LOGINKillian’s PoVI refused to let go of her hand.Even as fifty rifles were raised.Even as my grandfather’s men spread through the clearing, surrounding us from every direction.My thumb brushed over the back of Amara’s hand.A silent reassurance.She squeezed my hand once in return.She wasn’t trembling anymore.She was standing beside me.Exactly where she’d chosen to be.My grandfather watched the exchange with mild amusement.“So this is love.”His voice was calm, almost thoughtful.“I’ve always found it to be an expensive weakness.”“It isn’t weakness,” I replied.“No?”His silver brows lifted.“You’ve abandoned an empire, disobeyed my orders, and crossed half of Europe for one woman.”He looked at Amara.“I’d say she’s cost you quite a lot.”I stepped forward, placing myself fully between them.“Don’t look at her.”His smile widened.“There he is.”“The grandson I raised.”“I didn’t raise you to love.”“I raised you to survive.”His words pulled me backward through years of memori
Amara’s PoVThe air between the two families was thick with tension.No one moved.No one spoke.Killian stood as still as stone, his gaze locked on the elderly man standing across the snow.His grandfather.The man he believed had died years ago.I had never seen Killian look shaken before.Not when bullets flew.Not when Volkov kidnapped me.Not even when the balcony exploded beneath us.But now…The color had drained from his face.Almost without thinking, I reached for him.My fingers found his.They were freezing.He looked down at our joined hands, then back at me.For a heartbeat, the fear in his eyes softened.I stepped closer until our shoulders touched.“You don’t have to face this alone,” I whispered.His fingers tightened around mine.“So you’re still here?”I frowned.“Where else would I be?”“You’ve learned more about my past in the last hour than I wanted you to know in a lifetime.”I smiled sadly.“And yet I’m still choosing you.”His throat bobbed.“You should hate me
Amara’s PoVMy hand slipped from his.Not because I wanted it to.Because I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore.Fiancée.The word echoed in my head over and over.Your fiancée.I stared at Killian.He hadn’t denied it.He hadn’t spoken.He had just… frozen.The silence hurt more than any answer could have.The woman—Eva—watched us with quiet satisfaction.“So,” she said softly, “he never told you.”I swallowed, forcing my voice to remain steady.“Were you really… engaged?”Killian’s eyes met mine.“Yes.”One word.Honest.It landed like a stone in my chest.Eva smiled faintly.“I thought as much.”Luca stepped forward, placing himself slightly between us and Eva’s men.“Boss, we need to leave.”“No,” Eva replied calmly.“I’m not here to kill him.”Romano laughed bitterly.“Forgive us if we don’t believe that.”Eva didn’t even look at him.Her attention remained on Killian.“I came because Adrian is lying to her.”That caught my attention.“What do you mean?”Eva looked at me.“He wants
Killian’s PoVThe words on my phone refused to disappear.WELCOME BACK TO PRAGUE.PHASE TWO HAS BEGUN.My blood ran cold.Not because of the message.Because only three people in the world knew what Phase Two meant.One was dead.One was standing in the burning mansion above us.And the third…Was me.Romano looked over my shoulder.“What does it mean?”I locked the phone without answering.“It means we’re out of time.”Luca frowned.“Boss…”“We leave. Now.”“But Volkov—”“I said now.”Something in my voice silenced them.I turned to Amara.She was brushing snow from her coat, trying to hide how badly her hands were shaking.When our eyes met, she smiled.A small, exhausted smile.She was trying to reassure me.Even after everything.God…How had I deserved someone like her?I walked over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.“You hurt anywhere?”“My pride.”Despite everything, I laughed.“My ankle hurts a little.”I immediately knelt before her.“What are you doing
Killian’s PoVThere was no choice.There never had been.I moved.Not toward Volkov.Toward Amara.Volkov smiled.“I knew it.”His thumb pressed the button.BEEP.The red lights beneath the balcony flashed faster.Three seconds.I ripped the climbing rope free from the railing and wrapped one arm tightly around Amara’s waist.“Hold on to me.”“What are you—”“Don’t let go.”Her eyes searched mine.She saw it.The certainty.The goodbye I refused to say.She threw both arms around my neck.“I trust you.”Two seconds.I drove my shoulder through the stone railing.Marble exploded outward.Cold air rushed around us.Then…We fell.Amara screamed.The world turned upside down as we plummeted into the darkness.A deafening explosion erupted above us.The balcony disappeared in a storm of fire and shattered stone.Chunks of concrete rained around us.One massive slab narrowly missed my head.The rope snapped taut.Pain exploded through my shoulder.The force spun us violently against the si
Amara’s PoV The wind suddenly stopped. Or perhaps…I stopped hearing it. A strange feeling crawled over me. The unmistakable sensation that someone was watching me. Slowly, I turned. The balcony was empty. Just stone railings, snow-covered mountains, and darkness stretching endlessly beyond the estate. I let out a shaky breath. You’re imagining things. After everything that had happened, it wouldn’t have been surprising. I turned back toward the mountains. A faint rustle sounded behind me. My heart lurched. Before I could scream, a gloved hand gently covered my mouth. “Don’t.” The voice was barely a whisper. Deep. Calm. Familiar. Every muscle in my body froze. My eyes filled with tears before I even turned around. Slowly, the hand slipped away. I spun around. “Killian…” He stood before me dressed entirely in black. Snow clung to his shoulders. A thin cut stretched across his cheek, and blood had dried along one side of his jaw. His breathing was heavy. He
Amara. Of course it was her. I hadn’t seen her in so long, but I could never forget those perfect features. All eyes were on her. Men wanted to take her home, but like that would ever happen. She was untouchable. I made my way over, a mix of shock and disbelief coursing through me. Why was she h
Taking his hand in mine, he shook it firmly, one hand in mine and the other resting on top, holding the shake with purpose. “You got a last name with that?” he asked, letting go and stepping back slightly. “King.” His face shifted through a series of emotions—bewilderment, confusion, then sudden
I did not let her speak before I continued. My hands wrapped around hers, pulling them gently into mine, and I searched her eyes with mine. Every flicker of emotion she tried to hide, every tiny hesitation, I caught it.“But this time I need complete honesty from you, Amara,” I said, my voice low b
Leaning back in my chair I chose to break the silence. "You three gentlemen have come here to tell me about something I was already aware of then? That's all?" I questions raising my eyebrow at all three. They all shared a confused look and look around at each other to almost say the exact same res







