Curiosity gets the better of me, and I lift the lid, gasping when I see what’s inside.
A phone.
A freaking phone.
I grab it with shaky fingers, reading the note that was left underneath.
Gemma,I’m sure you’ll be bored out of your mind with my lame brother there in no time. I know your phone got lost in all the chaos yesterday, but I wanted you to have one. I had to take certain safety precautions and lock some accounts and contacts. I hope you understand. But my number is open, so call or text me, and I can tell you all of Matty’s secrets so you can poke the big angry bear in my absence. ;)
PS. Check your voice message. I was able to retrieve that from your cloud. Luna xoxo
My heart is racing,and I rush to turn it on. While I wait for the phone to start up, I eye the bed. I hate that sitting hurts more than standing, but I guess it’ll take a few days, if not longer, for that to change. The phone makes a melodic sound while it finishes loading, and I immediately push the voicemail button.
Tears form the second Ally’s voice fills my ear. I barely hear what she says the first time through, and I replay it immediately.
“Hey, Gem. I’m going to keep this quick, but I just wanted to let you know I’m okay. And I mean it. Please delete this message as soon as you’re done listening to it and don’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you. I promise I’ll explain more later, but for now, you have to believe me that Nikolai won’t harm me. We’ve been . . . he and I . . . uh . . . I know him, okay, and I trust him. He’s in trouble for what he did at the bar, but he’d never hurt a single hair on my head. Ever.”
There’s some noise in the background, and Ally exhales loudly. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll try to call or text soon. Take good care of yourself, and let me know you’re okay too, please. It was so chaotic when they took me away that I couldn’t see where you were. I’ll try and check my messages as soon as I can, and I promise I’ll be home soon. Love you, Gem. Keep on shining.”
Then the voice message is over. I listen to it approximately ten more times, maybe twenty, and I come to one conclusion.
Ally doesn’t sound scared. Not one bit. Quite the opposite actually. And the way she stumbled her way through explaining that she knows him, like they’re more than acquaintances.
What did you do, Ally?
My mind races, searching for answers.
I keep dissecting every sentence, every word Ally says until there’s a knock on the door. I start and throw the phone into the box before closing it and dumping one of the books on top.
Pain shoots through my middle, and I clench my jaw to keep from crying out.
Way too much movement.
Shit.
Matteo pokes his head in and frowns when he sees me standing there like a deer caught in headlights. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I barely get the word through my teeth.
The door opens all the way, and he walks inside with a water bottle and my two pill bottles in one hand, a plate with a couple of sandwiches in the other. “I thought you might need some meds and food by now.”
I nod, fighting the heat that’s forming behind my eyes. Man, that really fucking hurt. Damn it.
He opens the pill bottle and shakes the tablets out on my outstretched hand. “You don’t have to act a certain way for me. If you’re in pain, you’re in pain. End of story, got it?”
I nod and accept the water bottle from him, taking several big gulps with the medicine.
He studies me. “Better?”
“Yeah, thank you.”
He tilts his chin in acknowledgement, then peeks at his watch, and I’m momentarily fascinated by the fact he actually wears one. Not many people do anymore, to the point it strikes me as almost sophisticated now.
“The twenty-four hours are almost up. Do you want to take a shower after you’re done eating?”
“Gosh, yes.” The words come out as a half-moan, and heat creeps up my neck immediately.
“I’ll be back soon then.”