Page 24 of Shadowed Sins: Nitro

"Three."

We burst from the container in unison. The transition from his heat to the cool air makes me gasp, but my body moves on instinct, muscle memory taking over.

Ten-foot drop to the next level. I leap without hesitation, body rotating mid-air, arms extending in flawless port de bras. The landing flows into fifth position, knees barely bending, silent as snowfall.

Shit. Too much. He'll notice.

"Holy shit." Jax lands beside me, louder, messier, staring. "That's not—people don't move like that."

"People don't do lots of things." The admission tears from me before I can stop it.

Careless. Stupid. He's making me careless.

His eyes search my face in the industrial lighting. Looking for secrets, finding too many.

"??????," I mutter.

"I don't know what that means, but if you're telling me to forget—" He runs a hand through his hair, agitated. "Not happening."

Searchlight sweeps across our position. We dive behind a container stack, bodies colliding again. His hand catches my waist, steadying me, and the connection scorches through every layer of defense.

"Stop touching me."

Don't stop. Never stop.

"Stop running into me."

"I'm not—"

"Both of you shut the fuck up," a voice says above us.

We freeze. A guard stands on the container, radio in hand.

"Control, I've got two—"

I move. Pure instinct, pure training. Leap, twist, strike. The guard crumples, but his radio clatters down the metal siding.

Jax catches it before it hits ground. "Nice."

"Necessary." But warmth spreads through my chest at the approval.

Since when do I care about his approval?

We run again, navigating the final stretch. Every time we move through tight spaces, his scent wraps around me—cologne and sweat and male heat.

I want to taste his skin. Want to bite that throat. Mark him.

The perimeter fence appears ahead. Freedom. Separation. Safety from whatever this is between us.

"After you." He gestures to a gap in the chain link.

"No, after you."

"Seriously? We're doing polite criminal etiquette now?"

"Just go!"

"Oh for fuck's sake—" He dives through the gap, turning immediately to watch my exit.