Chapter 26 · HEA Claim

"Take your hand off the door, Eve."

She kept her palm pressed against the lock anyway. Her fingers were cold against the heated metal, and the thin black veins under her wrist had started glowing again.

"You don't get to order me around in my own house."

"Your house has three armed drones on the roof and a kill-switch under the floor." I caught her wrist before she could turn away. "So, no. Not tonight."

Her eyes snapped to mine. Pale blue. Sharp. Still dangerous, even with blood running from the corner of her mouth.

"Let go."

"Say you won't open it."

"Kai."

"Say it."

For three seconds, neither of us moved. Her skin was cold, but the pulse under my thumb beat too fast. The crash had already reached her throat. One more hard failure and her body would lock up from the inside.

She looked at my hand around her wrist, then back at my face.

"You really think you can hold me here?"

"I know I can."

"Because you stole power from three Protocol carriers and scared half the city?"

"Because you told me not to let you leave if the lines turned black.