“Seriously? That’s the best you’ve got? No apology, no mea culpa? Just ‘be glad it wasn’t the freezer’?”
“I was trying to save your life! If you got caught—”
“If I got caught, it wouldn’t be your problem.”
I recoil. He’s right. I know he’s right. We’re not together. We’re not dating, despite the kiss we shared—well, kiss and a half. We’re not even friends. We’re barely acquaintances. But we are partners in this mission. We’re on the same team. And if something happens to him… My stomach lurches violently. If something happens to him, I’m not going to be okay.
Only a few days ago, I despised villains as much as he clearly despises heroes. I’ve changed, but he obviously hasn’t.
It hurts more than I want it to.
But this isn’t about me or my messed-up feelings. It never has been. “Yeah, well, if you get caught it’s everyone’s problem. That’s what it means to be part of a team.”
He stares at me like I’m speaking Greek. And maybe I am. Because up on that roof, I stopped thinking of Draven as a villain and started thinking of him as a person I care about.
“Come on,” I reach out a hand to urge him along. “I’m not sure this Riley thing is a good idea either. But Rebel seems to think it’s the only way and I trust her. So let’s just suck it up and get it over with.”
He doesn’t move. I expect more arguing, more sarcasm.
But then he does the most extraordinary thing. He grabs my hand. Slides our palms together. Interlaces our fingers.
Sparks race along my spine at the contact, and though I know it’s the wrong time—that there are so many other things I should be thinking about right now—I can’t help the way my breathing becomes shallow or my heart beats faster.
When he says, “So how far is Riley’s place from here anyway?” I know I was right to trust him.
Chapter 22
The streets around Riley’s condo are quiet, and we walk right up to the wrought-iron front gate before running into a camera.
“Shit,” Dante hisses, as he spots the small circle at the corner of the roof.
“I’ve got it covered,” Jeremy says, fingers already flying over his tablet. It takes less than a minute before he’s nodding at the gate. “Go, Kenna. The camera’s off-line and the gate is unlocked.”
I reach out to push to open it, and sparks fly. An electric shock zaps up my arm.
“What the hell?” Draven snaps at Jeremy, pulling me away from the gate. “You said it was safe!”
My ex-boyfriend looks completely baffled. “It is. I mean, it should be.”
“Obviously it isn’t.” He turns to me. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” My arm tingles a little and my muscles ache, but telling him that won’t change anything, so I keep it to myself.
Jeremy spends a couple minutes working on his tablet as we all wait impatiently. “Try it now.”
I reach for the door again. Jeremy’s the best technopath I know, and if he says the gate is safe, I’m going to believe him. Besides, it’s not like I want anyone else to get electrocuted.
But Draven’s having no part of it. He shoves me behind him and reaches for the gate. It’s total he-man behavior and normally it would set me off, but considering how much he’s already compromised tonight, it doesn’t bother me. Especially when the gate swings smoothly inward under his touch.
He holds it open as we all file into the courtyard.
“Which apartment is Riley’s?” Dante asks as we move between the shadows, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Rebel and I point to the second-story, back-corner unit at the same time.
“You’ve been here before?” Draven asks me. The tone of his voice makes me feel weird, even though I’m not sure what the problem is. Is he…jealous?
“Once. With Rebel.”
He doesn’t say anything else, which just makes things feel weirder. I keep my mouth shut as we stand outside Riley’s door and try not to look too nervous as Jeremy works.
This time it takes less than a minute before he’s glancing up at us, a surprised frown on his face. “There’s no security.”
“What do you mean there’s no security?” Dante pulls Rebel against his side where he can shield her with his body. “Rebel said her brother’s security system is state of the art.”
“Dad insisted on it when he moved out,” she says. “Didn’t want to take any chances with the heir to his superhero throne.”
There’s an unmistakable bitterness in her tone. She and Draven definitely share that sentiment.
“Yeah, well, there’s nothing,” Jeremy says. “I’m running every type of scan I have, and they’re all coming up blank.”
“What does that mean?” Draven demands as he once again angles his body in front of me like a shield.
I push at him a little this time. I understand he’s being protective, but he needs to know I’m not his damsel in distress.