35. Listen
THIRTY-FIVE
LISTEN
Lake
I rush into the hotel and wave at Alessio from the other side of the door. With his dark hair falling over his eyes, he looks even more devastating than when he’s dry. There’s something so attractive about a relentless man who doesn’t care if he’s in the pouring rain as long as his work gets done.
Alessio taps his earbud and answers the call, his blue eyes taking on a darker hue, his whole face changing into something predatory. I don’t know what the other person said, but Alessio fires back, “Who are you talking to, hm? Surely not me. I said five minutes, but I took ten. And?” He plucks his buds from his ears and drops them into his pocket, then puts his palm against the glass on the door.
I meet it with my own. The size difference makes me smile.
Alessio’s phone rings again.
I lift my middle finger, hoping he’ll understand my humor.
Alessio smiles when he picks up the line again.
I leave him to it and walk down the hallway, making my way back upstairs. Before I reach the elevator, my phone rings. I pick up without checking who it is.
“Hello?”
“Do I need to remind you what’s at stake?”
I stop dead in my tracks and lean against the wall in case my knees fold. “Who is this?”
“We met last night.”
It’s the man from the vault.
“What do you want?”
“I need to know who your boyfriend is speaking with now and what they’re talking about.”
“Right now?”
“That’s what I said.”
“But I don’t know.”
A ping sounds, and I look at the screen. The man wants to video chat. Can I refuse? I want to, but I’m terrified of what he’ll do if I refuse, so I press the camera button.
I see a live feed of a long barrel of what appears to be a sniper rifle that’s trained on a woman putting groceries in her car. I recognize my aunt.
“If I give the order?—”
I cut him off. “Don’t hurt her! Don’t hurt her! What do you want?”
“Listen in on Alessio’s calls, and all be well. And if you say a word to him about this or anything else, know that my people are in position to take out your entire family. All I have to do is make a call like the one I’m making to you now. Understood?”
“Yes.” I run down the hallway, but before I can step outside, I hear the man on the line calling me back.
“Calm down, or he’ll know something is wrong,” he says.
Alessio’s standing by the statue again. “Promise me you’ll take the shooter off my aunt,” I say even though I have no leverage. I have nothing.
The vile man hangs up, and I rush into the pouring rain, trying to think of something to say that will explain why I returned, but I can’t come up with anything because my brain isn’t working.
Alessio frowns when he sees me.
When I reach him, I don’t know what to say. Turns out, Alessio needs no explanation. He walks up to me and lets me wrap my arms around his waist. I hug him tightly and rest my head on his chest, where his heart beats strong. Tears well up in my eyes when he doesn’t push me away or question why I’m here.
He holds me to him.
I overhear several conversations, most of which I would describe as active involvement in taking out a threat to the free world. Unless I have an overactive imagination, it sounds to me like the leaders of the world are telling Alessio he has a green light to transport someone named Susan to some facility. They offer to provide cover.
Alessio refuses, saying the fewer people involved, the better. I think I hear the word warhead , but at this point, I’m so scared of what I’m hearing that my heart pulses in my ears. When I feel like I might faint, I clutch Alessio for dear life. I’m terrified that if I pull away, my aunt won’t make it to her house alive.