Of Crossfire Hearts

[ "Previously published as Unexpected Steam by pen name Keira Blackwell," now unavailable. ] Introduction*You don't realize your heart is in danger until it stops being yours.*The first time Elena Marquez saw Sofia Rossi, she thought the girl was already dead.The file had labeled her as a "high-value asset," not as a "human being." It included her blood type, escape patterns, and the encrypted number of her father's offshore vaults. What it hadn't included was the way Sofia looked at her-like a storm about to break: fierce, defiant, terrified, and beautiful.Elena had saved many people during her career. Most of them didn't thank her. Some didn't survive long enough to try. But Sofia wasn't like the others.She didn't run.She *stayed*. She asked questions. She got close. Too close.Now, the file didn't matter. The protocol didn't matter. The kill order sitting in someone's inbox didn't matter.All that mattered was how Sofia's hand fit in Elena's as they sprinted through fire.All that mattered was keeping her alive.And Elena would burn the whole world to do it. [ "Previously published as Unexpected Steam by pen name Keira Blackwell," now unavailable. ]