Amara's POV

The cab ride home was a blur of silence and reflection. The weight of the contract in my purse felt like a physical burden, a chain binding me to a world I had no business being in. As the car pulled up to my house, I saw the familiar silhouette of a man standing on my porch, his hands in his pockets. Cassian. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I wasn't ready to face him. Not after the kiss. Not after everything.

He turned as I approached, his face a mask of concern. ...