Kurtis POV
The soft crash of waves against the shore had lulled me into a rare moment of peace. Lyra sat across from me, her face lit by the golden glow of lanterns strung around our private dining setup on the beach. She looked breathtaking, her laughter light and unrestrained as we joked about how terrible I was at paddleboarding earlier that day. For once, life felt uncomplicated.
Then my phone buzzed.
I glanced at it reluctantly, already knowing that peace was a fleeting visitor in my world. My stomach tightened when I saw the name flashing on the screen: **Grant Jameson.** My brother. The man I hadn’t spoken to in over two years.
“Everything okay?” Lyra asked, her voice soft with concern.
I hesitated. “It’s my brother. I should take this.”
Her smile faltered, but she nodded. I
