Page 14 of His to Burn

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I let my gaze follow the length of his muscled arm and stopped at the ceiling.

Or rather, the tiles that probably hadn’t been dusted in decades.

More importantly, our way out.

The elevator shook again, but I didn’t pay attention to the crash.

Instead I focused on the man as he stretched up tall and shifted the ceiling tiles, ducking his face away to avoid the dust. Then he pushed down, testing, and apparently, deciding the roof was sturdy enough, pulled himself through the hole and disappeared in the yawning black space with one fluid motion.

I kept my attention on the man and tried to refocus my fear.

That was easy.If he can do it, I can, too!

I couldn’t stop the fleeting, humorless smile that lifted my lips.

That was a lie from the pits of hell.

But it didn’t matter.

Because the truth was clear, as undeniable as whatever pull I felt toward this man.

I could stay here or—I realized with a stunning clarity that had been missing before—I could die.

I wouldn’t die.

FOUR

Jack

I should never have cometo this fucking city.

That wasn’t a useful thought as I stood in an Atlanta courthouse’s elevator shaft, and I knew looking back wouldn’t help.

I had to deal with the here and now.

And now I was in a world of shit.

There was trouble; I felt it in my bones.

And if I ever hoped to get back to Evan, I needed to keep focused.

Not let anythingdistract me.

I glanced over, my expression turning into a scowl as I looked at her.

Especially not a woman, not even the one who emerged from the elevator now.

Her face was sweaty, her expression one of complete focus.

She’s so fucking beautiful.

I needed to get a grip.

But even as I told myself that, I couldn’t deny the truth of that thought.

Couldn’t ignore that voice that whisperedmineevery time I looked at her.

It pissed me the fuck off, and that anger only grew as I watched her climb out of the elevator shaft.

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