Rux was calm and confident that they would find Dennis and return him to his family. Griffin and the guards had been dealt with, so there was only one thing left to do.
Dana found him swim trunks that were a little too small but would be suitable for the time being. She snickered as they searched for secret panels in Griffin’s office while chaos thrived in other portions of the house.
“What?” he asked, patting against a bookshelf.
She bit her lip and tried to contain herself but failed. He wanted to kiss her until he couldn’t breathe.
“I think we’ll have to savethatoutfit for later,” she replied.
Rux had opened his mouth to retort when the bookcase spun around swiftly. Rux pulled his hand away after being jolted by its sudden movement.
Dana came over and looked into a tiny room that had been hidden behind the bookshelf. Rux leaned in and felt his heart sink as he came upon the man they had been searching for all this time.
It wasn’t much of a room, more like a metal storage container. The small man was cowering with his knees pulled up to his face and rocked back and forth. He hadn’t even noticed that they were standing there.
“Dennis Skylar?” Dana said softly.
The man looked up over his glasses, still frightened.
“Please,” he said in a staccato tone. “No.”
Dana crouched, and Rux couldn’t help taking a peek at how the leather hugged the generous curves of her hips and ass. He blew out from between his lips, telling himself to take it easy for the moment.
“We’re not going to hurt you,” Dana said sweetly. “I’m Jennifer’s music teacher.”
Dennis stopped rocking back and forth and looked at Dana inquisitively.
“Hermusic teacher?” he repeated.
“I know,” Dana said with a laugh. “We’ll explain it to you on the way back home. I promise you, everything is going to be okay.”
Rux knew why Dana had been so good at her job. She had a way of reassuring people authentically without sounding condescending. The woman never sugarcoated anything, so you knew that she meant every word when she spoke.
Dennis blinked, seeming to calm some. He looked at Rux, and his face lit up.
“You found me … when they moved me, I was so sure that was it … that I’d never see Jennifer again.”
Rux nodded and gave Dennis a reassuring smile.
“I did come for you after they moved you. I’m glad we found you.” Rux guided them through the mansion. They took the boat that they had arrived in and told the rest of the guests that they would call the police along with the coast guard to retrieve them.
Rux found himself exhausted from the battle but satisfied. They had gotten rid of a poisonous man together, like a dynamic duo, and rescued a young girl’s father from his dangerous grasp.
As their wounds were cleaned at the local hospital, he couldn’t help but wonder where they stood as a couple.
He would have thought that it would be reasonable to treat her like his serious girlfriend, especially after their conversation in the winning bidder's room. Dana had confessed how she felt about him, which meant she was at least approaching his level of endearment.
Rux didn’t want to fuck anything up again, so he decided to wait while still treating her like the queen she was.
After speaking with local police about the events on the private island, Rux and Dana were set to return home to the States on his private jet. He held her hand through the airport with a desperation that he tried not to let her feel.
They sat together on a long couch, Dana flopping onto it and letting out a relieving sigh.
“God,” she gasped. “I never thought I’d be so happy to sit down again.”
Rux chuckled, then stood there, admiring her. She caught him moving his eyes over her wondrous body, then gave him a tender smile.
“I’d ask what you’re thinking about, but I probably already know,” Dana said, placing her arms behind her head.