Page 1 of Crossover

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GRAYSON

The organization I dedicated my life to, I literally killed for, is about to kill the woman I love. And my only family, my three brothers, might get caught in the crosshairs…

It had been difficult for me to embrace the depths of my feelings for Ivy, but she had stitched the shattered remnants of my soul, piece by piece, until the very essence of my being became a rich tapestry of emotions—feelings I had long ago buried in an unmarked grave with a headstone two decades in the making.

Those delicate threads remained vulnerable to the slightest pull, though, and now this ominous feeling that I was too late was a jagged blade, poised to slash through the fragile fabric of my soul.

I had to save her. And my family. No matter the cost.

My heart pounded against my ribs as I fishtailed into my brother’s expansive driveway and damn near stopped at the sight of two men shoving Ivy’s small figure into the back of a black construction van that was parked near the front door. The vehicle was angled for a swift getaway—both a blessing and a curse. With only one way in and out of this long driveway, they’d have to pass me to reach the road. But my advantage was short-lived as their headlights flared to life, momentarily blinding me as my vision struggled to adjust.

With tires screeching against the pavement, I gripped the steering wheel so tightly, my knuckles turned white. The van loomed ahead, now careening toward me. Time seemed to slow, each second stretched thin as a figure suddenly emerged from Hunter’s mansion, hunched over and coughing from the thin tendrils of smoke snaking out the front door.

Jace.

My heart jerked.Is he okay? Is Hunter? Bryson? Luna?

Every instinct screamed at me to rush inside and ensure my brothers’ safety, but I knew they could call for help if needed. Ivy, on the other hand, had no such luxury. The thought of abandoning my siblings made my stomach churn, yet I realized that if I didn’t follow her now, she’d vanish forever, her fate sealed.

In that frozen moment, suspended between two unthinkable choices, my eyes locked on to my brother. Through the haze of smoke, an outside lamp illuminated him enough to see him stand back up and straighten his arm.

He’s…aiming a gun at them?

The crack of gunfire split the air, and my adrenaline surged in a confusing mix of horror and exhilaration. Horror, because Jace was a businessman, not some trained marksman. His stance suggested he was aiming for the tires, but if one of those bullets went astray and found Ivy instead of its intended target…

I couldn’t bear to finish the thought. Yet beneath the fear, a thrill of hope ignited.

Someone was fighting back on my side.

All his shots must have missed, though, because the vehicle didn’t slow down.

My attention snapped back to Jace, who appeared to be looking at me as he swept his hand in a gesture that said,Go. Follow her!

The leather steering wheel groaned under the force of my grip. Ahead, the van hurtled down the driveway, its headlights glaring in the gathering dark. In a last-ditch attempt to intercept it, I yanked the wheel hard to the left, my vehicle lurching sideways with a sickening crunch of metal on metal.

The airbag exploded in my face, a startling burst of white that filled my vision and left me gasping for breath. To my horror, as the airbag deflated, I could see that the van somehow maintained its hellish trajectory, undeterred by the collision.

Hopelessness rose like bile in my throat, bitter and corrosive, threatening to overwhelm me. With a growl of determination, I slammed my foot down on the gas pedal, the engine roaring in response.

I had to catch up to them. I couldn’t let them get away.

The acrid stench of burning rubber assaulted my nostrils as the van fishtailed onto the main road, tires shrieking against asphalt, all while my engine roared, fighting to close the gap. With one hand on the wheel, I fumbled for my phone with the other, my thumb dancing across the screen to Hunter’s number.

Each unanswered ring stretched an eternity until?—

“Grayson?” Hunter’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Ivy—kidnapped—I’m in pursuit,” I panted, swerving to avoid an oncoming car. “You okay?”

“We’re fine. Security’s arriving.” His tone sharpened. “Focus on Ivy. Go!”

I ended the call, both hands back on the wheel as I bore down on the taillights.

The vehicle in front screeched as it swerved violently to the left at the next intersection, its tires smoking and leaving black streaks on the pavement, and for a heart-stopping momentwhere my stomach dropped, it teetered on the brink of tipping over, its right wheels lifting off the ground. Until it righted itself with a sickening thud. I followed suit, my foot slamming down on the accelerator, the engine growling in protest, the sound tearing through the air like a wounded animal crying out in a plea for mercy.

As I tailed the vehicle, the urge to ram into them, to force them off the road, was overwhelming. But I couldn’t risk it, not with Ivy in the back. One wrong move at this speed, and she’d be dead.

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