Page 99 of The Code of You

"Ice?”

"Please.” I pushed a strand of hair away from my face and leaned forward slightly. "Are you the fastest one behind the bar?”

God. I was flirting. Deliberately. Oh, that would make him furious. Adrenaline shot through me.

The bartender grinned. "Obviously.”

I laughed again. "Maybe I’ll need another drink later, then. It was nice chatting with you.”

I took the change, let my fingers rest on his hand half a second too long. Anticipation swept through me as I turned around. I wanted to see Neo’s face. Hell, I was looking forward to watching rage distort his features.

Neo was still seated at the table, not moving. His index finger tapped rhythmically on the wood, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. And his eyes . . . They were glowing in that deep amber that no longer looked human.

My pulse spiked. Heat gathered between my legs. For some reason I loved seeing him like this. It gave me a rush I couldn’t understand. I forced myself to walk back, the glass trembling in my hand. I set it down on the table with deliberate force. The soda nearly sloshed over.

Neo looked at me in silence.

"He’s not dangerous,” I said. "Not everyone who looks at me is a threat.”

"You used him to get to me.”

My stomach dropped. He was right. Of course he was right. He saw through everything, always. "So what.”

His gaze drilled into me. "You want to know how far you can go. How much you can provoke me before I react.”

My muscles tensed. Fight or flight? I couldn’t decide. "Maybe,” I forced out.

"Then here’s your answer.”

He took one step closer. I didn’t step back. He leaned toward me. His voice vibrated through me. "If he had touched you, I would have stopped it. I would have ruined him before his hand reached you.”

My heart raced. "That’s sick.” I swallowed against the tightness in my throat. It was sick. But it was also . . . hot.

His hand closed around my arm and squeezed. I gasped. He said nothing. He only stared at me. It was more unsettling than anything he could have said. Blood rushed in my ears and my mouth went dry. Perhaps I had gone too far.

"You’re afraid.”

"Yes.”

"You’re aroused.”

I shook my head, but I felt my skin burning.

He leaned closer. His mouth was dangerously near my neck. "Pandora, I want you so much it hurts. That it burns. That it consumes me. You belong to me,” he murmured. His gaze found mine. "And if you were with someone else . . . I would . . .” He drew in a breath.

My back curved involuntarily. I got up too fast, my legs trembling. "I’m going outside.”

"No.” He rose. "We’re going. Now. Home.” The way he said home made me shudder.

As we left the bar, I saw that darkness had settled over Dreva. The facades were peeling, the asphalt split with cracks from the frost. Oppressive silence hung between the narrow rows of buildings. I pulled my coat tighter, collar up to my nose, as if I could shield myself from this city. Or from the man walking beside me.

Neo was silent, his jaw tense. His fists opened and closed. I knew this gesture. It came when he was close to losing control. His body radiated a barely perceptible electrical hum. It unsettled me on a primal level.

I heard the sound first—a metallic scraping, then an unnatural screech. Something heavy fell from above. Neo was faster than my scream, shoving me sideways. I hit the wall with my shoulder and dropped. A crash. Dust. The dull impact of weight hitting flesh . . . or whatever passed for flesh in his body.

"Neo.” I fought my way upright through dust and dizziness.

The crane arm was still swaying dangerously above us, threatening to shed more pieces. I pressed back against the wall.