d arrived wi

lurred beneath the sheets of water, a bleeding palette of red neon and shadows. And above it all, high i

e glass walls. Her silhouette tall, sharp, comm

tood

she al

ash onto the floor. In front of her lay a table, the surface swallowed by files, photographs, an

em

ullets. Rule

d

eat

across a photo cli

. That charm

it a flame inside her. She'd been many things in he

r ag

echoed thr

elev

Her grip on the c

the clearance to w

she sai

e smooth. Con

ame his voice deep, polished, with just

old not to d

rned,

illain in a painting. He looked as good as sin: black dress shirt rolled at the slee

s gloves ont

de yoursel

been a target

like

ut me?" she aske

dn't

y both knew

ays ha

heartbeat didn't speed up, but her body remembered the

't touche

her initials into the

e he ble

id, looking at the files. "And t

't nee

urrounded

orn surr

a blueprint. The docks

ur east port

kno

r lieutenan

id I

ooke

e blee

y. "You didn't co

, "I came to remind you that

nk you're th

ocked on hers. "

between them l

aling the edge of an old scar one Kai had kissed once,

w, like a ghost wa

t changed,"

ispered. "Chan

him. Bare feet si

" she said. "But you're st

ghtened. "This

t do go

reath t

still yours," s

d. "I think

ng more than i

around the switch

ded it

too

ven closer. "

ha

o

didn't le

ade to his palm a

beaded

drip onto

?" he

their faces we

said. "N

throat

d her han

flinch,"

, then lifte

matchin

oined his o

they just star

locked wounds p

sed. He

are we doing?

o," she said. "Bl

aned f

lips b

soft. It w

was

other like enemies me

onto the edge of the table, sending papers flying. Her legs wrapp

be fel

fro

aring anythin

ed, head dropping

is jaw and forced

to stop," she s

ot sto

kin rough, reverent. S

n the heat t

ulled

n your

blin

ha

heard

and fell. His p

he dr

es slightly, silk poo

ne," she

p at her lik

he D

he b

t speak fo

he window, bare and glowing

shirt open, scratches

d, "Is this sti

dn't a

. Wrapped his arms arou

about him," h

N

as abou

es

"Then let me help

yes c

, she let hers

them lit up an alert

L

er lieutenant Rico bound i

miling at

d up a

queen,"

t Rico's

ed. The scree

dropped in

ped away

lin

alread

le. Back to the

o who

her rob

resh blade in

tea

gui

y f

want to hel

no

r. We're burning