His breathing was measured, but the rage? It simmered. Boiled. Seeped into his bones.
"You killed something important," he continued, his tone tightening. "Something that belonged to me. You thought that was it? That I'd just—move on? Shrug it off? Like it wasn't a big deal?" His lips curled into something cold. "No. That's not how this works, old man."
He lifted his boot and shoved Theseus' body aside, casual, dismissive.
"Now you've lost something important too."
Parker let the words settle, let the weight of them hang in the air before he took a slow, deliberate breath. Then he tilted his head, eyes sharp, voice dropping into something even colder, crueler.
"And just so we're clear?" He let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "I don't do that 'eye for an eye' bullshit. That's for cowards. You take one thing from me?" His voice sharpened, cutting like a blade. "I take a hundred from you."
