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“It’s a pleasure. Is there anything you need right now?”
I shake my head. “It’s late, you should rest.”
“I’m here to make sure you have everything you need and to do whatever I can to help you feel comfortable. So please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s anything you need, okay?”
“Yes. Thank you,” I say, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “I really appreciate it, Mr. Gil.”
“I’m happy to be here,” he says, patting my hand gently. “I’ll let you rest for the night but call us if you need anything.”
A few minutes later, Derek steps into the room, his shoulders slumped, and his jaw firmly set. He avoids my gaze as he rambles on, and his words become a confusing mess. He tries to explain something about the Zs, but I can’t make sense of it. All I want to know is if Finnegan and Archer are the same person.
I need to know that I’m not crazy and that the wait is over. He’s alive and with me. At least, that’s what I hope.
Just then, Derek’s phone rings, cutting off his explanation. He takes a deep breath and answers the call. His expression changes from confusion to determination as he listens to the person on the other end, nodding occasionally and shaking his head at times.
“Yes, we made it. Your dad is here.” He pauses for a moment before continuing. “I trust him. Let me say my goodbyes and I’ll be there. You can update me during the flight. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m in the air.”
He hangs up, then casts a glance in my direction and says, “I have to go, babe.” His voice full of sorrow and regret.
My heart sinks as I realize he’s leaving me behind with a stranger. Tears well up in my eyes, but I force them back down, determined not to let him see me crumble.
“I know,” I say, voice and body trembling. “I wish you didn’t have to go either. But I understand.”
He walks over to the bed and sits down beside me, taking my hand in his. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promises. “If I can, I’ll swing by your parents’ house and bring Halsey for you.”
I manage a weak smile. “Just come back to me in one piece, okay?” I say. “That’s all I need.”
He leans down, pressing his lips against mine, his warmth radiating throughout my body. His kiss is filled with unspoken words of love and passion, and I can feel every ounce of his emotions.
After everything that’s happened to me I know life is too short, and it’s in this moment I’m allowing him into a part of my heart I’ve kept protected. My heart races as I deepen the kiss, wanting desperately to convey all of the feelings I have for him without words.
Reluctantly, he pulls away from me, his eyes still filled with love and desire.
“I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you,” he says softly, running a hand through his dark hair before standing up. He grabs a phone from the nightstand and places it in my hands. “This is for you, so we can stay in touch. I’ll call you as soon as I can, but you can text me whenever.”
With one last lingering glance, he walks out the door and my heart sinks at the thought of losing him.
ChapterSix
Finnegan
I standatop the towering steel and glass skyscraper and survey the city of Seattle. Below, people scurry along the sidewalk like ants, unaware of the dangerous mission I’m embarked upon. Across the street, my target moves with intent inside the offices.
Each step they take sparks my adrenaline, and I prepare myself to carry out my task with deadly precision.
I don’t plan to kill anyone, but I have to be stealthy, or they’ll make me. But as I take in the sights and sounds of the city, my mind drifts to her. Piper, who’s lying in a hospital bed somewhere, her fate unknown, and I can’t help but feel a searing guilt and worry that grips my chest like a vise.
I can do nothing but wait silently and hope that she’ll be alright.
I bring up my binoculars and survey the building, my heart sinking at the amount of security. I need to get close, but every guard seems to be on high alert. I watch their movements, trying to ascertain their pattern and weaknesses. Perhaps there is an opening I can exploit to get past them undetected.
Just as I start to plan my next move, I hear a sound behind me—a faint rustle of clothing, followed by footsteps. I turn sharply, my body stiffening as a figure emerges from the shadows. Walter.
He studies me with furrowed brows and a steadying gaze, his lips turning down into a concerned frown. “Any luck?”
I shake my head and release a slow sigh. “They’re heavily guarded. It won’t be easy to get close.”
He closes his eyes and nods, his expression hardening with determination. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.”
