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Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be the average one.
Levi and Ash both had their laptops open in the kitchen. There were papers everywhere, spread all over the island. “Any luck?” I asked, not knowing what constituted luck in this horrible context.
“No, but I don’t expect any.” Levi rubbed his eyes. “I need you to understand—this is just the beginning. You should get emotionally prepared for the long haul, and for the waiting, because it’s tough. Even a week feels like a lifetime in a situation like this.”
“Today felt like a lifetime.” I took a sip of my drink. It tasted terrible and it burned, but at least I felt something other than panic and despair.
Levi patted my hand. “We have some time to look for your sister. Li Na has asked you to do something and said she’d keep Hannah alive while you did it. I believe that. She hasn’t killed her for a reason. And we’re looking for her, but it’s not going to be easy, and we’re not going to find her tonight. Li Na could have her hidden anywhere—a condominium, an office, a house she’s rented. It’s going to take some time for us to track her down, and I need you to be patient.”
Gabe put his arm around me. “We’ll both be patient, but I need to know that you’re doing everything in your power. Promise me—us.”
Levi sighed. “I promise. Again. And yes, I’d love a bourbon, since you asked.”
I grabbed my own drink and laptop and nodded at the men. “I’m going to bed.”
“You want company?” Gabe asked.
“No… I’m going to start working on the sale prep. I have to make a list and figure out my next steps. At least I’ll feel like I’m doing something.” I nodded at Levi and Asher. “Thank you both. It means the world to me that you’re helping—I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here right now.” With no updates from the police or the FBI, I was relying on Gabe’s brothers to find Hannah and somehow get this nightmare under control.
I headed listlessly to the bedroom, arranging my computer on the bed. And then, once I’d settled in, I started sobbing.
I couldn’t believe Hannah was gone. God only knew where she was and what was happening to her right now.
Her words from this morning played over and over in my head: “Don’t you dare trade yourself for me. I’d rather die.” I’d thought my heart couldn’t hurt any more, but it broke all over again as I wept. My sister had always been the one constant in my life, and I loved her more than anything. And Wesley…big, strong, young Wesley was inert in a hospital room, connected to more tubes than I cared to count. He was in a coma.
What on earth had happened to my world today?
But I knew the answer. It was Li Na, and she wasn’t going to rest until she had my company. I wiped my tears away roughly and snapped open my laptop. She could have it. She could also shove it—and I’d love to work on getting creative with the logistics of that—but I couldn’t dwell on anything so pleasant right now.
I had to get back to work.
I grabbed my phone. Even though it was getting late, I knew my attorney would be up working. “Bethany?”
“Did you hear something about Hannah?” she asked immediately.
“No. I was going to start a to-do list… I thought we should talk, start planning…” Instead, I erupted into a fresh round of tears.
“Oh, Lauren. I’m so sorry.” Hannah had been her client first, and Bethany loved her too. “Just go to bed, and please get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning—we’ll make all the lists and do all the things, just like we always do. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
We hung up, and I glared at my laptop, a headache settling between my eyes. I could accomplish nothing tonight in my current state. I closed the computer, grabbed my drink, and took another burning sip.
And then, remembering every single terrible moment of the day, I cried myself to sleep.
Chapter 4
GABE
I wanted to follow Lauren to bed, but I knew she needed some time alone. So instead, I poured myself an extra-large bourbon and one each for my brothers.
“How’s the security guard?” asked Ash.
“Terrible. The bullet nicked his heart, and he fell and hit his head hard.”
“Was there brain damage?” Levi asked.
“They don’t know yet. They put him into a medically induced coma because his brain was swelling. He’s a young kid—it was awful to see him like that.”
“Do they think he’s going to make it?”
