Chapter 14 · Wrong Code

"Get your hands off me!" Mara snarled, shoving Kane’s chest as they stumbled into the dimly lit corridor of the sublevel.

He didn't budge. Instead, he gripped her wrist, his fingers like iron bands. "Shut up and keep moving. If the patrol catches us here, we aren't just getting arrested. We're getting erased."

"Oh, look at the big corporate prince, playing the hero," Mara spat, though her breath was coming in ragged gasps. "You’re the one who got us trapped in the first place. Your precious bloodline’s security is a joke."

Kane stopped dead. He slammed her back against the cold metal wall of the hallway. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and before she could blink, he was in her space. His chest was inches from hers, the heat radiating off him in waves.

"My bloodline is the reason you're still breathing, Mara," he whispered, his voice a low, dangerous vibration. "Don't mistake my patience for weakness."

Mara glared up at him, her heart hammering against her ribs. But it wasn't just her heart. She could feel it—that strange, rhythmic thrumming from his chest, echoing through the link. It was fast.