Page 199 of Hymns of the Broken

Jasper huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “Believe it or not, everyone’s been taking their breakfast to the basement. Eating in front of our prisoner.”

Riot snorts, snatching a piece of bacon from a platter and biting into it. “Macee says it’s like reality TV down there. Ash brought popcorn last night.”

I blink, a little stunned, and then let out a strangled laugh. “So… breakfast with a side of vengeance?”

Jasper’s grin is all teeth. “You could say that. Nobody’s in a hurry to forgive what he did. But I’d rather be up here—with you.”

Riot leans in, bumping my hip with his. “Unless you want a front-row seat to the show. We can always drag you down there and make Blake watch whatever you want.”

The suggestion hits me harder than I care to admit, but I shake my head, heat prickling under my skin.

“For now…” I say, voice a little rough, “I just want coffee. And you.”

Riot winks, sliding a mug toward me. “Your wish, Sin.”

We settle around the kitchen table, just the three of us, plates piled high. Riot shoves half a biscuit in his mouth and grins at me, still shirtless, still looking like every bad decision I want to make.

Jasper pours my coffee, brushes his knuckles down my arm—subtle, grounding. I’m wedged between them, close enough to feel their heat. Outside the window, the world is too bright, too normal for what lives inside this house.

Conversation drifts between bites—quiet at first, then warming up.

“So, Sin—dreamt up any new ideas for us to try out in the woods?” Riot asks, eyes all innocent, but his foot is pressing up my calf under the table.

Jasper rolls his eyes but doesn’t hide the smirk. “Give her a break. She’s only been back a day, you animal.”

I snort, sipping my coffee. “You two need a hobby.”

Jasper leans in, voice low. “Thought you were our hobby.”

Riot winks. “The kind you get addicted to.”

It’s easy for a few minutes—just the scrape of forks, the soft brush of Jasper’s hand on my thigh, Riot’s laugh like a spark in the quiet. And I let myself sink into it—the safe, the warm, the ordinary.

But under the surface, something’s gnawing. That unfinished thread I can’t ignore.

I set my fork down, tracing the rim of my mug. “I think… I want to see Blake today.”

Both their heads turn toward me, the playfulness draining from the air. Jasper’s brows pull together, worry cutting through the softness in his eyes. Riot’s mouth is suddenly a straight line, his jaw tight.

“I want to talk to him,” I say, voice trembling but firm. “But… I want you both with me. I don’t want to go down there alone.”

Jasper leans in, pressing his lips to my temple. “Then you’re not alone. Not for one fucking second.”

Riot stands and cracks his knuckles, eyes glittering with anticipation. “Hell yeah, Sin. We’ll go down there together. You want answers? We’ll make sure you get every answer.” He gives me a crooked grin, but there’s steel underneath it.

Then he drops his voice, just for me—low and dangerous, but gentle at the edges. “And if he tries to mess with your head, say the word and I’ll make sure he never says another. Or,”—his gaze flicks to Jasper, then back to me—“we’ll just let you have the first swing.”

He winks just enough to make my lips twitch. “Besides… what’s the point of being the devil on your shoulder if I don’t get to watch you face your demons?”

Jasper snorts. “Just try not to enjoy it too much.”

Riot only grins wider, mouth close to my ear. “No promises. I’ve been waiting to watch you burn a monster alive.”

And somehow, with both of them there—one calm, one fire—I know I’ll be okay, no matter what happens in that basement.

We’re finishing up breakfast—coffee almost gone, eggs cold from talking too long at the table—when the back door swings open and the others pile in from the basement.

Ash is first, rolling his eyes and tossing his plate into the sink. “He’s still breathing, unfortunately.”