Page 242 of Silver Elite

“I’m still in your head, Daisy. You can talk to me whenever you want, you know that. I love you. I will never leave you. Ever.”

I cling to him, the tears flowing as I bury my face in his chest.“I don’t want to do this without you.”

“You’re never truly alone. You know that. I’ll be right here, every step of the way.”

Behind me, I hear Xavier stashing one of the bikes in the brush. As the sun peeks over the horizon, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky, Cross tips his head toward the faint light.

“The sun will be up soon,” he says. “You have to go.”

“I don’t want to leave you,” I repeat.

“We spent our whole lives loving each other from a distance. We can do it for a little while longer.”

Gulping, I wipe at my wet eyes.

“You can do it, Dove. You’re the strongest person I know.”

My heart throbs as he presses a final kiss to my lips. Every ounceof emotion he feels for me ripples through my body. I cling to him, my mouth locked with his. I don’t care that Xavier is watching. This man is everything. I don’t want to say goodbye, but I have no choice.

“Keep her safe,” Cross says to Xavier when we break apart.

“I will.”

He touches my face one last time.“Be safe, Daisy.”

“You too, Wolf.”

With a lump in my throat, I watch as he straddles the bike. As he starts the engine and then takes off like a bullet on the landscape.

He’s the only person I’ve ever been completely, truly, unequivocally myself with, and now he’s gone.

I twist my gaze away only when I can no longer see him. I glance at the black mist, then at Xavier. “Are you ready?”

Chapter 54

“You seriously grew up here?”

Xavier’s voice slices through the darkness.

“Only for three years,” I answer. “Stop. Stop, damn it.”

“Stop what?”

“You’re walking too fast. You need to slow down and be more careful.”

“Like I keep telling you, I’ve been a soldier far longer than you,” he grumbles.

I halt. Grabbing his arm by feel, and not because I can see it. I curl my fingers around his biceps, keeping him in place.

“You don’t get it. This isn’t a Silver Elite operation. One wrong step and you’re drowning in a pit of black sand. So please, stay close to me. Follow me and I’ll get us where we need to go. And should you continue to be stubborn, I’m going to step aside and let the horned bear eat you.”

His breath hitches. “Fuck off. There isn’t a horned bear here.”

“Don’t worry. He doesn’t usually come out in the morning.”

“This is morning?” he squawks.

“Of course. It’s positively bright.”

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