Page 90 of Dark OZ

“Danny,” I said more firmly when he refused to look at me.

“No, Dorothy. We’re not doing this.” Still not looking at me, he stalked over to the door.

I knew he was hurting, but hearing that name sliced so much harder than it should have.

“Let’s grab the others and leave. I’m done here. I’m done with this.” Danny pounded on the button beside the door.

I picked up the emerald and tucked it back into its box. The case, for being so tiny, was surprisingly heavy. Before I could debate my actions, I sat the emerald in the drawer, then sent the box back to wherever it was stored and slipped the key into my clutch.

Danny, finally remembering why we were here in the first place, turned back to me. “Give me the emerald.”

“I can’t.”

“I’m not playing around, Thea. Stop being a brat and give me the emerald.”

“Oh, it’s Thea again, is it? I put it back in the safe. It’s already gone, you great dick waffle.”

Danny growled and slammed his hand into the wall beside my head. “The Wizard can access that at any point. He proved that much already.”

I stepped close enough that our shoes touched, lengthening my spine to give me as much height as I could. My high heels were finally doing me some good. “It wasn’t your decision to make.Ichose what to do withmyemerald.”

“Don’t fucking push me.” Any minute flames were going to start shooting from his nostrils like some kind of mythical dragon or raging bull. Either that or tiny bits of brain matter would fly when his rising blood pressure finally made his head explode.

“He already was more than clear that the emerald is useless without the matching necklace. It’s safer here than on the road with us.”

“Spoiled brat, doing whatever she wants and not bothering to consider the rest of us.” Danny reached out, grabbing my throat, and pulling me to him like he was going to try and kiss me. Fucking, typical.

I slapped him in the face. Danny blinked in surprise, a perfect red glow already appearing on his freshly shaved cheek. He didn’t release me, only reeled me in further.

“Don’t,” I snapped through gritted teeth, his lips only a fraction of a space from mine. “Or I won’t ever let you touch me again.”

“That’s fine. Been there, done that. We both know you’ll just open your legs for the next man who walks by.”

“I know one man they won’t be opening for.”

The door opened. Danny abruptly cut off any retort he might have made and pushed me away.

Melinda walked into the room, with Nick following closely behind her. One look at Danny’s barely leashed fury had her silencing whatever polite greeting she might have said.

As soon as we ascended above ground, Crowe’s voice returned. “From the look on Danny’s face, I’m guessing he didn’t like the answers he got.”

I shook my head, too busy seething over Danny’s callousness to do anything else. I knew he didn’t mean it and that his heart was shattering inside. Those harsh words were just the splinters making themselves known, and I was the unlucky one standing in their path when they went flying. It didn’t make it hurt less.

“Danny, we’ll get them, brother. Every last one. They’ll pa—”

The entire elevator shook. The metal cables smacked into the side of the car, ringing the cabin like a bell and making my heart instantly leap into my throat. Panic and true terror for the possibility of being stuck in an elevator flooded me. The lights flickered, switching over to a red emergency light. By the grace of Ozma, the elevator resumed its ascent.

Nick’s eyes met mine in the reflection of the elevator door. For a second, I saw what looked like regret. It was a baleful, almost heartbreaking expression. Nick dropped his hand, his fingers brushing mine.

I tilted my head in question to him. The look in his eyes, as his pinky wound around mine, was beginning to scare me. He looked like he’d just murdered someone’s granny.

The elevator dinged, the arrow indicating that we were back on the lobby level. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that we’d soon be free of the confines of the elevator. No falling to our doom, no being trapped in the tiny box of death.

The comms in my ear crackled loudly, before Crowe’s broken voice returned.“Heads up fol—There’s maj— heat in the lob--I’m going to try and—”

Nick mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

“Wh—” My question was cut off the same time our reflection in the opening door disappeared—replaced by a waiting pistol.

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