“No,” she cuts me off, her voice rising. “You don’t get to drag me into this, Cooper. I don’t want any part of your world, your secrets, or whatever mess you’ve gotten yourself into.”

Her anger is like a wall, hard and impenetrable, but I can see the cracks beneath it. The fear she’s trying so hard to hide. I take a step closer, lowering my voice.

“You think I want this?” I ask, my tone sharper than I intended. “You think I’d put you in danger if I had a choice?”

Her eyes flash. “Youdidhave a choice. Five years ago, you chose this life over me. You made your bed, Cooper. Now lie in it and leave me out of it.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut, but I don’t back down. “You don’t understand what’s at stake here. These people—they don’t play by the rules. If they think you’re useful, they’ll come after you. And they won’t stop.”

“I don’t need your protection,” she snaps. “I can handle myself.”

“Really?” I counter, stepping closer. “Because last night, you almost didn’t.”

Her expression falters for a split second before the anger returns, fiercer than before. “You don’t get to do this, Cooper. You don’t get to swoop in and play the hero after everything you’ve done.”

I run a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I’m not trying to be a hero, Zoey. I’m trying to keep you alive.”

Silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating. She turns away, her shoulders tense, and for a moment, I think she’s going to kick me out. But then she speaks, her voice quieter this time.

“Why now?” she asks without looking at me. “Why, after all this time?”

“Because they’re moving,” I say simply. “And they think you’re the key to getting to me.”

She finally turns to face me, her eyes searching mine for something I don’t know if she’ll find. Trust? Forgiveness? I don’t deserve either, but I can’t let that stop me.

“I don’t believe you,” she says, but her voice lacks conviction. “Why would they think I know anything about you?”

“Because of the deal I made,” I admit, the words heavy in the air. “The one that put Rosetti in the ground and left a lot of people looking for revenge. They think you were involved. That you might know things they can use.”

Her eyes widen slightly, and for the first time, I see a flicker of doubt. But it’s gone as quickly as it came, replaced by anger and disbelief.

“You should’ve stayed out of my life, Cooper,” she says, her voice low and steady. “I don’t want your help, and I don’t need your lies.”

I take a step back, letting her words sink in. She’s made up her mind, at least for now, and there’s no point in pushing her further. But I’m not giving up—not when her life is on the line.

“You have until tomorrow to decide,” I say, my voice firm. “If you want my protection, I’ll be there. If not... I can’t promise you’ll be safe.”

Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t respond. I turn and walk to the door, my hand lingering on the knob for a moment before I glance back at her.

“Be careful, Zoey,” I say softly. “Time’s running out.”

And with that, I leave, the sound of the door clicking shut behind me feeling far too final.

5

ZOEY

Idon’t sleep that night. Not really. I lie on my back, staring at the cracks in my ceiling, the events of the past few days replaying on an endless loop. The alley. Cooper’s face. The envelope. His warning.

Time’s running out.

The words claw at my mind, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. How dare he show up after all these years, throwing his weight around like nothing’s changed? Like he didn’t destroy me when he walked away and left me to pick up the pieces?

And yet, despite my anger, the fear lingers just beneath the surface, impossible to ignore. That envelope. The men in the alley. It all points to something bigger than me, something I don’t understand.

I sit up, wrapping my arms around my knees, and let my thoughts wander back to the last time Cooper and I were together. Back when I still believed in us.

We’d met by accident—achance encounter at a coffee shop where he’d charmed me with that crooked smile and intense blue eyes. Back then, I didn’t know who he really was, didn’t understand the darkness that clung to him like a second skin. All I knew was that he made me feel alive in a way no one else ever had.