"She's going to be okay, isn't she?"
The voice sounded muffled, like it came through water. Kaya recognized it, but she wasn't entirely sure if she could place it.
"Why isn't she waking up?"
"The doctor said it would be any time now. Patience."
This time, Kaya definitely recognized the voice. Little by little, Kaya pried her eyes open. She vaguely recognized the ceiling above her, the smells around her. What had happened after she passed out?
"Finally!" Jade's face appeared in Kaya's line of sight. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Is this... your place?"
Jade nodded her head, using her fingers to keep her hair away from her face. "There were still reporters hanging at your home. Ransom decided this would be the most inconspicuous place for a meeting."
"Oh." Kaya planted her elbows against the couch and pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Is he here?"
"Of course." Ransom answered the question himself.
Kaya lifted her gaze to see him sitting in a chair facing her, his arms resting on the chair's arms like a king upon his throne. Next to him, Zoren fretted in his own seat.
"Zoren?" Kaya rolled her neck, hoping to loosen the knots in it. She blamed the stress of the week.
"Yes, well..." Ransom shot a disdainful look toward Zoren. "I wanted to meet with you privately, but someone decided to make a fuss of things."
"A fuss?" Kaya reached for the blanket on her legs and wrapped it up around her shoulders, too. "Zoren?"
"Of course I made a fuss. The prissy secretary came barging into the apartment building, making demands. Do you realize how scared I was when I saw you passed out? No way I was going to let T-Mobile over there take you out of my sight."
"I've told you five times in the last hour. My name is Tobin, not T-Mobile." Tobin appeared from the kitchen area with a white washcloth in his hands. "Here, Ms. Parker. Your eyes are a bit swollen. A cold washrag should help."
"Everyone here does realize she called for my help, don't you?" Ransom looked to each inhabitant of the room, in turn.
"Yeah, I really believe that." Zoren rolled his eyes.
Kaya swallowed. "Actually... actually, I did call for his... his help." And it almost hurt to admit it.
"You did what?" Zoren shot out of his chair. "Are you crazy? Why would you ask for his help? I said I would help you."
"Saying that you're my boyfriend wasn't helping at all." Kaya pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I still got phone calls I was afraid to answer."
"Would you leave Ms. Parker and I alone to create a plan?" Ransom interjected again.
"Oh, get off it, Ransom." Jade flipped her long hair over one shoulder. "No one here wants to leave her alone with you. Discuss the plan all you want, but we are staying."
"You are such a pain some days." Ransom sighed heavily. "At least get Kaya something to snack on. She still seems pale."
"I've got it." Zoren strode toward the kitchen, his long legs eating up the distance.
Ransom folded one leg over the other. A grin tugged at his lips. "So, Ms. Parker... are you ready to negotiate?"