Avery:
The morning started like any other.
Cruz picked me up in the truck, quiet and brooding in that way he got when something was turning in that head of his. I let him have his silence.
We rolled through town, passed the usual turn that would’ve taken us to the compound.
But instead of veering right, he hooked a left and started down a gravel road I hadn’t noticed before. It was half-eaten by weeds, tree branches brushing the sides of the truck like they were trying to keep us out.
I raised a brow and looked at him. “Is this where you finally murder me?”
He smirked, just a little, and then hopped out to unlock a thick chain wrapped around a rusted gate.
No response.
Which was… comforting.
Totally fine.
Love that for me.
The gate squealed open, and we rolled forward. The path
