"Dalton is the most precious thing in my life," the woman said before dabbing at her eyes with a white handkerchief. "I'm lost without him. That is why my father is offering a fifty-thousand-dollar reward for his safe return."
"What is your relationship with the missing man?" one of the reporters called out.
"My name is Sabrina Stanton. Dalton is my fiancé." She dabbed at her eyes again. "I just want him to come home so we can be married and start our life together."
"She's insane," I murmured before turning to look at Andrew. "I'm gay. I'd never marry a woman. I don't know them, Andrew. I swear. I danced at a bachelorette party she attended. I doubt I said even two words to her."
"No, but unfortunately," Knox said, "I do."
My head snapped around. "Who are they?"
"That is John Stanton. He owns a series of oil wells in Texas, as well as several restaurant franchises throughout the eastern seaboard. Stanton always wanted to play with the big boys, and he really started to make a name for himself a few years ago, but he tends to play in the wrong sandboxes so much that legitimate companies will have nothing to do with him."
"And the woman?" Andrew asked.
There was just a hint of a growl in his voice.
"Ah, yes, the lovely Sabrina. Think Pamela Crosby and Brittany Fox all rolled into one with more claws and backed by her father's money."
Andrew's eyes rolled. "Oh, she sounds delightful."
"Sabrina and your ex-wife would have been good friends."
Andrew shuddered this time, the disgust on his face pulling the corners of his mouth down.
"Do you think this is the man Brasov sold me to?" I asked.
I didn't want to hear any more about Andrew's ex-wife.
"I don't see Stanton wanting you for himself," Knox replied, "but he'd buy you for his daughter if that's what she wanted. Stanton will do anything to make his little princess happy."
I shook my head. "I'm gay. I dance in a gay club. What part of that don't they get?"
"You were being sold," Knox pointed. "I doubt they cared one way or the other."
"I won't get hard for a woman."
I was positive of it.
"Unfortunately, despite who we might be attracted to, the physiology of a man is pretty simple. Given enough incentive, you could get it up for anyone, man or woman."
I didn't even want to think about what sort of incentive someone might use to get a response out of a gay man. It made me shudder just thinking about it.
"Sir, if I may?" Ivan pointed to the television. "I have a friend on video conference. I sent him an email yesterday and asked him to use a few of his contacts to dig into Brasov. I'd like to bring him online and see what he's found."
"Of course, Ivan," Knox said. "Go ahead."
The television blinked, and a tall dark-haired man with Middle Eastern features appeared. He was an attractive-looking man, if you liked cold and calculated. His brown eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
He was obviously not a man to be messed with.
"Oliver Brant, as I live and breathe." Ivan chuckled. "How's civilian life treating you? I heard you retired and went to work for some rich dude on some fancy estate."
One dark eyebrow rose. "The estate is fancy, but my employer is not rich. He's actually the commander of a SWAT unit in our fair city."
"Then how does he live on an estate?" I asked before I could censor myself. I quickly slapped a hand over my mouth when the man's dead eyes turned on me.
"A trust was established for the Delvecchio family by a few...anonymous donors. It pays for the upkeep on the estate as well as the security force needed to keep the Delvecchio family safe."
