Chapter 39 · The City Finds Its Dead Heiress

"Move, Lucas. If you want me alive, get me to the broadcast room before your people turn me into a body bag."

His hand clamped around my arm. Hard. Warm. Steady enough to make me want to bite him.

"You don't give the orders," he said.

"Funny. You signed a protection contract saying I do."

"That contract says I keep you breathing. It doesn't say I let you hijack the city."

I ripped free and shoved through the steel door at the top of the tower stairs.

The broadcast room waited twenty feet ahead, sealed behind a glass security panel. Beyond it, the main console blinked red.

Locked.

Still alive.

"There." I pointed at the console. "Your command hasn't killed the feed yet."

Lucas raised his pistol.

"Don't."

I caught his wrist before he could fire. His pulse jumped beneath my fingers.

His eyes dropped to my hand, then lifted to my face.

We were too close. His breath brushed my cheek, hot against the tower's cold metal air.