He nodded, scuffing the bits of ceiling tile between us. The door was still closed. No one had come in, but they might if Brooke wouldn’t shut up. “It was never anything personal, you know, between us,” he said again.

Nothing personal? A spark of anger burst and fizzled as I remembered Kisten getting shot at Lee’s house, and then Lee trying to sell me to Al. My leg quivered. The drug was shifting, becoming more potent. My hands opened, and my gun slid to the tile. I tried to grasp it, failing. If I hadn’t been on the floor, I would have fallen. Blinking, I looked at Brooke, still fuming behind her bubble. If she stepped out, Lee might shoot her, and she knew it. But if she stayed in there, we’d simply walk out. Neener, mener, neener …

“I need … to know,” I said, slurring. I tried to pick up my gun, but my fingers only pushed it around, and it scraped the tile sadly. “Does Al have anything on you at all? Do you owe him a cup of coffee? A stick of gum? Anything?”

Lee lifted his chin, hiding his panic at the memory of being Al’s familiar. “Not anymore. The second he let go of my body, it was over. I’m no one’s slave.”

I managed a smile. “That’s good. Good for you, Lee. You shouldn’t let Trent push you around anymore either. You want to get out of here?” Crap. My ears were humming, and I couldn’t pick up my damn gun. I didn’t have the luxury of holding a grudge. “I need some help, Lee. Please. I got you away from Al. Sort of.”

Glancing at Brooke, Lee shook his head. “Sorry, Rachel,” he stated again. “You’re too dangerous. Al follows you like a puppy.”

I nodded, feeling the world list. “He can’t touch you when you’re with me. Pr-r-romise.”

He thought about that for an unreal three seconds, his attention sliding to the door and back. “I’ve never heard of you lying to anyone,” he finally said, a glimmer of his old confidence showing. “You’ve got a deal.”

Oh, good. I didn’t think I could stay awake much longer.

“You son of a bitch!” Brooke shouted, infuriated, but Lee was crossing the room to me. “She gave you to a demon! And you’re going to risk your life for her? Are you insane?”

Lee scuffed his five-hundred-dollar shoe to a halt before me. “Trent seems to think you’re hard to deal with. I’ve never seemed to have that problem.”

“Well, Trent’s just a big b-badass, isn’t he,” I slurred.

“You leave, and you’re a dead witch!” Brooke threatened from her bubble. “Dead!”