Hook (A Hitman's Bait 2)

Chapter 22

“Whereareyougoing?”

I regarded the boy who still looked too pale, even though two days had passed since disaster turned our lives upside down. Song had been too afraid to go back to his apartment, and I hadn’t had the heart to send him away. Liam had accompanied him to his apartment to grab a few clothes, and he’d taken over the guest bedroom with no sign of leaving soon, but that was okay. He was quiet, made himself scarce most of the time, and helped to take care of the cats, showering them with love and affection.

“To the hospital,” I replied. “I’m going to check on Geoff’s condition. The last time I went, he was still unconscious.”

“Can I come, please?”

I frowned. “Why? You don’t know Geoff.” I didn’t even know him that well beyond that he spoke little and had come highly recommended.

“I’m going crazy sitting on the couch all day worrying about Kit. The cats are sensing it. They’ve been staying away from me all day today. Please, the ride may relax me a bit and settle my mind.”

Liam walked into the hall and glanced from me to Song. “Somebody called a meeting without me?”

“I’m taking Song with me to visit Geoff.”

“Yeah? Didn’t realize they knew each other.”

“They don’t.”

Liam’s eyebrows knitted, but then he shrugged. “All right, then. I guess I’m off too.”

“Aren’t you staying?” I asked. “We need someone to monitor Scott to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Liam groaned. “You have the camera on him twenty-four seven. Just keep an eye on it.”

“And if he needs to use the bathroom?”

Liam sucked his teeth. “Fine. But don’t stay too long. I need to go home, take a shower, and have a few hours of sleep at least before we continue searching for Kit.”

“You’re still working on the layout of his house?”

He nodded. “I’ll meet with the guy later today again to finish the floor plan based on his information.”

I gripped Liam’s shoulder and squeezed. “Thanks, man. I can never repay you for this.”

That fucker Javier was taking his sweet time to think about whether or not he would exchange Kit for his man. Liam was convinced he was just toying with us and would cave, but I wasn’t willing to sit around and wait. We were compiling information about Javier’s family home to create a floor plan in case we needed to invade his property. Although that had to be a last resort. I didn’t want to trigger Javier and get Kit killed.

I’d noticed Song hadn’t been eating much, and knowing Kit would be worried, I stopped at a fast-food place. When I handed him the paper bag, he stared at it as if he couldn’t comprehend what was inside.

“You need to eat, Song,” I said. “When Kit comes home and sees you’re all skin and bones, who do you think he’ll blame for not taking over his role to look after his friends?”

“Thank you.”

He munched on some fries, but he brought the bag with him when we walked into the hospital. We took the elevator up to the fourth floor, where Geoff’s room was. Activity was light on this floor, with only a middle-aged woman sitting in the waiting area.

“Wait for me here, Song.” I went to the nurses’ station and asked to speak with the doctor who was treating Geoff.

“I’ll page Dr. Ricketts for you,” she said. “It might take him a while to get to you, depending on whether he has patients right now, but you can see your friend in the meantime.”

“Thank you.” I gestured to Song, who followed me to Geoff’s room. I held the door open for him to enter ahead of me, then closed it behind us. The steady beep of a machine was the only sound. Geoff lay on the bed with the white sheets up to his bandaged chest. His face was relaxed, as if he was just sleeping, but he had yet to wake up from his traumatic injuries.

Once upon a time, I would have viewed the people injured while working for me as just casualties of this dangerous game we played. We all knew we could be killed or imprisoned. But since Kit had come into my life, I not only looked at him and myself differently, but I also saw the people around me in a new light. I would never have given a second thought to whatever happened to a hooker, but here I was, housing one under my roof because he was terrified of staying in his apartment.

“Has he worked for you long?” Song stared down at Geoff.

“He did assignments for me off and on, but he’s been watching Kit full time for a few months now.”