I pushed him away, shaking out the pressure in my hand. “Drake has been a pain in my ass for three decades. I won’t lie and say I wouldn’t happily kill him right now if you accepted my deal, but if you don’t, I don’t fucking care. I’ve waited a long time for our feud to be over...I can wait a little longer.”

  The guy scowled. “Why do you think we’re gonna let you wander around as if you own the joint?”

  “I do own the fucking joint!” I snarled. “And you mean nothing to me. You can’t kill me because Drake needs what I know, and you can’t kill my goddesses because if you do, I will tear you motherfucking apart. Your only choice is to stand there like good little puppets and wait until your master wakes up. Or...allow me to kill him, and you can walk away with a payday. Either way, I’m providing aftercare.”

  Glowering at the three of them, I continued my path until I stood over Jealousy.

  She looked even worse up close.

  Shit.

  How the fuck was I supposed to take two girls to the infirmary when I could barely walk under my own weight?

  Eleanor squirmed as I bent over and gently placed her next to Jealousy. With my hands free, I checked Jealousy’s pulse.

  It was weak and erratic, her lips tinged blue and her skin clammy.

  Ripping off my shirt, I slipped it around her frail form. “It’s okay, Jess. I’ve got you.”

  Her lips twitched as I stroked her cheek.

  The men surrounded me, their guns by their sides and eyes wide with disbelief that they permitted me to do my own thing instead of shooing me back into a cage.

  That was the thing with authority. Display it correctly, own it completely, and weaker men slipped into line.

  Electricity shot over my body as Eleanor opened her eyes, activating our bond as she blinked away her fatigue. She winced and tried to sit up, shaking her head. “Sully...”

  No matter where we were or what we were doing, our chemistry and connection would never fail to reach into my chest and electrocute my heart.

  Her lips formed the sweetest, caring smile, then vanished as her gaze locked on Jealousy. “Oh, no.” Swallowing hard, flinching in pain from her own run-in with elixir, she crawled to Jess and ran her hand over her head. She ripped her touch away, her gaze connecting with mine in panic. “She’s ice cold.”

  I nodded. “I need to get her to Campbell.”

  “Let’s go.” With gritted teeth, Eleanor forced her body to obey. Digging fingers into the tile, she clambered to her feet, only to fall back down again.

  “Don’t.” I reached for her.

  “We need to...go.” Her eyes snapped closed, her head hanging with a tiredness she couldn’t shed.

  Fuck.

  Tucking her close, I held her while she tumbled into exhaustion and clawed her way back in the same heartbeat. She pushed feebly against my arms. “Let me go...we need—” She yawned, making my heart fist.

  Forcing her eyes open, her attention skipped over the men guarding us and fell to Drake still snoring on the floor. Pika swooped from the ceiling and landed on her shoulder, his feathers bristling.

  “I’m okay, Sully. I can...I can do this.” She sucked in a huge breath and raked both hands over her face, scrubbing away sleep, clinging to comprehension. “I have to do this.”

  Once again, she stunned me fucking stupid.

  How strong was she to be able to stay awake after the dance with death she’d had? How fucking brave was she to immediately shove aside her own maladies and put Jess first?

  Her grey gaze met mine. “Help me stand?”

  I cursed the men watching us. I’d had my fill of goddamn audiences. But I also couldn’t stop worshipping this woman, in awe of this girl, in love with every inch of her. “I’ll carry you to Campbell and come back for Jess.”

  “No, you’re fading too.”

  “I can manage.”

  “You can’t carry both of us.”

  “That’s why I said I’ll take you first—”

  “No.” Her eyes flashed silver spirit. “She needs to see him, immediately.”

  My temper met hers. “I agree, but I’m not leaving you here alone. Not with him.” My glare fell on Drake. Fuck, I wanted to kill him.

  “And I’m not letting you push yourself so hard that you die on me.” Her tone fell to a harsh whisper. “What did you tell me last night? You wouldn’t let me die? Well...same goes for you.”

  “I’m not going to die, Eleanor.”

  She flinched. “We don’t know that. Those side-effects you mentioned—”

  “Won’t happen to me.” I pinched my nose, squeezing back nightmares, headaches, and agony. “Look, just let me—”

  “Stop arguing. You carry Jess and I’ll...” She pushed against me again, one hand rubbing at the spot above her heart as if palpitations still plagued her. “I’ll...walk.”

  My eyebrows flew up. “Walk? You can’t walk. Not after last night.”

  She gritted her teeth. “I’ll walk.” Pushing me away, she scanned my naked chest, seeing the stress and strain I did my best to ignore. “I’ll help you carry her.”

  “No way.” I snorted. “There is no way I’d let you do that. You’re weak—”

  “And you’re hurt.” She struggled to her feet again, the canary yellow shirt fluttering around her Bambi legs. Her attention split between me and the mercenaries. Her knees wobbled, her balance screwed from a night of mania. “We’re all hurt, so we’ll all help each other.” Padding unsteadily, tripping to one knee and somehow standing again, she ducked by Jealousy and shook her shoulder. “Jess...wake up. Just wake up for a little bit and then you can sleep, okay?”

  Jealousy groaned, her eyelids flickering but unable to open. Violent shivers wracked her as I moved to the two girls and tried to trust in Eleanor’s strength.

  Could she walk?

  Could I seriously ask such a strenuous task of her?

  My stomach clenched with possession. I wanted to take care of her the way she deserved, not demand she drain herself more, but...I wouldn’t belittle her by commanding an alternative to the one she offered.

  I’d let her walk until she passed out.

  Then I’d decide which one to carry first to Campbell.

  At least both of them would be free of Euphoria.

  Her eyes caught mine, cloudy and tired but coherent and brave. “Are you okay? Do you have the strength?”

  My nostrils flared, annoyance trickling down my spine. “Don’t unman me, Jinx. I have enough.”

  She bit her bottom lip, fears for my own well-being ghosting over her face.

  I cupped her cheek, and murmured, “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

  She turned and kissed my palm, shaking her head. “You’re not fine, and I’m still worried, but...we don’t have a choice.”

  Not replying, I scooped Jealousy from the cold sandstone and tripped backward as I hoisted her weight into my arms.

  Holy shit, did I have enough strength? I honestly didn’t know.

  Getting a better grip, I struggled to suck up power and continue.

  Jealousy’s skin didn’t make mine tingle like Eleanor’s did. Her presence wasn’t a curse or a blessing. She was just a girl who I would no longer rent out or misuse. A friend.

  Eleanor stumbled and swayed, remaining on two feet but struggling.

  I didn’t know how long she’d last, so I strode ahead, rushing into another rescue mission that I hoped wouldn’t be doomed to fail like the last one.

  Drake mumbled something in his sleep as I passed him.

  I kicked him hard for good measure.

  “Hey!” the blond mercenary muttered. “He’ll get you back for that.”

  “Or he won’t remember because he’ll be dead.” I marched past them, one goddess by my side and one in my arms. “Think about my offer. I’ll be back soon.”

  Eleanor eyed them up, jumpy and weak as if she couldn’t believe they just let us walk away.

  Cutting over the threshold and down the deck steps, I groaned as soft sand cushioned my bare feet. Warm sunshine broke through the gloomy morning, doing its best to paint my island in hope instead of despair.

  Jealousy didn’t move as I carried her farther down the pathway. I kept a strict eye on Eleanor as she parried and swerved, stopping occasionally to rest against a palm tree.

  My baser instincts to protect her cursed my lack of power. I wanted to carry her too. I wanted her to give into the sleep clawing at her mind. But I gritted my teeth and kept an unforgiving pace, allowing her to trail behind, even though it killed me.

  Pika kept flight with us, swooping ahead to perch on flowers before circling with chirps and urging us to keep going.

  Every step whispered with warning that I was creeping closer and closer to the burnout I’d feared was coming for me. The mental and physical brick wall that didn’t take kindly to me running face-first into it.

  I felt it.

  Its presence was unlike typical exhaustion.

  It reached into my bones and bled my marrow dry.

  Just a little longer...

  One step.

  Now the other.

  My eyelids drooped, and my biceps threatened to drop Jess. I stopped for Eleanor to catch up.

  Pika squeaked as she pulled up beside me, her face sweaty and hair a riot of knots. I’d loved her when she’d worn a gown of gemstones. I’d loved her when she’d been in a cave cuffed to the wall. I’d loved her even when I shouldn’t. And I loved her the most as she staggered in stubborn, stunning perfection.

  Her skin held so many of my crimes. Her figure hinting of our many couplings and carnality. She’d been sold to me poised and pissed off, the only girl with the ability to tumble me from my throne into dirt.

  She’d been the catalyst for my undoing

  Why I’d reached rock bottom.

  Why I had no choice but to change.

  She was so young.

  So fierce.

  So wanted.

  If I survived this war, I would marry her and give her everything I had.

  I would trade a life of empty loneliness for one filled with laughter and love.

  If I survive, Jinx...

  I’m yours.

  And you...I’m keeping forever.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “CAMPBELL, WHERE THE FUCK are you?”

  Sully’s voice ripped through the medical rooms where I’d woken on my second day here after fainting at Sully’s feet. I’d rested on the bed by the wall. I’d glowered at Sully as he leaned nonchalantly against the drug cabinet, hating him with a thousand suns, and sucked up a smoothie full of delicious berries and banana and—

  My stomach growled with starvation just as Dr Campbell appeared through the door separating this room with whatever surgeries and recovery rooms existed behind.

  “Sinclair?” His white eyebrows shot up as his glasses slid down his nose. “What the hell are you doing here?” His gaze flew over me, swaying and clinging to the wall, Sully weaving and clinging to Jess, and Jealousy passed out and unresponsive in his arms.

  We made a sad trio.

  We dragged the stench of destruction and deceased hope behind us.

  The doctor’s shock spoke loudly: Wow, you don’t look so good. Holy shit, how are you still breathing? But he wisely kept his lips clamped together and leaped into a medical professional who hopefully knew how to reverse the process of death.

  Rushing toward Sully, he gathered Jealousy into his arms. The two men glared at each other. The awkward manoeuvre of transferring a girl from one embrace to the other made Sully clench his jaw and murder glow in his eyes.

  The doctor swallowed hard and looked away, his body tensing as he took Jealousy’s weight. The second Campbell held her securely, he rushed toward the door and pushed through it. Looking over his shoulder, he commanded, “Follow me.”

  Sully turned his head, catching my gaze. He shrugged wearily and held out his hand. “Can you walk a little farther?” The pride echoing in his tone made my heart kick with a healthy kind of joy.

  Tripping to him, I slid my fingers through his. We used each other as crutches, our bodies kissing and skin singeing where we touched. “I can manage.”

  He shook his head as we slowly made our way to the door and pushed through it. “You’ve surprised me once again.”

  I shook away the cobwebs in my mind. “How so?”

  He pulled me into a room reeking of potent antiseptic just as Dr Campbell placed Jealousy on a bed by a cabinet full of vials and concoctions. “You’re still awake. After everything you went through. After your heart almost gave out—”

  “Don’t look at me as if I’m a miracle for staying awake. Not when you’ve endured days of torture and God knows what else. You’re the one who’s the miracle, Sully. Not me.”

  He scowled, guiding me to a second bed pushed on the opposite wall. “Tritec helped. You didn’t have anything to boost you.”

  “Tritec better not hurt you any more than you already are,” I muttered, sitting down gratefully, dangling my heavy legs off the edge of the bed.

  Sully grunted and stayed standing, leaning against the bed, staying in touching distance while our attention fell on the doctor and his rapid work on Jealousy. “It should still be helping me. The drug is supposed to have a stacking effect. Energy is supposed to compound until the injected adrenaline overpowers the natural biochemistry.” He shrugged. “It feels as if it’s faded. Perhaps the dose Campbell gave me wasn’t strong enough.”

  Campbell whipped his head to us as he cocooned Jealousy in blankets. “I gave you a full syringe, Sinclair. Any more and it would’ve been an overdose almost certain to kill you.”

  Sully crossed his arms. “If I’m to clean up the mess you made, I need another hit.”

  “You’ll get nothing of the sort from me.” The doctor pierced Jess’s hand with an IV, grabbed a bottle of who knew what from the cupboard, and injected her with a few needles and their contents. “Where’s your brother?” He gently removed Jess’s earbuds and eye lenses.

  Sully yawned, clamping a hand over his mouth before answering sluggishly. “Out cold in Euphoria. He has three guards watching over him.”

  “Only three?”

  Sully grinned cruelly. “Four are dead and three have been sent away.”

  “Are there any more?” Campbell continued to fuss as he treated Jealousy.

  “Not that I should give you any information, you traitor, but according to one of their team, there was ten of them. Whether or not that can be trusted is another matter.” Sully stroked my thigh, his touch bringing comfort and affection. “Whether or not I trust you is also a topic to be discussed.”

  “You need my help currently, so trust doesn’t matter.” The doctor peered into Jealousy’s eyes, shining a torch over her pupils.

  “When you cease to be useful, I will make a decision about your ability to breathe.” Sully’s tone was deadly as a shark. “Don’t think this truce of ours will remain once I’m back in power.”

  Campbell flinched but nodded. “I’m aware I betrayed you but remember my aid when you make your final decision. If you come back into power.”

  “Drake is as good as dead.” Sully’s fingers latched around my knee with sudden violence. “His three guards are nothing.”

  “You are a force to be reckoned with, I will not deny that.” The doctor continued working on Jealousy. “But even the strongest of us have failures.”

  Leaning forward a little, I caressed my fingers over the back of Sully’s hand, reminding him that it was okay to rest...just for a little while. That here, in this surgery, we could try to regroup and heal.

  Campbell wasn’t our enemy...for now.

  Drake would remain passed out for hours and, seeing as Jess had given him elixir too, his system would not only be exhausted but severely depleted.

  Sully could easily overthrow him...if he regained a little strength.

  “Sully...” I smiled tiredly, wishing I could snuggle into him and sleep. “Come here.”

  He came nearer, cupping my cheek with tender fingers. “Sleep, Jinx. Go to sleep. I’ll stand guard.”

  My eyelids closed.

  I wrenched them awake.

  How dare he have the magic to send me under when I needed to stay coherent for him. “Sit with me.”

  He ran his thumb over my bottom lip, making me tingle. “I will. Soon.”

  My eyelids closed again.

  I gritted my teeth and hoisted them up.

  If I had to glue them open, I would. I refused to sleep until I knew Jealousy was okay and Sully wasn’t about to die on me.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry again, Sinclair,” Campbell muttered, adding a different solution to Jess’s IV.

  Sully grumbled, “Help Jealousy and Eleanor, and maybe I’ll think about accepting your apology.”

  Campbell wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, the muggy island refusing to abate even with the air conditioner cooling the space. “At least that was the last of elixir.” Measuring out yet another injection, he tapped the syringe for air bubbles. “Drake came asking if I had any spare. I’m glad you only had a few left.”

  Sully stretched out his back, sighing heavily. “I have four hundred vials ready to go.”

  The doctor spun to face him, fury pinking his wrinkled face. “What? Where? Get rid of it.” He waved his hand at me and Jealousy. “I’m guessing you saw the effects first-hand after last night. I heard the guards saying that Jealousy had a seizure while serving in the hallucination, yet Drake just kept right on fucking her.”

  “Shit.” Sully hung his head, raking a hand through his tangled hair. “Will she be okay?”

  “She’ll die if she has another dose.”

  My heart flurried. “Is the damage reversible?”

  The doctor made eye contact with me, his anger subsiding a little. “I don’t know yet. Only time will tell. Time and detox from that heinous drug.” His gaze narrowed, locking back on Sully. “What do you plan on doing with the four hundred vials you have? Tell me you’re going to use them on those poor goddesses, and I’ll march out of here and get a gun to shoot you myself.”