Holding on to Hope Read Online Free PDF Page A

herself for lack of better judgment. “Ian, do you know something?”
    His lip quivered. “I do.” He stepped closer and looked between the two of them. “Brad is in big trouble right now, and there’s only one person who can get him out of it.”
    “What do you mean, trouble? Who was that old man?” Patrick demanded, holding Ian by his shirt. “What do you know, Anderson?”
    “Patrick, stop!”
    “I know that if we don’t get help right now, you are gonna be sorry for the rest of your life,” Ian replied in his own rage.
    Leslie managed to pull Patrick off Ian and glared daggers at her boyfriend. “Don’t you hear what he’s saying? We don’t have time for this, Pat. God knows what trouble Brad could be in right now.” She turned her attention back at Ian. “Tell me, what should we do? Do we call the cops?”
    “Cops can’t do anything, even if they wanted to.” Ian snorted. “There’s only one man who can save and rescue Brad.”
    “And who is that? You?” Patrick hissed.
    “No,” Ian said, glaring at him. “His name is Ronan.” His gaze turned to look at Leslie, who was horribly curious at that moment. “He is the mystery guy Brad met last night at the nightclub.”

Part 3
     
    “T HIS PLACE is closed for business tonight,” the bald guy standing by the entrance declared for everyone—all who had gathered outside the nightclub. “I am sorry, ladies and gentleman, but you will have to find somewhere else to party.”
    From what Leslie could tell, the people didn’t sound happy about it at all.
    She sat on the swivel chair and glanced at the door behind her for the umpteenth time. Ian had asked them to wait when he had disappeared behind that door. That was five minutes ago, and every passing moment made Leslie sick with anxiety. She wished there was a way to know what was happening inside that room.
    Patrick’s hand palmed her shoulder, and she looked up at him. She could see the worry in his eyes too, but her sweet boyfriend wouldn’t give up trying to calm her nerves. “Everything is going to be all right,” he assured her.
    Leslie spared a sad smile for his sake.
    Her gaze wandered around the club in the meantime. Some random song was playing in the background at a low volume. It didn’t matter since the dance floor was deserted. There were only a few people that she could count in the room at the moment. Other than Leslie and Pat, there was a goth guy sitting by the bar silently drinking his brandy, and a black, plump waitress was busy sweeping the floor. There were no other staff, and it made Leslie wonder why she was still here. Of course, there was the bald guy, who was now in a heated argument with someone outside.
    Leslie jumped out of her chair as soon as she heard the door open and nudged Patrick to get his attention. She watched as Ian stepped out of the manager’s office, looking troubled and enraged. The way he looked at them escalated her worries. Leslie was at the point of asking the reason for his distress when a man walked out of the office and came to stand by his side.
    Ian spared him a glance before facing Leslie and Pat again. “This is the guy I told you about. And Ronan, these are Parker’s friends—Leslie and Patrick.”
    Ronan took that as a cue to greet them with a curt nod. Now wasn’t the right time, yet Leslie’s eyes couldn’t resist checking the guy out. It was a quick scan really, but in a moment’s scrutiny, she found herself intrigued with the man. She had never thought a pale-skinned guy could look as hot as he did. With an attractive long nose and thin, pinkish lips, she thought Ronan must have been quite popular among the girls. His wavy hair was grown out, with the curly strands almost covering his kissable ears, and his azure eyes sparkled under the shimmering lights of the nightclub. That struck as an oddity to her. She had never thought a blue-eyed, dark-haired guy would be Brad’s type.
    But as it was, she had been proven