It’s—
“Stop looking at me like that,” I say without turning.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re trying to solve a puzzle.”
He grunts. “I’ve solved it.”
“Oh, really?”
“Mm. Complicated puzzle. Poorly made. Sharp corners.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m grinning like an idiot.
“Go sleep,” I say.
“Can’t.”
“Youcan. You just won’t.”
His voice drops a little. “Not until I know you’re safe.”
I pause.
And for one second, I let myself lean on the counter, let the heat of the mug warm more than just my hands.
The space between us isn’t just about proximity anymore.
It’s potential.
Untouched. Unspoken. But humming like a live wire beneath the surface.
And I know?—
Sooner or later?—
One of us is going to touch it.
And nothing will ever be the same.
CHAPTER 10
VOLTAR
The tension between us has gotten so thick you could cut it with a plasma blade—and believe me, I’ve cut through tougher things. I feel it every time she walks past me, brushing her hand against mine like it’s an accident. Every time she throws a sideways glance when she thinks I’m not looking. Every time she lingers just a second too long in the doorway of a room before disappearing like smoke.
So today, when she wakes up and groggily says she might hit the market fair, I jump on it like it’s a tactical deployment.
“For reconnaissance purposes,” I say, trying to sound official as I buckle my chestplate and slide a fusion pistol into the small of my back. “Urban familiarity protocol. Could be Syndicate activity. I’ll need to evaluate the perimeter for hostiles.”
She squints at me, hair still wrapped in a morning bun. “You mean...you wanna tag along.”
“I mean I am assigned to your protection and will be conducting a sweep of all high-density civilian zones for any potential Nine-affiliated threats.”
Sable folds her arms. “Uh-huh. And that just happens to include fried food carts, fortune tellers, and mechanical claw games.”
“It’s very advanced psychological warfare,” I mutter, avoiding eye contact as I slip on my tactical shades.
