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It's her. She's a piece of my soul now, a part of me I don't ever want to lose.

It's fear. This unknown feeling churning in my gut is fear of losing the one person I want to live for.

My heart wrenches in pain when she slides her fingers from my own, only to have it thump with pure joy at the feel of her palm against my cheek. I lean into it, closing my eyes and savoring the sensation of her comforting touch.

“But you didn't lose me. Look, I’m right here, still being a pain in the ass. Whoever's idea it was to keep an emergency antidote injection in our medical bag was brilliant. I need to thank them.” Her strained smile does nothing to ease a new wave of guilt.

“It shouldn't have been needed. This shouldn't have happened at all, Randi. Don't you see that? You're in danger. And now they know they can get to you without us knowing. What good am I to you? I can't even protect you when you need it the most.”

The side of her thumb strokes across my brow.

Then she says two words, ripping my soul in two.

“You're right.”

9

Randi

Hurt and agony cover his features at my words. Leaning back, he attempts to draw away from my hand.

“You don't understand,” I say quickly, hoping to dash the sadness in his lowered eyes. “What I meant was I agree with you. I shouldn't need things like an antidote on hand. But this role I’m in calls for it. I’m guessing that stocked medical pack wasn’t special ordered for me. Every VP before me has been targeted in some way. But unlike the others, I know who wants me dead.”

Trey nods but doesn't relax against my awaiting palm.

“Hey, look at me.” I wait until his gaze locks with mine. “None of this is your fault. I'm in a targeted role. I get that. I'm not mad, not disappointed. Well,” I huff. “Not at you. More me.”

“Why the hell would you be disappointed in yourself?”

The corner of my lip twitches up in an almost smile.

“Because I've allowed this. I should've stopped Shawn and Kyle’s bullying, the harassment and violence the second it started. I wouldn't be here in this bed, poisoned for fuck’s sake, if I would've confronted them head-on months ago. But I didn’t. I made them think they can push me around without any repercussions. I made myself look weak in their eyes.” Anger at the man responsible for my pain swirls within me, heating my core. “This has to stop. They've crossed a line, and I'm done.”

“I don't like the sound of this,” T says from where he sits, phone forgotten. “Plus, we don’t know for certainwhopoisoned you, remember?”

“I told you not to listen,” I say, not dropping Trey's searching gaze. “And in this one case, I’m okay with finding guilt without the evidence. We know who was behind this. Besides, it's not up to you, T, and it's not up to Trey.” Sighing, I find the ceiling and focus on making all this make sense. “I'm stronger than them, stronger than their attempts to knock me down. I was a teen mom who scratched and clawed her way through a crappy life in hopes of a better one. And now I’m here, in a stressful-as-hell but amazingly rewarding job, and they’re trying to take that from me? Hell to the no. I will not sit back and let two asshats continue to play their version of cat and mouse with me as the prey.”

Taking a deep breath, I glance back and forth between the two men, who stare back wide-eyed.

“I assume you have a plan,” Trey asks, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. I knew he would like the idea of fighting back.

I shake my head with a laugh. “Not yet, but I will.”

“I don't doubt it.” Standing with a groan, Trey strokes a hand over the top of my head. “But before we start planning their demise, you need to get out of here.”

A slight buzzing draws my attention to his shorts. After pulling the phone from the side pocket, he cringes at the screen.

“What?” What else could happen today?

“I have to get back for this event tonight with Jessica.”

I snarl and roll my eyes.

“Don't give me that,” he responds with a chuckle. “Just playing my part in your world domination plan.”

“Still don't like it,” I pout. Yeah, he's doing it for me, but I don't have to be happy that another woman gets him for the night. Especially Jessica, who's pulled a complete 360, going from friend to foe overnight. Something tells me I don't know the whole story behind that, and I should dig deeper to find the reasons behind her about face. But when? I've just made a declaration of war against the two most powerful men in DC, one who's already after my head and the other who'd probably get off watching my murder.

Sickos.