Chapter 6 #2
“I’m nobody, of course,” I said, keeping my voice level. “But I want you to know… I agree with you, Laura.”
June’s breathing sharpened. “What about Dannie?” she demanded.
“Let’s be honest, June. You and I don’t understand how things work here in Hong Kong.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Laura relax slightly.
“No. But—”
“But Dannie needs medical attention,” I said firmly. “Immediately.”
June’s jaw tightened. “Fuck,” she muttered. Then louder, “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”
Laura blinked. “What’s going on?”
“Stop dragging this out,” June snapped at me. “If you have something to say, say it.”
“I’m getting to it,” I shot back. “If you’d let me finish one sentence without interrupting—”
I stopped myself. Arguing with June had always been like this. One spark, and everything burned.
“What did Link want?” June asked.
“He had an idea.”
A dry laugh escaped her. “Of course he had.”
“A good one.”
“Uh huh.” She folded her arms. “Fucking unbelievable.”
“You want to hear it or not?”
“Dannie is dying here!” June shouted, pointing at him.
Laura flinched. “Can you stop saying that? People panic every time you say it.”
“Let him finish,” June hissed.
“Yes,” I said, taking a breath. “You let me finish.”
June threw her hands up and paced a step away. “I’ve had enough of you!” Her fist struck her thigh. “You shouldn’t have come.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
“Dannie wanted me here,” I said quietly.
“Go on then,” she said sarcastically. “Swoop in like you always do and save the day. Like the hero that you are.”
Laura glanced between us, suddenly looking uncomfortable. I let the silence sit for a moment.
“There’s a private jet waiting for us right now.”
Both women froze.
“Going where?” Laura asked.
“New York.”
June bit down on her lower lip before looking at me. “Link’s idea… or yours?”
For a split second, I considered lying. If she thought it was my idea, she might refuse just to spite me.
“Link’s.”
Her eyes flickered. “But—”
“I know what you’re going to say. There’ll be a full medical team on board. The best we could get in Hong Kong. They’re already waiting.”
June blinked, thrown off for the first time.
“I…” she started, then stopped.
Laura frowned. “How? You mean doctors would abandon their jobs just to treat Dannie?”
“No. They’re medical teams hired by the jet company. They stay on call for situations like this.”
Laura stared at me, then blinked again. “You mean… they sit around all day doing nothing, waiting for people like you to get sick, so they can fly you across the world to the best hospital?”
“Yeah. People like me.” I explained calmly. “Rich enough to solve problems with money. Rich enough to make the impossible happen.”
For a second, the old guilt—about being rich—tried to creep in.
Not today.
I straightened, meeting her stare. “And it’s worth every penny. Because right now, those doctors can save your brother’s life.”
Laura blinked and nodded slowly. “You fly straight to New York. No hospital in Hong Kong. No records. No rumors. No one knows where Dannie is or that he’s sick.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s not possible. Everyone here saw him collapse—”
“No one will talk,” Laura interrupted, her voice was quiet and cold. “I’ll make sure of it.” She glanced toward the door. “Unless they’re tired of living.”
Something uneasy twisted in my gut. I couldn’t imagine what kind of violence she was capable of inflicting on people.
June looked between us. “Then what?”
“We do whatever you think is best once we get to New York.”
Exactly what Lincoln wanted. He knew June couldn’t think clearly right now. Once Dannie was stable, she would make the right call.
June closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, the anger remained, but something else had replaced it.
Trust.
“Okay,” she said quietly.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“So…” I turned to Laura. “Where’s the back exit?”
“I’ll take you.”
“Make sure no one sees us.”
Her lips curved slightly. “Of course.”
She headed toward the side door leading to the stairwell.
We had barely reached it when a loud crash echoed from downstairs. Something shattered—glass, maybe plates—followe by another sharp snap and voices shouting over each other.
Not arguing. But something else.
I stopped and looked at Laura. “Did you hear that?”
June nodded, eyes wide. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Another crash came from below, followed by someone yelling in Cantonese and the heavy thud of something hitting the floor. Laura’s calm mask slipped.
“You must leave now,” she said quickly. “Right now.”
Another shout came from downstairs, followed by the unmistakable clang of metal against metal.
My stomach dropped.
“Don’t just stand there,” I snapped at June. “Help me if you want to get out of here.”
Her eyes flashed, but she didn’t argue. Our problem wasn’t solved, but if we could get Dannie on that plane, he might live.
That was all that mattered. I crouched beside him. “Come on.”
Laura grabbed one arm, June the other, and together we lifted him enough for me to pull him onto my back. His weight dropped onto my shoulders.
Heavy. Too heavy.
Adrenaline surged through me as we moved toward the stairs.
Halfway down, the door below burst open. Squirrel came running up and stopped when he saw us. He spoke rapidly in Cantonese. Laura answered just as quickly.
I caught maybe one word. Nothing else made sense.
Squirrel nodded once. Whatever he said, Laura didn’t like it.
“Come,” she said.
She and Squirrel moved ahead, clearing the way as we hurried down. The noise from the front grew louder—shouting, breaking furniture, someone screamed—but we didn’t stop.
Through the kitchen. Past the back corridor. Straight to the door. The night air hit my face as Laura pushed it open.
My car was already waiting.
Good. At least something was going right.
The driver jumped out and opened the back door while Squirrel helped. We lowered Dannie into the seat, and my shoulders burned as the weight left them.
“Easy…” June murmured, climbing in beside him and checking his pulse again.
She looked toward Laura. “Is everything okay? Are you going to be okay?”
Laura straightened, forcing her composure back into place. “Yes,” she said. “There’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Another crash came from inside. She didn’t even turn.
“I’m sorry you have to deal with this alone,” I said. “If you need help, don’t hesitate to call. I might know people who could—”
“That’s very kind of you,” Laura cut in, “but it won’t be necessary.” Her eyes hardened. “We have our way.”
June stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her. “Take care, Laura.”
Laura hugged her back tightly. “Keep him alive,” she whispered, her voice trembling for the first time. “Please.”
June pulled back and nodded. “I promise.”
Laura stepped away as the door shut between us.
And that’s when I saw it.
Her eyes. Wet.
My throat tightened.
For a second, I didn’t know if we were running away from danger…
Or leaving it behind.
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