Page 78 of Edge of Control

“This cold floor, these smooth walls. Your hand.” His grip tightened around my hand. I wanted to pull away but didn’t. This appeared to be working.

“Two things you can smell.”

“Musty air. Your cologne.”

“One thing you can taste?”

Theo swallowed. He closed his eyes. A tear slipped down his cheek, over his lips. “Salt.”

“Good. How do you feel?”

“Better,” he said, eyes still shut, hand still gripping mine. I felt like I was being split in two. Half of me saw this as completely irresponsible and stupid; the other half saw this as the right thing to do. One half was slowly overpowering the other.

Memories rushed into my head. The night we met, the nights we spent after, the relaxed dates we’d have walking down the High Line or strolling through Central Park. The day we grabbed pizza and watched a last-minute show on Broadway. The movie nights, the sex, the intense passion, the undeniable connection.

He’d burrowed under my skin. He’d made me his.

Nevermore had made me his.

Could I… no. I had to bring him to the station. Had to give him up.

“Thank you, Jace… I love you. I really do.”

I couldn’t answer him. Couldn’t say the words thatwere on the edge of my tongue. They’d make me sound just as insane as he was. I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

A gear started to grind somewhere above us. The elevator jerked again, pushing downward. It had been fixed. But this life still felt so irreparably broken.

The elevator stopped on the ground floor. It opened to a lobby full of people who had been waiting for it to start working again. The property manager was there, speaking to the fire department.

“You alright?” she asked us as we stepped out. “So sorry about that.”

“We’re okay,” I said. I had a loose hand on Theo’s wrist. The door to the street was just to my left. The police station would be a short fifteen-minute walk away from here. Fifteen minutes for this saga to end. For this storybook to be shut tight, thrown into a furnace, never read from again.

Or…

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I couldn’t let myself crack. I had to stay strong.

But… his reasonings… maybe… with a little more time…

I froze. My shoulders were tight. I ran a shaky hand through my hair. My lungs felt like they’d been filled with cement. It was as if time slowed to a complete halt.

I promised to serve justice, so why couldn’t I make myself raise the alarm?

Because I’ve touched him, I’ve tasted him, I’ve felt his heart beat beneath my palm. I can’t let that go—even if it damns me.

This was a decision that would haunt me. I understood, in that moment, there was no turning back. I was picking a side. I could call for backup. I could scream ‘murderer’ into the night. Instead, I closed my eyes.

I know this is wrong, but I know losing him might be worse.

“Actually,” I said to the property manager. “Can I chat with you in your office? I have a question about rent.”

“Of course, come.”

Theo’s jaw dropped. He looked at me with an apprehensive expression. I just closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

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