Fallen Stars (Stone Bay Series Book 3)

Chapter 22

A consistent,dull ache reverberates in my skull. A thunderous whoosh, whoosh, whoosh echoes in my ears. I can’t think straight. Can’t hear anything except the deafening sound of my blood pumping.

Body stiff, I shift my arms and instantly regret it. A sharp burst of pain shoots from my fingers to my neck and upper chest.

I suck in a harsh breath between my teeth, my lungs expanding and pressing against my rib cage as a scorching knife pierces my chest over and over. Hissing, I curl my fingers into loose fists.

“Du?o?”

A hand rests on my shoulder delicately.

“My handsome du?o. Can you hear me?”

“Mama?” Her name is sandpaper on my tongue.

A shaky inhale, followed by a sniffle, filters through the whooshing in my ears. “It’s Mama, du?o.” She presses her lips tenderly to my forehead. “Papa went for coffee. He’ll be so happy you’re awake.”

I peel my eyes open and wince when dim light filters in. With slow blinks, my eyesight adjusts. Scenic prints in plastic frames hang on generic white walls. A small television is mounted high on the wall across from where I lie. Mint green curtains are pulled together over what I assume is a window. A machine with a screen is on my left, colorful lines and numbers on the display. A plastic bag with clear liquid hangs from a post, a thin tube at the base.

I follow the length of the tube with my eyes until it reaches the back of my hand. My gaze drifts to the white thermal blanket draped over my legs and torso to the rails on either side of the hospital bed.

Hospital. I’m in the hospital.

I glance up at Mama, take in the bruisy crescents beneath her eyes and her disheveled hair. It’s a rare occasion if Mama puts on makeup, styles her hair or spruces up her attire, but she always looks put together. Happy. Vibrant.

Right now, she is none of those things. Everything about her is different. Out of sorts. Unkempt. Dispirited.

“What happened?”

My brow furrows as I attempt to sift through my memory. The past several days are blurry and just out of reach. I close my eyes and force my mind to think, think, think.

“Tesoro?” Papa’s gentle baritone is laced with confusion as it drifts through the room. “Is everything okay?”

“He’s awake.” Deep affection and endless gratitude fill those two words.

The shuffling of feet makes me open my eyes.

Papa clambers across the room, setting two cups down and sidling up to the opposite side of the bed from Mama. His usually smooth jawline is peppered with thick black stubble. Beneath his eyes, dark half circles paint his olive skin. His hair pokes haphazardly in several directions, a complete juxtaposition from his everyday slicked-back style.

“Oliver,” he weeps my name. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” Tears glisten in his eyes a breath before one trails down his cheek. “We’ve been so worried.”

I repeat my question from minutes ago. “What happened?”

Papa hovers over me as his hand reaches out then pulls back. Uncertainty flits across his expression as he resists connecting with me physically.

“The police called just before three this morning.” Lifting a hand to his face, Papa wipes his eyes. “As the last employees left Dalton’s, they saw you unconscious on the ground in the parking lot.” The corners of his eyes crinkle as his chin starts to wobble. “You were covered in blood.”

I filter through his words with delicate precision as I try to piece together last night. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, ignore the sounds, pay little attention to my tender muscles and achy bones, and focus my thoughts. One at a time, memories trickle in.

Hailey’s Fire had a show at Dalton’s last night.

We were exhausted but happy to play.

Food and drinks, ribbing and laughter.

Packing up the gear.

Pool and innuendos.

Last call.

Kissing Levi in the parking lot.

A scary as fuck man storming up to Levi as we tried to get in the car.

Darkness.

Levi struggling.

Quiet.

“Levi!” I shout as my eyes pop open. My throat burns from the simple action, but I ignore it. “Where’s Levi?” My gaze flits from Mama to Papa.

Brows pinched at the middle, Papa shakes his head. “We don’t know, figlio.” He rests his hand lightly over mine. “You were alone when they found you.”

“No.” I shake my head and pain ricochets through my skull. The backs of my eyes burn and the room blurs. “No. He was there.” Panic bubbles in my chest. Unease swells in my throat. My limbs start to shake as my mouth goes dry. “W-with me.” Tears spill down my cheeks in parallel lines.

“We’ll find him, du?o.” Mama presses her lips to my forehead. “Promise.”

“H-how?”

Papa gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll make some calls.” His gaze darts to Mama. “Let the doctor know he’s awake and ask when we can take him home.”

Without hesitation, Mama presses a button on the bed rail. She nods toward the door. “Go, moja ljubavi. Make calls.” A tender smile lifts the corners of her mouth. “I won’t leave Ollie’s side.”

On a deep inhale, Papa takes one of the cups, heads for the door and disappears into the hallway.

A silent river of tears coats my cheeks as I close my eyes and try to recall any other sounds or images from last night. A faint flash of the parking lot appears behind my eyelids. My hands tremble uncontrollably as I lock onto the memory and study it harder. As I scavenge for the smallest clue as to where Levi may be.

An ill-defined image of the man who approached Levi comes into view. Stalky build. Tall. The hood of his sweatshirt was up and covered most of his head.

“Mrs. Moss,” a warm voice says. “Did you need something?”

I open my eyes and peer up at a man in pale-green scrubs.

“Oh”—cheeriness fills his expression—“Oliver is awake.” He taps a few buttons on the tablet in his hand. “I’ve just notified the doctor. She’ll be in shortly to do a thorough exam.”

An understated smile lifts the corners of Mama’s mouth for a brief second. “Thank you.”

He nods and inches closer to the bed. “On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain, Oliver?”

I do a quick mental sweep of the dull aches and sharp pains. “Maybe a seven.” My answer feels more like a question than a statement of fact.

The nurse taps on the tablet screen. “We’ll wait until after the doctor examines you before we administer more pain medication. It’s best if you let her know how you feel without suppressants.”

I nod as a woman in a white coat and navy scrubs enters the room. She sidles up to the nurse and he hands her the tablet.

“Glad to see you’re awake, Oliver.” The corners of her eyes wrinkle as a toothy smile brightens her expression. “I’m Dr. Sharma. Is it okay if I ask you some questions?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Dr. Sharma glances at Mama briefly before meeting my gaze again. “Because you’re an adult, I have to ask if it’s okay for your mother to be in the room while we talk.”

I meet Mama’s eyes and nod. “It’s fine.”

The clock on the wall ticks on and on as Dr. Sharma asks several questions about my injuries. When she reaches what I think is the end, I open my mouth to ask when I can go home. But I’m cut off as she starts a new round of questions focusing on my memory. Thankfully, this part of the exam is brief.

Next, she waves a penlight in front of my eyes then adds notes to the tablet. After some nerve and muscle tests, she gives a subtle nod.

“Aside from your physical injuries, everything appears to be normal. Your memory of the event is cloudy, which is to be expected. Our minds have a way of blocking out trauma while we heal.”

She taps the tablet screen several times.

“I’d like you to remain here for the night. In the morning, you can go home. I’ll write a script for the pain. Other than a couple cracked ribs, you have no major injuries.”

She presses the lock button on the tablet and hugs it to her chest.

“Time and rest, Oliver. I’ll detail things to avoid during recovery. If all goes accordingly, your ribs should be good as new in six weeks.”

“Six weeks?” I toss back incredulously.

A sympathetic smile dons her face as she shrugs. “Unless you’re a fast healer, six weeks is standard.”

No way in hell will I fucking lie around for six goddamn weeks. I need to find Levi.

I inhale deeply then groan as pain shoots through my midsection. “Thanks, Dr. Sharma.”

“You’re welcome.” She checks the bag attached to my IV line. “I’ll have the nurse bring in some pain med?—”

“No.” My stomach twists at the idea of losing more time. “Not yet. Maybe when I need to sleep.”

“Are you sure, du?o?”

I meet Mama’s concerned gaze and nod. “Yeah, Mama. I need to speak with the police and Levi’s boss. It’s best to do both with as clear a head as possible.”

“Levi’s boss?”

“I’ll explain.”

Dr. Sharma heads for the door. “I’ll give you privacy. Whenever you’re ready for the pain meds, press the call button.”

“Thank you.”

The doctor exits the room, but I wait a moment before speaking up. Not that I’m well informed.

“Levi was working on something big with his boss. He couldn’t share details due to confidentiality, but it was a significant project. Dark. Heavy. Stressful.” I swallow past the expansive knot in my throat. “If he’s… missing”—tears well in my eyes once more—“Tymber may know how to find him.”

Mama gently squeezes my fingers. “Okay, du?o.” She nods. “I’ll text Papa and ask him to call Tymber.”

One of the longest hours of my life passes before Travis Emerson enters my hospital room.

“Hey, Ollie. How’re you holding up?”

I wave a hand up and down my body. “Could be better.”

“True. We’re just glad you’re alive. Soon as Kirsten heard the news, she told Sky and Dee Dee. They’re ready to smother you with food and care.” He chuckles.

A cloud of unease fills the room as I don’t respond in kind. But before Travis speaks up again, Tymber walks into the room.

On a good day, Tymber is quite formidable. The trait comes in handy with his line of work. But today isn’t a good day, and Tymber looks as though he hasn’t slept in weeks.

“Tymber.” Travis offers him a hand to shake, and Tymber takes it. “Why are you here?”

“I asked him to come,” I say.

Both men glance my way.

“Nice to see you, Oliver.” Tymber steps closer to the bed. “Wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Me too.” I inhale a small, shaky breath. “I know I need to give you a statement, Travis, but I also wanted Tymber here because of the situation.”

Travis’s brow furrows. “Alright.” He takes out his phone and taps on the screen a few times. “Whenever you’re ready, Oliver.”

My gaze darts between the two of them. “Last night is still a bit hazy, but I remember bits of what happened after everyone left Dalton’s.”

I spend the next several minutes giving an account of what I remember. As I near the end, I lock on to Tymber’s weary expression. “I don’t know what you and Levi are working on, but the little he shared, I know it’s extensive.”

Closing my eyes, I muster up the strength to say the next part. A chill blankets me from head to toe as my limbs tremble. Curling my fingers, I fist the blanket and meet their waiting stares.

“This wasn’t random. They weren’t vagrants. They weren’t mugging us.” I swallow as the next part edges the tip of my tongue. “I think someone t-took him,” I say, the words shaky and hollow.

Tymber’s expression turns a ghastly shade of gray as he turns to my parents. “Would you mind stepping out for a moment? It won’t take long.”

Concern mars my parents’ features, but they agree to give us privacy.

When it’s only the three of us, Tymber tips his head back and pinches the bridge of his nose. After a deep inhale, he levels his gaze.

“Levi and I were asked to help on a missing person case. But the case was one of hundreds, and we couldn’t ignore the similarities when we compared several of them. I need to look through his computer at the office, but I know he’s been in communication with a group of people on the dark web.”

Travis’s head snaps in Tymber’s direction. “I’m sorry, what?” His voice vibrates the air.

Tymber gives Travis an apologetic smile. “We can talk more later.”

“No,” Travis barks. “We can talk now.” He points to the floor.

“I will share more later, but what I can say in present company”—Tymber’s gaze returns to mine—“is that we uncovered a major human trafficking ring.”

My body goes numb as I stop breathing. My eyes burn as every inch of my body shakes violently. The heart monitor next to the bed beeps faster and louder as the room shrinks around me.

No.I shake my head in disbelief. Please don’t let it be true.

I slam my eyes closed and gasp for breath, but no air fills my lungs.

Something presses down on my foot, and I flinch.

“No!” I scream as my eyes fly open. My fists slam down on the mattress over and over. “No, no, no, no, no!”

My parents dash into the room and scurry to my side.

“Shh, du?o.” Mama touches my cheek. “I’ve got you.”

“What did you say?” Papa barks out, his voice laced with unfamiliar venom.

Mama continues to soothe me with quiet words as she presses the button on the bed rail.

“Tell me,” Papa demands.

“We believe Levi has been… abducted,” Travis says too calmly.

Mama gasps at the same time Papa clutches his chest. Papa’s warm eyes meet mine, tears rimming them as he swallows. He inhales a shaky breath as the first tear falls. A mixture of fear, sympathy and relief washes over his face.

Since waking up, my parents have fretted over and smothered me with an obscene amount of love and gratitude. But the moment I questioned where Levi was and explained what I could remember, all I got was gentle reassurances in soft tones.

It pisses me off.

“I need to get out of here,” I say. “I need to find him. Now.”

“We’ll find him,” Tymber states with more confidence than any of us feels.

“How?” I bark out. “You’ve been working on this for a while. Obviously, he got too close and they took him.”

The heart monitor beeps faster once more.

“So tell me, how will you find him?”

“Du?o,” Mama chastises.

“It’s okay, ma’am.” Tymber runs his fingers through his hair. “Oliver, I promise I will do everything within my power to find him. He keeps extensive notes on his computer. I will go through all of them until we find him.”

“And now that I’ve been apprised of the situation, Stone Bay police will work alongside Mr. Woulf, missing persons, and additional law enforcement.” Travis rests his hand on the footrail of the bed. “We will not rest until we find him, Ollie.” His eyes hold mine, unwavering. “I swear to you.”

His word means more than Tymber’s right now.

“I’ll hold you to it, Travis,” I say on a shaky exhale. “Now, please leave. Go find my boyfriend.”