I look across the elevator at J. She’s got her eyes closed and is massaging her chest with the heel of her hand. She can’t take much more of this before she faints like she did that night at Redwood. How long can her heart race like that without her pills?
Just then, I hear ading!
The elevator door opens.
I look up and find Ren and Hayato standing outside.
Ace spits out a derogatory term at the sight of them. “Screw off. Get the next one.” He taps the button to close the elevator doors.
Ren’s lips curl up.
Hayato steps into the elevator and keeps it open by placing a hand on the door.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Ace picks up the knife and holds it out to Hayato. “Close the damn door.”
With the crew occupied, I stalk to J’s side and kneel next to her.
“Are you okay?” I whisper.
She breathes hard. “My pills… are in…”
I don’t wait for her to finish the sentence. Scooping her into my arms, I rise steadily. J curls her legs into her chest and rests her forehead against my left pec. She’s so small, so fragile.
My nostrils flare, and I consider handing her over to Ren so I can deal with Ace myself.
But then her slim fingers dig into my shirt, and she groans. “It… hurts.”
“Ren,” I growl, looking over J’s body.
“I will handle this,” Ren says.
I stride past the Grave City Crew, eyes locked on J. She’s half-unconscious in my arms.
“You need a doctor,” I tell her.
“No.” She speaks faintly but firmly. “They can’t… find out… pills.”
I lean closer to hear her whispered explanation.
Suddenly, Ace grabs my shoulder. “Where the hell do you think you’re going? We’re not done here.”
I brush him off without a word and take another step. Ace’s face transforms into something inhuman, and he scoops the knife from the floor. I bend over, covering J with my body as the knife arches in my direction.
Ren steps in, angles the flat of his hand and slams it into Ace’s neck.
He drops like a sack.
Hayato gives me a nod and a smile as the elevator door closes on them with the last two cowering gang members.
J groans again. The sound pains me more than any of Ace’s punches. Cuddling her closer, I look down at her face. Her breathing is shallow, and she hasn’t stopped rubbing her chest.
“Hold on,” I whisper, moving as fast as I can.
“Finn,” J moans. I bend my head to hear her say, “Gimme… my candy… back.”
A smile tugs at my mouth, and then I laugh softly in disbelief as the crazy heart patient faints dead away.
Chapter Forty-One
