Chapter 14: THE OTHER ME IS A PROBLEM

LIAM'S POV

I kneel on the cold floor, my hands slightly raised, my breath coming in short, uneven gasps. The gun pointed at my head makes my heartbeat loud in my ears. This wasn’t what I expected. I knew coming here would be dangerous, but I didn’t think I would be staring down the barrel of a gun this soon.

Daniel’s eyes bore into mine as he drags a chair across the room and sits down, the gun never wavering. His grip is firm, steady— it is so obvious he is good at it. His eyes are cold, filled with suspicion and something else I can’t quite place. He is waiting for me to speak, but I stay silent, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

“I’ll advise you to remove my face, Gideon,” he says, his voice eerily calm. “I know it’s you. Transform back to yourself, or I’ll put a bullet in your head.”

I take a slow, deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. My mind searches for the right words, but I know no matter what I say, Daniel won’t trust me easily.

“This is who I am,” I say firmly. My voice doesn’t shake, even though my body feels tense.

Daniel shakes his head slowly, his jaw tightening. He doesn’t look convinced. “Don’t fuck with me,” he warns, his voice sharp like a knife. “I know what you did. You stole from me. And the worst part?” He stands up suddenly, stepping closer, pressing the gun harder against my forehead. My skin tingles under the cold steel.

“You fucked my man wearing my face.” His voice is thick with rage, his hand steady on the gun. “Convince me why I shouldn’t kill you in the next minute.”

I swallow hard, my mind racing. How do I explain this without making it worse? How do I make him understand?

“If you kill me, Marcus will die,” I say quickly. “And you’ll end up just like me.”

Daniel’s eyes narrow. “What the fuck are you talking about?” His grip on the gun doesn’t loosen.

“I’m not Gideon,” I tell him. I hold his gaze, making sure he sees the truth in my eyes. “I’m a different version of you.”

Daniel lets out a short, bitter laugh. His expression is filled with disbelief. “A different version?” He scoffs. “You must be insane.”

I shake my head. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”

He crosses his arms, the gun still pointed at me. His finger hovers over the trigger. “Explain.”

I inhale deeply, my chest rising and falling. “I’m not from this world,” I say. “I’m here for a purpose.”

Daniel stares at me like I’ve just told him the sky is green. He blinks once, then twice, as if trying to process my words. “From another world?” he repeats, his voice dripping with disbelief. “Do you even hear how stupid that sounds?”

I don’t back down. I hold his gaze and say, “Is there anything truly impossible, Liam?” I use his real name, watching his expression carefully.

For the first time, Daniel hesitates. His body tenses, and his eyes study me closely. The gun is still aimed at my head, but I can see his mind working, processing what I just said.

“Why are you here?” he asks, his voice quieter this time.

I let out a breath. “Love,” I answer. “Love brought me here.”

Daniel stares at me, his face unreadable. After a moment, he sits back down, though the gun remains in his hand. “Explain,” he demands.

I nod slowly. “I was tricked by a supernatural being. Instead of taking me to the past, it brought me here.”

Daniel leans forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. “Why do you need to go back to the past?”

I hesitate before answering. The words feel heavy in my throat. “To save the love of my life. Marcus.” My voice cracks slightly. “He was killed on our wedding day.”

Daniel lets out a bitter laugh. “Let me guess,” he says. “You made a deal with Time?”

I shake my head. “No.”

Daniel’s eyes darken. “Hold on. You made a deal with Mistake, didn’t you?”

I nod.

“That Fucking bastard,” Daniel mutters under his breath. His grip tightens on the gun as if he wants to shoot something— anything— to release his anger.

“But that’s not important right now,” I say. “Gideon is going after Marcus.”

Daniel’s head snaps up. His body tenses again, and his expression hardens. “What do you mean?”

“Rainbow told me,” I say. “He didn’t say when, but it will happen.”

Daniel smirks, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Nothing will happen to my Marcus. My men are all over his house, secretly protecting him.”

A wave of relief washes over me. For the first time since coming here, I feel like Marcus might actually be safe.

Silence stretches between us for a few seconds before Daniel breaks it. “What was the price for the opportunity Mistake gave you?”

My body stiffens. I can’t answer that. How do I tell him that the catch is to kill him?

Daniel tilts his head. “If you lie to me, I’ll know. And I’ll kill you.” His voice is deadly calm, his eyes locked on mine. “So think carefully.”

I force myself to meet his gaze. “She hasn’t told me yet,” I lie.

Daniel nods slowly, but I don’t know if he believes me. “That’s what she does,” he mutters.

Then his lips curl into a smirk. “So, you came into my world to take my man?”

I don’t respond.

His smirk fades, replaced by cold rage. “I can’t let that happen,” he says. “Your Marcus is dead. Accept that. Break the deal with Mistake and go back to your world.”

He stands and walks toward the door. “I’m giving you two days to leave. If you’re still here after that, I’ll feed you to my tigers.” His voice is final, his grip on the door handle firm.

Desperation grips me. “And then what?” I say, my voice rising. “You’ll end up like me?”

Daniel stops.

“Mistake told me,” I continue. “All the Marcus in every world die the same way.” I take a step forward. “So let me stay. Let me help you save your Marcus.”

It’s a lie. But it’s the only way to buy more time.

Daniel turns slightly, his expression unreadable. Just as he’s about to respond, his body stiffens.

Then, something strange happens. His whole body vibrates. His pupils dilate. His breathing turns sharp and erratic.

I’ve never seen anything like this before.

“Something’s wrong,” Daniel says, his voice urgent. He looks at me, panic flickering in his eyes. “Marcus is in trouble.”

And then he’s gone, rushing out of the room like a man possessed.

My heart pounds violently in my chest.

Marcus.

I can’t let him die. Not again.

I don’t hesitate. I run after Daniel, ignoring the fear crawling up my spine.

I didn’t come this far to watch Marcus die again.