Chapter 27 · Six-Foot Danger Zone

Kane caught my wrist before I could reach the door.

"Six feet," he said.

I twisted hard. His fingers tightened, warm and unshaking around my pulse. "Let go."

"Not until you stop trying to walk into a Bureau kill zone by yourself."

"I wasn't going by myself. I was taking you."

His mouth pulled into that polished hero smile he used for cameras. It looked wrong this close. Too smooth. Too practiced. "Cute. You still need me alive."

I drove my elbow toward his ribs.

He turned with it, caught my other arm, and put my back against the door. The bond snapped tight between us. Heat ran from his palm into my skin, then straight through my chest. My breath hitched before I could stop it.

Kane noticed.

Of course he did.

"Still pretending the contract doesn't work?" he asked.

"Still pretending you aren't enjoying having a leash on me?"

His face went still. "You want to test that leash?"

"I want to see how much blood your perfect suit can hold."

"You already tried."

"I was distracted."

"By the three armed agents outside?"

"By your face. It makes me want to break things.