Shattered Vows

POV: Fiona

Jeremy's laughter cracked through the suffocating silence, loud and jagged, scraping against my skin like barbed wire. It echoed down the empty alley, bouncing off the brick walls and amplifying the cruelty in it.

I stared at him, my chest heaving, heart slamming against my ribs like it was trying to break free. My eyes burned with unshed tears, my fingers digging into my sides to keep myself from shaking apart.

"What's so funny?" I rasped, my throat raw.

Jeremy wiped at the corner of his eye, still chuckling like this was the punchline to some twisted joke. "You," he sneered, stepping closer. "The whole damn situation. It's hilarious."

Xavier hadn't moved. He stood like a statue, the gun dangling from his hand, knuckles still white from how hard he'd been gripping it. His chest rose and fell, but he didn't speak — didn't even look at me.