“Twenty out for the first run. They’ll take Memphis and the asset first—light load.”
“How’s Barstow holding up?” Viper asked.
“Scared as hell, but he’s keeping it together.”
Titus looked over, a quick cut of blue eyes meeting his—brief, sharp, enough to pull Viper’s focus for a beat. “Any sign of the cartel?”
“Negative,” Law said. “Floodplain’s a mess.”
When the call ended, Viper eased his hand away first. His fingers slid from Titus’s—slow from the wind, and the contact lingered.
He felt every bit of it.
“They’ll take the first run,” he said, voice rough. “We’re second lift.”
Titus smirked. “Guess we’re walking?”
“Yeah, as soon as this shit dies down some,” he pulled his eyes from Titus’s and back to the terrain.
Whistling whirlwinds sent dust spiraling across the entrance, grit stinging the air.
Wind wasn’t uncommon this time of year, but this—this was a freak one.
Ten long minutes before it eased, and even then, Viper didn’t trust it.
He slanted a look at Titus—hunkered down beside him, quiet, alert. A fighter.
Titus kept his back to the granite, body coiled under the low rock shelf. Viper knew that stance—poised, lethal. Too damn compelling.
His own hand flexed on his thigh before he spoke.
“I didn’t mean for him to die.”
Titus looked over, eyes locking with his.
Up close, Viper caught the contrast—dark circling the pupil, brighter blue fanning outward.
Titus didn’t look away. Neither did he. The air between them thinned, sharp as a trigger about to break.
“You don’t have to say that,” Titus said quietly. “I should’ve stopped both of them before you had to.”
Viper’s jaw tightened, but his tone stayed low.
“No. That shouldn’t have fallen on you.”
Titus held his gaze—just a second too long.
Long enough that Viper felt the air shift between them, sharp as a live wire.
For him, it was damn close to a moment—something he wanted more than he should admit.
Titus broke first.
A blink, a muscle ticking in his jaw—like he’d caught himself doing something he didn’t intend.
Then he looked away—fast—shutting whatever flickered there back behind armor.
The spell snapped.
