The Don's Regret: Losing His Life Saver

ind

ess when I woke up, the silence not

my watch

pressed my forehead earlier in despair. I crept out of my room, my sole

on the bat

g violently. The "comfort food" had done exactly what I said it wou

ably gone to the guest suite to sleep, unwi

d over him. I should

re my brain could stop

n," I w

pen. They were hazy with pain. "

" I said

ng him to lean against the tub. I adjusted the brace on his ankl

slicing a thin line across my palm. I didn't

aths warming my neck. For a moment, he was the b

led, his hand gripping

ssaging the pressure points

ainst the hard porcelain. I stayed until dawn, until his breathing evened ou

vulnerabili

ton barked, standin

rmor back in place. "Charly has a gal

said, standing by my door.

sting his cuffs. "Charly needs an assistant for the event. Som

e, Coleton. Not a p

said, his voice dropping to that danger

smelled of old money and new crimes. Charly was the center of attent

pping her fingers for water, for c

watching the exits. He wa

pture made of twisted meta

m* from the back of the gallery. The front windows shattered inward. Smoke, t

screamed somewh

e. My bad ankle, the one I had sprained months ago carrying Coleton's equipment, t

eamed, the smoke

He looked wildly through the gr

cognition. I saw him s

shrieked. "C

r the exit, perfectl

me, on the floor, unable to st

d his ba

ed her through the door, disappea

I dragged myself across the floor, glass cutting into my knees, my ankle screaming with eve

n private suite. It was a general trauma ward. Jay

said without looking up.

" I asked, my

oth knew he was lying. "He... he didn't know you

n the eye, Jayd

led of smoke and expensive cologne. He didn't lo

he bed, his fac

you think you're

at him.

r the bed, invading my space. "Suitcases packed. Pictures de

," I

e," he hissed. "Not un

uilding, Coleton," I said,