A heavy, rhythmic boom that vibrated through the floor tiles.
“April.” Arthur’s voice was a tectonic rumble from the hallway. “The system is reporting a thermal spike in sector four. Open the door.”
Jax pulled back and swore under his breath. He glanced at the server rack behind her. The one currently throwing heat warnings because they'd been pressed against it for the last five minutes.
He grinned. The server room hummed around them, recycled air carrying the faint scent of ozone and warm electronics. April could feel the heat radiating off the rack behind her, or maybe that was her skin, still burning from where his hands had been.
"Thermal spike," Jax said, his gaze dropping to her mouth before settling on her eyes. "You've been down here for ten minutes, April. The hardware's having feelings about it."
The taste of mint sat on her tongue like evidence.
“Open it, Jax.” She slid off the desk, legs unsteady, fingers finding her hair in an attempt to being it back to some level of corporate respectability.
He hit the mag-lock release, then leaned in close enough for only her to hear.
“Killian has the ring, but I have the receipts.”
April’s stomach flipped. Not the nervous kind. Theoh no, this is definitely a thing nowkind.
The door opened. Arthur stood in the hallway, arms crossed, his eyes sweeping the room in one efficient scan. April stood several feet from Jax, both of them breathing too carefully; Jax looked like he’d just won a game she hadn’t realized they were playing, and she was trying very hard to look professional and failing spectacularly.
Arthur's gaze lingered on her face. On the color high in her cheeks and the slightly mussed hair.
He gave her a knowing look.
Then he stepped aside and gestured toward the hallway.
April grabbed her tablet and walked past Arthur, awareness prickling up her spine as she felt his attention track her movement.
Behind her, Jax’s quiet laugh echoed through the server room before the door hissed shut again.
FIVE
Expense Report Gauntlet
April
April’s phone buzzed as she stepped into the hallway with Arthur.
Another text. Unknown number.
She glanced back through the reinforced glass. Jax was watching, phone in hand, that wicked smirk back on his face. The second their eyes met, he dropped out of sight.
Then Jax popped back up and gave an awkward little wave.
Her phone buzzed again.
UNKNOWN:Feel free to lay down more rules.
UNKNOWN:I think I’ve proven I’m good at following them.
UNKNOWN:No cryptic poetry this time.
UNKNOWN:I’m learning.
April smiled to herself. Then tapped the number, added a name.JAX
April’s heels clicked an uneven rhythm. She clutched the hardware key Jax had given her, cold and heavy in her palm.
