Page 39 of Hymns of the Broken

Jasper’s eyes are locked on Riot like he’s trying to decide whether to break his jaw or just rip out his spine.

Riot stands slowly, hands up in mock surrender. “Didn’t realize she came with bodyguards.”

Jasper doesn’t blink. “She doesn’t.” His gaze flicks to me. “But she’s ours.”

Mine. The word lingers unspoken, but I feel it in the air between us.

Riot laughs dryly. “Chill, man. We were only talking.”

Jasper steps forward, not smiling. “You don’t want to know what I do when people ‘just talk’ to what’s mine.”

My breath catches. I can’t even say anything. The air feels heavy, too tight to breathe. I glance at Riot, who finally takes a step back, his grin dimming.

“Okay, okay.” Riot raises both hands and backs up. “Didn’t mean to start shit. I’ll leave her with her…fans.”

He glances my way and gives me a cocky wink before turning and walking off into the shadows.

I turn back to Jasper, jaw tight. “That wasn’t necessary.”

His eyesnever leave me. “Don’t walk off alone again.”

“I’m not your problem.” I lift my chin. "And you don’t own me.”

He closes the air between us, his voice dropping low, leaving no room for argument. “I don’t own you, Sawyer,” he says, meaningfully. "But I will protect what I’m claiming.”

“Protect me from what?” I shoot back. “We were just talking.”

“I know. That’s the part I don’t like.”

“Well, what if I want to talk to him?” My pulse kicks. “Maybe I want to get to know him better.”

He holds my gaze. “You may not be mine yet, but I don’t share, Sawyer. I don’t want his voice in your head, his hands in your space, or his name anywhere near your mouth when I’m standing right here.”

The words hit like a match struck in the dark. My throat goes dry. I can’t even answer before he turns on his heel and walks off, leaving me burning.

Silas nods at me once before following Jasper, his expression unreadable. Jace smirks like he’s watching a soap opera. Micah gives me a quick, almost sympathetic glance before looking away. And Ash? Ash winks with a look that says,’You’ve got no idea what you’ve just stepped into’.

And maybe I don’t.

Ash is silent as he falls into step beside me when I start toward the bus. His hands are casually inside the pockets of his ripped black jeans, a cigarette balanced between his lips. The faint glow at the tip flares when he inhales, cutting a tiny spark of orange through the night.

“You alright?” he finally asks, voice low but not prying.

“I’m fine.”

Ash glances at me sideways, one brow arched like he’s already calling me out. “You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“The ‘I’m fine’ but my brain is screaming look.”

I exhale sharply through my nose. “It’s been a night.”

“Yeah,” he says with that lazy, unbothered tone of his. “Caught that. Riot’s a punk. Not dangerous—just terrible at reading the room.”

I shake my head, my eyes fixed on the pavement glinting under the streetlights. “It wasn’t like that.”

Ash shrugs, smoke curling from his lips. “Didn’t say it was. But you should’ve known Jasper was gonna lose his shit either way.”