Chapter 7 · Escort Dr. Lilith out

She yanked the door open. Two security guys were right there. She looked at them, then at us.

"Escort Dr. Lilith out," Kane ordered them without looking. "And if she comes back without my permission, you escort her off the property. Permanently."

The guards hesitated, then nodded at Kane. Not her.

Power play. Done.

The door slammed. The lock clicked.

And then it was just us. And the beeping. And the fact I could still feel his heart hammering in my own ribs.

Kane swayed. I caught him before his knees buckled.

"Whoa. Hey. Easy," I said, dragging him back to the surgical chair. "Sit. Now. You're gonna stroke out and I'm gonna follow you 'cause of this stupid tether."

He sat, but he didn't let go of my arms. His hands were tight on my biceps, pulling me down so we were eye level. Too close. I could smell sweat and antiseptic and that weird metallic rot the curse left.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Am I okay? You're the one who just went toe-to-toe with a viper while your heart was doing 180!"

"You were on the floor," he said, like that explained everything.