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I put my back to the wall. “I’m all right—”
“You took a bullet for me.”
She stares back at me with those big, breathtaking eyes.
“You’re surprised?” I ask.
Her hands rise to my cheeks and she leans in close. She presses her lips against mine, pursing ever so slightly into a soft kiss. I shake on my knees, overwhelmed by pain and adrenaline, but my heart doesn’t ache nearly as much anymore.
“Come on,” I say, pushing off the wall.
She settles herself beneath my arm, but I refuse to lean on her as much as I should.
We board the elevator and she leads me through the panicked lobby of alarms and shouting voices. We make it outside, and she pulls me toward the car in the parking lot, far away from the screaming fire engines and flashing ambulances.
“Where are the keys?” she asks me.
“I’ll drive.”
“Give me the damn keys, Fox.”
She leans me against the passenger side as she roots through my pockets.
There’s no arguing with her tone. Not that I have the strength to even try at this point. I can barely feel my toes. I’m beginning to wonder if they’re even there at all anymore.
Dani pulls the door open and lowers me inside. I lay back and take several deep breaths. Pain increases on me now, vibrating every nerve with each stabbing breath I take.
“Where do we go?” she asks. “A hospital?”
I look over and she’s sitting in the driver’s seat with her hands on the wheel. “No.” I groan. “They’ll find us.”
“Then, where?”
My vision blurs. Nausea hits me. “Iowa City.”
“Iowa City?”
I point out the window. “Get on 80 and head east.”
“Isn’t that really far?”
“I’ll be all right, Dani.” I force my neck to bend so I can look at her. “Just start driving.”
She keeps her eyes on me for several moments. “Please, don’t die on me, Fox.”
My lips curl. “This?” I hold up a blood-covered hand. “This is nothing.”
She doesn’t believe me, but she laughs anyway.
Good.
If her smile is the last thing I ever see, I’ll die a happy man.
