Cole's POV.

The police station smelled like sweat, stale coffee, and bad decisions. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, putting everything in a cold, unflattering glare.

Daniel walked beside me, silent but tense. He hadn’t said a word since we got here, but he didn’t need to. He knew I wasn’t here out of guilt, or obligation, or whatever the hell Vanessa thought still existed between us.

I was here to end this.

A uniformed officer led us down a short hallway, the scuffed floor dull under my steps. We turned a corner, and there she was.

Vanessa sat on a hard plastic chair, wrists cuffed in front of her,...