Thealarm abruptly cuts off, taking the red strobe with it, leaving only the steady drone of the standby lights.
"Didwe..."Shetrails off, staring at the blinking cursor.
"Wegot them,"Isay, my voice gravelly. "Redirectedto the sandbox.They'rehacking an empty box right now."
Slumpingback against my chest, she lets out a long, ragged exhale. "Jesus.Thatwas close."
"Tooclose."
Steppingback would be the logical move.Checkingthe perimeter logs, callingAustinto update the physical security protocols, and verifying data integrity should be my priority.
Instead,Ibury my face into the warm curve of her neck and inhale deeply.
Shegoes entirely rigid. "Daniel?"
"Youdid good,"Imurmur against her skin.
Afine tremor runs through her limbs. "I...Ijust did whatIhad to do."
"Youprotected my family."Pressingmy mouth to the sensitive spot below her ear,Ifeel her pulse jump, erratic and fast against my lips. "Youprotected what's mine."
Spinningthe chair, she turns to face me directly.Wesit nose to nose, her knees knocking against my thighs.Theresidual adrenaline from the hack mutates, shifting into something heavier.Thethick tension fills the small space like gun smoke.
"I'mnot part of your family," she whispers.Ablatant lie.
Grippingthe armrests,Ilean down until our mouths hover inches apart. "You’rein my house.You’reusing my tech.You’resaving my ass."
"I'msaving my brother."
"AndI'msaving you."
Hergaze drops to my mouth before snapping back up.Hertongue darts out to wet her bottom lip, a devastatingly unconscious habit.
"You'retoo close,Tracker."
"Notclose enough."
Loweringmy gaze,Istare at her chest.Shewears that gray, oversized hoodie she’s had on sinceIhauled her out of the cabin.Thestitched logo on the breast advertises a shell company theCostasuse for a shipping front.Red-LineLogistics.
Idespise the garment.
Seeingtheir brand against her collarbone makes my blood boil.Themen who kidnapped her brother provided the very fabric wrapping her body.
"Takeit off,"Icommand.
Herlashes flutter. "What?"
"Thehoodie.Takeit off."
Herhands drop to the hem, clutching the thick material. "I'monly wearing a thin tank top underneath.Theair conditioning is freezing."
"I'llkeep you warm."
"Daniel, we just stopped a cyber attack.Weshouldn't be?—"
"Irefuse to let their filth touch your skin."Alow growl vibrates deep within my chest. "Lookingat that logo makes me want to burn the entire state down.Takeit off."
Herfingers remain locked on the hem.