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“Come here,” Gray says to me, and my feet move on their own.It’s not until I’m close to him that I realize how on edge he is.I lean into him, placing my hand on his chest, knowing somehow I’m what he needs.Both Keaton’s and Elsy’s eyes widen when they see Gray wrap his arms around me.
“I thought you were trying to take him down,” Elsy says as if she’s reminding me.I was, and in the beginning, I hoped that she’d be able to help me.
“Like I’ve been trying to say, it’s not what I thought.He’s working with the government to take down these buyers.Some of this is my mess, and I’m sorry for that,” I rush to tell them.“I poked around, and I think I got them spooked or something.”
“Or something?”Keaton grumbles.
“Watch it,” Gray snaps at him.
“That night at Elsy’s party, I realized you’d been dosed with X too, and I wondered how you were so in control.It’s because the obsession you had then was revenge against me.You didn’t have someone like Elsy, but now I think you do.”Keaton watches us, and Gray’s hold on me tightens.“Did you notice that?Whatever this is inside of us can be obsessive.We fixate on something and can’t let go.I drove myself insane fearing I’d hurt Elsy if I got near her with the need I felt.I had a pure tunnel version only to realize she was my cure.”
I turn my head up to see Gray’s expression, and he doesn’t deny it.I think Keaton is right, though.That first night I’d met him, he was all over me and wouldn’t let me leave.I don’t think it had anything to do with what I knew.I think Gray Malice just wanted me.
“I wouldn’t need to know anything about what’s inside of us if it was never created.”
“Tunnel vision.”Keaton shakes his head.“You think my father made that alone?You know he didn’t.It was both of them.You’re just too pissed to realize it.You may want to make my father pay for your father’s death, but I promise you he’s paid.He pays for it every day.I see the sorrow in his eyes.You’re not the only one that lost him.They were like brothers.”
Gray’s head drops, and I can actually feel some of the anger and resentment leave his body.“I couldn’t save him.”
“We can’t save them all.”Keaton’s voice is soft now.“We can only do what we think is right, but there’s much to learn from Formula X, and I think you know that.If we could figure a few things out…”
“The accelerated healing,” Gray responds in understanding, and Keaton nods.“I’ve been able to pinpoint it.The lactic acid bacteria act as vectors to produce and deliver a human chemokine.I only understand it enough to use on a surface level because I’m working from the inside out.”
“But as we know it works differently on some people,” Keaton says with regret for Gray’s father.
“Maybe,” Elsy cuts in, and I have no clue what any of this means.I tapped out at human chemokine.“Your case study is three people.”She holds her fingers up.“But either way, this is groundbreaking.You could—”
“Save millions,” Gray finishes for her.“You’re right.I’ve been focusing on the wrong things.”
“It’s not just you,” Keaton tells him.“But you’re seeing clearly now, aren’t you?”Keaton glances over at me.
“All right,” Gray agrees, and his body relaxes a bit more.“We’ll work together.”
This is awesome.I can’t believe my idea of them talking actually worked.Still, there are other issues at the forefront here.
“That’s great and all.It really is, but there’s still one giant Russian elephant in the room,” I remind everyone.
“That’s for me to clean up, little mouse.”Gray rubs a hand down my back.“Which I’ll be handling tonight.”
“Tonight?”My heart starts to race in fear.I don’t know what Gray can do, but he’s not bulletproof.Some wounds are too big to ever heal or come back from.I’m not some super-genius like them, but I understand basic biology.
“If we’re going to be working together, how about I tag along?I’m guessing you’ve set some kind of trap?”Keaton offers as he walks over toward the desk.“They did blow up my lab.”
“You don’t have to,” Gray tells him.
“I want to.Besides, if you end up dead, everything you know goes with you.”Keaton smirks.I know he’s teasing, but my stomach sinks.
“You’re scaring her,” Gray growls.
“You two need to learn to control that growl because you cannot do that in public,” Elsy says.
She’s right.It’s sexy but not really human-sounding.“I’d be less scared if Keaton went with you.Two superheroes are better than one.Right?”That math sounds good to me.
“I’m the hero.”Keaton points to himself then over to Gray.“He’s the villain.”He smiles.Another one of those growls leaves Gray, and I place my hand on his chest.
“I’ve always kind of had a thing for the villain of the story,” I tell Gray.
“There are some good villains,” Elsy says, and Keaton pretends to roll his eyes.
