The same darkness from before clouded his eyes for a second then was gone again. Allen gave a single shake of his head.
It piqued my curiosity enough that I entertained looking at the security footage. “Show me.”
He slid his computer over then pressed the play button. The recording was of the area in front of the hospital’s entrance. The camera angle captured the space beneath the overhang and toward the parking lot.
A young woman hurried through the lot. Something unexpected stirred in my heart at the sight of her—the memory of when we’d first met. I resisted rubbing at the odd sensation in my chest. I couldn’t look away from the recording as she called to Allen, who had paused beneath the entrance’s overhang when she spoke to him a second time.
He turned, his back to the camera as a white van barreled down the road then screeched to a stop, inches from where she stood. A tall, lean man with broad shoulders hopped out. Dressed all in black and with a ski mask covering his face, he ran to the woman, whose back was still to him. As she looked over her shoulder, he jerked her body back into his, and I tensed in response. Both his arms wound around her tiny waist. She kicked out, scrambling for purchase to get away. A stiletto fell off her foot, and she opened her mouth to scream. He tightened his hold around her and her lungs. From her expression, the air was limited, and sound must have failed her.
As they moved toward the back of the van, he lifted her inches from the ground, and she kicked wildly despite being secured against his chest. One arm loosened, and he wrenched open the van’s back door.
Allen shifted slightly. One step forward, a hand outstretched.
The man flung a hood over the woman’s head before tossing her into the back. Doors slammed just as a security guard barreled from the hospital’s entrance. He was too late. Hailey’s attacker took his seat behind the wheel.Odd. The tires spun before they found purchase, and the vehicle lurched forward. Soon, it was out of sight. Allen had barely moved from his spot under the overhang.
I paused the video then rewound it to when her attacker lifted her then tossed her in the back. She’d stopped fighting—only for a second, but it was enough to stand out. I let it play out then went back to the scene again.
When the recording ended, I couldn’t hold back the memory of how I’d first met Hailey. I’d been at a party with Marco and Sofia, who had gone to get a refill on drinks. Nico hadn’t been able to attend. While I appreciated that my family had accompanied me to the hospital’s leukemia fundraiser, all I wanted to do was go home, sleep, and forget why my heart hurt. I leaned against the wall as the clink of heels vied with conversation, and an edgy awareness danced over my skin.
Every muscle in my body tightened in reaction, and I scanned the dance floor for its cause. Everything paused as I spotted a stunning woman in a black satin evening gown. A high slit in her dress revealed a toned golden leg, and diamonds dripped from her ears.
I recognized her. How could I not have? Her mother, Vanessa Carmichael, owned the hospital.
My vision tunneled as the temptress in black satin and diamonds headed my way. All the depressing thoughts that had taken residence in my mind, urging me to leave, fled as she crossed the edge of the dance floor in strappy three-inch silver heels When she was about a foot from me, our gazes collided, and she faltered as an electrical current passed between us.
I angled my body toward her and extended my hand. “I don’t believe we’ve been officially introduced. I’m Trey La Rosa.”
She placed hers in mine, and a jolt of desire buzzed through me.
“Hailey Carmichael. And I know your sister.”
“My sister’s been holding out on me.” Her full red lips curved into a smile, and I stepped closer. “Would you like to dance?”
She answered with a light nod, and I pulled her close and stepped onto the dance floor to a haunting and evocative violin concerto. Her skin was soft beneath my hands as we swayed together, her slender body enticing me to press her tight to mine.
But we were at a party where there were too many sets of eyes on us. Long lashes lifted, and I found myself drowning in a sea of shimmering gemstone green. “I haven’t seen you at the hospital fundraisers before tonight. Why is that?”
A flash of something flitted across her face—maybe annoyance. It piqued my interest and made me wonder whether she was there with someone or if the irritation had to do with her family.
“I was away at school. But I’m sure I’ll be attending more if my mother has anything to do with it.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, and intelligence spiked with mischief sparkled through her expressive eyes. “Truth be told, this isn’t my scene.”
I grinned, enjoying myself for the first time that evening. “The pompous gathering of socialites or raising money for a cause?”
She chuckled, shaking her head. Her thick, wavy hair bounced from side to side. “The cause is not the issue. But I would much rather simply write a check.”
“Hm.” I couldn’t blame her. The night was long, and we still had to get through the speeches.
One song turned into five as we talked and danced, cocooned in one another’s arms. When the song ended and the band announced that they were taking a break, I led her off the dance floor to where my sister was waiting for us.
“Hailey.” Sofia drew her into a hug.
“How is it that you never introduced us?” My hand never left the small of Hailey’s back, the contact somehow grounding me, chasing away the emotions that had plagued me before.
Sofia shrugged then took a sip of her champagne. “I meant to. I’m surprised you haven’t run into us having coffee.”
An unwanted jolt of pain pierced through the bubble that Hailey had managed to gift me with that one word. “Where?”
Sofia flinched. Hailey answered instead. “At the Coffee Stop.”