by Haven Rose
The Hopeful Heart (Forever Safe #8)
(Accidental Connection #1)
Haven Rose
Copyright © 2019 The Hopeful Heart by Haven Rose
All rights reserved. Except as permitted by U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior permission of the author.
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, or organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. This story is intended for mature audiences only.
Cover by: PopKitty Design
Created with Vellum
Contents
Acknowledgments and Dedication
Blurb
1. Aurora
2. Aurora
3. Aurora
4. Dane
5. Aurora
6. Dane
7. Aurora
8. Aurora
9. Aurora
Epilogue One - Dane
Epilogue Two - Dane
More by Haven Rose
About the Author
Stay Connected
Acknowledgments and Dedication
These characters didn’t want to cooperate in the beginning. I literally started and stopped this story four times before letting go of my idea and listened to the characters tell me what they wanted instead. Therefore, making the fifth attempt the one that stuck. They even changed their names on me, not just the plot. LOL
Thank you to my fellow authors in this series. I’ve had a blast doing this and getting to know all of you and am so blessed to be a part of it.
Sometimes a wrong number can change your life…
Aurora Purdue is shocked by the sexy voice on the other end. Though she quickly realizes she didn’t call the person she’d intended, she definitely doesn’t regret the misdial.
It can also save it…
Dane Hawkins has experienced many things as a cop, but nothing could prepare him for the fear after discovering his woman has been taken. Sure, they’d only talked for five minutes, but that doesn’t make her any less his.
Warning: This instalove story is part of the Forever Safe series and also serves as the first book in my upcoming Accidental Connection series. It features a Hero that knows exactly what he wants and won’t let anyone or anything stand in his way.
I highly recommend you check out all the stories from the Forever Safe authors. You can find the series information at amzn.to/2XOrX3U. Each title will be added as they’re released.
Chapter One
Aurora
June 28th...
Rapidly dialing, I mentally scold myself when the voice on the other end isn’t the one I’d expected. “Hawkins.”
“I am so sorry,” I tell the man. “I’m one of those crazy people that doesn’t use speed dial, and I always flip the last two digits of my older brother’s number.”
He chuckles, and a shiver races up my spine at the sound. “Sweetheart, you can call me anytime, accidentally or not.”
Blushing, thankful he can’t see it, I open my mouth, intending to be polite without saying yes or no, but that’s not what comes out. “I just might do that,” I reply instead, all flirty, a tone I’ve never heard myself use before.
“I look forward to it,” he assures me. “Can I have a name to add to your contact info?”
Oh. My. Gosh. This is like straight out of a romance novel and I’m already imagining a happy ending. “Aurora.”
“I bet you’re as beautiful as your name and voice.” I get quiet, unable to say anything to that because my tongue is hanging out of my mouth. “I’m Dane.” So sexy.
When he has to go because someone is hollering for him, I’m disappointed as I wanted to keep talking. However, I really do need to speak with Brant. With a smile, I remind myself Dane did say I could call again, anytime. And something is telling me not to pass up that chance.
Turning the key, I urge my air to hurry as it’s hot, then buckle my seat belt. My finger reaches for the button to engage my locks, something Brant drilled into me when I got my temps over a decade ago and I’ve never forgotten his advice, but my back door is yanked open before I can hit it, the rim of a baseball hat hitting my periphery.
“Drive,” the person demands. I debate whether I can get out before he does anything, but, as if he can read my mind, or, and this is a terrifying thought, this isn’t his first time doing this, he makes a tsking sound. “Now, now, let’s not do anything stupid, ‘kay? If you do, I’ll have to react and we both know you don’t want that.” It’s not lost on me that he didn’t say he doesn’t want that, just that I don’t. When I can no longer feel his breath on the back of my neck, I can only assume he’s making himself comfortable, as if he knows I’ll do as he says. And fuck, he’s right.
Without looking at my cell, which is thankfully still in my lap, I swipe down from the top, muting the sound, then subtly touch the earbud in my left, acting as if I’m scratching an itch while brushing my curly blonde hair forward to cover it. If I get out of this, I’m sending the salesperson a big basket of cookies in gratitude for convincing me to buy them.
“Stop stalling.” I force myself not to panic as I use the distraction of trying to merge into traffic to hit the phone icon on my screen, trying to visualize it as I select Recents, then just touch it once more, not caring who answers as long as someone does.
I may appear calm, yet I’m anything but. I’m in serious danger and I know it, not needing the glance in my rearview mirror to tell me that, though it does confirm it.
The guy in my back seat? He isn’t wearing a mask.
**Dane**
Glaring at my partner and best friend, Tristan Miles, I wonder if it would be weird to call Aurora back. She does know I saved her info, and wasn’t freaked out by it, so that has to mean something, right?
We go over a file the captain needed us to look at, adding our notes before he can sign off on it. When my phone rings about ten minutes later, I’m unable to hide my smile when a glance at the screen displays, ‘Future Wife.’ A bit premature, sure, but I fully intend her to be that so I prefer the term premonition. “Miss me already, beautiful?” All humor flees when she speaks, obviously talking to someone else. She’s terrified, and, when I piece together why, I am too.
“How about I just get out here? You can even keep the car.” I don’t hear a response, nor any surrounding noise, which makes me think she’s wearing headphones or earbuds. “Okay, okay, I’ll just drive.” Come on, baby, give me something. Tell me where you are.
Knowing Tristan is wondering if we caught a new one, I press mute and tell him what’s going on, then jot down Aurora’s number, asking if he can start tracking it. The chances are slim, being a cell phone and not having any actual evidence she’s in danger, there are rules to follow after all, though I suddenly don’t give a damn about them when it comes to a woman I’ve never met.
“Can she hear you?”
Shrugging, I tell him my theory, adding, “but I don’t want to risk it.” He nods, knowing it’s a chance I ca
n’t take, unless there’s no other option.
I listen, trying to find any clues as to where they are or where they’re headed, but get nothing. Tristan returns a few minutes later, informing me the captain is personally calling the carrier, trying to see what he can do. With a glance at Tristan, he nods, as if knowing what I’m asking. And, when you literally trust someone with your life, you tend to be able to communicate without speaking. His response lets me know if the captain can’t make it happen, we’ll go to plan b. For us, that means Bowers, as everyone uses his last name, our resident computer guru, one that decided to accept a job with the force when he was caught hacking a year ago.
“Fuck, I can’t even put out a BOLO. I don’t know what she drives.” I mentally replay our conversation, knowing I’m missing something, but worry is clouding my ability to think clearly.
“Dane!” Tristan yells, which lets me know this isn’t the first time he’s said my name. He’s one of the most laid-back guys I know, and, when that falters…
“Say whatever you need to,” I tell him, knowing he’s fighting the urge.
“It’s just,” he begins, then runs his hand over his hair before continuing, “this chick accidentally,” putting quotations around that word, “calls you, then what, ten minutes later is jacked? You have to admit; the timing is suspicious.”
Reminding myself he’s just playing devil’s advocate and it’s not unheard of for some to go to extremes to get the attention of a first responder, except… “She doesn’t know I’m a detective. I never told her.”
“That doesn’t mean…”
“Stop. You said your piece and I proved you wrong. You’re my best friend, like a brother…”
He cuts me off this time, scoffing at that. “Yeah, that’s not reassuring considering your real brother is a dick.” He’s got me there, but he won’t distract me.
“Be that as it may, I actually like you, but keep accusing my woman, and we’re gonna have problems. You feel me?” He nods, shock clear on his face, not that I didn’t expect it. We’ve been friends a long damn time, going back to middle school, and he’s joked before that I might as well have been a priest for the lack of interest I show in the opposite sex. Not that he’s much better.
Tristan holds his hands up in surrender, letting me know he’s backing off, then asks, “And why did she call you again?”
“That’s it!” I shout when it clicks in my brain, the fact I knew was right there, eluding me. Not answering, I grab my desk phone since my cell is still occupied, then dial a number almost identical to mine, but flip the last two to the correct version, as she should’ve entered them. Not that I regret her mistake for a second, not when it brought us together.
“Hello,” a gruff voice answers and my hand shakes for a minute, simply because he’s a connection to Aurora, and possibly our only chance at saving her.
“Is this Aurora’s brother?”
“Yeah. Who the fuck is this? How do you know my sister? I’ll end you if you hurt her.” Technically, he just threatened a cop, but I didn’t identify myself as such, yet, and I’m about to turn his world upside down, so I’ll give him a pass.
“My name is Detective Dane Hawkins. Your sister accidentally called me.”
He chuckles, obviously familiar with her tendency to reverse the digits, then stops mid-laugh. “That’s not a crime.”
“No, but one is occurring as we speak.” I quickly fill him in, the noise in the background on his end rising then falling, followed by the sound of a door slamming and an engine starting.
“I’m coming to you.”
“I’m not even gonna try and stop you,” I assure him. “I’d feel the same way in your shoes, hell, I do, but for different reasons.”
“Put a pin in that, detective, because we’ll be discussing that soon. Until then- Find. My. Sister.”
“Well,” Tristan states, having figured out what just happened, “it seems you’re about to meet your future brother-in-law.” I glare at him, knowing he’s just trying to lighten the mood, but nothing will help, not until she’s in my arms. “Good thing the missus will be taking your last name, since you don’t know hers.” Flicking him off, he just laughs. To those who didn’t know any better, he’d sound disrespectful, but, with careers as stressful, as ugly, as ours can be, you develop a sense of humor that isn’t for everybody. I don’t know how the hell a woman I’ve never met impacted me this much, but she has. And it has nothing to do with my job. I have never taken such a personal interest in a case before.
The captain hollers for me, Tristan and I turning as one, only to see him shake his head, regret clear on his face. Okay, legal routes aren’t available. If her brother can’t help, Bowers it is.
Continuing to listen, wishing I could at least say something to comfort her, I do the only thing I can think of, breathing hard enough so she can hear me, just to let her know she isn’t alone.
Not even an hour after realizing Aurora was in danger, and about fifteen minutes after calling Brant, the sound of boots striding toward me hits my ears, a terse, “Hawkins?” soon following. I see a man about my height, quite a few years older than my twenty-eight, dark brown hair and eyes, and I can’t help but wonder if there’s a resemblance to Aurora. I pray to God I get the chance to find out soon.
“Brant Purdue, Aurora’s brother,” he informs me, sticking his hand out. I take it, both gripping hard in the way men do. “What can I do?”
“Make, model, and year of Rory’s car,” I begin, not even realizing I shortened her name like that of a couple who’ve been together for a long time until his eyes widen, catching it.
“2005 silver Jetta. Her license is CJ21HR.” When I raise a brow, surprised he knows that without looking it up, he tells me, “I am very protective of my sister. I was ten when she was born and she stole my heart. Our parents died when I was eighteen and I worked my ass off to gain guardianship and prove I could take care of myself and an eight-year-old.” My poor girl.
“Thank you,” I say sincerely, not sure what else there is to say. He put his life on hold, though I doubt he’d see it that way, to keep his little sister. He stares at me, looking for damned if I know what, but he must find whatever it is because he gives me a chin lift in acknowledgement.
Tristan gives me a thumbs up, letting me know the BOLO is in effect. Hating the idea of losing even the sound of her voice, I offer my phone to Brant, knowing he’s probably going out of his mind with worry. “Do you want to listen?” I ask, not even finishing my question before he snatches it out of my hand. I assume she says something, his eyes closing, knees about giving out on him. He would’ve landed flat on his ass if I hadn’t kicked the visitor’s chair out to catch him.
“She’s so scared,” he says, almost to himself.
“What’s going on?” I want to know, forcing my fingers not to reach for the phone.
“Can’t you do something?”
“There’s one option, but it’s risky.”
“Could it save her?”
“It might be our only chance. We have patrol cars searching for her vehicle, but that could take time we may not have.” He sighs, the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders, then looks at me, waiting for me to explain.
“You want to talk to her, coax her into what to say so you can find her that way?” He asks in clarification after I tell him my idea.
“Yes.” With a head tilt to Tristan, we mumble excuses to step away from our desks, giving Brant time alone, as much as possible in a place teeming with cops, victims, and bad guys, to decide what he wants to do. I can’t make it for him, nor would I want to.
“I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now,” Tristan states, his thoughts eerily similar to mine.
Heading back after a decent wait, I place a bottle of water in front of Brant. “You’ll be the one speaking to her, right?”
Nodding, my throat too tight to speak, I let him hand me the phone. Hoping this isn’t a deadly mistake, I softly say, “Auro
ra, if only you can hear me, cough.” I swear the room falls silent as we wait, then picks up again when she gives the signal I asked for. “That’s good. Now, I need to know where you are.”
“Uh, mister? There’s an intersection ahead. Am I turning right, left, or going straight?” I can’t hear his answer, but she fixes that. “So, left onto Parker? Am I passing the mall?” His reply is muffled once more, but she repeats it, letting us know that’s their destination for now.
“You did good, baby. I’m coming for you.” Her whimper about kills me, and I quickly reassure her, somehow knowing the cause. “I’m not hanging up, but I am coming for you. Don’t look around for patrol cars, just act as normal as you can.” The captain, who’d joined us after someone told him we made contact, wishes us luck, then six other officers follow us out, ready to do whatever I need them to.
Muting the phone so she can’t hear me, I glance at Brant, knowing my next words are futile, but attempting them anyway because he’s a civilian.
“Don’t even fuckin’ think about leaving me behind,” he warns before I can open my mouth.
“You do whatever Tristan or I tell you, and don’t step foot outta the car.” He’s about to argue, and, in his defense, he’s a big guy and could probably do some damage, but, “She’s my priority. Not you. One wrong move on your part could endanger her more than she already is.” That shuts him up…for now.
With the portable light on the dash, we make the twenty-minute drive in half that, pulling it down and turning it off the closer we get, the others following suit, not wanting to risk spooking the guy. Taking the lead, Tristan slows, allowing Brant and I the chance to look for Aurora’s Jetta. She hasn’t said anything in a while, and panic is churning up a storm in my stomach.
