Page 71

Just like before, Ember sails over the turnstile with effortless grace, her body moving like it’s second nature. I follow, but with my size, it’s more of an awkward hurdle than a clean leap. My thigh catches the edge, sending a jolt of pain through my leg.
Our timing couldn’t be better.
A train rumbles into the station, doors sliding open with a pneumatic hiss. We throw ourselves inside just as shouts echo down the stairs.
We barely make it onto the train when Bruiser’s enraged face looms at the top of the stairs. He charges down like a human battering ram, shoving anyone in his path. Bodies stumble and scatter as he barrels through, his sole focus on reaching us before the doors slam shut.
Ember’s breath catches, and she steps behind me as the doors slide together with agonizing slowness.
“Blaze?” Her grip tightens and I shift my stance to protect her.
The doors slide shut with a sharp hiss, sealing us inside just as Bruiser lunges. His meaty fist slams into the glass, rattling the entire frame with a sickening thud. He throws his full weight against the doors, making the whole train car shudder under the force, as if the metal itself might buckle beneath his rage.
For a split second, his furious eyes lock on mine. Then, with a lurch, the train surges forward, leaving him cursing on the platform.
For a moment, there’s only the sound of our ragged breathing and the rattling of the subway car. The caustic smell of brake dust fills the air, mingling with the sweat of fear.
“We made it.” Ember collapses against me. “I can’t believe we made it.”
I wrap an arm around her, feeling her trembling against me. Her hair tickles my chin.
“We’re not out of this yet.”
She looks up at me, eyes bright with adrenaline and something else. “I know. But we’re alive. We’re together.”
The train hurtles through the darkness, carrying us away from immediate danger, but questions gnaw at me, each a weight on my chest.
How did he find us?
“I need to contact my team.” My fingers brush against my weapon in my holster, but I’m out of ammo. It’s a piece of lead now, a humbling reminder of our vulnerability.
Ember falls silent, her fingers moving in slow, delicate circles on my arm, like she’s unaware of its effect on me. Each soft stroke sends a ripple of heat down my spine. Her touch is featherlight and grounding like she’s anchoring herself to me.
Her voice, barely above a whisper, breaks the silence. “And if they can’t help?”
I meet her gaze, seeing my fears reflected there. “Then it’s just us.”
She nods, a small smile playing on her lips. “I can think of worse odds.”
The train car is nearly empty. An old man dozes in the corner, and a teenager with headphones nods to an unheard beat. No one pays us any attention, but I can’t shake the feeling of being watched.
“First things first.” I lower my voice, keeping it steady. “We get in touch with my team. Explain what happened.”
But even as I say it, doubt gnaws at me. When the safe house was hit, I was sure they were after Aria—Holbrook’s daughter, the obvious target. But now, after the relentless pursuit through the night, it’s clear that’s not it.
They’re after Ember.
I glance at her, the confusion tightening in my chest. She wasn’t the target. She just got caught up in this, trying to do the right thing.
Why are they after her?
Something doesn’t add up.
The train lurches, taking a sharp turn. Ember steadies herself against me, her touch sending a jolt through my system.
“There’s a station coming up with payphones,” she says. “Assuming they still work.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You seem to know the subway system well.”