Oliver's POV
The first thing that dragged me back to consciousness wasn't pain. It was the smell.
Coffee... fresh, and strong.
And something else—something savory, warm, unfamiliar but good enough to make my stomach growl like I hadn't eaten in days.
My eyelids fluttered open, only to slam shut again when a blade of sunlight sliced straight into my skull.
"Shit…" I hissed through clenched teeth.
I tried again, this time lifting a hand to shield my eyes—And instantly regretted it.
A white-hot stab of pain shot across my upper right body, echoing through every nerve. My other side throbbed in response, a deep, twisting ache that warned me I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
Right.
I was shot.
That explained the agony radiating through my torso like a badly tuned instrument.
I sucked in a slow breath, waiting for the pain to settle into something bearable. When I could finally turn my head, carefully, and painfully, I looked toward the noise coming from my left.
