CHAPTER 9.2

C H A P T E R N I N E

Although I could have spent some time in a dream state, it only felt like a matter of seconds until Falcone's arm tightened to the point where it almost ached and almost choked me. At that point, I opened my eyes and felt the heat of him go.

He was tugging on his luggage when I lay over to see his shadow near the bed.

He moved again, his knee hitting the bed, his finger resting softly on my lips, and I watched as his dark head shook in the negative once as I stood up on an elbow and prepared to speak when he did.

Uh-oh.

He then vanished.

A millisecond later, I heard a scuffle, some gasps, and then a hard, loud thump, as if someone's body had collided with the wall.

Then I heard my sister Isabelle exclaim, "What the heck!”

When I saw the lights turn on in the hall, I flung back the blankets and jumped out of bed.