He shakes his head. “No. Youwillgive her up.”
“You’re delusional if you think that’s true!”
“And I might not be able to kill you. But I can keep you here, alone and isolated. For however long that takes for your tongue to loosen.”
He walks to the door, stubborn pride radiating from his every step.
So I shout after him. “You can keep me here as long as you like. But someonewillfind me.”
He pauses at the door before turning back to me. “No one will find you. Not here.”
Dread begins to trickle down my spine. “Where. Am. I?”
When he smiles, it’s a cruel quirk of his lips.
“Enjoy the bunker, Miss Natali.”
19
TEO
The cold iron door of Isabella’s room is a steadying presence as I lean my forehead against it.
I can hear her on the other side, groaning in her frustration and anger. Every part of me wants to yell along with her.
When did this become such a mess?
Perhaps when she was dying in my arms, and my biggest fear wasn’t losing the closest lead I had to Ida Natali. The thought didn’t even cross my mind until the doctor had her breathing again.
Or the second time, once we’d arrived at the bunker and, Doctor Malloy made me wait outside while her heart monitor was screaming for me to do something, anything to save her. But all I could do was sit there and try not to tear myself apart.
Even now, knowing that she’s safely behind that door, already halfway to a full recovery, that feeling lingers.
“Is there anything else, sir?”
I look up to find Doctor Malloy watching me carefully over the rim of his glasses.
I’ve known the man since I was a teenager. He used to patch up Rocco and me after ill-advised scraps and the time he dared me to jump off the compound roof—resulting in a fractured arm and a very bruised ego.
These days, his age shows in the silver of his hair. It’s likely he’s anticipating some kind of retirement in the next few years. One that I would happily grant him without hesitation.
“Your discretion,” I answer as I pull away from the door.
“Always, sir,” he replies simply.
I sigh. “You can drop the formalities, doctor.”
“Then you should call me Henry.”
“Henry,” I smile dully. “You’re sure she’ll be all right?”
“The last of the drugs should be out of her system within the next few hours. With a bit of rest, she’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”
“Right.”
Doctor Malloy nods and picks up his bag and jacket, as if making to leave. However, he stops before heading toward the door.
“You saved her life, Teo.”
