Chapter 26 · And you decided to keep running?

My jaw tightened. "And you decided to keep running?"

"You had a better idea?"

"Yes. Stop being an idiot."

"Great plan. How long did you spend developing it?"

The lift doors began to close.

A soldier lunged through the gap.

I kicked his knee sideways. He dropped with a howl, and I caught the edge of his rifle before it vanished between the doors. The weapon fired. The muzzle flash lit Jax's face.

He flinched.

I tore the rifle free and smashed its stock into the soldier's fingers. The doors sealed.

For three seconds, there was only the lift's violent shaking and Jax's uneven breathing.

Then he laughed.

I turned on him. "What?"

"Nothing."

"You're laughing."

"I laugh when things go badly."

"Things are going extremely badly."

"Exactly. I'm right on schedule."

The lift jerked downward. Jax slammed into me. I caught him by the shoulders, but the sudden movement put his face against my throat.

His breath warmed my skin.

"You keep throwing yourself at me," I said.

"The floor keeps moving."

"The floor is stationary."

"Agree to disagree."

I held him steady until the lift stopped. He didn't pull away right away.