Chapter 19. A Taste of Freedom

Avery’s POV

A group of men had just walked in, their rowdy voices instantly overpowering the quieter conversations. They crowded around a table near the center, clinking glasses and exchanging exaggerated tales of their exploits. One of them threw his head back in laughter, his booming voice echoing across the room.

Behind the counter, Sarah who had just joined me rolled her eyes as she wiped down a set of clean glasses. “Every night, it’s the same thing with those guys,” she muttered under her breath, glancing at me.

I nodded in agreement, though my attention wasn’t on the noisy group. My gaze kept drifting toward the hooded figure seated in the corner. He was an anomaly amidst the lively atmosphere, a quiet presence that seemed to draw the room’s energy toward him without effort.

Sarah noticed my lingering glance and nudged me lightly. “You’ve seen him, haven’t you?” she asked, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

I looked at her que