18. Chapter Seventeen Laurent
Chapter Seventeen: Laurent
“Idon’t have the book,” I repeat, signaling Addie and her crew. “But they do.”
All at once, my newest best friends reveal their presence, materializing from behind columns like mythical creatures from the water. Voss and his thugs are surrounded, guns now pointing at them, and the chaos we’d hoped for immediately ensues.
Voss turns to run, but I foil his escape and tackle him, taking us both down.
We start struggling and roll right off the edge of the platform, hitting the water with a splash.
I wind up on top and, even though I’ve never been much of a fighter, I launch a series of wild punches, catching him in the jaw and cheek. An elbow to his throat has him gasping.
Just when I think I’m holding my own pretty well, Voss manages to flip me over onto my back.
He splays a hand over my face, plunging my head underwater and holding it there.
I didn’t get much of a breath before my unexpected submergence, and I end up getting a mouthful of water.
If only I could reach the knife sheathed at my side…
Fuck. He’s using all of his body weight to keep me pinned beneath the surface, but I manage to coil my muscles and twist, sending a knee straight between his legs in the process.
I’ve been accused of being sneaky and not playing fair in the past, and you can bet your sweet ass no statement has ever been truer.
I’ll do whatever it takes to defeat this asshole, not drown, and ultimately, save Savannah.
Because, yeah, maybe there’s a little bit of a hero lurking inside of me after all. For sure, a morally gray one, but a hero nonetheless. Guess he was just waiting for the right moment to come out and save the day.
Because now I have someone to fight for. I’m not just choosing Savannah over the sapphire. I’m choosing connection over emptiness, belonging over loneliness…and love over the false identity I built my entire life around.
The expensive suits, watches, hotels, cars and fine wine were nothing but a part of my emotional armor.
It’s so clear to me now. How I purposely surrounded myself with beautiful things, because things can’t abandon me.
Then Savannah came along and quietly dismantled that belief simply by seeing me instead of the image I crafted.
And if this asshole thinks he’s taking that away from me, he can fuck right off.
My direct hit to the family jewels causes Voss to fucking howl, and he finally releases me.
I jerk up, breaking through the water. As I suck in a lungful of air, I glance around, searching for Savannah.
Meanwhile, Ryder and Knox grab Voss and drag his soggy ass back up onto the platform while Delaney keeps a gun trained on him.
Brighton is straddling a guard, holding a knife to his throat, while Hunter has the other thug pinned against a column, his head in her weapon’s sights.
And then I see Addie with her arm around Savannah’s shoulders, leading her away from the chaos.
Now I finally understand the benefits of working with a team.
How they have your back. How they become your family, the people you depend on when the going gets tough.
I’ve never had that before because I’ve always been a solo act.
By choice? Maybe by necessity—see the above mentioned abandonment issues.
But now? Now I know I’m never going to have to do anything on my own ever again.
And the idea of having a little group who looks out for me and, hell, maybe even cares about me? Well, that makes my fucking chest tighten with emotion.
Climbing onto the platform, dripping water, I stride straight to Savannah and pull her into my arms. “We’re going to get the antidote right now. Don’t worry.”
Voss must overhear me because he lets out a laugh that echoes throughout the chamber. My skin crawls at the sound. “Antidote? What antidote?” he asks no one in particular, sounding as mad as a hatter.
Releasing Savannah, I stalk over, fueled by rage. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I hiss.
An evil mirth glows in his dark eyes. “Did I say there was an antidote? My bad.”
“You’re fucking dead!” But it’s as though my threat falls on deaf ears, because Voss merely chuckles.
“No, that would be your girlfriend.”
My world tilts at the thought of losing Savannah. No, this can’t be happening. There has to be a way to counteract the poison. A way to save her.
Turning back to her, I see her pretty face fall.
She takes one stumbling step toward me and then her legs give out.
I catch her and haul her up into my arms. Suddenly, I’m terrified and, for the first time in my life, I can’t rely on playing the dashing Laurent to get what I want.
And what I want is so much more important than ever before.
“I’m getting you out of here,” I rasp against her ear. Ignoring everyone else, I start marching down the platform, heading for the exit, when her fingers twist in my shirt.
“Rhys, stop!”
I abruptly halt and look down into her pretty gray-green eyes. “I think I know where the sapphire is,” she reveals for my ears only.
“Fuck the sapphire,” I growl, not bothering to keep my voice low. Words I never thought I’d say, but right now, I couldn’t care less about that stupid gem. “We need the antidote.”
I can feel everyone’s eyes on us.
“There isn’t one,” she murmurs softly, and my fucking heart splits in two. “Put me down. Please. At least let me give you this one gift before…”
“Don’t,” I hiss. “We’re going to the hospital!” I call over my shoulder.
“A waste of time!” Voss returns happily. “You need the antidote.”
“You said there wasn’t one,” Addie snaps.
“I lied.”
“You can’t believe anything that comes out of that connard’s mouth.” My words drip with disgust. “I’m taking her to the hosp—”
“You do that and she’s as good as dead,” Voss coolly informs me. “But let her find the sapphire and we can do a trade.”
“I don’t believe you,” I snarl.
“So you’re going to gamble with her life?” He arches a brow as he wrings out the edge of his dripping suit jacket.
Fuck. What should I do? I look to Addie and the others for guidance, but no one wants to make the life-or-death call.
“The gem for the antidote,” Voss offers again.
I hate that he has the upper hand right now, but we don’t have time to go searching all over the city for wherever he may have hidden the antidote.
And what if it’s so specific that a doctor won’t be familiar with it and then won’t be able to save her?
Time is of the essence, and we’re losing precious seconds fast.
“Trust me, Rhys.” Savvy places a kiss at the corner of my lips. “I can find it.”
Gritting my teeth, I carefully lower her feet to the ground, and force a nod. “I’m right here with you,” I assure her, taking her small hand in mine.
“I know.” She sends me a brave smile and tugs. “C’mon.”
While Addie and her crew watch over Voss and his thugs, Savannah guides me past one of the large Medusa heads which lies on its side. Completely bizarre.
“On the flight over, I figured out the most important part,” she says, leading me to the strange-looking post covered in raised bumps that look a lot like eyes. The one I was hiding behind. “It’s called the Weeping Column. Listen.”
We both press our ears to it, and an eerie crying sound seems to come from within.
“I don’t understand.”
“I found two references in the pages Voss had copied. The first mention’s a peacock’s weeping tail.
The second is a well-known line where the Cheshire Cat talks about how everyone in Wonderland is mad.
But the word mad was changed to sad: ‘...we’re all sad here.
I’m sad. You’re sad.’ Then Alice asks how he knows she’s sad, and he responds ‘you wouldn’t be weeping if you weren’t.
’” Savvy lifts her opposite hand and knocks on the post. “Some people think this column is hollow.”
Finally, the pieces come together. Hollow! A perfect hiding place. “You’re brilliant, chérie!” I declare as Addie and Brighton appear.
“What’s going on?” Addie asks. “Do you really know where it is?”
“Savvy thinks it’s inside this column,” I tell them.
Brighton’s head drops back, studying the top which connects to the brick ceiling. “How are we supposed to get inside? It looks sealed tight.”
“I think our best bet is to drill through,” Addie muses.
“Where the hell are we going to get a drill?” I ask, feeling panic setting in.
“This is why you work with a team, Laurent.” Addie pats my shoulder and calls out, “Hey, Diamond Man, bring your gear over here.”
Ryder hustles over and, for the first time, I notice the backpack he’s wearing. “What do you need, Boss?”
“Need you to drill a hole through the bottom of this pillar and see if there’s a sapphire necklace hidden inside.” Addie touches Savannah’s arm. “Hang in there.”
Ryder immediately squats, sliding the pack off his shoulders. But instead of opening it, he studies the intricate designs on the pole. Brow furrowed in concentration, he runs his hand over a raised “eye” and pulls on it.
“What’re you doing?” I ask.
“I don’t think whoever hid this wanted anyone to actually deface or destroy an ancient ruin. Know what I mean?” He drops down on his belly. “Maybe…” His voice trails off as he starts trying different notches, attempting to twist them off.
All at once, we know exactly what he means, and everyone starts trying to turn the “eyes.” The column is covered in them, but if we can find the right one, then we can reach inside. With five of us working fast, it’s not long before we find it.
“Jackpot.” Ryder grins up at us, holding the bottom-most eye in his hand. “It twisted right off. Now let’s see what all the fuss is about. Who’d like to stick their hand inside and do the honors?”
“Go ahead,” Brighton says.
“Need a smaller hand than mine to do the job. Ladies?”
“I’ll do it,” Savannah offers and lowers down to the ground beside Ryder. Leaning forward, she slides her hand through the opening, and I’m holding my breath. If The Heart of Azure is in there, then all of this will finally be over. We’ll trade the sapphire for the antidote, and Savvy will be fine.
As she shoves her arm inside up to her elbow, I kneel down next to her and lay my hand on her shoulder. Moment of truth. No matter what happens, I want her to know I’m right here by her side.
“Anything?” I ask, ready to tear this whole damn column down with my bare hands.
“Ohmygod,” she whispers, then slowly pulls her hand out to reveal a velvet bag.
“Open it, chérie,” I urge her.
Everyone hovers over us as she loosens the drawstrings.
She flips the opened bag, and the famed diamond and sapphire necklace slithers right into her waiting palm.
I can’t believe my eyes. It’s the fucking Heart of Azure.
While the twelve-year-old in me is enthralled, the man in me is ready to barter for Savvy’s life.
Not wasting a second, I help Savannah up. As she hands the necklace to me, I don’t miss the way she wobbles, clutching my arm. “I’ve got you,” I tell her as we start back to the others.
“Well?” Voss demands, still a pompous prick, even with a gun pointed at his face. “Did you find it?”
I lift the arm not wrapped around Savannah’s waist, and dangle The Heart of Azure in front of him like a piece of cheese. Let’s just hope this rat takes the bait.
When he reaches for it, I jerk it out of his reach. “The antidote.”
“It’s back at my apartment, locked up in the safe.”
“Then what’re we waiting for?” I snap. “Let’s go!”