The conviction in Aly's tone and demeanor is met with thinly veiled shock. She is serious, and Devin believes her.

A tangle of mixed emotions binds his tongue for a moment. Her promise of vengeance is appreciated on some level; few people have ever been in a position to want to protect him to that extent. The flip side of that is cold aversion to giving Aly cause to act on her pledge. If the cost of her protection is that she kills for him, that she inflicts suffering-- Devin doesn't want her to pay that price. Not for him. Aly is too young to bear the weight of so much violence, but clearly it is also too late to avoid.

He is exceptionally relieved he did not tell her the redhead was his ex-girlfriend.

"Have some unsolicited advice from a professional killer, Aly: keep it clean," Devin cautions at length, voice low. "If you must take a life, then take it. Don't savor it. You'll lose a piece of yourself every time."

He sighs then, clasping his hands together on the table and running a thumb along his palm. "I'm not worried he'll hurt me. Quite the opposite, in fact," Devin presses on. "I meant I did not want an audience. I didn't want to become preoccupied with other people's expectations while I'm trying not to ruin everything."