Chapter 3 3

The elevator chimed. The doors slid open to the underground, climate-controlled parking garage.

A blast of cold air hit them.

Alois carried Hayden quickly across the polished concrete floor toward the black, bulletproof Maybach parked in his reserved spot.

His driver, Rudy Kowalski, practically jumped out of the driver's seat and yanked the heavy rear door open.

Before Alois could step inside, the adjacent elevator dinged.

Barnett stormed out, his leather shoes slapping loudly against the concrete.

"Alois!" Barnett yelled, his face red with frustration.

Alois stopped walking. He didn't turn around. He just carefully lowered Hayden onto the soft leather seat of the Maybach.

The second Hayden's legs touched the seat, she grabbed the edge of the doorframe. Her knuckles turned white as she looked nervously past Alois at Barnett.

Barnett marched right up to the car. He pointed a stiff finger at Hayden.

"Are you out of your mind?" Barnett demanded, staring at Alois. "You actually believe this bullshit?"

Barnett lowered his voice, but the venom in it was thick. "She is a snake. You can't domesticate a snake. Ten minutes ago she was ready to slit her own wrists to ruin you, and now she's playing the good girl?"

Barnett leaned closer. "This is a new trick. Erick taught her this. She's just trying to steal your corporate secrets to please that pathetic, broke loser!"

Hayden sat frozen in the backseat.

Hearing those words felt like a physical blow to her stomach. The pain radiated through her chest because she knew Barnett was right. In her past life, she had been exactly that vile.

She didn't snap back at him. She didn't scream.

She just lowered her head. Huge, heavy tears welled up and dropped onto the back of her hands.

Alois shifted his stance. He moved his massive body directly in front of the open door, completely blocking Barnett's view of Hayden.

He stared at his oldest friend. His eyes were as cold as a morgue.

"Watch your mouth, Barnett," Alois said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, vibrating low. "She is still under Wyatt protection."

Barnett flinched, physically stepping back from the sheer violence in Alois's eyes. He gritted his teeth. "She's going to get you killed one day."

Alois calmly reached up and adjusted his right cufflink.

"That's my problem," Alois said flatly. "Not yours."

He turned his back on Barnett, stepped into the Maybach, and slammed the heavy door shut.

The loud thud instantly cut off the echoing noise of the garage. The inside of the car was suffocatingly quiet.

Alois leaned his head back against the headrest. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, his chest rising and falling heavily.

In the driver's seat, Rudy kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror. He didn't dare start the engine.

"Mercer Hospital," Alois ordered, his eyes still closed. "Drive fast."

The Maybach's engine roared to life. The heavy car glided smoothly out of the underground garage.

The dim blue ambient lighting clicked on, casting sharp, cold shadows across the hard lines of Alois's profile.

Hayden curled her legs up on the opposite side of the spacious backseat. She kept her head down, but her eyes darted sideways, watching the man beside her.

She saw his right hand resting on his thigh. It was curled into a tight fist. The knuckles were completely white.

She slowly uncurled her legs. She tried to slide across the smooth leather to get closer to him.

The movement pulled the skin on her left wrist.

A sharp, tearing pain shot up her arm. She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth.

The tiny hiss of pain was magnified in the silent car.

Alois's eyes snapped open.

His gaze locked onto her like a predator. He stared straight at her left wrist. The blood was still slowly dripping from the cut.

He reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket and ripped out his silk pocket square.

He leaned across the wide center console, his large hand snapping out to grab her wrist in an iron grip.