Page 59 of Hawk's Sapphire

“You’re one to t-talk.You’re a fuck-king fed-deral a-agent using h-him as your c-cover.”Then everything happens so fast and yet I still feel like I’m moving in slow motion.

There are men shouting.Matteo.Hawk.Others I can’t decipher.

People around me are screaming and then there’s the sound of several shots being fired.I cover my head not understanding what’s going on around me and not able to move fast enough to get to any kind of cover.People are running past me.One steps on my calf on their way out.The dim red lights of the room and whatever the hell was in my drink are making me feel nauseous.

When I can no longer hear guns being fired, I chance a look and see Nathaniel flat on his back on the ground a few feet away and a puddle of blood near his head and shoulder.A scream rips through the air.I try to crawl to him, but I can’t seem to make my body move.

I barely make out Matteo’s large body looming over me as he’s shouting orders to his men.I don’t see Sergio, but I recognize the other men from earlier.A set of strong arms reach under me, lifting me up and cradling me close.Hawk’s jacket is tucked tightly around me and suddenly I’m moving.

“Help him!”I shout.At least I think I do.

“I’m sorry, Dolcezza.I don’t know how this happened to you, but I will find out.”Matteo’s voice soothes something inside me, allowing me to relax against his hold, but it’s a short-lived sense of peace.Darkness trickles around the edges of my eyes.I’m fighting like hell to stay awake.I need to get to Nathaniel.

“Hawk.”I manage to get his name out past my dry lips.“He was here.”

“Yes, and I’m sorry about that too.”Matteo says sounding angry.“But I did what had to be done in order to save you both.”

I slowly lift my head.We’re outside the building now, approaching Matteo’s waiting limousine.

“Get her in the car.Call Doc.Have him meet us at the penthouse, and someone get Vincenzo down here,fucking now.”His voice is low and menacing.His men have flanked us, all keeping vigilant watch as he tucks me into the waiting car.My stomach rolls again.I can’t hold my own head up.The darkness is closing in on me.

The last thing I hear before the darkness takes me under is Matteo’s voice saying, “Get a cleaning crew down here.We may have a problem on our hands.”

Oh fuck.

24

HAWK

Jesus.Why do my ribs hurt when I breathe?My head fucking aches too.My mouth feels like it’s full of cotton balls.Left arm stings like a bitch.What the hell happened?

I blink my eyes open.The light in the room is dim enough, but the space is not familiar.Dark gray walls, white linens, and dark wood furniture.I’m about to sit up so I can find a place to take a piss when I realize I’m not alone in the room.

Three men stand by the doorway.Vincenzo, Matteo, and another older man I don’t recognize, but assume by the black bag he’s carrying he must be the doctor who’s been caring for me.

“He’ll be fine.Thanks to the Narcan your men administered, the drugs will wear off soon enough, but he’s going to be sore and probably feel like shit for a little while.”He explains.

Narcan?Drugs?What?

“His chest and abdomen are bruised from the bullets to vest, but it should heal in a few days.As for the left arm, he has twenty-three stitches.Perhaps next time you don’t make such a long, deep cut, hmm?”

I reach over to my left arm where a large white bandage has been wrapped around it, irritation and disappointment fill my chest as I think about what my tattoos look like with a bunch of stitches running through them.That feeling quickly changes to anger flooding my veins as I remember it was in fact Matteo who shot me.Although, it doesn’t make sense why Vincenzo would fit me with a suit lined with Kevlar if he ordered his own man to shoot me.Unless this was their plan all along, but why?

I need answers and to call Pres.If word got back to him that I’ve been shot, he’ll lose his shit.

“Thank-you, Doc.”Vincenzo says.“And what of the girl?Do we know what happened to her?”

Which girl is he talking about?Sadie or Agent Galina?Both were in a bad way when I went down.

“Miss Jenkins is fine.The blood work I had rushed last night came back with a low dose of Xanax.When mixed with alcohol on an empty stomach it can make a person who’s not used to it feel all her symptoms, sometimes worse.But I gave her an IV upon arrival last night, which she demanded I remove as soon as she saw me this morning.”He smirks.“Apparently, she doesn’t trust me or anyone at the moment.What happened last night has her frightened, unsure.”

“I’ll have a talk with her.”Matteo replies.

“If she doesn’t trust you, she won’t tell you shit.”My words come out gravelly and I reach for the glass of water on the nightstand beside me.All three men turn in my direction.

“Thank-you, Doc.You’re dismissed.I’ll call you if we need anything else.”Vincenzo grunts.

“Which they won’t.”Says a brunette woman I didn’t see before thanks to Vincenzo’s large body blocking her.Her glacial stare is locked on Vincenzo.If I wasn’t feeling so rough and certain he wouldn’t shoot me again, with intent to kill this time, I’d give him shit about her busting his balls.But I do have some sense of survival.“In case you’ve forgotten, I am a doctor.I can see to their care from here without inconveniencing anyone else or burdening them with your secrets.”

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