Page 81 of Crossover

“Well done.” I raised my eyebrows, a hint of mockery in my voice. “You were supposed to call for backup before engaging, weren’t you?” I asked.

The tightening of his jaw was his answer; he thought he could be the hero. Sneak up on us and take us down. I didn’t know what career path this man had, and frankly, I didn’t care, but in his attempt to impress Daniel, he’d made a fatal mistake.

“How many men does he have working for him on this?”

His thin lips curled up. “You have no idea what’s coming for you. If you did, you would’ve let me put a bullet in her skull to put her out of her misery.”

Dread turned my blood into lead, and my fingers clenched on the trigger.

“Meaning?”

His attention darted to the side, perhaps realizing this forest wasn’t far enough away from the motel. Fog might conceal us visually, but screams…those could be heard far and wide.

“If you torture me, someone will overhear it and call the police,” he said. “Matter of fact, after those gunshots, the cops are probably on their way.”

My molars ground so hard, I thought they might crack.

“How many men are working for Daniel?” I repeated, my voice a low growl.

But the man merely smirked at me. It was clear he had no intention of answering any more of my questions, and in this environment, I didn’t have the upper hand I needed.

But if this motherfucker thought his heart would continue to beat after firing a shot at Ivy, he was sorely mistaken.

“Your death warrant was signed the moment you tried to kill her.”

Bam.

The gunshot rang out, and his head went limp, his lifeless eyes staring at the sky.

But relief evaporated quickly, thanks to his words haunting me.

“You have no idea what’s coming for you. If you did, you would’ve let me put a bullet in her skull to put her out of her misery.”

46

GRAYSON

Normally, I would put more bullets in his skull to be safe, but with the threat of more gunshots drawing unwanted attention, I settled for pressing my fingers against his artery.

No pulse.

I shot up to my feet and glared down at the asshole, a torrent of rage searing through my veins. My hands clenched, itching to unleash more violence, to make him pay for what he almost did. That shot he’d fired had been inches from Ivy’s head.Inches.The realization hit me like a freight train, fracturing any semblance of control. If she had been standing a little closer to the tree, if she had moved, or if the fog hadn’t clouded his vision, Ivy would be the one lying on the ground right now, her lifeless eyes staring into oblivion.

I almost lost her.

I almost failed her.

I am failing her.

I clenched my hand into a fist.

How could I have let this happen?

When had this guy found us? Had he been trailing us for days, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? The fact that I hadn’t noticed anything out of sorts onlyfueled my anger, burning in my chest like fiery coals. If I had been more vigilant, more cautious, I never would have taken Ivy for a leisurely stroll outside.

And what if he’d gotten to her mother while we were out here, ambling through the goddamned forest? How could I ever have faced Ivy again if I had allowed that to happen?

My failure felt like an anchor, dragging me down into a sea of despair.