Page 79 of Jase

“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!”

“Mr. Colter.”

At the female voice, I turned. Miranda was running up in a black, form fitting dress. It was elegant, and given the jewels she had on, it was clear she wasn’t working. From the direction she’d come, I knew she had been having dinner at the building’s restaurant.

“I need the cops here now. Lock this fucking place down. No one leaves.”

“What happened?”

“Poison. Who brought up our food? I want a name. I want footage of everyone who’s come and left this building in the last hour.”

Rian kept his fingers on Kody’s neck as his eyes searched the large room. “It was a man who gave it to me. Younger. Light skin, light hair.”

“Hold on.Ronnie.” Miranda waved over the man she’d shown up with. I was over six feet, but he had inches on me and at least fifty pounds. “No one goes out. Only authorities and EMS come in.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Tell Hillary to come here too.”

With a nod, he was off. My arms tightened, keeping Kody’s chest against mine as I stared at the profile of her ghostly face. Had she made a sound? Had she stirred in my arms? Something felt different.

“Wait.” Rian’s finger bounced around her neck. “Jase…Jase, put her down.”

“Hell no.”