Page 27 of Crossover

Hopefully, the men holding Daniel’s guys at bay were Hunter’s security; otherwise, my brother, Jace, was outnumbered.

I shifted my gaze from the man who’d been my mentor, my father figure, to Ivy.

Her swollen eyes met mine, then flicked to the far corner.

Another man there, then.

“Back away from her, and I’ll lower my rifle,” I lied.

Daniel was smart enough tonotlook over his shoulder, where Ivy’s gaze kept darting, and tossed his palms into the air. Having the nerve to look confused as he feigned compliance, backing away as ordered.

One.

I jumped down the last stair.

Two.

Simultaneously spinning to my left and lining up my aim.

Three.

I pulled the trigger.

The man jerked, stilled for one long second, and then slumped to the ground in a contorted jumble of limbs.

“That was unnecessary,” Daniel sighed.

I trained my rifle on him.

“Get the fuck away from her,” I snapped.

Daniel backed up further to the wall, his palms still in the air in supposed surrender, but I knew him too well. He’d be armed, waiting to make his move.

“Weapons on the floor NOW!”

“Grayson…”

“On the floor!” I shouted, taking tentative steps forward.

In my periphery, Ivy struggled, banging her metal bindings against the pole as she tried to free herself.

Daniel pulled a pistol from his back waistband, set it on the ground, and kicked it over to me.

“Your ankle holster,” I said.

He sighed again, like a father trying to reason with a child.

But he complied and kicked me that weapon, too.

“Why?” I demanded. “Why did you do this?”

“Grayson…”

“I trusted you.”

“I assure you, you are misreading this situation, son.”

“Don’t call me that.”