Chapter 14 · The Neon Getaway

"Drive, damn it! Drive!" Evelyn screamed, her nails digging into the leather of the passenger seat.

Kane didn't need the reminder. He slammed the gear into place, the tires shrieking against the wet asphalt of the Lower District. Behind them, three black SUVs tore through the neon-lit smog, their headlights cutting through the rain like predatory eyes.

"You’re taking the long way," she snapped, glancing at the rearview mirror. "They’re gaining. If we hit the main artery, we can lose them in the traffic."

"The main artery is a death trap," Kane shot back, weaving the beat-up sedan through a narrow alleyway. "My father’s goons don't do traffic jams. They do roadblocks and body bags. We go through the Gut."

"The Gut? Are you insane? That’s a dead zone!"

"Exactly." Kane yanked the wheel, sending the car sliding sideways into a blind turn.

The tires gripped, and for a second, the silence of the cabin was heavy. Then, the bond hit. It wasn't a sound; it was a vibration in the marrow of his bones. The Forbidden Card’s link flared, a sudden, searing heat that pulsed from his chest to hers.

Evelyn gasped, her body arching. She didn't pull away.