25. Elijah
I’ve just finished looking into Alec Maliki when someone screams.
Gun drawn, I race into the conference room to find Alec attempting horrible CPR on Andie. Mia stands, eyes wide, hands pressed to her heart as she stares down at her boss. Panic fuels me, and I sheath my weapon then shove him aside.
I lean down and listen for breathing but hear none.
No pulse either.
“Call 9-1-1!” I order Mia then take over chest compressions. “Please, God, don’t let her die.” I pray aloud, over and over again, repeating the same thing as I continue trying to keep her heart pumping.
“What happened?” Alec demands. “Why is this happening?” He’s hysterical. Completely and totally out of his mind as he paces back and forth. The other investors remain where they are, staring down at the clinically dead woman on the floor.
“Shut up!” I order him.
“The ambulance is here!” someone calls out.
I remain focused, doing my best to keep her blood pumping through her heart as the paramedics arrive. It’s only when they tell me to step away that I listen and watch as they try to bring the woman I love back to life.
Please, God. Please don’t let her die.
* * *
“Someone drugged her?”Michael asks through the phone.
“Yes.” Andie is asleep now, eyes closed, an oxygen mask on her face. She looks so pale. So weak.
“When? How?” he asks.
“My guess is her coffee. Her assistant was prepping it, but she’d been busy getting everyone’s ready, so she claims to have left it sitting for just a few minutes. Anyone in the office could have gotten to it—including her. The police said they would be having it tested. I called Jaxson. He’s going to be flying out.”
The LAPD detective and former Marine helped us out last year, and when I’d called this time, he’d agreed to cut his vacation short and fly to New York to help me sort this out. I can’t be in two places at once, and right now, Lance and Michael are needed to keep our business afloat.
“This is getting ridiculous. Is she going to be okay?”
“The paramedics managed to start her heart, and the doctors pumped her stomach. They think she’ll be okay. But for how much longer?”
“We’ve narrowed it down to someone at that office. So that’s a start.”
“None of the pieces make sense though,” I remind him. “This person killed her mother, trashed her grandmother’s house, sent people after me, and now tries to poison her? How does all of this fit?”
“I don’t know, brother, but we’ll figure it out.”
“I feel so helpless. So completely useless.”
“You’re there for her. You saved her.”
“I love her.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“So glad you’ve caught up with what the rest of us have known since you first met her.” Michael chuckles. “You saved her life, Elijah. She’s going to be fine.”
I take a deep, steadying breath then reach forward with my free hand to take hers. “I’ll let you know when we find something out. Any movement on Edna’s place?”
“Nothing but silence. Seems to me the danger followed you to New York.”
“Good to know. Talk soon.” I end the call and lean forward to press my forehead to the top of her hand. So close. I’d been so close to losing her.
“Hey,” Andie chokes out.
I look up to find her watching me. “How are you feeling?” She tries to move her oxygen mask, but I shake my head. “You have to leave it on.”
“What happened?” she asks, her words muted through it.
“You were drugged.”
“I don’t understand. How?”
“The doctors said someone must have crushed a bunch of pills up and put them in your coffee.”
She groans. “So it is all connected. The accusations were a way to draw me out.”
“We knew that was likely what they were for. And now that’s what it’s looking like. Though it did help us narrow it down to someone who has access to your office.”
“Who? I do thorough background checks on everyone I hire.”
“Someone slipped through,” I tell her. “And today, it nearly cost you your life.”
She closes her eyes. “Everything hurts.”
“I had to give you CPR for a while to keep your heart pumping. You’ll be sore for some time.”
“CPR?”
“You died, Andie. Your heart stopped for three minutes.” Just saying the words nearly breaks me. The image of her lifeless body is far more haunting than any nightmare I’ve ever had.
“I don’t remember anything but hitting the ground,” she says. Her words are barely audible. Her eyes shoot open. “The investors. The meeting.”
“Your death put the meeting on hold. Seriously, everyone understands.”
“They were accusing me of plagiarizing my designs.” She closes her eyes again. “I don’t know how they would think that. No one has access to my designs.”
“Someone got them somehow. But I’ll get it figured out. You need to rest.”
“Are you okay?” she questions. “Your coffee was okay?”
“Mine was fine.” I wish it had been mine though. I wish it were me lying in that bed right now. Except then, there would be no one to protect Andie. “I have a friend coming into town. A detective out of LA”
“Your old stomping grounds,” she replies with a half-smile.
“Ironically, it was Lance who introduced us.”
She looks up at me, emerald eyes glossy. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“You keep scaring me.” I take her hand in mine and press my lips to the top of her palm.
“I’ve never had anyone look at me the way you do.”
I open my mouth to respond, to tell her that she matters more to me than anyone else in the entire world, even though I barely know her, but someone knocks on the door, and Andie closes her eyes.
“Get some sleep.” I kiss her on the forehead then cross the room and open the door. Jaxson is a sight for sore eyes. His dark hair is graying at the temples, his gaze stern.
“How is she?” he asks as I step aside and let him in. The LAPD detective sets his duffel bag down on the floor then crosses his arms as he looks at Andie.
“Tired,” I reply, keeping my voice right at a whisper.
“You look tired too,” Jaxson comments.
“I was blown up less than a week ago.”
He nods. “Lance told me about that. You’re lucky to be alive.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” I run a hand through my hair.
“There a shower in there?” he asks, gesturing to the bathroom.
“Yeah. You bring me some clothes?”
“Check the bag. I figured you didn’t have much with you here, so I grabbed an extra set before I left my apartment. We’re about the same size.”
Relieved, I open the bag and withdraw a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. “These them?”
“Yep. Go grab a shower. I’ll keep an eye on her.” He takes a seat in the chair in the corner. “I’ve put out feelers with my contacts here in New York, so as soon as they get back to me, I might have more information to offer.”
“Thank you.” Since he’s an actual officer, he can get information a whole lot easier than any of us. The former Marine has helped us out on more than one occasion when we’ve needed something our security company cannot legally obtain. I slip into the shower and turn on the hot water.
It begins steaming as I strip out of my old clothes and toss them to the side.
Hot water hits my back as I climb in and rest both palms against the tile wall. It stings when it hits my still-healing injuries, but I don’t yield. The pain serves as a reminder that I’m alive. That no matter how many steps ahead this person seems to be, we keep winning.
Otherwise, Andie would be dead.
Bowing my head, I pray. God, please give me the strength to keep going and the knowledge to piece this entire thing together. Please let her survive, God. No matter what, please let Andie make it through this.
* * *
Freshly showered,I take a seat on the chair beside the bed. I’m just leaning back when the door opens and a man walks in. His nearly obsidian hair is sprinkled with gray, and his green eyes are stern as they survey the room.
“Can I help you?” I demand, getting to my feet.
Jaxson remains sitting though I know he’ll get involved the second it’s needed.
“I doubt it,” the man replies, though he shuts the door behind him. His suit alludes to someone with a lot of money, and I realize that he might be one of her investors here to try to make even more accusations.
“Whatever you have to say to Andie can wait.” I nearly growl the words. “As you can see, she’s not in the shape to discuss business.”
“I’m not leaving,” he tells me.
“Yes, you are.” I get in his face, ready to shove him out the door if necessary. But then Andie groans.
I look over at her and note the shock on her face.
“Dad?”