Salt Kiss – Episode 21
The warning in Tristan’s earpiece transformed desire into discipline. He drew his weapon, moved Mark behind the reinforced wall, and focused on the corridor camera. A shadow crossed the feed before the image went black.
“Stay here,” Tristan ordered. Mark’s displeasure was immediate, but this was Tristan’s territory now. Protecting him required obedience, not negotiation.
“You don’t know how many there are,” Mark said.
“That’s why you’re staying behind the locked door.” Tristan checked the magazine and reached for the handle. “If I don’t report in two minutes, trigger the silent alarm.”
Mark caught his wrist. For one dangerous second, professional concern and unfinished hunger collided between them. “Come back.”
Tristan held his gaze. “That’s the plan.” He slipped into the corridor and let the door seal behind him.
The service lights had been disabled, but darkness had never frightened him. He moved by memory, using the layout he had studied until each doorway and blind corner felt familiar.
A figure lunged from an alcove. Tristan deflected the attacker’s arm, heard metal strike the wall, and drove him to the floor. The man fought with trained efficiency rather than a thief’s panic.
Tristan trapped the knife hand and demanded a name. The attacker answered with silence, then reached for something inside his coat.
A second set of footsteps approached. Tristan pivoted, expecting another threat, but Mark emerged holding a pistol. Anger flared through Tristan alongside relief.
“I told you to stay inside.”
“And I decided two minutes was too generous.” Mark kept the weapon trained while Tristan searched the captive. The coat contained no identification, only a copied access card and photographs of Mark’s movements.
The images confirmed surveillance stretching back weeks. Several included Tristan, proving the breach had continued after his arrival.
Security staff finally reached them and removed the intruder. Tristan ordered the man isolated until law enforcement arrived, though he doubted a professional would volunteer useful information.
Once they were alone, Tristan turned on Mark. “If you ignore me during an attack, I can’t protect you.”
“I won’t hide while you risk your life for mine.”
“That is literally my job.”
Mark stepped close, gaze burning with something more personal than defiance. “And you are more than your job.” Before Tristan could answer, a guard returned with alarming news: the captured intruder had swallowed poison rather than reveal who had sent him.