“Little shit.” The man moved closer to me and ran a finger along my cheek. “Who are you working for, boy?”
I shook my head, which only made it spin more. “N-no one. I was recording it for myself. I have a restraining order.”
“The boy’s lying.” These words came from another man who’d just gotten off a boat, which was the source of the light I’d seen.
“We’ll figure that out later,” Alan said. “Let’s get him on the boat.”
“Wait a minute,” the second man said. “You said we’d get a sample first.”
Alan made an annoyed sound. “Since we don’t know who he’s working for, we don’t have time for that.”
“I think we could be quick enough,” the second stranger said.
My heart pounded. What could I do to stall them?
I put my hand over my mouth like I was about to throw up. “Sick,” I croaked.
“Don’t fucking throw up on me.” The man in front of me pushed me away, and I stumbled.
“We don’t have time for games,” Alan said, yanking me closer to him.
Without warning, he gasped and fell to his knees, nearly bringing me down with him.
Before I could fully register what had happened, the second man and then the first fell backward blood stains spreading on their chests. I pulled free of Alan, and he fell to the ground. Vomit did rise into my throat when I realized the back of his head was blown away.
I heard Leo shout, then saw Giorgio running toward me from the other direction. He was carrying a rifle, and I realized he’d shot all three men from so far away I hadn’t noticed him. I’d been right next to Alan, but he’d made a perfect shot. The world spun wildly, and I sat down.
Niall and Leo, who must have come from the tunnel Alan had brought me through, checked on the two unknown men. Giorgio fell to his knees beside me. He kissed me, then hugged me tightly. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
“No. He… he gave me something. Don’t know what. Foggy. Can’t stand up.”
Giorgio cupped my face and made me look at him. “Stay with me,” he begged before shouting, “Lane needs a doctor!”
“Already on it,” Niall said.
Giorgio turned back to me. I tried to keep my eyes open so I could focus on him
“I love you, Lane. You’re going to be okay. You have to be okay.”
“I…” I tried to say the words back, but I wasn’t sure if I got them out before darkness took me and I slumped against him.
The next time I came fully awake, it took me several moments to figure out where I was. Feeling around and blinking against the bright light coming in the window eventually led me to realize I was in my own bed in my apartment. I tried to remember how I’d gotten there, and slowly everything up until the moment Giorgio had told me he loved me came back to me. Had he really said that? Or had I dreamed it?
From that point on, the events of the evening were sketchy. I had a vague memory of being sick in a car and then someone—a doctor?—talking to me. Obviously, someone had brought me here and put me to bed. Had it been Giorgio?
I heard voices coming from the living room. I started to get up to see who it was, but the moment I tried to stand, my head pounded, and my stomach threatened to revolt. I slowly lay back down. Trying to listen closely wasn’t much better for my head, but I needed to know who was out there.
“Just tell him. It’s way past time.”
Was that my mother? “Mom?”
A few seconds later, she appeared in the doorway.
“Oh, darling, you’re awake, and you look so much better.”
If I looked as bad as I imagined, I must have really looked like hell last night. “What are you doing here?”
She moved forward, sat on the bed, and took my hand. “Your f—Giorgio’s boss called me. He thought I’d want to see for myself that you’re all right. I can’t believe they allowed you to be part of this. I’ve already—”
“It was my idea, Mom. I wanted to help. It was something I needed to do.”
“The whole reason I hired them was to see that you were safe.”
“I’m okay. I’ve just got a headache.”
“The doctor said you’d feel hung over today from the sedative you were given.”
I guess that part of my memory was right. “I saw a doctor last night?”
“Yes. Don’t you remember? Giorgio’s boss brought you back here and summoned a doctor.”
“And then called you?”
“Y-yes.” There was something she wasn’t telling me but trying to figure out what made my head ache viciously.
“Alan, is he…”
“He’s dead. The other men who were there when you were rescued are injured but alive. Giorgio wanted to be sure they could be questioned.”