Chapter 158: 1:36 A.M
Dominic slammed the guy against the wall, and the mask slipped down his face.
My chest seized.
Not him.
Blonde hair spilled out of the hood. Not black.
The guy’s voice cracked as he shoved Dom’s arm off. "What the hell, man? Are you insane? Why’d you push me like that?"
My breath stuttered. Shit. Shit. Wrong guy.
Dominic’s chest was still heaving. "You were running..."
"Yeah, because I’m late for my shift!" the guy snapped, pointing at the hospital ID badge swinging from his neck. "Jesus, man, you can’t just grab people like that! You want me to call security?"
I felt sick. My hands shook at my sides.
I pressed a hand against my chest, trying to calm my breathing.
I swore I saw those eyes.
Dom’s chest was rising and falling like he’d just run a marathon. His eyes flicked toward me.
What if I was wrong? What if I dragged Dom into this, into panic, and it wasn’t him at all?
I dragged both hands through my hair
Then....
Through the glass doors at the far end of the hallway, another figure slipped outside.
Dark hoodie. Head down.
My heart stopped.
"Dom," I whispered, my voice breaking as I grabbed his arm. "There, look."
We both turned just as the figure swung a leg over a motorbike.
"No...no, no, no!" I stammered. We shoved past people, nearly tripping over, as the automatic doors slid open.
By the time we pushed through into the night air, the engine roared to life. The bike shot forward, tires screaming against the pavement.
"Fuck!" Dominic cursed, sprinting after it. He was fast, but not fast enough. The taillight was already shrinking into the darkness, weaving through the traffic outside the hospital gates.
I stood frozen on the curb, staring ahead.
He was right there. Right fucking there. And I’d missed him.
I could still see him. The way he looked back.
The way his eyes caught mine like he was taunting me.
I wasn’t crazy. I wasn’t imagining it. It was him.
Dom turned back, still scanning the road like the bike could appear again.
I pressed the coin harder into my palm until the ridges cut my skin.
Dom’s eyes flicked to mine. "Ash..." His voice cracked. "Tell me you’re sure. Tell me you’re not just..."
"I’m sure." The words ripped out of me. "I swear to God, Dom. It was him this time. I saw his eyes. I know those eyes."
"We should go check on Liam," Dom said.
I just nodded, but inside, I was spiraling.
He couldn’t have reached Liam. He couldn’t have. What did he mean by he finished the job.
We slipped back inside, moving fast through the sterile brightness of the ER.
The elevator dinged, and we stepped in.
10th floor.
The doors slid open.
Chaos hit us instantly. Nurses rushed past us with clipboards. One of them nearly bumped me, and I stumbled back.
"What’s going on?" Dominic called out.
The nurse barely paused. "Room 1013. Liam Everhart...he’s seizing. Alert his parents immediately."
My heart stopped.
Dominic turned to me, tears welled up in his eyes. His lips trembled as he whispered, "Ash... we were too late. Do you think the guy got to him? You were right, this is no coincidence."
Something shattered in my chest.
"No," I gasped, shaking my head so hard my vision blurred. "He’ll be okay. He’ll be stable."
We pushed through the crowd toward his room. The door was wide open.
Liam’s body convulsed violently against the sheets, restraints straining against his wrists.
His eyes rolled back, lips foaming, chest heaving.
"Seizure lasting longer than five minutes!" a nurse called.
"Prepare diazepam!" another snapped.
"Vitals are dropping!"
Don and I froze in the doorway.
"Airway! Keep his airway clear!" a doctor ordered, rushing to tilt Liam’s head, sliding an oxygen mask over his face.
Dominic held my arm tight. I could feel his body vibrating.
My breath wouldn’t come. Oh my God. He’s dying. He’s really dying.
Dom pushed forward, his face was pale, his hands kept shaking. "Please save Liam."
"Sir, you need to step back," a doctor said firmly. "We’re trying to stabilize him."
One nurse turned briefly. "We don’t know what triggered this. We’ll need tests."
Triggered. My mind flashed back to that figure. That smirk. The coin kept spinning in my palm.
"We need IV access now!" another nurse shouted, hands moving fast, snapping gloves, sliding a line into Liam’s arm.
The heart monitor beeped faster. Each one was louder than the last.
I couldn’t take it. My hands were pressed to my face, but my eyes burned. "This is my fault," I whispered through the cracks in my fingers. "I should’ve stopped him. I should’ve..."
"Don’t," Dominic cut in. He pulled me closer, his forehead pressing briefly against mine. His breath was shaky.
The monitor flatlined.
The sound was deafening. One long, piercing tone.
"Code blue!"
"Start compressions!"
A doctor climbed onto the stool, hands pounding into Liam’s chest. His body jolted with each push.
"Charging to 200!"
"Clear!"
The shock hit him, his body arched, then collapsed back against the bed. The monitor stayed flat.
What if I’m about to watch Liam die?
Dom’s hand squeezed mine, trembling just as bad. His lips brushed my ear, low and wrecked. "Ash... I don’t think I can’t take it if Liam doesn’t make it."
"No response. Increase to 300!"
"Clear!"
Another jolt. Nothing.
My knees gave out. My hand clutched the doorframe so hard my nails dug grooves into the wood.
No, please. Not like this. Not Liam.
Dominic’s hand crushed mine. His face was wet, trembling, but his lips wouldn’t form words. He just kept shaking his head, over and over, like denial could force Liam’s heart to start again.
"Time of death..." the doctor’s voice cut. "1:36 A.M."
And then....silence.
Not even the monitor screamed anymore. Just the shuffle of nurses pulling off their gloves, the soft clatter of a tray being wheeled away.
The world didn’t feel real. Like sound itself had dropped out of existence.
My ears rang.
My hands shook uncontrollably as I stared at Liam’s still chest.
Waiting, begging for it to rise again. For his eyes to flicker open and prove this was all a nightmare.
Nothing.
"He’s gone," I whispered. The words broke me as soon as I said them.