Chapter 6 · Power Play

"Get your fucking hands off my surgeon."

Kane's voice ripped through the flatline beep. He wasn't on the table anymore. He was standing.

One hand white-knuckled on the IV pole to stay upright, the other fisted in Lilith's wrist before she could slap the cuffs on me.

Lilith didn't flinch. She smiled. Cold. Professional. Like she'd been waiting for this.

"Mr. Kane, step back. You're confused. You're in shock," she said, sweet as poison. "This man is not a doctor. He's a blacklisted butcher. I have proof he cut you open without a license, without consent, without—"

"Without you getting a cut of the fee?" I spat from the floor.

My knees were still on the cold tile. My chest felt like someone had wired it straight to Kane's monitor. Every time his heart stuttered, mine did too.

That was the Pact. That was the countdown they couldn't see.

Lilith looked down at me like I was trash she'd scraped off her Louboutin. "Cillian Vane. Disgraced. Delusional. You really think the board will let you touch him again after this?"

"I think you should let go of her," I said to Kane. My voice was raw.