Chapter 12 · Blackout Ledger - Chapter 12: The Girl in the Ledger

"Move."

Kael's hand closed around my wrist before I could pull the cable. His grip was tight enough to bruise.

"Let go," I said.

"Not until you tell me what you're about to delete."

I didn't look at him. Couldn't. The progress bar on the cracked screen was climbing—forty percent, forty-two. The file Jon had unlocked sat half-open in my palm, bleeding data onto a slate I'd jury-rigged to a dead drop outside the sublevel. Once it hit sixty, it'd be gone. Out of Kael's reach. Out of mine.

"Raina."

"I said let go."

His other hand came up, fingers brushing the edge of the slate. Not grabbing. Just there. Close enough I could feel the heat off his skin.

"You don't erase something unless it scares you," he said. "What's in the file?"

"Nothing that matters."

"Liar."

Fifty-three percent. The chip in my wrist pulsed, that sick little rhythm it always did when I was close to something I shouldn't touch. My pulse matched it, beat for beat.

"You took a drone hit for me," I said. "That doesn't buy you my whole life."

"I'm not asking for your life. I'm asking for one file."

"Same thing.