CHAPTER TWENTY
Desmond
It is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let her go alone to visit Grandma Lillian. I knew she had a lot on her mind after Sandra’s visit, and I had let her visit Grandma Lillian, who might be the only person who could calm her down.
I’m going to find you, Lorelei. I’m going to find you.
An hour after I spoke with Grandma Lillian over the phone, I realized that something was wrong.
When I had suggested installing a location tracker on her phone, Timothy had reacted like I was crazy, but the momentary panic I had felt when she disappeared was something I never wanted to feel again, which is why I secretly had it installed on her phone.
I quickly check for her phone’s location, and I realize she is in the warehouse district, somewhere she wouldn’t go normally.
Timothy and I had driven there, wondering what she might be doing there, and the sight before us was ghastly.
There had been a crash, and while I didn’t have the full details, I felt it deep in my bones that something had happened to Lorelei.
“Please tell me you have something, Slade?” I look at the man Dean had sent to help me.
Immediately, I had reached out to Dean, who flew his best crew down here to Daston to help find her. They had gotten to work immediately, and we found out that Logan, the psycho back at the dispatch room, had taken her.
I knew something was wrong with that redneck!
He had attacked Lorelei’s driver and driven her out of town.
How the crash happened is unclear, but most likely, Lorelei had tried to fight.
Now, today’s the third day, and we have no idea where they both might be.
A deep dive into Logan has revealed that he had quite an obsession with Lorelei.
His small apartment was filled with several pictures of her taken over the months, and even when we were married.
Perhaps he was the one I had seen when my grandfather came visiting.
The idea that he had been watching her for so long made me furious as I realized how I failed to consider him a threat to her.
No one should be a threat to Lorelei. No one!
“I think I’ve found him,” Slade announces.
He mentions that Logan’s phone has briefly come on somewhere outside Daston.
He had turned it on briefly for a few minutes, then switched it off, but for us, who had been trying our best to track him, those few minutes were more than enough to give us what we needed.
Apparently, they were somewhere in the woods a few miles out of Daston.
“There are a few cabins out there, and with a few satellite images, we can confirm they are there.”
Hope rises in my chest for the first time since this whole ordeal started. Slade orders the men to get ready to head to the cabin.
“Wow, what are you doing?” Slade places his hand in front of me, blocking my path.
“Going with your guys. I can’t stay here while they go out for Lorelei,” I explain to him.
Slade starts to protest, telling me that there is no way he is going to let me go out there into a dangerous situation.
Slade has been working with Dean for a while, and I reminded him that according to Dean’s instructions, I had gotten a black belt in Karate and Taekwondo, which means I’ll be able to protect myself out there.
Slade isn’t entirely convinced, and I had to call Dean, who tells Slade that I can handle myself as long as I follow the instructions of whoever is leading the team.
“That won’t be a problem,” I assure them, and Slade agrees reluctantly.
I get into the van with eight of Dean’s men. We all ride in silence, and I feel my heart thump hard in my chest as I think about Lorelei.
She must be worried sick. I should have eliminated Logan long ago.
My instincts have never been wrong, and the moment I spotted him in the dispatch room, I knew something was off with him.
“Okay, we have confirmation that they are in the cabin,” Slade, the team leader, announces.
I’m coming, Lorelei.
He turns to me and makes it clear that I am to follow his orders. I don’t like being told what to do, but this man and his team are my best bet of getting Lorelei back.
“Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it,” I assure him.
“We’ll get her safe to you, sir. We are the best at what we do.”
Things move really fast from there. We pulled up about half a mile from the cabin, and we all got out.
“Cabin is just a few yards away. We move in pairs as we approach the cabin. No one goes in without my order,” Slade orders. “You’re with me, sir.”
I follow closely as we all move towards the cabin, which is hidden from plain sight by the vegetation around. The captain suddenly held up his hands, and we paused.
Is something wrong?
“Cabin in sight. An individual spotted through the window. Male, suspected perp,” the radio crackles.
“Ranger?” The captain speaks into his radio.
“In position,” another voice comes on the radio.
“We storm in two minutes.”
I follow the captain closely as we get towards the cabin. My entire body itches as I realize that Lorelei is just a few yards away.
“Should any of you decide to step in, I’ll kill us both!” A loud voice shouts from inside the cabin.
“He knows we are here,” the radio crackles.
“Yeah. Does anyone have a shot?” Slade asks.
A couple of negatives come over the radio, and Slade curses. He mutters something about this being a complication before ordering the men to see if they can get a shot.
I can’t let them start shooting. Not when Lorelei is in danger.
“Logan! I’m coming in,” I yell out as I dart from behind Slade.
“What are you—” Slade hisses as I step out from behind the treeline.
With my hands raised, I move towards the cabin. There is no response from inside, which bothers me, as I don’t know if Logan likes the idea of me approaching.
“Opening the door,” I announce as I reach for the doorknob, sweat forming on my brow. I swing open the door, and I pause, rage rising deep within me at the sight in front of me.
Lorelei is right in front of me, a knife to her neck as Logan stands behind her, using her as a shield. The two of them are alone, but someone else may be hiding in the cabin.
“Why don’t we let Lorelei go while we talk like men?” I say slowly, not wanting to spook the bastard, not when he has a knife close to Lorelei’s neck.
“Do you think I’m a fool?” Logan lashes at me, anger evident in his voice.
A whimper escapes from Lorelei, who is no doubt scared to death. I need to diffuse this situation, but how do I do that? I take another step in, knowing I have to close the distance. I ask Logan what he wants, and he laughs, his laughter dripping with evil.
“Will you give Lorelei to me? She was mine before you came along and dug your fingers into her.”
Calm down, Desmond. Now is not the time to argue.
“We are married. Let’s talk about something else. Money? Assets?” I suggest, as I take another step.
The distance between us is too much for me to make a move, and somehow, I am desperately praying for a miracle. I need to get Lorelei away from him, but how?
“Nothing. I’m going to walk away from here with her, and you better let me, or I’ll hurt her,” Logan threatens as he brandishes the knife close to Lorelei for comfort.
I want to get my hands on this bastard and claw his eyes out.
How dare he try to lay his hands on Lorelei?
Once I get her to safety, I intend to make him pay for everything he has done.
Yes, I can arrange for a few men to make his life tougher than it is, but for now, I need to pretend to play along.
“Fine. You can go.” I step out of the way, realizing that this might be my lucky chance.
Logan drags Lorelei, who moves slowly, her movement almost sluggish, making me think she is injured. Every fiber of my body wants to jump at Logan, but I can’t do that.
I look at Lorelei, wanting to assure her that everything will be alright.
Her eyes seem to blaze with a mixture of anger and fear.
I wish I could apologize to her and tell her that everything will be alright.
Then, I notice her nod, and instantly, I know she is going to try to attack Logan.
My muscles contract as Lorelei swings her head backward, smashing into Logan, who yells out in pain.
I lunge at him at the same time, getting Lorelei out of the way as I tackle him to the ground, even with the knife still in his hands.
From there, things move so quickly that I am not exactly sure of how it happened, but soon, Dean’s men stormed in, and they pulled a battered-looking Logan away from me.
“Your arm!” Lorelei screams as she rushes to my side.
Looks like the knife had cut my right arm in the tussle. The pain is yet to kick in, probably from all the adrenaline, but I am glad to see that Lorelei is safe.
“Oh, baby. I am so sorry,” I say softly as I pull her into my embrace.
Lorelei breaks down into tears, and I try to console her. One of Dean’s men tries to patch my wounds as we wait for transport to the hospital.
The moment we get there, she is ushered into a private room while one of the nurses attends to my injuries. My request to be in the room with her is met with a gentle refusal as the nurse explains that it is just standard procedure.
Once my cut is bandaged and dressed, I finally join Lorelei, who has changed into a hospital gown in the room.
“Lorelei, I’m so sorry,” I say to her once we are alone.
“I should be the one apologizing. If I had told you about the video, this wouldn’t have happened.”
The guilt and worry on her face break my heart, and I wish I could take away all her pain. I hug her and assure her that everything is behind us now. I am not exactly sure which video she is talking about, but that doesn’t matter. She is safe, and for me, that is the most important thing.
“Yeah, but there are a few things we should discuss. I don’t want secrets or lingering resentment,” Lorelei tells me.
Sitting right next to her, I wonder what she has to say, and just as she begins with how she had received a video, Timothy steps into the room.
“We would like some—” I begin as I notice Timothy is wearing a troubled look. “What is wrong?”
“Desmond, I know you want nothing but to be next to Lorelei, but we need to travel to Velhaven. Damian has collapsed again, and Alex has called a meeting.”
Why does this keep happening to me?
My grandfather has been trying to fix all the chaos my father has caused, and now he is down again. Leaving Lorelei at this crucial time will be difficult, and I don’t think I can do that, not when she needs me.
“Go and deal with your father. I’ll be fine,” Lorelei says as if she had heard my thoughts.
“But you need me. Why don’t you come along with me?”
There is no way I’m letting you out of my sight from henceforth.
She reminds me that she still has to meet with the doctor, and I grind my teeth at that reminder. I make her promise that she would join me in Velhaven, the moment the doctor clears her for traveling, and she assures me.
“I love you, Lorelei,” I kiss her on the lips.
She kisses me back, and I wish I could stay with her. I leave the room reluctantly as Timothy tells me that Dean is already waiting at the airport. My father is proving to be quite a handful, and maybe it is time for me to deal with him once and for all.
“Call a strategy meeting. We need to go forward with the succession plan. What about my grandfather?”
“In the hospital. He has stabilized, but the doctors are worried about him.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose to quell the pounding in my head. I really need to get this sorted out as quickly as possible.
“Make sure you prepare a flight for Lorelei to join us as soon as possible,” I instruct Timothy, who assures me that a jet is already heading from Velhaven and would be fueled and ready when Lorelei is cleared by the doctor.
“Get a few bodyguards. I don’t want her left alone for a moment.”
I am not taking any risks again with her safety. Lorelei is my greatest treasure, and I’ll guard her with everything I have.
“Also, find a few criminals. Have them visit Logan. The more lucrative they get with making him suffer, the better their pay.”
Timothy doesn’t even dissuade me, and he assures me that there are many people who would be willing to do something like that for a token. I smile at the prospect of Logan realizing that he messed with the wrong woman. No one would cause Lorelei pain and not pay for it.