“Where is he?” Rome yelled.
“You’ll never find him in time,” Alvaro said and laughed.
Rome growled and raised his fist to hit Alvaro again but the sound of running feet had him jerking his head up. One of Alvaro’s men was heading toward him, wielding a huge knife. Rome pushed off the ground and narrowly avoided the first swing of the blade. The next time the guy came at him, Rome grabbed him by the wrist and wrenched his hand back. He nearly reveled in the man’s pained cry. He more than deserved what he was getting for what they’d done to Juno. He turned the knife and rammed it into the man’s stomach, making sure to twist it once it was through flesh. A gurgling sound came from him before he went limp. Rome let go and watched him fall. His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath.
“Goodbye, Romeo.”
He whirled around to see Alvaro standing with a gun aimed right at him. The gunshot rang out, Alvaro’s head snapping back and his body crumbling to the ground.
“No,” Rome yelled.
He turned to see Marco standing behind him with the gun still raised. Rome charged toward him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt as he croaked out, “What have you done?”
Marco’s gaze was unflinching as he met Rome’s eyes.
“He would’ve killed you.”
“He was the only one who knew where Juno is. I can’t…” His voice broke and he shook his head. “I can’t lose him.”
Juno
Something wet splashing on his face woke him up. He groaned when pain spread across his face from the lovely bruise he knew he had there. He blinked his eyes open. He was cold. Why was he cold?
“Shit,” he mumbled as he tried to get his bearings.
He sucked in a sharp breath when he realized he was sitting in water, more of it pouring in from a hose above him. There were small holes in the top of whatever he was inside where light was coming through. He pushed up, trying to get to the top, but was yanked back down. He had chains around his ankles. Fuck.
“Help,” he yelled, hoping, but not expecting anyone to hear him. “Hello?”
He yelled some more but wasn’t surprised to find he was shit out of luck.
He pulled on the chain, then ran his hands along it to find where it was secured. The chain was pulled through a ring attached at the bottom. Maybe he could get it loose?
He pulled as hard as he could, but it made no difference. It was probably bolted down. He got his shoes off only to realize he couldn’t get the cuff over his ankle. Fuck. He yelled and slapped his hand against the wall.
The water seemed to pour in faster or maybe it was just because his heart was trying to beat right out of his chest? There weren’t many things that scared him, but being trapped in this shit-can, knowing if he didn’t manage to get free, he’d drown, now that scared him shitless.
He breathed in deeply, knowing if he let the anxiety take hold, he was as good as dead. He needed to do something. Try something else.
He stood and stretched as far as he could, trying to reach the holes. If he could get his mouth close enough to breathe through them maybe he could hold on long enough for someone to find him. He could fit a few fingers through the holes and pulled himself up as far as he could. His mouth was an inch from the hole.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” he growled.
There was nothing to do but hold on and hope. Hope Rome would change his mind. Hope he’d told the Kings. Hope he’d get to see Rome again. He didn’t want this to be the end. That was the worst of it; the thought of never seeing Rome again, of never getting to hold the man, kiss him, love him. It was worse than knowing he was about to drown. So much fucking worse.
He loved Rome and he might never get to tell him.
Why the fuck was it always in situations like this when you realized something so fucking important? Something that should’ve been so obvious? Honestly, maybe he had realized? Maybe he’d hid it from himself because the thought of Rome not loving him back hurt like hell? Maybe he was an idiot. Correction. He was an idiot. And Rome was an asshole who’d better love him back because otherwise… He didn’t even know what he’d do.
The water was reaching above his shoulders now. He tried to pull himself further up, but the damned chain was taut already. He yelled for help one last time while the water rose to his chin.
He heard something that sounded like tires on gravel, but he couldn’t be sure. The water was starting to get into his ears. It was probably Alvaro coming back to watch him drown but that didn’t stop him from yelling some more. Just in case.
He thought he heard his name being called but that was probably wishful thinking. He sucked in one last deep breath and then the water covered his face. He let go of the top and used his arms to stay close to the surface. There was a loud sound and then he was blinded by a bright light.
Rome
Someone small came running past Marco and him, making them both turn toward him. He realized it was Auggie as the man bent down and patted Alvaro’s pockets while mumbling something in a language Rome didn’t know.
“Aha,” Auggie exclaimed and straightened, a phone in his hand.
“Please tell me you can find him,” Rome said.
Auggie met his gaze and nodded before saying, “Doesn’t matter what
