64

The room is a mess of shattered glass, bodies, and the sharp scent of ironin the air.

But it feels like there's gravity between us, impossible to resist despite any circumstance.

Jackson's hands grab at my clothes, slipping down my jeans. My body is stillfullto the brim with adrenalineandit's heightening all of my senses. I'm immediately on fire with his touch. The relief and joy only make me more desperate as I kiss him and run my hands over his skin.

"I told you, Ava," he mutters. "I'd kill for you. I'm never fucking leaving you. You're mine for life."

A hot coil tightens in my core as Jackson touches me. He pulls his hard cock from his pants and sinks into me. My back arches, pleasure flooding through me, totally pure and unrestrained.

Every powerful thrust drives me closer to the edge.Hishand snakes around my throat, squeezing just tight enough so it feels like I'm blissfully giving up all control.I meet his dark eyesandsuddenlyI don't know if it's been secondsor minutesor hours.

"Come for me, Ava. I feel how tight you're squeezing around my cock. Come for this fucking killer."

Nowthere'sno holding back. No shame or guilt. I knowexactlywho I am. I knowexactlywhat kind of dark-souled man makes me feel alive. I've found himandI'm never letting go.

When the orgasm crashes through my body, it's reflected in the hundred mirrors around us.

I whimper his other name as I come. "Hyde, Hyde, Hyde."

"Fuck." His hands grip me harder, his eyes wild. Hearing me call him Hyde again seems to have a primal effect on him. I feel him tense as he reaches his own release deep inside me.

I laughsoftlyas he collapses on top of me, covering my face in kisses and grazes of his teeth.

***

I don't know how long it is before the scream of sirens outside breaks the silence. We exchange a quick glance beforebothscrambling up and pulling our clothes back on.

"Brookhaven Police! Hands where we can see them! Don't make any sudden moves!"

Once again, I'm on the receiving end of the warning I used to scream at criminals. But this time, it doesn't scare me.

A SWAT team bursts around the corner, their shouted commands ricocheting off the mirrors.

Jackson and I both comply, raising our hands. "We have to stop doing this," I mutter. He glances over at me with a grin.

My heart contracts as Hawkins turns the corner, his face paling astakesin the scene before him. It's about the fifth time I've nearly given this man a heart attack, and I feel a little twinge of guilt for it. "Jesus H. Christ, what happened in here? Is that Brock?"

He turns to me as two uniformed officers handcuff both of us.

"Reports of a disturbance were called in earlier tonight. A witness reported a man forcibly bringing a woman into this gallery at gunpoint, and she matched your description. I didn't know whatthe hellit meant, but I knew we had to act fast."

"Wait, Captain," I say. "I can explain."

Hawkins waves a dismissive hand at me, but my yell stops himin his tracks.

"The real Hyde is in this room."

I feel Jackson's gaze settle on me, and I meet his eyes for a split second.

Trust me, Hyde. I got this.

I nod to where Aaron's body liesslowlyleaking blood onto the floor.

"This man, Aaron, was one of Dr Keller's patients. The cameras are cut in here, but you can check the footage from the street. He was the one who kidnapped me and brought me here."

Hawkins frowns. "Why the hell would he do that?"

"Aaron confessed everything. He admitted he was Hyde. He murdered all those people and wanted to frame me and Jackson for it."

Jackson calmly nods. "I didn't recognize him, but we had known each otherin our childhoods. He was unbalanced and totally fixated on me. He became obsessed with Avatoowhenshe started working the case. He threatened her into accusing me."

Between us, the story flows easily. Just like our game of cat and mouse, we're eerily in sync as we weave the story together. A little truth, a little fiction.Notblack or white, just gray.

"Brock was working with him," I add. "He resented me for rejecting him, and when Aaron offered him a payout to convince you that Jackson and I were guilty, he was happy to assist. Look into their phone records and bank transactions. There'll be something there."

I had always liked Brock as a friend, but he wasn't the sharpest detective. I'mcertainhe'll have left a trail of evidence somewhere.

"Aaron told me to meet him here if I wanted Ava to live," Jackson says. "They tried to kill us, but we managed to overpower both of them."

I glance down at the mangled bodies. Overpower is an understatement.

Hawkins' eyes widen as the pieces start to fit together in his mind. "Cain, is this true?"

I nod. I'm so tired of lying about everything, but soon it will all be over.

"Aaron shot Jackson in the shoulder. You can arrest us and question us if you need to, but he needs medical attention right away."

We're ushered down the steps toward the gallery's exit. Maybe it should feel like I'm descending down to hell. But I can taste the promise of freedom right in front of us.

And with Jackson, this beautiful devil, by my side, hell doesn't sound so badat all.