Page 48 of Hacker Unknown

“Why are you crying? He will make it.”

“But he won’t forgive me for this. I can’t face him. Neither of us talked about what would happen after I left. I think it’s best I just go now. There is a flight to Paris in four hours.”

“That’s a horrible idea.”

I stood and wrapped Sawyer in a hug. “Please do this for me.”

“I’ll call my pilot. Take my plane, and here are my keys. Just leave it at the airport, and I will have someone get it. I will do this as long as you promise to stay at the place Devon willed you.”

After my time with Paolo, I was sure no place would feel like home. “Yes.”

I left the paper on the counter and walked toward the exit. Sawyer grumbled something, but I ignored him and kept walking. Tears kept falling as I stepped into the parking garage. Not wanting to hear from Kat, I turned off my phone.

Sawyer’s G-Wagon was parked in the first spot. I clicked the unlock button on the fob. My fingers wrapped around the door handle as the reflection of a person in the window caught my attention, but it was too late. The prick of a needle in my neck was all I felt before I slumped to the ground.

Chapter 16

Paolo

My damn head hurt again. I filtered through my memories, recalling the hot-ass shower sex followed by dinner, but I didn’t remember going to dinner. I’d dressed and taken a pill. Bleach filled my nostrils as I opened my eyes to see another medical room.

Next to the bed was an IV bag, but not clear like the treatment I’d been undergoing. This one was deep red. “Where is she?”

Sawyer stepped out of the dark corner. In the chair next to the bed sat Antonio with Kat on his lap.

“How do you feel?”

“Answer my fucking question. Where is Sonali?”

“Those pills you were never supposed to have caused all of your organs to shut down. The only way to save you was with the treatment. She claimed you would understand, so I gave her my keys and let her borrow my plane to go home.”

Damn her for taking the decision from me, but I also knew I would never have taken it unless it was forced. I didn’t hate her;I wanted to pull her into my arms. She saved my life not once, but twice.

Kat leaned forward. “Your vehicle was parked out front when we got here. Did she take a different car?”

“No, she took my SUV. I planned to take an Uber to the airport to pick it back up.”

Antonio had his phone to his ear. I swung my legs over the bed. “Where are my clothes?”

“You still have about thirty minutes of treatment left.”

“The treatment isn’t worth it unless I find her.”

Kat pressed her hand against my chest. “Lie back in bed. Let us work this out, and when we know where she is, then we will let you come.”

“Here.” Sawyer handed him a piece of paper. “It’s a letter from Sonali.”

I wasn’t going to let her get off that easily. If she had something to tell me, she had to say it to my face. At dinner I was supposed to lay out my plan and tomorrow be heading to Paris with her. Instead, she’d run away. Prey was always tastier when you had to catch it.

The treatment I had received over the past few weeks made me feel less tired, and my appetite had come back. But her blood and whatever else was in this cocktail made me feel like an eighteen-year-old. I wanted to go run a marathon.

“It was the nurse. She wasn’t alone; those two CIA assholes were with her.”

“They have resources to make her disappear. How far behind are we?”

A smile spread across Kat’s face. “Except we are sick of them telling us half-truths. Earlier today, CJ put one of his undetectable wireless stickers on the bottom of their car. He already has the location and sent it to my phone.”

I glanced to my right as the last of the drip went into the tube. When it finished, I didn’t wait for Sawyer to take out the IV. Instead, I yanked the needle out of my arm.

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