“You keep saying that,” she said and I heard the smile in her voice.
“It’s true,” I told her as my other hand went to my hip, pulling out my Glock. “So what’s it gonna be, Scorch, life or death?” The bell sounded, and I shoved Mandy into the elevator and then Slick Asshole.
“Ow!” Mandy’s cry drew my attention at the most inopportune moment, but I had to make sure she was all right. I called out, “Mandy, you okay? Shit!”
The sound of the gun firing came too late, and a bullet went sailing right through my shoulder. “Motherfucker!” I fired off three shots, hitting one of the assholes next to Scorch before I jumped in the elevator.
“See what happens when you put your life on the line for a piece of ass?” His voice drew closer and I kept my gun trained on the doors, which were still fucking closing.
“Door!” I shouted at Slick Asshole, who seemed to be frozen in fear. “The goddamn door!”
Finally, he jumped into action and pressed the close button just as Scorch and one of his men stood in front of the closing doors. I fired three shots as the car began to move. “Holy shit! What the fuck?” Slick Asshole stared at Mandy, eyes wide with terror.
“Two dead assholes,” I told him and then collapsed to the floor of the elevator. I’d been shot before, a few flesh wounds and one that ripped through my stomach years ago, so I knew the deal, but I was losing blood fast.
“Savior! Shit, you’re hurt.” She cupped my face and I knew what she saw, my eyes glassy and dazed. Her eyes missed nothing, staring at my shoulder spurting blood. “Jacket,” she barked at the man, snapping her fingers and I had to smile. Mandy was still trying to control the uncontrollable. “Shirt too,” she said distractedly.
“This suit costs—”
“Give me the fucking clothes!”
If I wasn’t in so much pain and losing blood like I had any to spare, I would have laughed at how quickly Slick Asshole removed his jacket and then his button-up shirt.
&nb
sp; “Here,” he shoved his jacket at Mandy and watched as she folded it and put it under my head, then the expensive silk blue shirt.
She snapped her fingers again and pointed to his bony chest. He got it, peeling off his wife beater and handing it to her with shaky hands. Shock. Despite his mobster look, the guy was probably an Ivy Leaguer who’d never even heard a gunshot outside of TV.
“Thank you, Drake.” She balled up the t-shirt and pressed it to my shoulder, pulling a string of colorful curses from me. “Sorry, but we have to stop the bleeding.”
“I know. You worried about me, Pixie?” My smile was weak, but her lips curved in response.
Then turned into a glare. “You took a bullet for me dumbass, of course I am.” Her expression softened, eyes the color of jade flickered with worry and maybe even affection.
Despite the pressure, the elevator floor was more red than blue at this point as blood spurted out of my shoulder. It was probably an artery, I thought as black spots clouded my vision.
“Aww, Mandy, I love you too.” At least I thought that was what I said to her, but what the hell did I know?
Chapter 23
Mandy
My heart never pounded so much in my entire life as it did when I watched Savior’s big strong body crumple to the floor in a bloody heap. Having him passed out in my arms might have induced a heart attack, but I couldn’t move my hands, not with the way the blood spurted out. I didn’t know much about wounds, but in culinary school we’d all had our fair share of cuts so I knew the first key was to stop the bleeding.
One look at Drake and I wanted to scream, but his back was to me while he whispered into the phone. I wondered who he could possibly be talking to at a time like this, but I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t my place. I was just a future employee. Drake ended his call and pocketed his phone before turning to me with a frown. “We have a concierge doctor on staff, he’s meeting us in the penthouse suite.”
“Thanks, Drake. Sorry about all this, and I can pay for the suit.” My voice wobbled in relief. There was no way Savior would make it even if we got him to a car right now, not in Vegas traffic. The hospital was an easy twenty minutes away on a good night.
“You can pay for the suit?”
I understood his question even as I ignored his incredulous tone.
“A lifetime of dead family members will do that,” I told him, my gaze still on Savior, whose pulse had slowed enough that my own heart lurched into my stomach.
“Shit. Tough girl.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t tough. No, I was numb and hollow. Too much loss and not enough of anything else.