Page 18 of Cops and Robbers

She dove over the indoor balcony railing.

With her hands stretched out in front of her, she grabbed the aerial silk hanging from the ceiling with her good hand first. Catching herself with both arms still sent a pang through her injured shoulder.

Wrapping her left wrist and ankle around the silk and engaging her core, she controlled her descent toward where the fabric ended in a semicircle above the ground. She spun from her own momentum, drifting downward, and Raz watched her as he strode across the balcony to the spiral stairwell, his gait smooth and casual. He riveted his eyes on her, a tiger devouring its cornered prey.

She couldn’t look away.

With an agile movement, he vaulted the rail. She gasped as he rolled into a practiced landing.

Damn, he’s talented.

Her foot hit the end of the silk, jolting her. Pay attention! She spread the two curtains in her hands to glide down. Shooting pain spasmed down her arm.

She released the silks too soon. Sliding her leg over the silk, she slipped backward. The rope caught and held firm under her bent knee, pulling muscle. Upside down, blood pooled to her head. She prepared to swing back up to correct herself, but Raz stepped in her way.

Eye to eye, she glared at him upside down, breathing hard.

Pine and mint tantalized her nose. To keep herself from twisting, her free leg was open at the hip and bent at the knee. She’d spread her arms and arched her back out of dancing habit, presenting her breasts at his eye level. He ran his gaze up her body, taking in the view the vulnerable position offered. Her skin tingled, and her fingers ached to pull him closer.

Get a hold of yourself. She needed to escape this man, not lust after him.

“Let go,” he demanded, eyebrows raised.

She licked her dry lips. “Ask me nicely.”

The cold metal of a handcuff slapped over her right wrist with a metallic snap that rang throughout the three-story room. Her jaw locked. Those. Damn. Handcuffs.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she said with sugary venom.

“I don’t treat criminals nicely.”

She scowled, heart shriveling, stung by words that shouldn’t have hurt. He may not have known this was a setup, but the judgment in his words cut straight through her. She let go. He caught her and brought her close to his chest, cushioning the fall against him. He held her there for a noticeably long moment, his fingers biting into her skin. A warmth captured her in a foreign force, as if something else was also holding her.

She took a deep breath, drawing in his mint and pine scent before she rolled from his grasp. Silently, she held her arms out to him, the open handcuff dangling. He looked at her with a narrowed expression but fastened the cuffs in place. She bit her lip to keep from snapping at him and gave him a dead stare.

“Come on,” he said.

He pushed her through the house but kept a grip on her arm so she couldn’t run away. Her skin burned where he touched her, making her bite her cheek harder.

“Do you want to lock up?” he asked, gesturing toward the front door while she slipped into her shoes at the threshold.

She scoffed. If anyone had the balls to steal from her—let them. She would love to give chase. Her nerves festered in the silence as they walked to his patrol car, the hair on her body tingling with an inner rage. Wonder what he’s going to do with this criminal.

He opened the back door behind the driver’s seat. She plopped down on the hard plastic before he could touch her again.

He slid into the driver’s seat. When the door closed, the space filled with his intoxicating pine forest scent. As the engine revved to life, he grabbed his walkie from the hook. Clicking the receiver on, he looked up into the rearview mirror. Their eyes locked through the safety glass.

Still silent, she sent him that message again with her gaze. Your prison can’t keep me.

He sighed and hung up the walkie.

Yes. Just where she wanted him. Biting the inside of her lip to hold in her grin, she turned toward the window. Someone who was a member of a vigilante group like the Dragon SEALs wouldn’t worry about bending the laws to uphold justice. He’d take her somewhere private to figure her out, and hopefully with that and other proof, she could figure out if he really was part of the team that wanted to bring Matsuda down as much as she did.

He dropped into gear and raced off.

“Giving me the silent treatment now?” he asked as his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

She continued to stare out the window.