Page 53 of Rush the Edge

You don’t own me, Kane. But maybe this will suffice.

Xo

Feeling proud of my handiwork, I stand up on shaky legs and dust my hands off. The floor moves beneath my feet, and I sway. My palm slaps against Kane’s door to save my face from colliding with it before I abruptly back away and jam my finger against the elevator button.

Shit, hurry up.

Heat prickles my hairline, and my stomach twists. The hallway begins to close in on me.

No, no, no.

This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve fainted, but no matter how many times I’ve done it in the past, there is no preparing for it.

I’m seconds from collapsing.

The elevator opens, and I dart inside. I turn and rest my back against the cool wall.

My breaths are ragged as I try to breathe in and out of my nose.

I need to lie down.

Before I’m safely tucked away in the empty elevator, Kane’s door swings wide open.

He’s standing there in nothing but low-hanging sweats and damp hair. After seeing my gift, he angles his sturdy chin toward me inside the elevator, and his blue eyes darken. I attempt to smile, but he disappears altogether when my vision blurs, and I collapse against the floor.

Twenty

KANE

What the fuck just happened?

One second, I’m holding a ripped piece of paper in my hand from my own personal devil, and the next, I’m jogging to the elevator because the little culprit crumples to the floor right in front of me.

I shove my finger onto the elevator button over and over again and watch the number drop to the floor beneath me before seeing an up arrow. If I use the stairs, it'll take twice as long.

“Come on.” I press the button again.

My mind is racing.

Is she toying with me to see if I’ll come to her rescue? At this point, it wouldn’t surprise me. We’re clearly at war with one another, and up until now, I thought I’d win. But with the way my pulse is rising from watching her collapse, I'm not so sure.

I’m ready when the door opens.

I rush into it with adrenaline backing my every move, but she’s nowhere to be found.

Sheisfucking with me.

I grip the note in my fingers and read it.

You don’t own me, Kane. But maybe this will suffice.

Xo

Nothing would suffice.

I crumple the note and throw it off to the side as soon as the door slides open on her floor, revealing her standing there with her back to me. I stalk toward her and snake my arm around her waist to spin her so she’s facing me.

“You think you’re so clever…” My words fade.

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