“Why?”I’m playing with fire.
Or a bear. I’m playing with a bear.
“I’m not your fucking boss, that’s why!”
“Are you sure about that?”
He turned his head and caught her eyes. She wanted to look away but couldn’t.
“Absolutely,” he finally answered.
Vee pursed her lips and wiped her palms on her pants again. “Why do I need my schedule empty tomorrow?” she whispered.
Cypher kept his eyes locked on her, heating her under his stare, foregoing the skyroads entirely. “Unless you want to be interrogated all night, I’ll need tomorrow to get everything I want out of you.”
She managed to tear her gaze from his. “Yes…you’re right…” Vee stared ahead until he turned away.
The golden twilight vanished behind them under the smog and city lights, but the lights weakened the closer they got to the slums. When the rusted skyscrapers became familiar, she knew they were close. “Of course you know how to get to my place,” she mumbled.
“I’m a Cyborg.”
“I know…”
It was full dark by the time they parked, and she couldn’t get out of the hovercraft fast enough to shake off Cypher’s heat. But the door didn’t give the first time and when she tried it again, it opened swiftly. The smell of industrial waste was a small relief. She’d been drowning in his scent without being aware of it.
He came around the vehicle and took her arm. “Come on. It’s not safe.”
“You care about my safety now?”
He stopped and turned toward her, nostrils flaring. “You are under my protection until our deal is ended.”
“I keep pepper spray in my pocket.”
His nostrils flared further. “Fucking hell.” He pivoted back with another rumble and pulled her after him into the alleyways.
Vee decided there was no point in arguing.
When they reached her apartment building, there was a group of people still gathered out front. She and Cypher stopped a building away. He pulled her into his side.
“How are we going to get through them?” she asked, pushing away. “I don’t think my pepper spray will work on all of them.”
“Give me a moment.”
She glimpsed his face under the smoky streetlight, seeing his pupils glaze over with numbers. Awed, she stared when a buzzing filled her ears and all the lights on the street shut off. Darkness flooded the area. She blinked and Cypher tugged her forward.
“Cypher?” she questioned, stumbling after him.
“Hold onto me,” he ordered.
She clasped the side of his jacket.
Gasps sounded as they neared her building, and she squinted at the dark figures around them. Scurrying every which way, the people fumbled with the lights on their cameras and wristcons. Cypher pushed through until they were safely in her building. The streetlights zinged back on when the elevator opened. He pushed her inside.
She jerked her arm out from his grip. “Stop manhandling me! We’re inside now. I can walk.”
He bypassed the elevator’s keycard system and tapped her floor’s number. “I will once I know you’re safe.”
“I’ve lived here for years. I assure you I’m fine. I don’t need your protection.”
