She looked at the floor. Blood stains pooled at his feet. There was way more blood coming off him than he either realized or would admit. “Call someone on your mic piece and tell them you’re hurt.”

He shook his head. “Orders are we do not move until we get the all clear.”

“Dang it, Rocco.” Stubborn men. “Then where’s Asher? What happened?”

“It’s fine. Hang tight.”

Rocco hadn’t said he’s fine. And why was Rocco bleeding? She hadn’t heard an explosion, no gunshot. “What about you? What happened?”

“Knife slice. Just need a few dozen stitches, and I’ll be fine.” He laughed and grimaced. “Oh, fuck me.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t feel right.”

“You’ve lost too much blood.”

“No. Something else. Fuckin’ dizzy.” He took a deep breath, and his eyes unfocused. “I know blood… loss. Not it.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. His brow furrowed, and he stared at his arm, the blood. “Damn. It. Jenny,” he slurred. “Hallucinations.”

He started to disarm. One gun off his hip. Another off his leg. A holstered knife.

“Take them. Now.” Rocco leaned against the door. He pressed his mic to his mouth. “Knife wound. Poisoned. Tassels is unguarded.”

“I’m what?” Guns she was comfortable with. The knife, not so much. She stuck that in her pocket, tucked his compact Glock into her waistband, and kept the Smith & Wesson pistol in hand.

He batted his hand in front of his face as if swooshing away flies. “Fucking. Seeing shit.” He flinched. And again. “Get out of here.”

“Where should I go?” What had happened out there? She had to find Asher. Or maybe Jared or Murphy. Roman was out there too. Any of them could help Rocco and confirm Asher was fine. Someone would point her in the right direction. A cop or an agent. She was the senator’s girlfriend. That had to help her get where she needed to go and have her questions answered.

Rocco slumped out of the way, twitching.

“I’ll get help.”

***

“Enough already.” Asher shook off Murphy and Roman. “You got that fucker?”

They were in a large, loud boiler room adjacent to the ballroom.

Murphy nodded. “He’s in custody.”

“The plan wasn’t to separate me from Jenny unless—” someone was hurt. He blinked. “Where’s Jenny?”

Jared hung up the phone and motioned to Roman and Murphy. “We have a problem. Let’s go.”

“Was she hurt?” Asher growled into Jared’s face.

“No. Rocco got in front of the blade. Took it to the arm and chest.”

Asher could’ve felt like a bastard that he was relieved but didn’t care. “Where is she?”

“That’s the problem.”

“Explain the problem to me, so help me God.”