AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I carried my laptop to my desk, hearing the hint of soft music coming from Kody’s room. It had me stepping closer and smiling as I imagined her lying nude in candlelight. “Not this time. Better make it ten.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll let everyone know.”
“Thanks, Rian. Hey…be careful out there. You’re being watched.”
“I know.”
I walked him out, setting the alarm. When I entered Kody’s room, the volume of the music increased. It was soft. Soothing. That happiness that fluttered inside when I was close, blossomed, growing even more as I reached for the knob. The buzz in my pocket snuffed it, making me growl. I took out my phone, glaring at the blocked number. I went back to the hall, letting all my anger out through one word.
“What?”
“Your friend is leaving early? No luck?”
Vengeance caressed my heart, calming me, manipulating my tone to a velvet, acidic deepness.
“You must be V. Depends what you classify as luck. Did you need something or are you just trying to ruin my night?”
“Your night? Why, Mr. Colter, I plan on ruining a lot more than that. You’ll see soon enough.”
“Will I? You keep saying that. How do you plan to do it? More pictures? More threats?”
“You killed my men. You’re messing with my business.”
“Men? You mean I’ve killed more than one?”
“Don’t pretend with me. I know you killed to have Kody Marshall freed. I also know you killed the man I sent to finish the job. You can’t be lucky all the time.”
My fist tightened as I leaned against the wall. “Luck has little to do with it. Is there anything else?”
“Yeah. The timing seems about right. How was Kody’s beef fried rice? I’m guessing it’s not sitting too well with her. You know, habits aren’t always safe to keep, Mr. Colter. You should really stick with more healthier foods anyway. Food poisoning can be deadly, you know. If it was as simple as that.”
Laughter filled my ear, but I felt nothing but pure panic as I hung up. I pushed from the wall, barreling through Kody’s door without a thought to turn the knob and open it. Wood splintered in my wake, and I threw open the bathroom door, barely able to catch my breath at the site of her sprawled out on the floor. The phone nearly fell from my grasp as I slid to a stop next to her unconscious body.
I went straight to her neck, feeling as her pulse barely registered on my fingertips. “Kody? Kody, baby, come on.” The phone fumbled in my hands as I dialed for an ambulance. She was so pale. She was barely even breathing. And she’d thrown up; that was evident. How in the hell didn’t I hear anything? How hadn’t I known she was sick before? She’d seemed fine. Normal. Now this?
“Keep breathing, doll. Help is on the way. We’re going to get you downstairs.”
I grabbed the robe, placing it on her body as I raced for the door. Each second on the elevator was an eternity. Each second, I could feel the fear of losing her. Of losing someone else I cared for. Maybe even loved. This wasn’t happening. I couldn’t lose her.
The ding was a jumpstart to my heart. It beat even faster, adding to my speed as I raced from the elevator, right into the extravagant lobby. People jerked to a stop while others only saw me right before I nearly barreled over them.
“Move! Miranda!” I ran towards the front desk, my eyes searching wildly for the only woman I trusted aside from Kody. I didn’t personally know her extremely well, but from the years of watching over the building and discussing security with her, she could be trusted. “Miranda Coll!”
“Jase? Jase!”
I spun to see Rian racing towards me from Kimmy’s gift shop. He had a bag in tow, looking just as panicked as I felt. My mind scrambled over itself as I continued to take in all the people staring in our direction.
“He’s here. He’s—”
“What the hell happened to Kody? Jase.”
His fingers were at her pulse point, and he was speaking, but I could no longer hear anything but V’s voice. He knew Rian was leaving. I figured he’d seen him outside, but he hadn’t. The hotel security was tied into my own. Breaking into the system was impossible. That meant he would have had to have seen him leaving in person.
“He’s here. He called.”
“What?”
“V,” I snapped. “He poisoned her. He called me. He saw you leaving. He couldn’t see unless he was here. Where the fuck is the ambulance!”
