. This was not a common occurrence.
Being the closest, Gunner was the first one to move out of my office. Tyson followed him, and I was out right behind him.
Before Tyson and I made it out to the front, I already heard Gunner opening the door. A woman was frantic. Once we joined them, her eyes left Gunner’s and came to mine.
“Holden, I’m so sorry.”
My body tensed. “What’s wrong, Tanya?”
Tears were spilling down her cheeks as she whispered, “It’s Leni.”
The second I heard her name, my stomach dropped.
“Tell me what happened,” I ordered.
“Her class had just ended,” Tanya began. “Ever since the first class I took of hers, I haven’t missed one. I almost didn’t go tonight, but I’m so glad I did.”
“Tanya,” I called.
Her eyes shot to mine.
“Focus,” I instructed her. This was not the time for her to be reminiscing.
She shook her head, ridding herself of the mindless thoughts and focused. “Right. I’m sorry. Anyway, after class ended, I asked her about the location for her new studio so that I could come and take classes there. We talked for a few minutes, and then I left. I walked out to my car, but I got a phone call on the way, so I hopped in and took the call as I waited for my car to warm up. While I was sitting there talking, I saw Leni walk out with the yoga mats toward her car. She got them in her trunk and then…” She trailed off.
“Then what?” I pressed.
She closed her eyes, her whole body showing signs of her defeated mindset. “He came up behind her and put his arm around her neck. It only took seconds for her to go unconscious.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
“Did you see who it was?” Tyson asked.
Tanya nodded and said, “I don’t know his name, but he goes to the gym. I’ve seen her talk to him a few times before.”
I wracked my brain trying to think of everyone I’d ever seen Leni talking to at the gym. She was so friendly and welcoming to everybody that it could have been any number of people.
“Is it someone who takes her classes?”
Tanya shook her head. “No.”
“Can you describe him to Reece?” I asked.
Tanya nodded.
I pulled out my phone and called Reece.
“Hey, Holden. What’s up?” he greeted me after two rings.
“Someone from your gym put Leni in a chokehold until she passed out and kidnapped her from the parking lot outside your gym,” I returned, barely taking a breath until I got it all out.
“What?”
“Tanya just showed up at my office. She watched it happen and can describe the guy to you. I need you to tell me if you know who it is,” I explained.
“Of course,” he agreed.
I put the phone on speaker and Tanya immediately rattled off the description of the guy she saw take Leni.
“Connor,” Reece stated. He was so matter-of-fact about it.
“Who?” I asked.
“Connor,” he repeated. “He’s the guy she once told me she used to work with. Apparently, he works for her parents.”
Right then, I knew who he was. I’d met him the first day I brought Leni to Reece’s gym. But it didn’t make any sense that the guy would kidnap his employer’s daughter, even if they were estranged.
“Why would he take her?” I wondered aloud.
After a beat of silence, Reece said, “I have no idea.”
“Why did you hesitate?” I asked.
“It’s nothing,” he tried reassuring me.
I wasn’t buying it.
“It’s her life, Reece. Even if you think it’s nothing, it’s not. Just tell me,” I ordered.
He blew out an audible breath. “I don’t know. The guy creeped me out. I walked into the room Leni was setting up for a class one day, and I saw him with his hands on her.”
Rage boiled up inside of me. “What do you mean he had his hands on her? And you didn’t tell me?”
“It was weeks ago,” he started. “And at the time all I could think was that I hoped you hadn’t gotten involved in another situation with a woman who was just like Kristen.”
“Reece!” I barked.
“What?”
“Explain what you mean about him having his hands on her?” I demanded.
“They were standing close. She had her hand on his arm, and he was touching her shoulders. That’s it. Knowing what I know of her now, I think it was completely innocent on her behalf. I’m not so sure about him, though.”
I took in a deep breath and announced, “Alright, I’ve got to go. Thanks for the help.”
“Let me know what else I can do,” he insisted.
I disconnected with Reece, looked at Tanya, and asked, “Did you see what happened after Leni was unconscious?”
“Yes. He put her in the back of his car and took off. I tried following them but got stuck at a traffic light and lost them.”
“Okay, can you give the description of the vehicle along with the direction it was headed until you lost it to Gunner?” I asked.
“Sure.”
I gave her a nod and directed my attention to Gunner. “I need to get on a computer,” I started. “After you get that information from her, I need you to check the surveillance footage from the parking lot. See if there’s anything there we can work with that’ll help us find her.”
Gunner jerked his chin in understanding.
I walked away from the front reception area and moved back to my office. When I got there, I pulled up a search database and tried to find anything I could on this guy Connor. I did at least know that he worked for Leni’s parents at Ford Communications. I was hoping that would give me something with which to work.
“What are you thinking?” Tyson asked as he followed me in.
“I don’t know yet,” I admitted. “But it doesn’t make sense that he’d go after the daughter of the people who employed him, unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless they’re paying him to do it,” I concluded.
Realization dawned in Tyson’s face. “Who are these people?”
“The founders and owners of Ford Communications,” I shared.
“You want me to take him or them?” he offered his help.
My eyes narrow
ed as I felt the rage boiling up inside me. “I’ve got him,” I seethed.
With that, Tyson left me alone in my office to head to his so he could get to work on Leni’s parents. I sat in my chair and got started.
As I began my search, it took everything I had not to want to kick myself for my foolishness. If I hadn’t been such an idiot, Leni would never have been in this position. If something happened to her, I’d only have myself to blame.
And she might not ever know the truth about how I felt about her.
It was dark, cold, and I couldn’t move.
Of all the things in the world I could experience, the inability to move my body would be the one that that would cause me to panic.
Throw me in a burning building, and I’ll be alright as long as I can move. Move and breathe.
But restraining me and restricting my movements was a surefire way to make me anxious. Especially when I was rendered immobile in what felt like a lot of water.
I blinked my eyes open. It took me a minute to figure out where I was.
Reece’s gym. In the area that was being renovated. The work on the pool had been recently completed, but Reece hadn’t had it filled yet.
However, for some reason, it was now filled up to my chest. I was sitting down, bound to a chair. A chair that, no matter how much I tried to wiggle and squirm, would not move. It was then I realized that the chair had been bolted to the floor of the pool.
“Ah, you’ve decided to join me again,” I heard a familiar voice say.
I turned my head to the left, looked up, and saw Connor sitting on the edge of the pool. His feet were dangling over the side, the water just grazing his ankles.
“Connor,” I started, still feeling a bit out of it. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”
“We could have been so good together,” he stated.
Blinking my eyes in surprise, I asked, “What?”
Connor looked off to the side, not at anything in particular. It was like he was just contemplating something. He didn’t look back at me when he said, “But you had to go and ruin everything.”