Chapter 12 · The Forbidden Deal

"Get your hands off me, Kai."

Eve’s voice was a jagged edge, but her body told a different story. She was pinned against the cold metal wall of the med-bay, her breathing shallow, chest heaving against the fabric of her corporate suit. I didn't let go. My fingers were locked around her wrists, pressing them back against the bulkhead.

"You're crashing again," I said, my voice low, vibrating in the small space between us. "And we both know you can't fix it with a pill or a reboot. You need me."

She tried to wrench her arms free, a flicker of that ice-cold heiress pride returning to her eyes. "I don't need a Shell. I need a stable power source, not a glitchy black-market accident."

I leaned in, close enough to smell the ozone and sterile chemicals clinging to her skin. I could feel the heat radiating off her—her protocol was overheating, red-lining. The air between us felt thick, charged with a static that made the fine hairs on my arms stand up.

"Call me whatever you want," I whispered, shifting my weight so my thigh pressed against hers. "But your heart is skipping beats, Eve.