“Don’t,” he warns.
Daniel’s lips twitch.
Like he’s trying to smile.
Like something inside him is still broken beyond repair.
“You were supposed to come back,” he whispers.
Ace doesn’t respond.
Doesn’t lower the weapon.
Behind us, Trigger shouts, “Two down! One still moving!”
Beast fires again.
A body drops in the distance.
The last of the gunfire fades.
Silence creeps back in—
Slow.
Uneasy.
But Ace doesn’t relax.
Not even a fraction.
Because neither do I.
Daniel is still there.
Still breathing.
Still watching me like I belong to him.
And something tells me—
This still isn’t over.
34
Ace
“Clear!” Trigger calls.
“East side down,” Beast confirms.
Blaze’s voice crackles through the comms. “No more movement on thermal—”
“Hold,” I cut in.
Because something feels off.
Too quiet.
