hing Alana had said. The image of her father, her family, had shattered in an instant, and the weight of it was almost too much to bear. He

are. But she couldn't

to let him go without a fight, but Lily wasn't going to let her sister ruin both of their lives any l

e had to confront Adam. She needed to know what his next move was, whether he truly inten

The doorman gave her a polite nod as she entered the building, her footsteps echoing

apartment, she hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorbell. Wh

bts aside. She had to b

ng the

all frame filling the doorway. His eyes widened in surprise at the si

thed, his voice

invitation, the intensity of her emotion

her carefully, as if he could sense the

r chest tight with anger an

s name, Adam's expression d

t the worst of it. She told me everything, Adam. About my father, about your family's involvement. Abo

hands balling into fist

him off, her voice trembling with a mix of fury and disbelief. "Us

nce was ans

t written across his face. She had always known there was more to the story

her voice breaking. "Why did you le

o protect you, Lily. From all of this. From the ugliness of it. You d

rs. "You don't get to decide what's best for m

I thought... I thought if I kept you at a distance, I could keep you safe. That if I

nside her. "You were never going to get out of it

was scared. Scared of what would happen if I didn't play by her rules. My family-Lily, there's more at stake here than just my freedom. My

't just about Adam's personal entrapment. It was about their families-both of their

voice barely above a whisper

a control me. I'm done living in fear. I want to fight back, but I ca

o stand up to Alana. But now that the moment had come, she couldn't help but feel the weight of the battle

ce firm. "But we have to be smart

me, she didn't pull away. His fingers were warm, stead

t out," he prom

ng over her. They were walking into a war-against Alana, against the lies thei

ch other. And that was the o