Jamal's POVThe gunshot still echoed in my mind long after the smoke had cleared, it wasn't sound, it was memory, nightmare and it was every one of my mistakes compounded into one deafening moment as Melissa was sprawled on the floor motionless, her hair spread in a dark aura on the chill marble and for a half-second, my brain would not accept it. I'd seen so many bodies fall already—too many—but never hers."Melissa…"Her name wrenched from me as a rasp, broken, strangled and i fell to my knees beside her, pressing my trembling fingers to her neck.A pulse was weak but present.I made a sound midway between a sob and a growl.Layla stood facing us, gun still trained and her expression was unreadable "She's not dead" she said quietly like that excused everything "It's just a warning."I stared up at her, my vision narrowing "A warning?""You wouldn't have listened otherwise" she said, her tone maddeningly even "You never do.""You shot her" My voice cracked with rage as i got to my fe
Last Updated : 2025-10-15 Read more