Page 52 of Crossover

When I opened them, the raw emotion in his gaze nearly undid me. For a heartbeat, I thought he might pull me closer,erase the distance between us, maybe even crush his lips to mine for one lass kiss. Instead, his thumb brushed away a tear I hadn’t realized had fallen.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Then, after appearing to savor the last time he’d ever be allowed to touch me, he slowly withdrew his hand.

The loss of contact was like a physical ache, leaving my skin cold where his warmth had been.

After a few seconds, Grayson unlocked the motel room door with Red’s key and waited for me to step inside. I studied his features, trying to decipher what he was thinking, but he kept his emotions behind a mask, his voice tight as he said, “I’ll be gone by morning.”

My heart cracked at his words, but I forced my feet forward. As I stepped past him, the heat radiating from his body seared my skin, igniting a storm of unwanted sensations. I froze, my eyes locking with his one last time, and unlike a moment ago, his gaze now held a cyclone of affection and regret that threatened to drown me. It took immense strength on my part to force myself away from him.

One. I stepped back into the room.Two.Our eyes remained locked as Grayson hesitated, then slowly pulled the door closed.Three. The latch clicked shut between us, but the ghost of his presence lingered, haunting me.

My breath came in short gasps as panic clawed at my chest. This would be my life now—his memory, his scent, these forbidden feelings assaulting me at every turn. How could I possibly endure this emotional turmoil on top of everything else?

I began pacing, chewing my nail.

This wasn’t right. Grayson shouldn’t have to shoulder all the burden. There had to be something I could do to help prove Daniel’s guilt, to get him arrested and end this nightmare. Goingto the police station was deemed unsafe until we could ensure it was no longer being watched, but Detective Mitchell could still help investigate and prove Daniel’s crimes, couldn’t he? Kidnapping, at the very least. That should get Daniel picked up and held while the police or CIA proved everything else.

My hand shook as I retrieved the burner phone and went into the bathroom, where I wouldn’t risk waking Mom up.

I’d saved his number before they’d exchanged our cells with a burner.

“Detective Mitchell.” He answered on the first ring.

“It’s Ivy,” I said. “Do you have a minute?”

28

GRAYSON

The shrill ring of my phone pierced the silence, jolting me.

“Seth?” I answered.

“You need to get Ivy and her mother out of there,” Seth said. “Now.”

Shit.

I had just settled in the room at the far end of the motel. While there was no way I could bring myself to leave Ivy completely, after her emotional plea, the least I could do was try to give her some space. So, I’d rented the farthest room from her, and Red had resumed his original post until we could figure out a better plan in the morning.

I had just lain down when my phone went off.

“What’s going on?” I demanded, shoving my feet into my shoes, grabbing my keys, hoodie, and weapon before charging out the door.

The cool night air slapped my face as I hurried across the second-story outdoor hallway.

“After that stunt at the police station, I’ve been monitoring police calls,” Seth said. “Honestly didn’t think anything would come of it, but I wondered if someone might be intimidating or harassing that detective Ivy had mentioned.”

In our debrief.

“And?”

“He just got a call. But not from Daniel.”

“From who?”

“Ivy.”

Fire engulfed my body.You have got to be fucking kidding me. How many times did we explicitly tell her the phone was for emergency use only? To call me. Or Red.

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