Page 70 of Lovesick Titan (Lovesick #2)

“Some think that alone should get this case thrown out.” The attorney pivoted to face the people seated in the courtroom. He spread his arms, “Vigilante justice,” then turned back to Danny. “My client did spend the past week in recovery because of what your friends helped do to him.”

“And when this goes to trial, a jury can decide if the force used was excessive,” Danny said, “but Ludgate is more than a threat to this city or a thief, he’s a terrorist, just as much as his father was.

The mayor agrees to let me do my job because sometimes only an Elemental can stop another Elemental, and we can’t always rely on those sanctioned by the government to help.

“That doesn’t set me above the law. I was wrong to kill Thanatos, but if this city believes in me, then I won’t let it down again.

I’ll do what I have to, to bring these people to justice, where a judge can decide if someone like Ludgate goes to trial, and a jury can decide what happens to him from there.

If I wanted to dish out vigilante justice,” he leaned forward and looked out at the people watching, some his friends, many strangers, “I wouldn’t have let Ludgate live after what he did to me.

But if I gave in to that again, I’d be just like him and his father.

“You don’t have to like me or agree with me or approve of what I do,” he fixed the attorney with his stare. “Drag my name through the mud as uncredible all you want, because of what I am, what I do, and my involvement with Malcolm Cho, but I witnessed Cassidy Ludgate commit—”

“You think you’re better than me?” Ludgate sprang to his feet, a deranged grin on his face. “Because you lived, you think you won?”

“Your honor, my client—” the attorney tried to talk over him.

“I don’t care about saving myself,” Ludgate scoffed, holding Danny in his sights, “just so long as you go down with me, Zeus . You gave him immunity for this,” he turned to the judge while his attorney rushed to the table to hush him, “but that won’t save him from every criminal in this city knowing that his real name is Danny Grant . ”

There were a few gasps that arose before another hush fell over the courtroom, several people even pulling out their phones to Google who ‘Danny Grant’ might be, when a lone voice spoke up.

“You mean me?”

A rumble of murmurs erupted once more as a man who in every way that mattered was Danny Grant stood up from where he’d been sitting between Stella and John at the back of the room. Ludgate whirled around to face him; Danny could only imagine what his expression looked like.

“I’m afraid I have nothing to say on Mr. Grant’s behalf,” Danny called to the room, “other than he clearly isn’t me.”

A tittering of laughter resounded through the aisles.

The man that was and was not Danny Grant remained standing, wearing Danny’s own trench coat and a button down shirt and sweater. He smiled—maybe a little too confidently if someone knew the real Danny—as the people in the courtroom took him in and Ludgate started muttering.

“No… No, that’s not right… You can’t be…”

“If it helps, your honor,” the DA said, “I’d be happy to call Detective Grant to the stand.

He did express his willingness to testify as lead on the cases against the defendant.

Maybe we should have him explain how Mr. Ludgate tried to blackmail him at the precinct, inciting a faulty IA investigation because of his findings on the initial cases he is a prime suspect in.

” She smiled sickly sweet at Ludgate, whose attorney was trying to get him to sit down.

“Seems you have quite a bit of motive to point the spotlight on Detective Grant by claiming he’s Zeus. ”

“It’s a trick!” Ludgate pushed his attorney away from him, causing the bailiff to jerk forward. “It has to be a trick! He’s Danny Grant!” he pointed wildly at Danny on the stand.

The knock of the judge’s gavel brought the buzzing courtroom to sudden silence. “I’ve heard enough, Mr. Ludgate. Councilors. Zeus, I thank you for your testimony. You may return to your seat.”

Danny looked up at the judge and nodded. The other Danny sat down as well.

“While you are bordering on being in contempt of this court, Mr. Ludgate,” the judge’s voice resonated to fill the room, “you are clearly aware of what you have done, and I deem that you are indeed fit to stand trial. I also find that there is more than enough evidence to extend this hearing to a full trial immediately, where you can make every effort to disprove the numerous charges against you. Good luck,” he nodded to Ludgate sharply.

“Thank you, councilors. You are dismissed. Bailiff, please take Mr. Ludgate into custody.”

“No! He’s lying! It’s a lie! He is Danny Grant!

” Ludgate backed up against the partition, ready to fight, but the bailiff was on him in moments, a large, imposing man who was able to take hold of Ludgate without struggle.

He cuffed him roughly, and only because Ludgate was still wounded and healing many of his burns and bruises did he sag into the guard’s clutches.

The courtroom erupted with noise as the judge stepped down to leave the room. Danny thanked the DA and shook her hand before moving toward Ludgate. The other Danny came down the aisle through the throng of people to join him, and the bailiff held Ludgate still a moment in the presence of Zeus.

“Cute trick,” Ludgate spat at Danny, “but I know the truth. One of you isn’t who you appear to be.” He flicked his mad glare onto the other Danny as he came up to stand next to his doppelganger in white and gold.

“I can assure you, we are,” Danny said, but he couldn’t help the bitter jolt of lightning that flickered up his arm.

Ludgate flinched and scowled at the static before turning to the other Danny knowingly. “So you’re the imposter. ”

“Don’t know what you mean,” Other Danny said while the bailiff turned his head as if disinterested, “but looks like we beat you. You didn’t accomplish anything in the end.

We’re safe and alive, and the city knows you as nothing but a failure.

At least you got a prettier face out of the deal. ” He winked.

Danny refrained from elbowing his twin. If he wasn’t careful, that smirk would give him away—and damn was it weird hearing that tone and seeing that expression on Danny’s own face.

“All right, Ludgate,” the bailiff said, “that’s all the chitchat you get.” He started to drag him out of the courtroom as it emptied further.

“You think prison can hold me?!” Ludgate struggled in vain, his smugness gone as he called out in desperation for some sense of the upper hand. “I know your secret, Zeus! I’ll always know!”

“See you at trial, Ludgate!” Captain Shan called after him, turning around to approach Danny and… Danny , while the rest of Team Zeus crowded around them as well. Though without any of the Titans, it felt like they were missing people.

Well, without most of the Titans.

“Break’s over,” Shan snapped his fingers in Other Danny’s face. “Get back to work… Grant . And get that thing off,” he leaned in closer. “Creeps me out.”

Other Danny merely smirked.

“Thanks again, Mr. Grant,” Danny said to his double. “I mean, Detective .”

For a moment, he could have sworn the man’s eyes looked blue . “See ya around, Sparky.”

R

Mal sucked in a breath after tearing the black mask from his face, safely hidden in the back of John’s car on the way to the precinct.

He’d already turned off the belt, leaving him in only the sleek black fabric, with the actual clothes he’d been projecting folded neatly in a bag on the floor for Danny to change into.

Ludgate couldn’t have guessed that, between Andre and Priestly, they’d been able to recreate The Invisible Man and replicate his belt’s technology within a week.

“ETA?” Mal called to John in the driver’s seat.

“About now, I’d imagine,” John said, and as if on cue, a flash of yellow preceded the presence of Danny sitting beside Mal in the back of the car. He removed his mask and began changing into the clothing from the bag, soon looking exactly like the Danny Grant from the courtroom.

Mal was the closest of their companions to Danny’s same height and build, so it made sense he’d be the one to wear the suit while Danny played the part of Zeus. Plus, Mal hadn’t wanted to leave Danny alone in a room with Ludgate ever again.

Tugging the black gloves from his hands, he sat back and marveled at the man beside him. Now that Danny was dressed in civilian garb, he turned a sunny smile Mal’s direction that quickly turned into an unapologetic leer as he drifted his gaze down Mal’s body in the form-fitting attire.

“Thought you hated this thing,” Mal raised an eyebrow at him.

Danny shrugged, eyes remaining fixed on Mal from the neck down. “Your duster covers all the good parts.”

Mal chuckled. He supposed he didn’t look half-bad with every curve hugged tight, and allowing Danny to ogle him unabashedly offered the opportunity to closely observe Danny in return.

He didn’t think he’d ever seen Danny so unencumbered by life and loss and pain.

Mal had seen him happy, content, even in stitches as he laughed so hard he couldn’t stop for minutes on end, but this was different.

This was weeks of collected tension having sloughed from his shoulders, and Ludgate wasn’t even put away for good yet.

Somehow the hearing had seemed so much more important than what came next, weeks, maybe months from now.

Like a first step down a brand new road, with twists and turns, sure, but fewer landslides.

Silently, Mal vowed to make sure that stayed true. Neither Ludgate nor any villain would ever bring Danny that low again, him included.

“What?” Danny blinked when he met Mal’s stare, a bashful grin teasing his lips. How this kid could be machismo incarnate one moment and an innocent blushing boy the next, Mal would never know, but he’d sure as hell enjoy every second he had with him.

“Something on your face,” Mal said .

“Really?” Danny brought a hand to his mouth as if he had a stray crumb.

Gripping his raised wrist, Mal used the leverage to pull Danny toward him, kissing him soundly with a firm press and slip of his tongue. Danny tasted the way a summer storm smelled .

“See. Something on your face,” he repeated softly.

Danny giggled.

“You two behaving back there?” John said, though his tone betrayed his amusement, which Mal would never get used to.

“No more or less than usual, Dad!” Danny called back.

The detective chuckled and shook his head.

They were almost at the precinct, where John would drop Danny off for any watching public to witness, and then bring Mal to the morgue through the basement parking garage.

Lynn had insisted on a few more checks before she let Mal go home for good, and he had a few things to grab—like decent clothes.

Danny’s hand found his and laced their fingers together on the seat.

“We’re here,” John said, shifting into NEUTRAL with a soft jolt. “You’ll see Mal later, kiddo.”

Darting forward to peck Mal on the cheek, Danny started to pull away, but Mal hung on.

“One more thing.”

“Yeah?”

There were inches between them, tan and paler skin intertwining as Mal clung to Danny’s hand, with so many potent emotions shining back at him from the younger man’s eyes. He felt like he could read their entire history over the past couple months—even further back than that—in Danny’s golden gaze.

Not caring that John was only a few feet away, Mal said, “Move in with me.”

“What?” Danny’s eyes widened, then played out an array of emotions, ending in what Mal had to assume was happiness if the way he jerked forward and kissed Mal again was any indication.

“That a yes?” Mal gasped when they disconnected.

“ Yes ,” Danny said through his laughter.

“Good. Coz Lucy and Stella moved you in this morning. ”

“ What? ” Danny pulled back in surprise. “I thought it was only a few things?”

“I had nothing to do with it,” Mal said.

He hadn’t been angry when he discovered this, ending up at his apartment alone instead of with Danny beside him like they’d planned, more shell-shocked and terrified that as much as their sisters might think they were helping, maybe Danny wouldn’t want to stay.

“I wanted to ask you. I was going to ask you before Shan showed up. If you’d said no, I would have made them move everything out again. ”

Danny’s surprise faded into a sweet smile. “You thought I’d say no?”

“We’ve known each, what? A year? But we’ve only known each other a couple months.” And Mal had trained himself a long time ago to go after what he wanted but to always be ready for something to get in his way.

“Doesn’t change that I know where I want to go to sleep every night and where I want to wake up,” Danny said. “That was the one good thing about being cooped up in the morgue. You were always there.”

Mal felt his emotions creep into his expression, something he’d worked so hard to control— always wear a mask, always leave them guessing, always hide who you really are to keep yourself safe .

It amused him that Danny was the one with the real mask, yet he wore his emotions on his sleeve. He must be rubbing off on Mal.

A pointed clearing of the throat was John’s subtle way of reminding them that they were not actually alone.

“Sorry, Dad,” Danny said, reaching with his free hand to scratch his neck. “You know the house will always be—”

“Don’t sweat it, kiddo,” John saved him from having to explain, then caught Mal’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Just make sure family dinner night happens like clockwork, and you won’t get any guff from me. That goes for you too, Mal. No excuses.”

“Yes, sir,” Mal nodded. He imagined those family dinner nights getting larger and larger with Lucy inviting herself along. It could only grow from there.

Pulling away finally, Danny opened the door to scoot out onto the sidewalk. Much as Mal missed the connection as soon as they parted, he also felt like some of the tension he’d been holding finally released .

“Bye, Dad!” Danny said, before he leaned into the car again and added, “After I finish up, I’ll…see you at home?”

Mal’s heart stuttered as if Danny had shocked him with his lightning. Home . “I’ll be there.”