Page 202 of Knot Baked Out For This
"Best fifteen dollars we ever spent," Levi says.
I laugh, finally, really laugh. The kind that comes from relief and exhaustion and the surreal nature of a day that started with ghost cookies and ended with justice.
"Thank you," I whisper into the nest. "For documenting everything. For building the case. For protecting me even when I didn't know I needed protecting."
"Always," they say in unison.
And wrapped in blankets and pack scent and the knowledge that Korrin can't hurt me anymore, I finally let myself believe it.
I'm free.
Really, truly, finally free.
The ashes of my past life have settled, and from them, I've risen.
Not perfect. Not undamaged. But strong.
And surrounded by people who love me not despite my broken pieces, but because I survived them.
"Happy Halloween," Levi murmurs against my hair.
"Happy Halloween," I echo. “But I call for a power nap and then we’re going trick-or-treating because we aren’t wasting those costumes.”
They all laugh, making me giggle with them in pure bliss.
Best. Halloween. Ever.
Even if I did spend part of it watching my ex-husband get arrested.
Especially because of that, actually.
Justice and pie…a good ring to it.
CHAPTER 36
Halloween Harvest & Forever
~HAZEL~
Iwake up to the sound of a cat yowling, a dog barking, and what sounds suspiciously like Levi trying to stuff three grown men into matching t-shirts.
"This is humiliating," Luca's voice, muffled by fabric.
"This is hilarious," Levi counters. "Reverie's a genius."
"Reverie's going to get murdered if I have to wear—what does this even say?"
"'Hot Buns Bakery Security,'" Levi reads proudly. "With little cupcakes on the back. It's perfect."
"It's ridiculous."
"Ridiculously perfect."
I burrow deeper into the nest of blankets on my living room floor, trying to hide from consciousness and the fact that we have approximately two hours before the Halloween festival starts, and I'm supposed to be a functional human being who can walk and talk and not spontaneously combust from emotional exhaustion.
"She's awake," Rowan announces, because apparently, my breathing pattern changed, and he notices everything. "I can tell by the way she's pretending not to be awake."
"I'm sleep-breathing very convincingly," I mumble into a pillow that smells like cedar smoke and safety.
