Up ahead, a stretcher suddenly appears. It’s being rolled along by four paramedics and closely followed by a couple of other figures. The pain of my burning muscles and the sound of footsteps behind me disappear as my world narrows to nothing else but reaching that gurney.

The small crowd of people gathered around Jace all glance up at me in surprise as I barrel toward them. I reach them just as they’re wheeling Jace out through the open entryway.

An ambulance is parked just outside the large opening in a small area surrounded by chain-link fence. A couple of stadium security agents stand beside the open gate. Several reporters hover on the other side, watching the events closely. I come to a screeching halt once I’m alongside the stretcher. Jace’s eyes are closed, but his breathing is even.

The cold fist of fear around my heart relaxes slightly.

“Is he okay?” I ask one of the paramedics frantically, my voice breaking as I take inventory of his still body.

He looks at me with surprise. “Who are you?”

Another one of the paramedics looks back at the man and woman walking behind the stretcher. They’re both wearing navy polo shirts embroidered with the Sharks’ team logo.

The woman steps forward. “Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to leave this area. I’m not sure how you got back here, but it’s restricted access.”

“I’m not leaving,” I state. I don’t leave any room for argument in my tone.

The woman looks startled by the authority in my voice, but recovers quickly. “I’ll have to call security,” she threatens. As she does, two of my agents appear, breathing heavily as they stop behind me.

The woman eyes them skeptically.

“Call them,” I tell her.

The paramedics begin moving the stretcher forward again, lowering it when they reach the ambulance to load Jace inside. I follow after him.

“Princess, what are you doing?”

I turn and realize Michael is one of the agents who followed me.

“I’m going to the hospital.”

“What? Why?” Michael asks, coming to stand in front of me. “What on earth is going on?”

“I don’t have time to explain. Move,” I snap.

“I’m not letting you leave here on your own in an ambulance.”

“Get out of my way,” I repeat, louder this time. “That’s a direct order.”

Michael moves to the side, but follows me as I climb into the back of the ambulance, ignoring the paramedics’ wide eyes as they bounce between me and Michael.

“I’ll go with her.”

I turn to see Thomas has appeared, along with two more agents who were supposed to stay with the cars. Clearly, they’ve already called in reinforcements. Thomas climbs into the ambulance next to me.

“Why are we still here?” I ask the paramedics sharply. “Let’s go.”

They listen to me, closing the door on the confused expression of the woman who spoke to me and the annoyed faces of my agents.

I stare down at Jace’s handsome face as I feel the ambulance lurch forward, silently cataloguing the changes. His dark hair is shorter, and his ordinarily clean-shaven face sports a hint of stubble. Twin black lines are still streaked across his face. Otherwise, he looks exactly the same as he did the last time I saw him.