Chapter 18 · The Price of a Second Life

"Stop trying to figure me out, Mara. It's a waste of time," Kane snapped, his voice low and rough. He didn't move his hand from the wall, effectively pinning her between the cold metal of the safehouse corridor and his own heat.

Mara didn't flinch. She leaned in, her shoulder brushing his chest, the fabric of his tactical gear scratching against her skin. "You're a liar, Kane. You've been lying since the second we locked pulses. Why are you really helping me?"

Kane's eyes darkened. He shifted, closing the last inch of space between them. Mara could feel the thrum of his heart—not just the engineered one, but the raw, heavy beat of a man who had spent too long pretending to be a machine. The air between them tasted of ozone and old adrenaline.

"Maybe I'm just tired of being the only monster in the room," he muttered. He reached out, his thumb grazing her jawline. His skin was hot, almost feverish. "You think you're the only one who lost everything to that company?"

Mara scoffed, though her breath hitched. "You're the heir. You were born with the keys to the kingdom.