“You keep saying you instead of we.”

Jak’ri closed the incinerator. A whoosh sounded. “I’m not coming with you.”

She stared up at him. “What?”

“I’m staying here. Keep me apprised of everything telepathically as you go. If you run into any trouble, I’ll start blasting things in here, then run and draw their fire.”

“Oh, hell no!” she blurted. “We leave together or we don’t leave at all.”

“Ava, you have a much higher chance of escaping if I keep them distracted long enough to—”

Closing the distance between them, she rose onto her toes, curled her free hand around the nape of his neck, and pressed a fervent kiss to his lips.

Startled into silence, he stared down at her.

“I’m not going without you, Jak’ri. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me. We either escape together or we die together. Those are your two options. Time is ticking. What’s it going to be?”