Aria's POV
Damien threw his body over mine, pushing me behind a pillar. Guards tackled other people to the ground. Vivian dove through the doors just as the package exploded.
Not a big explosion. More like a loud pop and a burst of red powder.
We all stood slowly, covered in red dust, ears ringing.
Not a bomb, it was a paint bomb.
And attached to the remains of the package was a note in large, bold letters:
BOOM. Next time it won't be paint. Get comfortable, Aria. This is just the beginning. -M
I stood there, covered in red powder, shaking.
Marcus hadn't just breached our security again. He'd done it in broad daylight, in front of dozens of witnesses, in one of the most secure buildings in the city.
He was showing us that nowhere was safe.
That he could get to us anywhere, anytime.
And next time, the bomb would be real.
Damien pulled me into his arms, both of us trembling.
"We end this," he said into my hair. "Soon, we end this once and for all."
