Page 60 of Dead End

“I don’t, but I believe in us. If there’s even a sliver of possibility for you and me to live out the rest of our immortal lives together, we’re going to find a way to blow that crack wide open.”

“I can’t decide if that’s romantic or unnecessarily violent.”

“Can’t it be both?” His lips found mine. The kiss was intentionally slow, Kane’s effort to remind me exactly what I was leaving behind. There was no need for a demonstration; I already knew. I pressed myself against him, the heat between us so strong that our bodies could’ve melted together if we weren’t careful.

A familiar image shimmered behind Kane. A mage paced outside the gate. His pink cheeks suggested he’d been out there for quite some time, his purple boots wearing grooves into the concrete.

I extricated myself from Kane. “Gun’s here.”

“He’s early for the meeting.”

“He isn’t here for the meeting.” I’d deliberately omitted Gun from the group text message.

Kane cocked an eyebrow. “I’ll stay upstairs then, shall I?”

I planted a quick kiss on his lips. “Only until the meeting.”

As I descended the staircase, I decided to put Gun out ofhis misery and lowered the ward. He must have felt the shift in magical energy because he was already across the bridge by the time I reached the porch. I observed his flat steps and stooped shoulders. This wasn’t the confident Gunther Saxon I usually encountered. This was a mage that carried the burden of deep regret.

“Hello,” I said, arms folded.

“I couldn’t get past the ward.”

“I know. I blocked you.”

Guilt seeped from Gunther’s perfect pores. The mage couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact. “I’m here for the meeting.”

“You weren’t invited.”

“I’ve entered my Maleficent era and decided to show up anyway.” He stopped at the base of the porch and braved a glance at me. “I want to help.”

I barked a laugh. “Help?”

He winced. “It’s my fault you need to have this meeting in the first place. I’m sorry for that.”

“What about the innocent lives that were lost in Paradise? Are you sorry for that, too?”

His head snapped upright. “There were no innocent lives lost there.”

“You’ve clearly been an assassin too long if that’s your attitude. I told you there were deities and supernaturals there against their will or who didn’t agree with The Corporation’s actions. Do you think Unas bothered to differentiate?”

His chiseled jaw set. “Collateral damage is an unfortunate consequence in wartime.”

“Gun! Listen to yourself.”

“Hard choices had to be made, so I made one.”

I thumped my chest. “It wasmychoice to make, not yours. You deprived me of agency, and you took lives in the process. Ademir was one of them.”

Gun snuck a peek at me. “He was one of the good ones?”

“He had a crush on Libby, which showed good judgment, and he could’ve treated me far worse than he did.”

“Not exactly high praise.”

I balled my hands into fists. “He didn’t deserve what happened to him! And Libby is upstairs right now, recovering. Her only crime was being a goddess with nowhere else to go.”

Gun flinched. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

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