Page 185 of Axis of Fire

Like we were talking over the phone instead of standing in the middle of a brawl.

“They won’t leave us alone unless they get caught.”

She was right.

“Leave that to me.”

Airis’s voice came from somewhere close behind me.

And suddenly I realized he'd been there the entire time.

Close enough to reach me.

Close enough to protect me.

Like a shield.

I watched him lift the dust settled across the cracked concrete.

A powerful gust of wind tore through the parking lot.

The dust shot directly toward Ethan’s group.

New screams erupted immediately.

People stumbled.

Coughed.

Cursed.

At the same moment, Airis’s hand brushed against mine.

Briefly.

Deliberately.

“We need to get out of here. Now.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed members of his squad guiding my friends toward the exit.

Everything was moving.

Fast.

Controlled.

As though they had rehearsed situations like this a hundred times before.

And for the first time that night, I finally allowed myself to breathe.

Not because the fight was over.

Not because the police were coming.

But because I knew he wouldn't let anything happen to us.

And for the first time that night, I let myself trust him completely.