My former research assistant and mastermind behind the technical encoding on my former project, sneered as she looked at Merc. The big hulking man with muscles that went on for days. “Hercules over there found me in Guatemala. Now he won’t let me leave.”
“Tell me you didn’t.” I sighed, shaking my head. For as long as I knew Reagan, she had one objective in mind. To find the bastard that turned her father. Once a greatly respected man, her father was now serving a life sentence in some military jail for war crimes. Reagan didn’t believe it for one second and vowed to prove his innocence.
Reagan winked. “You know me.”
“Well, did you at least get what you were looking for?” I asked.
Reagan smiled and nodded. Reaching into the front pocket of her jeans, she pulled out a tube of lipstick. Taking the cap off, she applied the light pink shade to her lips and said, “Thanks for this by the way.”
Grinning, I shook my head and said, “No problem.”
“Should we be worried?” Declan said to Merc, getting my attention. When Merc looked up and spotted Reagan and I huddled together talking, his eyes narrowed.
Reagan blew him a kiss.
I giggled.
God, it was really good to see Reagan alive. When I found out what the government was doing with my project, she was the only person I told. We both scattered, leaving everything behind. I transferred to another college and Reagan, well…she did what she did best. Create as much havoc as possible.
Reagan and I were a lot alike in many regards. We were both young, gifted and came from families that loved and encouraged us in our respective fields. We were paired together for my project when the University I was at asked me to give her a chance. I didn’t know much about Reagan but I knew one thing…give that girl a computer and she could make your life a living hell.
By the time I looked at the clock, an hour had passed since we arrived and still no word as to how Lorenzo was doing. When the elevator doors dinged, I turned, expecting to see the doctor with news but I was shocked to see Giovanni and the rest of Lorenzo’s family walk in towards me.
Layla and Illyria rushed over to me, hugging me tightly as Lorenzo’s brothers looked around for him. Taking the bull by the horns, I said, “He’s in surgery. He was shot in the stomach trying to save me.”
“Oh God,” Layla gasped, which had Giovanni quickly putting his arms around her.
“Any word?” Illyria asked, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
Shaking my head, I said nothing.
What could I say?
Her brother was in surgery because of me.
“What are you all doing here?”
Gio sighed. “Lorenzo called me. Told me to have the family ready for war. We came as soon as he sent me the text with his location. I guess we were too late.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You are here. That’s all that matters. He will need all your strength when he wakes up.”
“What the hell is this place?” Antonio asked, looking around.
Even I had to admit, this place was something else.
No one could ever say my cousin didn’t think ahead.
The building in question had seven floors that I knew of. We were all currently on the second floor which was dedicated to medical. Everything a doctor would ever need was here. With plenty of rooms, three surgical suites, an x-ray room, a medical lab, even a nurse’s station.
The second floor was a mini-hospital, all right at our fingertips.
“Donnie, how are you doing?” Illyria asked.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not,” Giovanni said, walking over to me. “You are black and blue. You are not fine.”
Looking at Gio, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. “He saved me. He just walked in and saved me. He didn’t think. One minute I thought I was going to die and the next he was just there.”