Amara stood frozen at the dock, her breath caught in her throat. The night air was cold against her skin, but it wasn't the chill that made her shiver. It was him.
Liam.
The man she had spent the last couple of weeks hating.
The man she had watched kill her. The man who had haunted her nightmares.
But now, as she stared into his eyes, there was something raw in them—something pleading.
"Say something," he murmured.
She swallowed hard, her hands clenched at her sides. "What do you want me to say, Liam? That I forgive you? That I can forget?" Her voice shook with rage. "I remember everything. You pulled the trigger. You killed me."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't look away. "I didn't kill you, Amara."
She let out a bitter laugh. "You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes," he said simply. "Because it's the truth."
She took a step back, shaking her head. "I saw you."
"You saw someone wearing my face," Liam said, his voice low. "But it wasn't me."
Her heart pounded, anger warring with confusion. "What the hell does that mean?"
Liam ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "There's something you don't know—something I never wanted you to know." He hesitated, then said, "The people I was involved with… they weren't just powerful, Amara. They were something else entirely."
She narrowed her eyes. "Who are they?"
He hesitated before answering. "A cult. A high-class, untouchable cult."
Her stomach twisted.
"They controlled everything—money, politics, people's lives. I was born into them. I didn't have a choice." He took a step toward her, his voice softer now. "But when I met you, I wanted out."
Amara flinched. "And they wouldn't let you?"
"They saw you as a threat," Liam admitted. "They wanted me to cut ties with you. When I refused, they decided to eliminate the problem."
She stared at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "By killing me?"
He nodded, his expression tortured. "And they did it wearing my face."
She shook her head. "That's insane."
"I know," he said quietly. "But tell me, Amara… if I was the one who pulled that trigger, how are you standing here right now?"
Silence.
A cold shiver ran down her spine. "I don't know," she whispered.
His gaze locked onto hers. "I do."
She swallowed, barely able to find her voice. "Tell me."
Liam hesitated, but then his fingers brushed against hers. "I changed time for you."
Her breath hitched. "What?"
"Every ten years," he said, his voice almost breaking, "I have to renew it. The shift. The reset. That's the only way to keep you alive."
Amara felt like the ground had been ripped from beneath her. "Liam, that's not possible."
"It is," he said softly. "Because you're proof of it."
Her mind raced. The fragmented memories. The strange dreams. The way things never quite felt right, like she was existing in a reality that wasn't supposed to be.
"You're lying," she whispered, but her voice lacked conviction.
"I wish I were," Liam said. "I wish I could tell you this was all some mistake, that none of it ever happened. But it did, Amara." He exhaled. "You died. And I brought you back."
Her hands trembled, her breath uneven. "Why didn't you tell me?"
His eyes darkened. "Because they told me you wouldn't remember. And I didn't want to look insane to the woman I love."
Amara sucked in a sharp breath.
"The woman you love?" she repeated, voice barely above a whisper.
Liam nodded, stepping closer, his fingers reaching for her. "I never stopped."
Her body betrayed her. Even as her mind screamed to run, her heart kept her frozen in place. His warmth, his presence—everything felt too much.
She hated him.
She should hate him.
But when he reached up, cupping her face with careful hands, she didn't pull away.
His lips were suddenly closer, his breath mingling with hers. "Amara…"
She closed her eyes.
Then, she kissed him.
It was desperate, aching—a collision of past and present. His hands slid to her waist, pulling her flush against him. She clung to him, her fingers fisting in his shirt, drowning in the feeling of him.
When they finally pulled apart, their breaths were ragged, their foreheads resting together.
Amara's voice was barely a whisper. "I called the cops on you."
Liam huffed a small, almost amused breath. "I don't care."
She searched his face. "You should."
He shook his head. "You're alive. That's all that matters."
A tear slipped down her cheek. Liam caught it with his thumb, his touch lingering.
"What now?" she murmured.
He pressed a kiss to her temple. "We leave town."
She stiffened. "Why?"
His grip tightened around her. "Because they'll come looking for me. And if they find me, they'll find you."
Amara exhaled shakily. "Tell me about them."
Liam's jaw clenched. "They have power beyond what you can imagine. I thought I was free, but they've been watching me this entire time. I managed to block them, but it won't last. And when they realize I've interfered with the timeline again…"
He didn't finish.
He didn't have to.
Amara's stomach twisted. "You risked everything for me."
Liam's eyes softened. "I always will."
Her fingers curled around his.
"Then we run."
Liam exhaled, nodding.
No more hesitation.
No more doubt.
Liam squeezed her hand, his warmth grounding her despite the storm raging in her mind. Amara's heart pounded as reality set in. If they ran, there would be no turning back. No more pretending she could live a normal life.
"Where do we go?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Somewhere they won't expect," Liam said, already planning. "We can't use our real names. No cards, no phones—nothing traceable."
She exhaled sharply. "You've thought about this."
He gave a grim smile but shook his head. "Not really. But now that we're both aware, we have to act fast."
Amara hesitated. As much as she wanted to believe she was ready, the reality of leaving everything behind hit her like a brick. "I need to go home first," she said. "I can't just disappear with nothing."
Liam's expression darkened. "That's risky."
"I won't take long," she assured him. "Just a few essentials."
He studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Fine. But I'm coming with you."
Amara didn't argue. She wasn't sure she wanted to be alone anyway.
The drive to her apartment was tense. Liam kept checking the rearview mirror, his body coiled with unease. When they arrived, she moved quickly, grabbing a small bag and stuffing it with clothes, cash, and anything she might need.
Liam stood near the window, watching the street. "We can't stay here long."
She zipped up the bag and turned to him. "I'm ready."
Liam's eyes met hers, filled with something unreadable. Relief? Worry?
"Then let's go," he said, leading her back into the unknown.