Page 167 of Fractured Devotion
I hesitate, remembering I locked the door earlier. My heart skips once, tight.
Then his voice slides through the door, smooth as silk. “Open it, Celeste.”
I get up, unlock the door, and let it swing open.
And there he is.
Kade.
His presence fills the room before he even speaks, that familiar blend of danger and allure wrapped in his quiet confidence.
“Morning,” he drawls, shutting the door behind him like he owns the air between us.
I keep my expression neutral, tilting my head just slightly. “You’re early.”
He walks closer, his eyes tracing over me with that knowing hunger. “I had a feeling you’d be here,” he says, his voice dripping with seduction. “Working too hard again, Celeste?”
I smile, soft and calculated. “Some habits are hard to break.”
He leans against my desk, too close, his fingers brushing along the edge.
“You look tired,” he murmurs, his voice soft but suggestive.
I let my gaze linger on his mouth for a beat too long. “Maybe I need a distraction,” I reply.
He smirks, sensing the shift. “Meet me after work,” he says, his voice dipping lower. “My place.”
I let the invitation hang in the air before answering, “Alright,” in agreement, my tone laced with promise.
His eyes darken with satisfaction. “Good girl,” he murmurs, and then he’s gone, leaving the door ajar and the tension thick.
The moment he leaves, I glance at the countdown.
Forty-seven hours, fifty-three minutes.
The fuse is already lit.
By midday, Alec returns, changed and composed but no less on edge.
He finds me in Diagnostics, alone but purposeful.
“It’s done?” he asks under his breath.
I nod.
“Thirty-two hours,” I say, my voice even. “Then everything goes dark.”
His jaw tightens. “We need to tell Reyes. He deserves to know.”
Together, we slip away to Reyes’ office, keeping our steps measured.
Inside, I lay it out quickly but clearly.
“The system will collapse in two days,” I tell him. “Records, data, every last protocol.”
Reyes pales, but he doesn’t argue.
“I… I need time,” he mutters.
