Read Online REGENCY: Loved by the Duke (Historical Billionaire Military Romance) (19th Century Victorian Short Stories) by Serena Vale, Tencia Winters - Free Book Online
Authors: Serena Vale, Tencia Winters
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smile, full of heat. “But first, we celebrate.”
An hour later, they were headed back toward the Café where Hope was originally supposed to meet the buyer. Mr. Jones, her seller, had called and he wanted to meet her, saying he had some information on the people who had broken into her apartment.
“I still think it’s strange, Hope. Why would he call you, how would he know anything about that?”
“It’s really not that weird. It’s his job to know things, and he always keeps track of the objects I bring him. He calls it insurance.”
“I still don’t like it.”
“Look, maybe he knows who they are, or where they’re from. Any information that will help us figure out who we’re up against.”
Valentine sighed. “I know, you’re right. I still don’t like it.”
Hope leaned up on her tip toes to place a sweet kiss on his lips. “You don’t have to like it, you just have to go along with it.”
Within a few moments, they were at the café, not as crowded this time because of the time of day. She scanned the crowd until she spotted his familiar dark hair, and the brown suit he always wore, no matter how warm the weather was.
Valentine gave her hand a squeeze, and then broke off, disappearing into the crowd to wait at the spot they had planned out before. He would be able to see and hear everything without being seen himself.
Hope took a breath, that uneasy feeling of being watched returning as she approached his table and casually sat down.
“Hello, Mr. Jones.”
“Hello, Ms. McAllister. I hope all is well.”
“No. No, not really. You said you had information on whoever trashed my apartment.”
“Yes, I do. And it really was a shame they didn’t find the manuscript for me, it would have made this all a lot easier.”
“Wait, what? You…?”
“Yes, I know, it might be hard to understand, but after you missed the meeting with the buyer, who by the way, was supposed to dispose of you after retrieving the manuscript, I had to change my plans.”
Hope looked into his flat, dark eyes in disbelief. What he was saying was completely crazy. She moved to stand, every instinct screaming at her to run, when she felt something hard and metal pressed into the small of her back. She started to turn.
“Don’t, Ms. McAllister. Our friend here is just stopping by, don’t turn around, and don’t look. I’m sure you can feel the barrel of that gun against your back. You don’t want to do anything to startle our friend, right?”
“Ri…right.” Terror pulsed through her, but so did anger, keeping her head clear. “I still don’t understand; why didn’t you just take the manuscript from me, like normal.”
“You knew too much. It’s quite simple, really. Things would have been easier if you had just meet the buyer in the first place,” He sighed, almost in regret, “but now the buyer has had to come to you, and I don’t think that makes him very happy.”
The metal of the gun pressed deeper into Hope’s back.
“I’ll scream…someone with call the cops.”
“Really, the police, Hope? What would you tell them, anyways? Besides, I made a contingency plan just in case. They have your name, your address, everything you’ve ever stolen. I’m sure there’s a warrant out for your arrest as we speak. You can’t go to the police, Hope. Your life will be over, then who will take care of your poor, sick brother.”
Hope stared at him in horror, thinking furiously for any way out, any escape. But all she saw were dead ends. Literally. She knew if she didn’t get out of this situation soon, she would end up lifeless, forgotten.
“It’s time to go, Hope.” The man at her back whispered the words, and they slithered along her skin. She recognized that voice. It was the same voice of the person who had attacked her outside of the club.
She froze refusing to move, and suddenly a though occurred to her. “The manuscript! You need the book!”
Mr. Jones, or whatever his real name
An hour later, they were headed back toward the Café where Hope was originally supposed to meet the buyer. Mr. Jones, her seller, had called and he wanted to meet her, saying he had some information on the people who had broken into her apartment.
“I still think it’s strange, Hope. Why would he call you, how would he know anything about that?”
“It’s really not that weird. It’s his job to know things, and he always keeps track of the objects I bring him. He calls it insurance.”
“I still don’t like it.”
“Look, maybe he knows who they are, or where they’re from. Any information that will help us figure out who we’re up against.”
Valentine sighed. “I know, you’re right. I still don’t like it.”
Hope leaned up on her tip toes to place a sweet kiss on his lips. “You don’t have to like it, you just have to go along with it.”
Within a few moments, they were at the café, not as crowded this time because of the time of day. She scanned the crowd until she spotted his familiar dark hair, and the brown suit he always wore, no matter how warm the weather was.
Valentine gave her hand a squeeze, and then broke off, disappearing into the crowd to wait at the spot they had planned out before. He would be able to see and hear everything without being seen himself.
Hope took a breath, that uneasy feeling of being watched returning as she approached his table and casually sat down.
“Hello, Mr. Jones.”
“Hello, Ms. McAllister. I hope all is well.”
“No. No, not really. You said you had information on whoever trashed my apartment.”
“Yes, I do. And it really was a shame they didn’t find the manuscript for me, it would have made this all a lot easier.”
“Wait, what? You…?”
“Yes, I know, it might be hard to understand, but after you missed the meeting with the buyer, who by the way, was supposed to dispose of you after retrieving the manuscript, I had to change my plans.”
Hope looked into his flat, dark eyes in disbelief. What he was saying was completely crazy. She moved to stand, every instinct screaming at her to run, when she felt something hard and metal pressed into the small of her back. She started to turn.
“Don’t, Ms. McAllister. Our friend here is just stopping by, don’t turn around, and don’t look. I’m sure you can feel the barrel of that gun against your back. You don’t want to do anything to startle our friend, right?”
“Ri…right.” Terror pulsed through her, but so did anger, keeping her head clear. “I still don’t understand; why didn’t you just take the manuscript from me, like normal.”
“You knew too much. It’s quite simple, really. Things would have been easier if you had just meet the buyer in the first place,” He sighed, almost in regret, “but now the buyer has had to come to you, and I don’t think that makes him very happy.”
The metal of the gun pressed deeper into Hope’s back.
“I’ll scream…someone with call the cops.”
“Really, the police, Hope? What would you tell them, anyways? Besides, I made a contingency plan just in case. They have your name, your address, everything you’ve ever stolen. I’m sure there’s a warrant out for your arrest as we speak. You can’t go to the police, Hope. Your life will be over, then who will take care of your poor, sick brother.”
Hope stared at him in horror, thinking furiously for any way out, any escape. But all she saw were dead ends. Literally. She knew if she didn’t get out of this situation soon, she would end up lifeless, forgotten.
“It’s time to go, Hope.” The man at her back whispered the words, and they slithered along her skin. She recognized that voice. It was the same voice of the person who had attacked her outside of the club.
She froze refusing to move, and suddenly a though occurred to her. “The manuscript! You need the book!”
Mr. Jones, or whatever his real name
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