Chapter Fourteen

Steel

Present Day

“H ang on, sweetheart,” I whisper, brushing her damp hair away from her face. Her skin’s on fire, and the sight of her pale and sweating sends a chill through me. She’s not just sick. She’s deathly sick.

“WE NEED A DOCTOR!” I roar, my voice echoing off the cold walls.

The door creaks open, and there he is. Paston, strutting in like he’s some kind of savior. The smirk on his face makes my blood boil. “What on earth could you possibly need a doctor for?” he asks, his tone mocking. “You’ve got everything you need: a bed, a bathroom, electricity, heat. You’re my best-kept prisoners.”

“She’s burning up,” I say through gritted teeth, trying like hell to keep my anger in check. “She needs a hospital.”

Paston laughs, the sound grating. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen. Byron, bring her some Tylenol or something. Look, your buddy still has a little over twenty-four hours to bring me what I want. Until then, you two aren’t going anywhere.”

I clench my fists so hard my nails bite into my palms. “She won’t make it another day,” I grind out, my voice low and dangerous. “You think a couple of pills and your bullshit are going to fix this? She’s dying.”

Paston shrugs, completely unfazed. “You’re being dramatic,” he says. “She’s not going to die. Take the pills, drink some water, and relax. You’re lucky I’m even bothering to keep her comfortable.”

The casual way he talks about her life makes me want to tear him apart. I take a step toward him, ready to do precisely that, but Delphi’s hand grabs my arm, stopping me. I look down at her, her face pale and drawn, but her eyes steady. “Don’t,” she whispers.

Her voice is weak, but it stops me in my tracks. Damn it. If they gang up on me like they did before they could possibly tear me away from her. I need to keep her safe.

Paston smirks, like he’s won some game. “See? She’s smarter than you, Steel. Maybe if you both behave, you’ll make it through this.”

The door slams shut behind him, the lock clicking into place, and I’m left staring at the barrier between us and freedom. My hands shake with barely contained rage. Every second we’re stuck in here, she gets worse. Every second, she’s slipping further away, and there’s nothing I can do but watch.

I kneel beside her again, pressing my hand to her forehead. She’s burning up, her skin too pale, her breath too shallow. “You’re burning up, Delphi,” I mutter, feeling like I’m going to snap. “We’ve got to get out of here. I can’t just sit here and watch this happen.”

Her lips curve into a weak smile that guts me. “You’ll figure something out,” she whispers, her voice so faint I have to strain to hear it.

I cup her face, my thumb brushing over her cheek. Her skin feels too fragile, too warm, and I can’t stand seeing her like this. “Damn right, I will,” I promise, my voice thick. “But you’ve got to hang on a little longer, little one. For me. For your kids. For that man who loves you so fucking much.”

She nods, her eyes fluttering closed, and I feel the weight of it all settle on my shoulders. If I don’t find a way out of here, she won’t make it. And that’s not an option.

I stare at the locked door, my fists clenching as my mind races through every possibility. Paston thinks he’s in control, but he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. Over the past two days, I’ve paid attention. They stick to a pattern of bringing food and water three times a day, always the same two guys. No more, no less. If I time it right, I can take them out.

But then what?

I wasn’t conscious when they dragged me in here, and I’ve got no idea what’s waiting outside this door. Could be a dozen men with guns. Could be a single guard. It’s a blind gamble. Worse, Delphi’s in no condition to move, let alone run. She can barely keep her eyes open, and every minute her fever climbs higher, I feel the seconds ticking away.

I glance down at her, her face pale and slick with sweat. Her breaths are shallow, her strength all but gone. There’s no way she can make it out of here on her own. And me? I’m going to have to fight my way through whatever’s out there while carrying her.

Option one: leave her behind. Get out, find help, and come back for her.

Not a chance in hell.

I grit my teeth, pacing the small room as I run through the possibilities. Every scenario comes back to the same dead end. I can’t leave her. She needs me, and I know Reynolds is counting on me to keep her safe. I’ll be damned if I betray that trust. But if we stay here, she won’t make it. The Tylenol Paston’s goon tossed in before they left won’t touch her fever. She needs a hospital. Now.

I stop pacing, staring at her fragile form curled up on the thin cot they so generously provided us. The rise and fall of her chest is too faint, too uneven. My gut twists, rage and desperation crashing over me.

There has to be a way.

I’m so damn exhausted that I can barely think.

I sit beside her, my hand brushing over her damp hair. “Hang in there, Del,” I murmur. “I’ll get us out of this. I swear.”

She stirs slightly, her lashes fluttering open for a brief moment. Her lips part, but no sound comes out, just a faint exhale before she slips back into unconsciousness.

That’s it. No more waiting. No more hoping Paston has a shred of decency. I can’t afford to sit here while her body gives up.

I turn my focus back to the door, every muscle in my body coiling with purpose. I’ve got one shot to make this work, and I’ll make it count. Paston doesn’t know it yet, but he’s about to regret keeping us alive.