Page 65 of Finding Love

Currently, there were more than a hundred people coming and going in the massive house, including staff and caterers.

She’d been assured that there were hidden cameras zeroed in on the fake laptop. Despite knowing this, Brook kept stealing glances towards the office. She kept wondering when or if the man would make his move.

Ryder had told her privately that if John had presented himself to him last year, Ryder would have seen to it that he had gotten his fair share of their father’s estate.

Ryder had plans to meet Faith, his half-sister, on their trip back down to Pride. They had talked to her over the phone a few times since her initial call. Brook couldn’t wait to meet the woman.

But before she and Ryder could head back to Pride, they had to catch John. They couldn’t start their new life together with that fear looming over them.

Brook couldn’t wait to head back to Pride and leave all this craziness behind. She wanted to spend her time picking out paint colors and curtains and rugs. Turning her dream castle into her dream home with Ryder.

She was daydreaming about how life was going to be for them when she felt something sharp poke her just under her left shoulder blade.

“Easy,” a deep voice said directly behind her. “Let’s take a drive.” A hand gripped her upper arm, and she was shoved towards the hallway that led to the garage.

She made a move to get away, but the knife that was poking her dug deeper into her skin. She heard the material on her dress slice open and felt a trickle of blood ooze down her side. Instantly, her stomach rolled at that thought.

Glancing around, she realized that she’d lost track of Ryder. Lost track of… well, anyone who could help her. She was surrounded by a room full of strangers. How could she be so alone in the crowd?

Faith was correct, John and Ryder sounded a lot alike. That thought had her shivering.

They made it to the end of the hallway, John half dragging her as they went, and were standing just outside the doorway to the garage when Ryder appeared at the end of the hallway.

“Let her go,” Ryder growled as he rushed towards them.

The arms that had been holding her disappeared quickly as Ryder plowed into the other man, knocking them both down to the marble floor. Their flying bodies took out the small glass table and flower vase.

The loud crash as the glass shattered caused everyone to rush over and see what was going on. Agents appeared, guns drawn, as the two men fought for control.

Brook noticed a long knife sitting amongst the shattered glass and held onto the wall when she saw the drip of blood. Her eyes turned back to the men, and she winced when John’s fist plowed into Ryder’s gut. But then Ryder swung out, connecting his fist to John’s jaw, and the man’s body went limp.

Ryder left the unconscious man on the floor and rushed over to her. His arms wrapped around her body, holding her tight. Her knees went weak, and she was pretty sure she would have slipped to the floor if not for his hold on her.

“Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you?” he asked as his eyes ran over her.

“I…” She blinked a few times.

“She’s bleeding,” someone said directly beside her.

Ryder jerked back, and Brook frowned as he looked down at his blood-soaked hands. She watched, as if in slow motion, as a thick stream of blood oozed from the spot John had held a knife to her skin.

This time, her knees did buckle as her vision swam and swirled. Her stomach lurched but she swallowed the bile and closed her eyes.

How many years had she had to learn to control this? She was being stupid. She knew the cut wasn’t bad. It wasn’t about the pain. She’d felt worse. Broken bones and bruises she could deal with.

No, what she couldn’t stand was the sight of blood. It was the reason she’d failed all her tests in the coast guard. Hemophobia had been the sole reason she was stuck working in her mother’s bakery instead of being alongside her father, saving lives.

“Easy.” Ryder’s voice was close, and she tried to focus on it as her body became weightless.

“I’m sorry,” she said over and over as Ryder cleaned and bandaged up the cut in the downstairs bathroom.

He stopped cleaning the cut and looked up at her. “Don’t be sorry. I shouldn’t have ever let him get that close to you.”

She closed her eyes. “Ryder, I—”

“I love you.” He placed his lips on hers. “That’s all that matters,” he said against her mouth. “Nothing else comes close.”

She changed into a pair of comfortable cotton pants and a flowing blouse that Ryder had retrieved from upstairs.