Amara's POV

For a long moment, the room was utterly silent. The only sound came from the rain drumming against the windows, soft but relentless like the echo of a ticking clock counting down to something inevitable.

Garvin stepped closer, his polished shoes clicking against the tiled floor. He looked completely at ease, one hand buried in his coat pocket, the other casually holding an umbrella still dripping water. The air shifted as he approached, heavy with the faint scent of cologne and ...