Page 146 of Hymns of the Broken
Riot’s jaw clenches as he scrolls, eyes darkening with every image. Jasper’s whole body goes rigid, knuckles white around my phone.
He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t have to. The air in the kitchen shifts—warmth turning razor sharp, the safe cocoon ripped away in a single heartbeat.
Riot pulls me to his side, voice low, lethal. “Who the fuck is doing this?”
Jasper’s glare is pure threat, murder in his eyes as he scans each photo, already working out how to hunt them down. “Nobody gets that close to you. Not again.”
My heart pounds, a cold sweat breaking out across my skin. Outside, the world keeps spinning. But in here, everything has changed.
JASPER
The second I see those photos, everything inside me goes cold. Not fear or anger. Rage. The kind that starts low and tight in my gut and spreads, white-hot and blinding. Someone got close. Too close. Close enough to watch us at our most vulnerable. Close enough to know I’d kill for her.
Sawyer’s shaking, Riot’s got his arm around her, but I can’t stand still. Not with this kind of threat circling. I press a kiss to her forehead—gentler than I feel—and slip out of the kitchen, my phone clutched in my fist.
I find Silas in the living room, feet up, flicking through channels like nothing’s wrong. He glances up, catches the look on my face, and all the lazy big brother energy evaporates.
“What happened?” he asks, voice low.
I hand him the phone. He scrolls, eyes narrowing with every swipe. By the time he looks back at me, his jaw’s locked tight.
“You recognize any of these locations?” I ask.
He nods, grim. “Somebody’s been following you for days. Even on your property.”
“Who?” My voice comes out raw, barely controlled.
He tosses the phone onto the table. “I know some people. I’ll make some calls. We’ll get a name. Don’t do anything stupid till I say so.”
I grit my teeth, but nod. “We need eyes on the house. I want to know if they’re watching us now.”
Silas is already reaching for his phone, muttering into the receiver as he moves to the window, eyes scanning the street like he’s hunting ghosts.
But it’s not enough. I need more—now. I dial Micah. He answers on the third ring, all sleepy and static.
“Yo, what’s up?” he mumbles. Must still be at his parents’ place.
“Micah, I need you at the house. Now. Someone’s stalking Sawyer. We’ve got pictures—lots of them. You’re the only one I trust to find this fucker.”
I hear rustling—he’s already moving. “Text me the number. Forward everything. I’ll run a trace before I hit the road.”
“Thanks, man,” I say, all the emotion boiling under my skin. “Drive safe.”
I hang up, run both hands through my hair, fighting the urge to punch a hole in the nearest wall. If I get my hands on whoever did this—
Across the hall, I hear Sawyer’s voice, low and frantic, calling for Macee. I want to go to her, but I force myself to wait. She needs her friend. I need to keep her safe, even if that means letting go for five fucking minutes.
Silas glances at me, his tone all business now. “Micah’s got this. You—don’t let her out of your sight once she’s back.”
I nod, the promise already made in my head. Whoever’s watching—whoever thinks they can get this close—I’m going to make them regret ever breathing the same air as her.
RIOT
I can barely sit still. Every muscle in my body is wired, twitchy, ready for a fight that hasn’t even started yet. I keep checking the windows, the door, every shadow in the backyard. My skin crawls remembering those photos—how fucking close someone got. How Ididn’tnotice.
Sawyer’s still with Macee, her voice muffled and shaky down the hall. Jasper’s a storm about to break, Silas is all business, and I feel like I’m about to jump out of my skin when the front door finally opens.
Micah walks in, laptop bag slung over his shoulder, hoodie half zipped, and hair a mess. He barely looks at us before dropping his bag on the coffee table and yanking out his computer.
