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“Take one more step,” Glen warned, “and I’ll blow your bitch’s blonde brains out.”

Darien didn’t dare move. Fear was an emotion he seldom felt, but in that moment, as he watched Glen’s finger brush across the trigger, Loren’s pulse fluttering in her tense neck, he had never been more afraid in all his life.

One bullet. Just one, and her precious life would end.

Glen’s lips curved with a cruel smile. “So hecanbe tamed. Ready to talk, Cassel?”

“I don’t need my magic to kill you, Glen,” Darien said, his tone lethal. “I can do it with my bare hands. I can strangle you with just these chains.” He pulled the chains of his cuffs taut,brimstone rattling. “You push me far enough, and I’ll make you regret it.”

Glen sized him up with a condescending smirk. His finger teased the trigger?—

Darien detonated like a bomb.“IFANYOF YOU TOUCH HER, I’LL BREAK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR FUCKING NECKS!”He whipped his ferocious black gaze about the room. His every breath sawed through him, his head swimming.

Fingers brushed across triggers. Sweat and fear permeated the room like a heavy coat of oil.

A drop of perspiration rolled down Glen’s temple. But he didn’t lower his gun.

“Let,” Darien said again. A deep, animalistic growl rumbled through his chest, the chains on his cuffs rattling with restraint. “Her.Go.Now.”

Several officers shared glances. Others whispered to each other in fearful tones. One man backed up, ready to bolt out the door.

In the reflection of the observation window, Darien saw the scene in the corner of his eye, as if he were watching this on a live feed. Saw himself, surrounded by cops and shaking with rage, his expression more monster than man. He hardly recognized himself.

Darien’s breathing shifted into a rapid pant, the leash on his magic about to snap. “I’m giving you to the count of seven,” he began. “If I make it to one, and you haven’t lowered your guns and let my girlfriend walk out of heresafely,you’re all fucking dead.”

A deadly silence choked the room.

“Seven,” Darien began. “Six?—”

“You sure you want to be the one counting?” Glen challenged, looking pointedly at the gun in his hand. He brushed his finger across the trigger, squeezing?—

“You sure you want to be the one pointing that gun?” Darien snapped. “I’m in love with this woman, and you’re not going to like the animal I’ll become if you take her from me.”

The silence that fell this time was more suffocating than the previous.

“Five,” Darien said, his pupils swallowing his eyes. “Four. Three. Two?—”

The door swung open, and three more officers walked in. The one leading the trio was Finn Solace.

“Alright, that’s enough!” the warlock barked. “Take the cuffs off—right now. He’s coming with me.”

But Glen wasn’t having any of that. “Nobody move, or you’re allfired!”he warned, freezing two of his own officers, who’d stepped forward at Finn’s command, in place. He engaged the safety on his gun and tucked it away at his hip before rounding on Solace, his face twisted with fury. “Stand down, Detective. This isn’t your case.”

“It is now,” Finn responded coolly.

“Says who?You?”He smirked. “This man is a criminal, Detective Solace!” He jabbed a finger at Darien. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Darien’s blood boiled. He lowered his chin, the black of the Sight pooling in his eyes?—

“Oh yes, he is,” Finn responded evenly.

Another of those condescending smirks. “I’m afraid your word no longer applies here. Move along, Detective, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“It’s not my word,” Finn countered smoothly. “If you’ve got a problem, Glen, you’ll have to take it to the higher ups. Now put the guns away! All of you, guns away.” He waved a hand, hissilver-ringed eyes—brimming with command—sweeping among the officers. “And for crying out loud, let this poor girl go, before you end up with innocent blood on your hands.”

“It wouldn’t get that far,” Darien warned, turning his deadly gaze on Glen. Over his dead body would they ever harm a hair on Loren’s head. He might die trying to protect her, but he’d take all these assholes down with him before he’d ever let them touch her.

Glen continued to argue, a child throwing a temper tantrum. But his words fell on deaf ears as Finn took out his own keys, tired of waiting for someone else to step forward, and crossed the room. Glen followed, shouting in his face.