"Cassian, look at me! Keep your eyes on mine!" I scream. The searchlights from the cliffs are dancing across the floor.

"Leave... the asset," he rasps.

"I am not an asset!" I howl. I slide my shoulder under his arm, my frame buckling under his muscle. Every step down the cliffside is a descent into hell.

We reach the pier. I dump him into the boat and slam the throttle forward as gunfire hits the water behind us. Once we’re in the dark of the Aegean, I cut the engine. Cassian is slumped against the side, the blood on his chest looking like black oil in the moonlight.

"Cassian? Cassian!"

His eyes flicker open. "You... you did it. You saved the asset."

"There is no contract anymore. There’s just... us."

"I broke my vow, Lyra. I was supposed to be the shield."

"The shield didn't save me, Cassian. The man did."

He pulls me down until my ear is pressed against his heart. It’s beating slow, but steady. "I never knew what I was fighting for," he whispers. "But tonight... I realized I wasn't waiting to die. I was waiting for you to show me how to live."

The bodyguard’s vow is broken. But a new one has taken its place. I hold him as the first light of dawn turns the dark water into a shimmering field of gold. He’s not watching the door anymore. He’s only watching me.

💖 "The shield didn't save me... The man did." Are you swooning over this epic shift from bodyguard to true partner? 🥰 Let us know your favorite part of the finale in the comments! 👇 Hit ❤️ to celebrate Lyra and Cassian, and share the romance with your favorite listening buddy! 🌅✨ #RomanticAudioClub