Page 182 of Silver Elite

Cross doesn’t buy it.

I can tell he doesn’t, as he surveys the scene. His blue eyes slide back and forth from me to Tana. Skeptical. Shrewd. But those eyes soften when he notices the state of her dress. Sighing, he turns toward the bed, assessing the blood on the sheets. The hole in Anson’s head.

Xavier stalks in a moment later and curses loud enough to startle Tana, who’s in the armchair hugging her chest.

“What the hell, Darlington?” Xavier demands.

“He shot at me,” I reply, my voice cold. “I came to check on my friend and heard her screaming. I threw open the door, found Anson on her, and ordered him to stop. He twisted around and fired at me.”

To drive that home, I point to the bullet embedded in the door behind us.

“I fired back,” I finish.

Silence falls.

The two guys exchange a look. They focus on Anson’s body, then Tana shivering in the chair.

I wrap a protective arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” My gaze seeks out Cross. “He attacked her. It was self-defense.” I realize how that sounds and add, “I was defending myself after he fired at me.”

He rubs his forehead. “Fucking hell.”

“Captain?” Xavier’s tone is wary.

Finally, Cross activates his earpiece. “Hadley, we need a sanitation squad at the inn.”

I hear Hadley’s response over the feed. “Copy that.”

“Where’s my father?” Tana asks. She’s starting to look less dazed. More present.

“He’s being transported as we speak,” Cross says. He glances at me. “He gave up the location of the tunnel.”

Fear fills Tana’s eyes. “Transported where?”

“He’s being taken to the mine in Ward D. He was sentenced to labor.”

A strangled noise leaves her lips, and I give her shoulder a soft squeeze.

“You’ll be going to X to serve your sentence,” Cross tells her.

Her gaze flies to mine. “What is he talking about?”

“I’m so sorry,” is all I can say, but with her cardigan on and her arms concealed, I’m able to express more than an apology.“It was the only way to save you from the firing squad. You guys were being charged with treason. I’ll contact the Uprising as soon as I can and try to get you out.”

She gapes at me. “I’m not going to a labor camp.”

Cross shuts down her protests. “You have no choice.”

Her focus remains on me. “Wren. You can’t let them do this.”

“You can’t fucking let them take me away!”

“I don’t have a choice, either. I fought to get you this deal.”

“This is bigger than both of us, Tan. You know it is. I’ll find a way to get you out. I promise.”

“You…” Her breathing quickens as she stares at me in horror. Sheer betrayal.

For a moment, I’m afraid she’s going to reveal what I am. That we’re communicating telepathically.

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