Chapter 77 · Not Just a Key

"If you were only a key, I would've handed you to Command."

His hand stayed around my wrist.

Not tight enough to bruise. Just firm enough to remind me who had dragged me out of the Core before the alarms finished screaming.

I looked down at his fingers, then back at his face. "That’s supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. It’s supposed to keep you from doing something stupid."

"You locked me in a supply room."

"Because you were bleeding."

"You pointed a gun at me."

"Because you were trying to run."

"You called Command."

His jaw tightened. "I called in a false location."

That stopped me.

Only for a second.

The metal corridor shuddered beneath our feet. Somewhere behind the sealed blast door, boots pounded closer. The red emergency lights flashed across his face, cutting his eyes into hard pieces of silver and black.

His palm was warm against my skin.

Too warm.

I yanked my wrist. "Let go."

He didn’t.

"Listen to me."

"I’ve listened to you all night. First, I’m a liability. Then I’m an asset. Now I’m what? A person?"

His gaze dropped to my mouth.

The pause was tiny.