Chapter 43 · I said. He looked at our hands

He caught my fingers before I could pull away.

His thumb rested against my knuckles. His skin was warm. The contact lasted one beat too long.

"Don’t," I said.

He looked at our hands. "You started it."

"I saved you."

"You grabbed me."

"Because you were about to get shot."

"So you were worried."

"I was annoyed."

"Your pulse jumped."

"That’s the bond."

"Maybe."

His thumb moved once, barely brushing the side of my hand.

The contract reacted immediately.

Heat spread from our joined fingers to my chest. Kane inhaled through his teeth. The same warmth climbed his wrist and disappeared under his sleeve.

I yanked free.

"Don’t test it."

"I wasn’t testing anything."

"You were."

"Fine. I was."

"Why?"

He looked toward the alley mouth, where the remaining hunters were closing in.

"Because the bond has been weakening since we left the vault."

My stomach dropped.

"Say that again."

"The parasitic link is slowing down. Your body is rejecting it."

"And you waited until now to mention that?"

"You had enough problems."

"If the bond fails, I die."

"Not immediately."

"That’s supposed to comfort me?"

"It means I have time to fix it."

"You don’t fix things.