ZED POV
The fire crackled softly between us.
Orange embers danced.
Amara leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder, her weight light but grounding. Too grounding. The kind that made lies feel heavier than bullets.
I stared into the flames, jaw tight.
I knew she wanted the truth.
She hadn’t asked again not with words but her silence was louder than accusations. Every time her fingers curled into my shirt, every time she flinched when I went quiet, it pressed against my chest.
I owed her this.
I exhaled slowly.
“It all started with Roberto,” I said.
Her body stilled, just slightly.
“You already know what he did to my parents. Took everything. Left them broken.” I swallowed. “After that, he dragged me into his business. Drugs. Distribution. Collection. I was a tool to him.”
