Chapter 27 · The Occupancy Appendix Tears

"Fifteen." Marco's voice came out flat, no question in it. He peeled the number off the wall counter like it was a splinter under skin. The switch behind the shelving had ticked over while we were still tangled on the steel table, my spine printed pink from the cold, his mouth still wet at my collarbone.

Fourteen tides. That was the deal I signed. Fourteen was the number customs needed stamped by dawn. Fifteen wasn't on any paper with my name on it.

"Explain it." I pushed both palms flat against his chest and the frost bit straight back into my skin the second his weight lifted off me.

"Now. Before I put my clothes back on and walk out of this room and let them seize the ice house at sunrise."

"It's mine." He didn't move off me all the way. Two fingers dragged down my jaw, slow, like he was checking I was still real under his hand.

"Insurance. In case you ran at fourteen with the die still in your pocket and my name still stapled to the appendix."

"You rigged a fail-safe against me."

"I rigged a fail-safe against losing you." No dressing on it.