He turns to leave but Holt leans in. Says something too low for me to hear. But Evan's eyes go wide. Scared. He believes every word.
He gets in his rental—parked crooked outside like he was too angry to care—and drives off. We all watch. Nobody moves. Nobody speaks. Just watch until the car disappears and the dust settles.
He's gone.
My legs give out.
Holt catches me. Wraps his arms around me and holds me up and I smell sweat and oil and safety. "He's really gone?"
"He's gone."
I start crying. Can't stop it. Relief and exhaustion and leftover fear crashing together and I'm shaking against him, falling apart right here. But he just holds me. Doesn't tell me to calm down. Just lets me break.
Maeve's hand touches my shoulder. Gentle. "You okay, honey?"
I nod against Holt's chest. "Yeah."
"That was badass, Scout." Finn sounds proud. "Standing up to him like that."
"I was terrified."
"Yeah, but you did it anyway." His voice is warm. "That's what counts."
The sheriff clears his throat. "You're one of us now. We look after our own."
I lift my head. Look around at all these faces. People I barely know. People who dropped everything because Finn called. People who just—decided I belonged here.
"Thank you." Barely get it out. "For coming—"
"Don't." Maeve squeezes my shoulder. "That's what family does."
They start to leave. Handshakes. Promises. Maeve says she'll bring tamales tomorrow. The baker offers to help this week if we need it. The sheriff tips his hat, tells me to call if Evan comes back.
Then it's just us. Me and Holt and Finn in the empty garage.
I'm still shaking. Still pressed against Holt like I'll collapse without him. My wrist throbs where Evan grabbed it—dull ache reminding me it happened.
"I thought I'd feel different." Muffled against his shirt. "But I just feel tired."
"That's normal." Finn's voice is gentler than usual. "You just faced your demon. Now you get to rest."
Holt's hand guides me toward the stairs. Steady. Patient. "Come on. Let's get you inside."
I look back once. At the empty road. At the space where Evan stood and tried to make me small and failed.
He came all this way thinking he could take me back. Thinking I was still that scared woman who couldn't say no.
But I'm not her.
I'm still here. I stood my ground. I said no and meant it and didn't back down.
And that's enough.
Chapter 21
"I can't believe he's really gone." The words come out too quiet, like I'm testing if they're true.
Finn appears in the doorway holding two mugs that don't match. "He's gone. And if he's smart, he'll stay gone." He hands me one—the tea smells like burnt grass but I take it anyway.
