She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 9

Loyce stepped forward, voice clear and steady. “I will. I’ll stake my life on it.”

Zeke studied her for a long moment. “Good. You’ve got nerve.”

As Loyce moved to enter the bedroom to treat Lucian, Purity didn’t believe for a second she could do it. She put on a fake show of concern. “Don’t blame me for warning you, Zeke. She looks like she’s still in school. You’re sending Lucian to his death.”

Zeke glanced at her, the pressure in his gaze unmistakable. “You’ve lived this long and you’ve got less backbone than a young woman. Either shut up or get out.”

Purity’s heart lurched. She lowered her head, seething, and didn’t dare say another word.

Loyce walked into Lucian’s bedroom. There wasn’t a trace of light inside, just sealed walls and darkness.

When the door shut behind her, cutting off the outside noise, the sound of a man’s ragged breathing became painfully clear.

She took two steps forward and nudged a syringe with her shoe. She looked down—sedative. The floor was littered with empty painkiller bottles. She stepped around the mess and went to the bed.

Through the surveillance feed, Zeke watched her movements and murmured in surprise, “She can see in the dark.”

Loyce went straight to the bedside. A four-poster bed stood there with iron chains secured to it—each one attached to the limbs of a powerful man curled on the mattress.

Lucian’s wrists and ankles were shackled. He was half-naked, messy hair shadowing his eyes. Pain had his whole body drawn tight, sweat slicking his skin.

The chains rattled again as Lucian pushed himself upright. His scorching breath surrounded her. His voice was rough and razor-sharp. “If you know that, why are you here? Trying to die?”

Loyce said calmly, “That it can’t be cured is other people’s conclusion. With me, there’s no such thing as an untreatable disease.”

She tilted her head. In the dark, her gaze met his without missing by an inch. Even wrecked by pain, his features were striking—hard lines, high brow, the kind of face you didn’t forget.

“I said you’ll live through tonight,” Loyce declared. “You will.”

Then she added, blunt and fearless, “Lucian Shapiro, want to gamble your life with me? If I can’t save you, I’ll pay with mine.”