"Help me..."
Hearing the plea and desperation in Lucy’s voice caused Kane’s chest to constrict.
He took a seat on the couch, and pulled her to himself. He flinched when he felt how hot her body was.
"I’m here, Lucy." He said.
Lucy moaned painfully as she burrowed into his space. "It hurts."
Kane stared at her. Using his free hand, he quickly sent a text to someone trusted.
Kane: My apartment. Now!
He didn’t wait for a reply. He didn’t need it.
Then he turned to Lucy who had already begun to shiver.
Brows drawing together, he began to stroke her back.
Up. Down.
Up. Down.
Till he fell into a reasonable rhythm.
Time passed with Kane continually rubbing her back, while Lucy’s face remained buried in his shoulders.
Just then—
The doorbell to the apartment buzzed.
Kane sighed, then glanced down at Lucy. He tried to move, but Lucy tightened her hold on him.
He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it in the process while he quickly sent a text.
Kane: You know the passcode. Come in.
Elliot: Grouchy.
Kane read it, but his expression remained unreadable.
A few seconds after the text came in, the door opened and heavy footsteps sounded.
"Oh my," there was a whistle. "Don’t you two look cozy?" A teasing voice sounded, causing Kane to level a glare at him.
"She has been drugged."
That alone was enough to cause seriousness to replace the playfulness on Elliott’s face.
"Do you know what it is?" He asked, placing his box on the center table.
"If I did, would I have called you?" Kane snapped.
Elliott’s face broke into a smug grin. "Never thought I’d see the day where Kane Sterling loses his composure."
Kane rubbed the space between his brows, then tuned to study Lucy who was still shivering.
"Just get over here and check on her." Tiredness seeped into Kane’s voice.
"Who is she to you?" Elliott questioned seriously as he took in their intimate position.
Kane’s hand paused mid-stroke.
"My student."
If Elliott noticed the strain in Kane’s answer, he didn’t comment on it.
"We should get her to bed." Elliott commented.
Kane nodded. Placing his hand under her knees, he carried her effortlessly as he stalked towards his bedroom.
Another detail Elliott noticed.
Kane never let anyone in his space.
But he carried the girl into his bedroom without any second thoughts....
Elliott shook his head, trying to dismiss his observations.
When Kane placed Lucy on the bed, she let out a soft whimper.
"No..." She thrashed. "Don’t leave me... don’t leave..."
Kane exhaled roughly as he crouched by the bedside.
"I’m not leaving, pumpkin."
’Pumpkin? Really Kane?’ His subconscious taunted. ’She’s your student for crying out loud.’
Kane promptly blocked that part of his head.
He also noticed the way the word just felt... right.
He wasn’t taking it back.
"Alright," Elliott spoke up, breaking Kane’s train of thoughts. "Let’s check on her."
Kane glanced at her, a slight hesitation on his face. He really didn’t want to leave her side.
Elliot placed a hand on his shoulder. "She’ll be fine... only if you let me assess her."
Kane blew out a breath, before he rose to his feet, giving Elliott space.
Elliott sat on the edge of the bed and reached for Lucy’s wrist.
Her pulse hammered beneath his fingertips.
"Fast," he murmured, his brows knitting slightly as concentration marred his expression.
He placed the back of his hand against her forehead before moving to her neck.
"She’s burning up."
This time, worry slipped into his voice.
Kane folded his arms. "She started sweating before I found her."
"Any vomiting?"
"No."
"Did she lose consciousness?"
"No."
"Hallucinations?"
Kane paused. "She did think I was double."
Elliott nodded thoughtfully. He leaned closer to Lucy.
"Lucy?"
Her eyelids fluttered. "Mmh..." She let out a small moan.
"I’m going to shine a light in your eyes."
A small penlight appeared from his medical kit. He checked one pupil, then the other.
"They’re reactive." He noted.
Lucy whimpered and turned her face away. "My eyes..."
"Sorry," Elliott muttered, switching the light off.
He continued his examination, checking her blood pressure before listening briefly to her chest.
"Heart rate’s elevated."
Kane remained standing beside the bed. "So?"
Elliott didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Lucy again.
"Lucy."
She barely responded.
"Can you tell me what you drank tonight?"
"...Fruit punch..."
"Did it taste strange?"
A tiny shake of her head. "I... don’t know..."
Elliott hummed. "When did you start feeling unwell?"
Lucy frowned as though trying to remember.
"I..." Her breathing hitched.
"...after..."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "I don’t know..."
Elliott looked back at Kane. "So she can’t give us a reliable timeline."
"No."
Another moment of silence. Then Elliott exhaled.
"I’m ruling out simple alcohol intoxication."
Kane’s jaw tightened. "Because it doesn’t." Running a hand through his hair, he added. "What does that leave?"
"It’s definitely more than alcohol," Elliott said quietly, his gaze still fixed on Lucy.
"It could be several things... but based on her symptoms..." His gaze shifted to Lucy. "...an aphrodisiac is one possibility."
The room fell silent, save for Lucy’s heavy breathing.
Kane’s jaw tightened. His mind flashed back to the elevator.
The accidental brush of his lips against her ear.
The goosebumps that had erupted across her skin.
The way she’d clung to him from the moment he’d carried her inside.
His expression darkened.."You think that’s what this is?"
"I mean we don’t assume." Elliott interrupted calmly. "At least, not yet."
He studied Lucy for another few seconds.
"But whatever she took..." He looked directly at Kane. "... might affect her central nervous system."
"What do we do now?"
Elliott rose to his feet. "We have to get her to the hospital and run some tests on her."
"Wouldn’t it be too late for that?"
Elliott shook his head. "The good news is that whatever was in the drink..." he glanced at Lucy. "...is slow-acting."
Meanwhile, back at the event lounge...
"Victor!"
Victor looked up from the pool table.
Maya and Sasha hurried toward him, both looking worried.
His smile faded.."What’s wrong?"
Maya looked around the lounge again before answering. "We can’t find Lucy."
Victor frowned. "What do you mean you can’t find her? She was beside you."
"She said she was going to get some fresh air." Sasha crossed her arms. "That was almost twenty minutes ago."
Victor’s stomach dropped.
Twenty minutes? He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
A cold feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. "I told her not to leave my side..."
His voice came out barely above a whisper.
Maya exchanged a worried glance with Sasha. "Maybe she’s downstairs?"
Victor was already moving. "We’re checking everywhere."
The three of them hurried out of the event lounge.
Meanwhile... the elevator doors slid open.
Kane stepped inside, Lucy cradled securely in his arms while Elliott followed beside him.
Lucy’s face was buried against Kane’s chest, one hand weakly clutching the front of his shirt.
"Easy," Kane murmured. "We’re almost there."
The elevator descended in silence.
Moments later, the doors opened into the lobby.
Just as Kane stepped out—
Victor stopped so abruptly that Maya nearly ran into him.
"Lucy?" He froze, his eyes widening.
Kane looked up.
Their eyes met.