Chapter 14 · Don't Bleed Out On Me

"Get your hands off me, Rook. I'm leaving," I snapped, trying to wrench my wrist away.

Cael didn't budge. His grip was like a steel cuff, his fingers digging into the soft skin of my wrist just enough to let me know he wasn't playing. He leaned in, his chest nearly brushing mine, and the heat coming off him was oppressive.

"Leaving where, exactly?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous grate. "You can barely stand. You're shaking so hard I can feel it through the bond. You think you can outrun a Crown squad in that state?"

"I can handle it," I lied, my voice cracking.

I tried to step back, but my legs gave out. I didn't just stumble; I collapsed. Before I could hit the grime-covered floor of the safehouse, Cael’s arm hooked around my waist, hauling me up with a sharp jerk. He slammed me back against the peeling wallpaper, his body pinning me in place.

"Liars don't survive the night in this city, Mara," he whispered. His breath was warm against my ear, sending a traitorous shiver down my spine. "And right now, you're lying to yourself. You're terrified. I can taste it.