Prologue
It was too quiet for a construction site.No sound of jackhammers. No grinding metal. No shouts from the workers who, just a few hours ago, had filled this place with life.Only the wind howled between the concrete pillars. It squeezed through the empty window frames, making a long, low whistle that sounded like a distant cry.
The unfinished building loomed over them like a massive grey skeleton.
Katie was on her knees in the construction dust. Sharp chunks of concrete dug into her skin through her jeans, but she felt nothing. She was shaking so violently it felt like her body wasn’t even hers anymore.
She wasn’t just crying. She was screaming.
A hollow, ragged sound. The desperate cry of someone who had just had a piece of their soul ripped out.
“This is the end...” Her voice broke, turning into a gasp. “Don’t you get it? This is the end...”
Her fingers clawed frantically at the concrete dust. Grey dirt instantly packed under her fingernails.
“He’s gone...”
She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could just wake up. Wishing she could undo everything.
“Don’t you understand?!” she choked out, snapping her head up. “He’s. Gone!”
The echo slammed against the concrete walls and faded somewhere above, lost in the dark maze of steel rebar.
Dani stood beside her, breathing heavily.
Against the massive concrete pillars, he looked almost out of place—too thin, too alive for this dead zone. His once-expensive black shirt was torn at the shoulder, stained with dust and blood. A drop of blood slowly rolled down his temple, but he didn’t seem to notice.
He was looking only at Katie.
And there was something in his eyes much worse than panic.
Determination.
He bent down quickly and grabbed her arms.
“Katie, get up.”
She didn’t even try to help. Her body went completely limp, as if all her strength had vanished along with him.
“No...” she whispered. “I can’t...”
Dani gritted his teeth. His hands shook from the strain as he literally dragged her to her feet. She wasn’t heavy with weight—she was heavy with grief.
He pulled her against him, holding her tightly so she wouldn’t collapse onto the concrete again. For a second, Katie caught the smell of dust, metal, and blood.
Somewhere above, a loose sheet of plastic construction wrap slammed loudly. She flinched.
Dani leaned closer. Now his face was just inches from her tear-stained eyes.
“Katie, look at me.”
She didn’t react.
“Look at me!” he ordered, his voice hardening.
That tone... It didn’t sound like the old Dani at all. Not the guy who always smiled and made stupid jokes even on the worst days. A stranger stood in front of her now.
Katie slowly raised her eyes. There was nothing but emptiness inside her. An emptiness so vast she felt like she was about to drown in it.
For a few seconds, Dani just stared straight into her eyes.
Then, in a low, tight whisper, he said:
“Don’t you dare give up.”
A sudden gust of wind hit the open window behind him. And in that moment, Katie noticed the expression in his eyes for the first time. Cold. Dark. Terrifying.
“Do you hear me?” he whispered, his fingers locking onto her shoulders in a death grip. “We’re going to make them pay for this.”
He leaned even closer, his breath hot against her skin.
“For everything, Katie. I swear it.”
