e elevator doors sliding shut in front of

clenched around my phone so tightly they hurt. The message from

results we

diagnosis

rust Dam

tor ascended. Damon didn't look at me, but I felt him, his prese

t my lungs until I whispere

l," he sa

Wh

moved to the

d the hospital, the elevators, t

he words s

at if somethi

turned his h

e said. "She's sick. Tha

red any harder, he'd see everythi

d again in my p

rt vib

n't ch

so close that I felt his

with a soft chime. He gestu

shaky, my tho

g lot where a black car waited. One of hi

Si

and motioned f

esit

raction o

he sa

it did when he restrained e

roat b

hat trusted him w

remembered Collins' w

mbed i

heavy thud, sealing me

-

ts flickered through the windows, painting lines across Damon's

take his

so quiet?" h

. overw

t's n

thousand times before people dro

e vibrat

ou keep gripping your phone like it's

caught. "

Mi

t the sternne

r, he reached into his pocket

lver

. Elega

d now," he sai

omach

e ring like it

rly cracked. "I didn't kn

his voice dropping

ng with me

ir thi

g onto my finger,

hed ever

n, a strange shiver ran through

d back, sati

-

orderline felt military. The elevator shot us to the 42nd floor, wher

ect. Expens

its

d in with

ting off marble floors and black tinted windows. Eve

walked past me. "You'll stay

nig

orrow would

y necessary?" I

your mother

dged painfully

Ye

thing I say

"What about school?

rning to your old l

until it felt like

l and lost in his enormous, pe

u wi

inty was t

, third door on the left. Everything you need is ins

ared

Wh

you were

ed. "You sent som

papers taped to her window." His voice har

slid down

ontrolling t

contro

ath and stepped back. "I

u wi

locked on mine. "

Wh

until my back brush

spered. "If you hear anything emo

d. "Stop acting l

ftened just slightly. "I

hive

not safe,

stuttered.

the people watching me.

ough me. ‎"What

dn't a

ntly and lifted my face toward his, a sur

murmured. "But I'll ma

ered so loud I

go. "Go

wn the hallway, each st

room, the door closed be

aled s

t one to check the m

ssages): ‎Mia

le was

conditio

e cover

's connecte

't be alone with

ood ra

knock hit

ard I nearly d

Mi

ice. ‎Low.

n the

d into my throat

for

tever he was

knob slowly, b

ened and the

ression

voice

we need