Creed drove.
He pulled up and screeched to a halt in front of the hotel. The valet made the approach but I was out of the truck, running into the hotel and didn’t look back.
Luckily, reception was clear except the clerk.
“Hi,” I said when I arrived at the desk. “I have a friend in room six twelve who’s diabetic and she forgot her insulin. She’s in bad shape and I need to get up there and give it to her. She says she can’t make it to the door. Can you give me a keycard to six twelve?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, against hotel policy. Not unless your name is registered to the room. Really sorry.”
Fuck! I didn’t bring my money roll with me.
I flipped open my phone but kept my eyes on him. “Can she call down, tell you it’s okay?”
“Uh… I’m not sure –” he started then his eyes flew down to the desk so mine did too and I saw a familiar, big, strong, veined, scarred hand sliding a fan of three one hundred dollar bills across the desk.
“Keycard. Room six twelve,” Creed rumbled, my head tipped back and I looked at his hard profile as he finished, “And advice, don’t say no to me.”
Okay, maybe I wasn’t going to have issues with my man being a badass. Especially when he was also my partner on a job and could get shit done by being scary.
The guy took Creed in for approximately a nanosecond then jumped to the stash of keycards, did whatever he had to do with the machine and handed it to Creed.
I turned and dashed through the lobby. Ignoring the elevators, I scanned for the sign, found it, darted that way and hit the stairs. My legs were short but I still took them two at a time, hearing Creed hurtling up behind me. I hit the door to the sixth floor, winded, heart pumping and shoved through. I didn’t slow down as I ran down the hall, scanning the signage to find the way to six twelve.
I stopped at one side of the door, Creed right behind me, he stopped at the other side.
“Gun,” he grunted, I nodded, yanked mine out, he had his in his hand. He shoved in the keycard but his eyes cut to me. “You lead, Sylvie, but careful. This shit’s a set up, you got no vest and today’s not my day to lose you.”
I nodded.
He pushed down the door handle and shoved in.
I moved into the room, gun down but at the ready, staying close to the inside wall, eyes peeled, slow, scanning. I turned my head left and peered around the door to the bathroom. It was clear so I kept moving in, feeling Creed just feet behind me. I hit the room proper, saw her, saw she was alone, saw the state she was in, stopped and lifted a hand back to Creed. I turned my head and shook it once.
He jerked up his chin, holstered his weapon and settled back.
I holstered my weapon and bustled in.
“Sylvie,” she whispered through cut, swollen, bleeding lips as she looked up at me through slitted, nearly swollen shut eyes.
“Here, babe,” I whispered, moving quickly, gently, efficiently, pulling the bloody sheet around her naked body. “Baldy’s on his way. Knight knows what’s happening. I’m here with my partner. His name is Creed. He’s a good guy. In a second he’s gonna come in. Let’s get you decent.”
A whimpering sob slid past her lips as I tucked the sheet around her bruised, bloodied, abused, violated body.
When I was done, I asked, “You okay for Creed to join us?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
I felt him move in and looked up at him as I sat on the bed and pulled her hair away from her face. “Ice, wet washcloth,” I said softly, Creed’s heated infuriated eyes moved from Serena in the bed to me, he jerked up his chin, turned and disappeared.
I bent over Serena. “We’re here. We’ll take care of you, babe. We’re here.”
Another whimpering sob.
I heard a low whistle, my head came up and Creed tossed a wet cloth to me. I nabbed it and he disappeared again.
I folded it, pressed it light against her eyes and got another whimpering sob.
“We’re here, baby,” I whispered, stroking her hair.
“There’s nowhere I don’t hurt,” she whispered back and rage tore through me as blood rushed in my ears. It took effort but I fought it back.
“We’re here,” I whispered. “You’re not alone, Serena. We’re here, baby.”
After a short while, the door opened, I looked to the opening of the hall and Creed filled it, ice bucket in his hands. He stopped close to me, handed me the bucket but held my eyes.
“Check it,” he mouthed.
I nodded.
Then I checked it.
Then I bent back to Serena.
*
I paced the hall outside Serena’s room but while I moved, my eyes were locked on Creed who was on the phone with Knight. Baldy, or Dr. Baldwin, a good doctor, a good man but one who accepted cash and kept his mouth shut, was in with Serena as was a nurse he’d called in to assist him.
I’d heard Creed’s side of the conversation and got from it there were two other girls who had since called in, both newish, both with all-nighter clients, both messed way the fuck up.