Chapter 23 · I'm Telling You What I Intend to Do

His hand locked beside my hip, trapping me against the wall.

The room was too small for both of us. His coat brushed my wrist as he leaned in, rough fabric scraping my skin. Heat pressed through it. He smelled like smoke, clean soap, and the sharp metallic bite of a weapon that had just been fired.

"I'm telling you what I intend to do," he said.

"You don't get to decide who I am."

"No."

His palm stayed beside my hip. Not touching. Close enough for me to feel its warmth through my shirt.

"But I can decide who gets close enough to erase you again."

My breath caught.

Damn him.

The warning light painted half his face red. His eyes stayed on mine, hard and unreadable, but his breathing had changed. Slower. Deeper. Like he was holding himself back from touching me.

I should've stepped away.

Instead, I grabbed his hand.

His fingers went still beneath mine.

"Evelyn."

"Don't."

The backup transmitter sat inside the wall, its power core cracked and spitting blue sparks.