Zadie’s POV
"You left me."
Lazaro's voice cut through the chaos, calm but sharp, like a knife over glass. The city lights flashed in broken streaks across the windshield as we sped through the darkened streets. I didn't look at him, eyes locked on the SUV ahead.
"I had to," I snapped, clutching the door handle as the tires squealed through a tight turn. "You wouldn’t understand."
"Try me."
"You think I wanted to run? You think it was easy watching you bleed and still choosing to walk away?"
His jaw tightened, hands gripping the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip. "You didn’t just walk away, Zadie. You disappeared. You ghosted me like I was the villain."
"You were the mission, Lazaro!" I turned to him, my voice rising with every word. "You were the one I was supposed to bring down."
"And now? Am I still the enemy?"
I hesitated, breath hitching. "I don’t know. But I do know the real enemy’s up ahead."
The SUV we were chasing veered hard left into a narrow alley. Lazaro didn’t even slow down. He followed without hesitation, the backend of our car fishtailing before he brought it back under control.
"He's heading for the docks," I muttered. "He's trying to vanish."
"Not tonight," Lazaro growled.
We burst out of the alley and Chief Chris’ vehicle tried another sharp turn, too sharp. The SUV slammed into a metal barrier and skidded sideways, crashing into a streetlamp. Smoke billowed.
Lazaro slammed on the brakes and we launched forward in our seats. "Out," he barked, already throwing his door open.
I followed him, gun drawn. My heart pounded in my ears. We approached the wreck, boots echoing against the pavement. Chris stumbled from the driver’s side, limping, blood running from a gash on his forehead.
"Drop it!" I shouted. My hands were steady, but my voice trembled.
Chief Chris aimed a shaky gun in our direction. "Stay back!"
"Chief, don’t! This doesn’t have to end this way," I said, inching forward.
"You were always too soft, Zadie," he spat. "That's why I picked you. Easy to use. Easy to discard."
"You're finished," Lazaro said coldly. "Let it go."
Chief Chris’ knees buckled. He fell to the ground with a cry, his weapon clattering across the pavement. Lazaro lowered his gun slightly and stepped forward. "It’s over."
But Chief Chris wasn’t done. With a final surge of desperation, he pulled a smaller gun from beneath his jacket. Everything slowed. I saw it before Lazaro did.
"No!" I screamed, lunging forward.
The shot rang out. Pain tore through my side, white-hot and sudden. I collapsed.
Lazaro was at my side instantly, catching me before I hit the ground completely. "Zadie! Shit!"
I sucked in a breath, choking on the pain. "I’m okay... I think."
His hand pressed firmly against my wound. "You're not okay. Goddammit, Zadie."
I blinked up at him, vision blurring. "I couldn’t let him take you."
He shook his head, fury and panic swirling in his eyes. "Why? After everything... after you ran?"
"Because I never stopped... caring," I whispered. "Even when I was scared. Even when I thought I hated you."
His jaw trembled. "Don’t say goodbye. Not like this."
I managed a faint smile. "Then don't let go."
He leaned down, brushing his forehead against mine. "I won’t. Not now. Not ever."
Chief Chris groaned somewhere behind us, dragging himself forward. Lazaro looked up, rage returning full force. He rose, aimed, and fired a clean shot to Chief Chris’ leg. He dropped, howling in pain. But as Lazaro stepped forward to finish it, I saw it, he still had one last move. His hand lifted, gun pointed straight at Lazaro’s back.
I didn’t think twice. I screamed, "Lazaro, down!" He turned. Another shot. Then, black.