Chapter 11 · Golden Cage

"Take your hand off the door, Selah."

I kept my palm on the security panel. "Make me."

Kane stood six feet behind me, barefoot, wearing a black shirt with the sleeves shoved to his elbows. No armor. No cameras. No smiling golden-boy mask for the public.

Just him.

That made him more dangerous.

The panel flashed red under my hand. A pulse of heat snapped through my wrist, climbed my arm, and stopped behind my ribs. The contract had noticed the distance between us.

Kane’s jaw tightened. "You have three seconds to step back."

"Or what? You’ll drag me home by the leash?"

"If I have to."

I hit the panel again.

Pain punched through my chest. My knees dipped, but I caught myself on the wall.

Kane crossed the room in two strides. His hand closed around my wrist before I could reach for the emergency release. Warm fingers. Hard grip. Not enough to crush bone, but enough to remind me he could.

"Let go," I snapped.

"Stop fighting the seal."

"Stop locking me in your apartment."

"It’s not an apartment."

"Right. My mistake. It’s a luxury prison with better lighting."

His eyes dropped to my wrist.