There was silence for a moment as everyone paused for a sip. Confused looks were still shooting around the room.
“It’s weird, though,” Maverick said. “If she’s new, how did she know how we liked our coffee?”
The low-level anxiety in Pilar’s belly shot through her veins as pure, unadulterated fear. She leapt forward, screaming as she slapped the coffee out of Maverick’s hand.
“Don’t drink it!” she shrieked, waving her arms at the others.
Silence fell. Maverick stared at her, a look of amused shock on his face.
Maybe, I’m wrong. I hope I’m wrong.
Maverick smiled. Pilar was about to laugh, to make a joke about how now they had to go and get more coffee.
Then, a dark red flush crept up Maverick’s neck. His eyes bulged, and his mouth opened wide as he gasped for air.
Before Pilar could move to catch him, Maverick crashed to the floor, convulsing so hard it looked like his bones were going to break right through his skin. Pilar was struck still with complete, utter horror.
I did this. I let him get hurt!
Pilar knew, no matter what the outcome, she would never forgive herself for this.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
MAVERICK
The darkness was absolute. Somehow it felt heavy and sharp. It was not like sleeping, not at all. Maverick struggled, not understanding where he was or what was happening.
Sounds threaded through the void. Regular beeps. The shuffle of sheets, strange machinery noises.
Pilar’s voice.
He struggled toward it, finding that his body was too heavy to move. Maverick focused on the darkness itself and tried as hard as he could to open his eyes.
Light seared between his eyelids, making him gasp. He tried to move his hands, only to find that one of them was being held tightly. Maverick blinked again, finally realizing that he’d been unconscious, perhaps even in a coma.
“I’m here, Maverick. I’m here. Please wake up.”
He’d never heard Pilar sound so frightened, so quiet. It scared him badly enough that he fought the darkness, demanded his body wake up and look at her.
As the light crept into his pupils, Maverick groaned. He felt Pilar squeeze his hand, and her gentle fingers touched his forehead. He looked straight into her eyes, and when she saw him looking at her, she smiled, even as tears came to her eyes.
“Maverick, you’re awake.”
Everything came together with incredible speed and blinding clarity. Maverick’s quick mind added up his situation, but there were gaps in his memory. He didn’t know how he had gotten here.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice rough as he struggled to speak through his sore throat.
Must have had a tube in me at some point. Ugh.
“How much do you remember?” Pilar asked, her hand tightening on his.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I was working in the lab and flirting with you … then I don’t know.”
“A strange woman brought coffee,” Pilar said, her voice growing husky. “I didn’t pay enough attention to what was going on. I should have known something wasn’t right. Long story short, your coffee was poisoned, and I completely missed it.”
Maverick shifted in bed, groaning as his entire body protested. “Poisoned with what?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the doctor. I’m just so happy to see you awake.”