Grayson was off the mark like a sprinter. Above his head, footsteps were racing down the third-floor hall. Grayson tracked them, following as the footfalls on the ceiling sped back to the stairs. He reached the stairs first, tucking himself out of sight behind the wall.
Just as the footsteps hit the second floor, he spun back out onto the landing, putting himself right into the intruder’s path, gun aimed straight at them.
“Freeze.”
Reece did.
Silence fell around them, broken only by Reece’s panting breaths. There was a flush on his cheeks, a light sheen of sweat to his skin. “Polo,” he finally said through clenched teeth.
Here they were again, the Dead Man versus a corrupted empath.
He might be corrupted because he sacrificed his pacifism for a chance to save your life, said a voice in Grayson’s head.Because he chose you over himself, just like he did before—
Grayson couldn’t afford those thoughts, not right now. “You didn’t answer my texts.”
“Yes, and I realize that’s probably a new experience for someone as hot as you.” Reece was still breathing hard from his run. At his sides, his bare hands were balled into fists. “But gunpoint is a little extreme, don’t you think?”
“Actually, I think gunpoint is right where we’re at these days.” Grayson didn’t lower the Magnum. “What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you going to tell me to put my hands up before you start the interrogation?”
“Why would I? You’re not carrying a weapon; youarethe weapon. It just doesn’t work on me,” Grayson said. “And I asked why you’re here.”
“Scoping out the real estate,” Reece said. “Your brother wants a new evil lair.”
“You’re gonna sass menow? Right now, when I have you isolated and at gunpoint?”
“I think we’ll have to cross this location off the list, though,” Reece said. “Where would we put our moat of emotionally enslaved sharks—”
“Did you come here for Victor Nichols’s research?”
Reece’s eyebrows went up. “Why would it be here, and not tucked away in—oh, say, a safe-deposit box back in Seattle?”
They eyed each other for a long moment.
That had been a very specific thing to say.
“You know something you ought to tell me?” Grayson said.
“Aw, baby,” Reece said with cloying sweetness. “You really got to accept that I’m never gonna tell you shit.”
Silence fell again around them, and really, what had Grayson thought was gonna happen? That Reece would confess he’d used insight to save Grayson’s life? That Reece would saylet’s work together, Evan?
Maybe the old Reece had saved Grayson’s life, but that Reece was gone, and this new Reece didn’t care if Grayson lived or died. It didn’t matterhowReece had become corrupted; what mattered was that hewascorrupted, and the Dead Man needed to take him somewhere that he couldn’t hurt anyone else. Needed to knock Reece out. Nice and easy. Right now.
“If you like,” Grayson heard himself say instead. “But the way I see it, it’s pretty simple: Either you answer my questions, or I search you, and we both know what’s gonna happen if I put my hands on you. Seems like you might prefer to stay conscious, but what do I know?”
Reece’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve touched plenty of times already. Every time I’ve gotten more immune to it. So you don’t even know if your touch will still knock me out.”
“Want to find out?”
Reece’s jaw tightened. But he didn’t answer.
Grayson’s gaze darted over Reece’s body, the close-fitting hoodie and jeans. Plenty of pockets to hide a small item, though Grayson probably shouldn’t think too hard about what else was under Reece’s clothes. Something a lot more fun than a flash drive, at any rate.
He gestured with the gun. “NowI need you to put your hands up.”
“Why?” Reece said suspiciously.
