Ryan’s face twisted. “So you’re with him now?”
Avery didn’t look at Rook. Didn’t need to. “I’m with me.”
Ryan scoffed. “Whatever. You’re not as strong as you think, Avery.”
Rook moved so fast Grim had to grab his arm. “Let me go.”
“Not worth it,” Grim muttered, tightening his grip.
“Fine. Ruin your life. Not my problem anymore.” Ryan backed away quickly, muttering curses under his breath as he disappeared down the alley, shoulders hunched, ego bruised.
Avery exhaled shakily, grounding herself with a slow breath as the adrenaline bled out of her.
Rook caught her elbow, steady but gentle. “Aves…”
“I’m okay,” she whispered, though her voice shook. “I just… I didn’t expect to feel all of that.”
Rook didn’t pull her into his chest. Didn’t take over. Didn’t try to fix it.
He just stood beside her, close enough to lean on, but not holding her up unless she asked.
“You did good,” he said quietly. “You did more than good.”
Avery swallowed hard. “I was scared.”
“You still stood your ground.”
She blinked fast, tears burning behind her eyes. “I didn’t want him to think he still had any power over me.”
“He doesn’t,” Rook said softly. “Not anymore.”
Avery believed him.
For the first time in a long time… she believed herself too.
Before she could respond, Havoc jogged around the corner, breathless. “Uh… guys? You need to see this.”
They followed him to the front of the bakery.
Avery stopped dead.
Her breath vanished.
The glass door wasn’t just taped with a note.
It was defaced.
A thick, black spray-painted skull with a serpent coiled through the eye sockets covered nearly half the window — the Reapers’ mark — dripping down the glass like inked poison.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
Underneath, in jagged red strokes, someone had written:
SHE’LL BE FUN TO BREAK.
Avery’s blood ran cold, and her knees nearly buckled again.
Rook stepped in front of her so fast she didn’t see him move, his entire body going rigid, shoulders squared like he was ready to take a bullet.
