She looked at me—really looked. And something in her eyes changed.
That fear?
Burned clean.
What was left?
Mine.
Jake’s voice cracked through the air like a live wire. “Kennedy, please. We can fix this. Just come home.”
Desperation soaked every syllable.
Kennedy turned—slow, steady—glass in her eyes, but steel in her spine. “You let him control me.” Her voice didn’t shake. “You knew.”
The shift was instant.
The air snapped taut like someone pulled the safety off a loaded gun.
I felt it in my chest.
She’d just set the fucking world on fire with seven words.
And that was when the handler opened his mouth.
He leaned against the SUV, smug as ever, arms crossed like he was watching a fucking soap opera.
“She’s just a phase, Jake.” Shrug. “Used goods now, anyway.”
That was it.
Snap.
My body moved before my brain could form a word.
I was across the sidewalk in a blink, grabbing the bastard by the collar and slamming him back into the SUV.
The metal groaned under the impact.
Just like he did.
My forearm pressed against his throat, pinning him.
“Say that again.” My voice was gravel and gunpowder. “I fucking dare you.”
His cocky little smirk cracked—fear bleeding in behind his eyes.
I wanted him afraid.
I wanted him ruined.
Jake rushed forward, trying to peel me off.
Wrong move.
I didn’t budge. My grip just tightened.
He was lucky I hadn’t broken something. Yet.
