Desired (Restless Nights) by Mila Elizabeth Brenton Read Free Book Online Page A

room, closing the door silently behind me.
    John was in the kitchen a fresh cup of coffee in hand. He smirked as he looked to the clock. “You’re running late.”
    “She’s not easy to leave… especially when she’s in bed  na—nevermind.”
    John chuckled. “I bet. So much for her just being a client.”
    “She’s always been everything, even when she left I was never actually mad at her. I love her to much to hold anger. I can’t believe I lost five years with her because of my prick father.”
    John nodded. “Well, as soon as you get to that warehouse and find this bastard, you guys can make up for the lost time.”
    I arched a brow. “I have a phone call to make as well.”
    “Give him hell, Luc.”
    ****
    The phone rang and I waited to hear the deep voice that dripped with condescending superiority.
    “Lucas, I am surprised to see you calling me.”
    “Hello father,” I said coldly.
    “I recognize that tone, tell me Lucas what unimaginable wrong have I done now?”
    “I am on a job,” I stated. “Have you been watching the news? A model was attacked outside a club in San Francisco last week.”
    I was met with silence so I continued. “You might recognize the name Mackenzie Night ?”
    “Sure, she’s the one they call America’s Sweetheart. What does this have to do with that tone in your voice?”
    I scoffed. “Do you really not realize who she is? Did you hate her so much that her name doesn’t even tickle at your memory? Well let me help you, she’s the woman I’ve loved for the past seven years, the one I planned to marry, the one who broke my heart when she left. The one who left because of you! You threatened her and as a result of that she ran off along with her brother, Cameron. Do you remember her now?”
    “What’s the point of this conversation Lucas?” he asked, sounding bored.
    “You’re not going to deny it?” I asked angrily.
    “Why would I? I did tell the girl to leave you. She wasn’t good enough for this family and I will take credit for what has come of her. I assume the hundred dollars I threw at her was what paid for her gas to San Francisco, she has a career now.”
    “You are a piece of work. I won’t let her go again, and this conversation is over.”
    “Just because she has a career in modeling doesn’t change anything. She still doesn’t fit into this family, Lucas, and she won’t be accepted into it.” His voice was icy but he never raised it, he was detached as he spoke of cutting me out of my family.
    I shook my head, saddened by the conversation. “Well it’s a good thing that I haven’t relied on you in many years, I own my own company, I own my own home and the lake house is now in my name. Mackenzie and I will create our own family to belong to. I am sure my mom will gladly be a part of it. Goodbye father.”
    With my final goodbye to the man who had manipulated my past for most of my life , I pulled up to the building Vincent and Gene had set up shop in. locking up the Suburban, I made my into the dilapidated building up a set of steel steps and into the smaller office style room where Vincent sat looking out the cracked windows.
    “What do you know?” I asked grabbing a chair to sit next to him.
    The room smelled of sea water, piss, and mold. I felt bad that he and Gene and been there all night.
    Vincent shook his head. “Nothing to solid, but a white van has cruised by the front of the warehouse a couple times. Gene is running the plates.”
    I nodded. “I’ll go check in with him.”
    Gene was kicked back near his own cracked window that gave him a perfect view of the back of the warehouse, his laptop in his lap as he typed furiously.
    “What do you know?” I asked.
    He shook his head. “I am not sure he’s our guy”
    “You know who owns the van already?”
    “I do, and somehow I doubt he’s sent any letters to Mackenzie. I doubt he could even spell half of the words in those letters.”
    I grunted. “Hired muscle?” I