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It was a shock to her system as the air disappeared around her. Layne’s hands pushed and shoved against the edge of the tub while her feet scrambled to push herself up. Franzetti’s other hand pinned her down against her back with his weight against her.
She tried not to panic, but the struggle of her body was quickly diminishing what little air she had left in her lungs. Just when she thought that she was nearly out of oxygen, he pulled her head back up. An involuntarily loud gasp as she drew in much-needed air came out of her mouth. Her heart beat so hard she was pretty sure it was about to burst through her chest walls.
Michael leaned down to the side of her face, giving her an emotionless look. “The 227 project?”
“I don’t kn—” and before she could complete her response, he thrust her head back under the surface of the water. Being a little more prepared for it this go around only helped marginally. Water was splashing out of the tub onto the floor and the walls. Once again, she felt the slow depletion of life in her lungs before being greeted by the cool air in the bathroom as she was drawn back up again.
“Last chance, sweetheart.”
Her lungs were on fire as she sucked in heaps of air. “I… I swear, if Joey doesn’t kill you, I will.”
“Unlikely. Say hello to your mother for me.” He pressed his slimy lips to her temple.
This time when he shoved her back down into the tub, he used all his weight to keep her under, minimizing the amount of flailing about she was able to do. With all the water getting splashed on the floor, her feet were slipping against the tiles. Her hands scratched at the smooth sides of the tub for anything to grab onto. It seemed like hours with her head fully submersed, and everything just began to feel light as a floating sensation took over her senses.
She remembered the smell of her mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies.
She could feel her mom’s loving embrace and the light fragrance of peonies in her perfume.
She could hear her dad’s voice and see the beaming smile on his face as he told her how proud he was of her when she stood up to the bullies on the playground.
She could hear Uncle Mick’s laughter as Liam and she tackled him to the ground during a snowball fight.
She could feel a heat deep inside aflame as Joey looked into her eyes and how he had kissed her like she was the only woman on the planet.
That was the last thought she had. Joey had been her last thought.
Franzetti left Layne’s soaked body, void of any movement, slumped over the edge of the tub. The strands of her hair were in a wet and tangled mess.
He grabbed a hand towel off the rack, wiping his hands dry as he came back out into the living room to see that his two right-hand men were taking turns pitching shots at Joey. He gestured to them both, prompting them to drop Joey onto the floor in a heap. Michael stood there feeling tall and mighty as he tossed the damp hand towel down onto Joey.
“I’m going to make myself crystal clear. The only reason you’re not dead is because of all the work you have done for me in the past. Let this be a lesson to you that if you ever fuck up a job this badly again, I won’t be nearly as kind.”
Joey groaned as the back of his hand wiped some blood from his mouth, struggling to get up on all fours. Franzetti turned to leave, then paused. “Send my condolences to her family for me, will you?” The asshole even made an attempt of sounding half-sincere when he said it before he left with his two goons.
As for Joey, the realization of the words Michael parted with sparked a surge of adrenaline. He scrambled onto his feet and ran to the other side of the apartment through his bedroom into the master bath. His heart sank into his stomach at the sight of Layne’s body hanging there over the side of the tub.
His body moved before his mind could catch up, in an instant he was pulling her back to lay her down on the floor. “Layne! Layne! Wake up!”
His hands checked her over frantically, cupping her face and shaking it hoping she would just awaken and open those mesmerizing green eyes. Joey brushed her hair away from her face, “Fuck, no, no, no.” Coupling his hands one on top of the other, he began chest compressions on her. His arms locked and steady as he stared down at the peaceful-looking Layne lying there on his bathroom floor.
“You stubborn bitch, c’mon!” He shouted at her in frustration with each compression that felt useless and ineffective. “Layney, please. Please, Layney.” His voice cracked with raw emotion.
She sputtered up the first wet cough, followed by several more as she expelled water out through her nose and mouth. He rolled her onto her side quickly to ease the coughing fits as she gasped a few times. Layne groaned as her entire chest inside and out felt like she had been run over by a freight train, twice. Slowly she sat herself up, Joey’s hands assisting.
“Take it easy.” He stared at her, relief overwhelming him as she gazed up at him with those entrancing doe eyes he had fallen for the very first day they met.
Joey’s hands held her face and being overwhelmed with gratitude that she escaped death’s cold grasp, he kissed her with gentle affection. Her hand ran over the side of his face as she weakly returned his kiss as she tried to gather her wits.
Drawing away slightly, she winced as her entire body was screaming at her in pain.
With a light rasp to her voice, she offered up a light curve of a smile. “Ten out of ten do not recommend drowning.” Layne went to chuckle, but immediately whimpered and rubbed a hand against her chest at the fresh round of aches and pains. Joey kissed her forehead with a sigh. “You have no idea how much you had me worried.”
As she tried to get up onto her feet, Joey shook his head. “Oh, no you don’t.” He scooped her up into his arms, holding her securely to the front of his chest. Normally, she would have protested at being carried anywhere, but he felt warm and safe. Not to mention she wasn’t confident her legs would have had the strength in them.
Layne rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes and focusing on how the air felt moving freely in and out of her lungs. He carried her out of the bathroom and over to the edge of his bed where he sat her down.
“Stay here.” Joey left and returned with a dry towel, and wrapped it around her. His hands rubbed her arms to help dry her off and generate warmth through her body.
