Page 112 of Crossover

Daniel’s stare darted between the officers and me, a wild desperation in his gaze. “I’ll shoot!”

“You do that,” I said, taking a step closer, “your family will remember you as a coward who fired at a police officer. There’s no way to spin that without looking like a monster, Daniel. Is this how you want to be remembered by your loved ones?”

His face fell, his eyes shimmering with tears.

“It’s over, Daniel.” My voice was soft, my warning tough.

Daniel’s chest heaved, each ragged breath echoing in the silence. His white-knuckled grip on the gun trembled slightly as his wild eyes darted between the stone-faced officers and me, desperately seeking an escape that didn’t exist.

When he spoke, his voice was a broken whisper. “Tell them I love them.”

Time seemed to slow as Daniel raised the gun with agonizing deliberation, pressing the cold barrel beneath his quivering chin.

“No!” The command thundered from Detective Mitchell’s throat, reverberating off the walls.

Bam.The deafening crack split the air.

Daniel’s head lolled backward, his body slumping to the ground in a lifeless heap as the gun clattered to the floor beside him.

I stood frozen, my pulse pounding in my ears as I stared at Daniel’s motionless figure, an avalanche of unexpected feelings crashing down on me.

Daniel was gone forever.

I thought I would dance on his grave after everything he had done, but instead, a part of me felt cracked open by his sudden and violent end.

Memories of the good Daniel flooded my mind—of the times when he’d been there for me in my darkest days. Despite the villain he had become, I couldn’t deny the role he had played in saving me when I needed it most.

Swallowing, I knew this was only the beginning; I’d mourn not only the loss of his life, but of the person he’d once been. His journey into darkness would serve as a constant reminder of the complexity of human beings and the devastating consequences of our choices.

I cast one final glance at Daniel before turning away, wanting nothing more than peace. But his parting words echoed in my mind with an ominous mantra.

“Vosch will eventually hunt you both, and you’ll never see him coming.”

61

IVY

“Are you sure he’s okay?” I asked for the millionth time, my voice trembling with a mixture of hope and fear. My heart threatened to burst out of my chest with each passing second.

Jace smiled reassuringly. “He’ll be here at any moment, and you can see for yourself.”

I paced the great room of Hunter’s mansion, my footsteps echoing against the hardwood floors while the fireplace crackled, casting a warm glow across the room. But even the warmth of the flames couldn’t melt the icy tendrils of anxiety that gripped my heart.

“You’re wearing out the flooring.” Luna smiled, offering me a drink, her face soft with understanding.

“No, thank you.”

“It’s all over now,” she assured, setting my rejected cocktail on an end table.

But nothing would feel over or okay until I saw Grayson with my own eyes. Until I wrapped my arms around his body and felt his chest pressed into mine, until his voice would rumble through my ears as he held me.

The anticipation was a tangible force that squeezed the muscles around my lungs, making it hard to breathe.

The creak of the massive wooden door made me freeze, my breath caught in my throat. Time seemed to slow as my gaze swept across the room, finally landing on the emerald eyes I knew so well.

“Grayson.” My voice came out in a whisper as I ran to him, crashing into his embrace like a wave against the shore.

His strong arms enveloped me, his fingers threading through my hair, holding me close as I wept against his chest.

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