Chapter Twenty-Five
Lacy came to outside the open passenger door of his SUV with the mighty Zack on his knees, his palm on her forehead like he was checking for a fever. A buttery soft leather jacket was pulled up to her chin over Jake’s denim jacket. But her cap was missing.
A section of her hair floated like wisps of cedar vapor in front of her eyes, and she was cold, a shivering kind of cold that went all the way to her toes. Two jackets weren’t enough. Her palms went instantly to her biceps to rub warmth back into her body.
“Why am I so cold?” she asked, blinking up into liquid brown eyes. Damn it. If Zack had been dressed in any kind of military uniform, she’d really be in trouble. The guy was a walking babe magnet. Tall, dark, and handsome only skimmed the surface. His pecs didn’t fit inside that too tight black shirt he had on. It was stretched nice and tight. Something about the guy made her heart skip a few beats. She would know. The damned thing was running a mile a minute and skipping, too. But Zack wasn’t Jake, was he? He might be here, but she wanted the man who owned that crazy heart in her chest.
“There you are,” Zack said kindly when he noticed she’d opened her eyes. He danced in and out of focus while he spoke into the cell phone tucked into the crook of his neck. “Right. She’s coming around now, but I need an ambulance. We’re at—”
“No, you don’t,” she growled groggily, waving at one of his three faces. She swallowed past the dry lump in her throat. “No ambulance. Give me a break, Lennox. Didn’t your wife ever faint?”
“Yes, when she was one month pregnant, but that’s not why you passed out.”
Oh, for hell’s sake. Not that again. Lacy elbowed herself upright, holding tightly to his wrist for support and to keep her balance. “I’m not pregnant. It’s just been a long week, and I’m tired. Come on. Let’s go get Jake and Jamaal.”
The damned SUV at Zack’s backstop kept moving, only it was going side-to-side, not forward and backward like a vehicle on wheels should. Didn’t matter. A little dizzy spell didn’t equate to a ride in an ambulance. Her heart thudded louder, talking to her in a not so romantic way. She clutched her chest, more determined than ever to get on her feet and to stop the drum inside her ribcage.
“No,” he said firmly, angling his wrist out of her grasp to press her shoulder back into the seat. Pocketing his phone, Zack ran his other hand down her cheek to her neck. “Lie still.”
She closed her eyes and did as he requested. Damn. Her whole body was one giant pulse, and the normally sedate organ in her ribcage felt like the hooves of a hundred racehorses were tap dancing all over it. Maybe Zack wasn’t that hot after all. Maybe he was right.
“Have you felt like this before?” he asked, his eyes intent on the gold watch at his wrist. He was taking her pulse. She stilled and let him.
“Like what? Like I’m, I don’t know, ready to blow apart?”
“Have you had panic attacks before?”
“No, and I’m not having one now.”
“Ever had a heart attack?”
“No,” she gulped. “Well, maybe. I kind of had a heart problem once. That’s the only reason, umm, he let me go.”
“Who let you go, Lacy?”
“Him,” she whispered. “Dr. Death.” The guy who said all those volts of electricity wouldn’t hurt. It will soon be over. It’s for your own good. That guy.
Zack tucked his jacket more firmly around her. “Get comfortable. You’re not going anywhere. I don’t know who Dr. Death is, but your pulse is sky high. Whatever’s going on, you’re not fit for duty right now. I’m calling the game. You’re grounded.”
“No, I’m not, and you’re not… calling anything. I’m going in… and I’m… finding Jake if… it’s the last thing I do.” Damn, it was hard to breathe.
“Lacy. You’re ill. Stay down and let my boss locate him. He’s already on scene, remember?”
“Where’s my… hat, damn it?” she asked when the breeze blew her hair into her face for the last time. She’d had enough. Pushing off the seat, she set both boots to the SUV floor despite the big jock in her way. Lacy squared her shoulders and shot him her best USMC stare down. “Jake doesn’t have all day. Are you coming… with me or not?”
Zack rolled his eyes, but said, “Yes, ma’am, I am,” as he reached one long arm behind her and lifted her winter hat from the back of her seat. He handed it to her and offered a reluctant hand up. Lacy took a deep breath and pushed out of the SUV. She wasn’t sure why she’d passed out, and she didn’t care. Whatever was happening to her heart had something to do with whatever was going on in that building across the street. Jake was in trouble. How could she get comfortable while that was going on?
Zack offered one little nod, closed the door behind her, and hit the remote key lock on his key fob, which she’d just noticed he’d been holding in his right hand all along. Clever guy. He knew she wouldn’t go easy into an ambulance. She did notice his left hand still cupped her elbow though. Good. She didn’t need to face plant now that she was on her feet and moving.
The big guy was carrying. She returned his leather jacket so Zack could conceal the hardware on his hip. Besides, Jake’s jacket was good enough for her. It smelled like him.
“Alex is still inside with the FBI. I’ll radio him and let him know we’re coming in.” Zack’s voice did have a baritone dipped in honey kind of tone. She shot him a quick glance out of the corner of her eye while she stuffed her hair back undercover. Was he related to Jake? They looked nothing alike, but Jake had that same mellow timbre to his voice that hinted of inner strength. That hidden strength that he didn’t know he still possessed.
Her heart thudded, stealing her breath. The dizziness swelled up around her once more, a sneaky black shadow that made it hard to keep walking. But she did. Jake needed her help and she meant to get to him.