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“Darien!” she wailed. “Stop!”
He froze. Stopped fighting.
“Darien! Please, you have to stop.” She stepped in front of him, forcing him to look her in the eyes.
Behind her, his mother’s restaurant continued to burn. Within minutes, it would be gone. It would all be gone.
Another thing he couldn’t prevent. Another thing he couldn’t save.
“Please, Darien,” Ivy begged. “Please.” She was standing in front of him, head tipping back as she tried to meet his eyes, her hands fisting the chest of his bodysuit. “It’s not worth it.”
“Someone fucking did this.” He pointed at the building as another burst of fire swept through the window frames, turning the whole street in the Financial District sweltering. “This was no accident, Ivy.”
“You have to let it go.”
“I can’t fucking let it go.”
More officers approached. Shouted.
Ivy whipped her head around to face them. “Just give us a damn second, already!” she screamed. Her eyes found Darien’s again. “I know it hurts, okay?” Tears streamed down her face. “I know it hurts, Darien. It hurts for me too. It hurts for me too—it does. But you have to let it go. Please.” She looked behind him—over his shoulder. “Wait. Hold on.”
He was vaguely aware of a different officer tugging his hands behind his back. Cold metal dug through the torn sleeves of his bodysuit as he was handcuffed.
This time, Darien didn’t fight. He was drained. There was nothing left in him—no fight, no will. Nothing.
“Wait!” Ivy latched onto his arm with trembling fingers. She peered around him at the officers, eyes wild with fear. “What are you doing? What are you doing? Where are you taking him?”
“It’s okay,” Darien said flatly. It wasn’t okay, but he hated seeing her upset. He’d done this. Once again, he’d screwed up.
“Darien!” Ivy sobbed, his name shouted out on a raw and broken breath. She whirled on the officers. “Please, don’t! You don’t understand! This is our mother’s restaurant—he’s just upset. Please!”
“Ivy.” Darien spoke softly. Quietly. “It’s okay.”
The officers pulled him away. Dragged him toward a cruiser, blue and red lights flashing.
“Wait.” Ivy followed, swiping at her cheeks with gloved fingers. To the officers, she shouted, “Do whatever you need to do, just please don’t hurt him!”
Above the noise, the roaring thoughts in his head, Darien barely recognized the sound of Finn’s gravelly voice coming from behind him.
“I got this.” The warlock stepped up to Ivy. Ivy, who was still sobbing. Shaking.
So many people he’d broken. So many people he’d wrecked.
“I’ll make sure he’s okay,” Finn said. To the other officers on the scene, Finn barked, “Detective Finn Solace.” He flashed his badge. “I’ll take him down to the station.”
The others let go.
Finn grabbed him by the upper arm. “Let’s go.”
Darien allowed Finn to lead him to a black sedan, the back seats separated from the front with metal bars. He sensed Ivy watching, but he didn’t turn.
“Get in,” Finn said.
Darien resisted shattering Finn’s nose with his forehead as he got in the sedan, eyes shooting hatred at the warlock who’d fucked him for weeks, leading him on a wild goose chase to detain Gaven.
Finn didn’t shut the door. He lingered, glancing back at the restaurant, his closed mouth twitching as he searched for words. “I know you hate me right now.”
“Is it that easy to tell?” Darien’s voice was deadly calm.
