because in the next instant, Vance was propelling me toward Ronan as he stood on the edge of the pitch-dark shaft, and they both clipped me to Ronan and the ropes.
Then Ronan grabbed one of the ropes and took a step toward the abyss.
“Wait!” I cried.
I never even got the whole word out.
His arm snaked around me, his mouth covered mine, then we were falling.
Falling fast.
Hot stale air rushing at us, his strong arm holding my body flush to his, our legs dangling, he kissed me.
Really kissed me.
Dominating, wild, trashing, life affirming, soul crushing kissed me.
I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see, I couldn’t hear.
But I could feel.
Ronan and falling fast.
So very fast.
Then the whirring noise slowed, his kiss slowed, and he reverently pressed his lips to mine as if he hadn’t just ravaged me. “You did it, Songbird.”
He pulled a glove off, and his fingers wove together with mine as his feet hit something solid, then mine followed.
A split second later, chaos erupted around us.
Emergency workers and bright spotlights and a hundred hands unbuckling us and pulling us out of the shaft and asking questions and taking the harnesses off and telling us to hurry, and my hand separated from Ronan’s as a paramedic came between us, firing even more questions.
I absolutely panicked. “Ronan.”
“Hey!” Ronan yelled, shoving the emergency worker away and putting his arm around me. “Did we ask you for help? Step back.”
The guy held his hands up.
“Next person coming down is injured, help him,” Ronan ordered, handing the guy his gloves and harness. Then he turned us toward the front of the hotel, and his gaze locked on something ahead. Leading us through the small crowd of workers in the lobby without giving anyone a single glance, he held me close.
A policeman told us to exit quickly, but otherwise, people moved out of our way. As soon as we stepped outside, I knew what Ronan had been looking at. Standing inside a roped-off area with police tape, André Luna and Adam Trefor came into view, with Tyler and Ty standing beside them. Their gazes were both fixed on us, but standing next to Adam, with a blanket blowing around on his shoulders, stood Leo.
Leo quickly stepped forward with his arms outstretched. “Oh thank God, Sanaa, you’re all right!”
Ronan didn’t even hesitate.
His fist came up and slammed into Leo’s face.
Leo cried out and stumbled back, falling to the ground. Immediately he was pointing at Ronan and yelling at Adam and André as he held his nose. “Did you see that? Do something!”
Both Adam and André ignored him, and Adam stepped away from the Black SUV they were standing in front of to hold the rear door open against the heavy winds.
Ronan glanced at Tyler. “Harm’s coming down with an injured leg, probable concussion.”
Tyler nodded. “Ty and I will take care of him.” He and Ty took off toward the lobby.
Ronan helped me inside the SUV as André got behind the wheel and Adam got in the front passenger seat. Then Ronan got in next to me and shut the door.
A sudden and shocking silence followed as the howling wind and people shouting and a building creaking all muted while André started the engine.
Adam turned in his seat. “Do either of you need medical attention?”
Ronan tipped his chin at Adam, then glanced at the back of André’s head. “Call Talerco. I’d like her checked out.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted.
Ronan wrapped an arm around me and spoke low. “Precautionary.”
André made a call using the SUV’s Bluetooth.
Two rings, and a Southern-accented man answered. “What up, Patrol? Miss me?”
“Headquarters, unit one upstairs, bring your kit,” André clipped in rapid succession.
The man on the other end of the line turned serious. “Copy that. Anythin’ life threatenin’ I need to know about?”
“Negative,” André answered.
“On my way,” the man replied. “See you in twenty.”
André hung up.
Adam focused his austere gaze on me. “We’ll need to be wheels up in seven hours if you’re going to make your concert. The weather will have dissipated enough to take off by then, but it’ll be a longer flight.”
Before I could answer, Ronan practically growled at him. “We were meters from impact, she inhaled a shit ton of construction debris, and she’s not getting on a goddamn plane until she’s medically cleared.”
I put my hand on Ronan’s arm. “I’m okay.”
In truth, I didn’t know what I was. I was alive. Ronan was alive. Kyle was dead. And Ronan had said we had a lot to talk about. That’s all I