Lyra’s POV
The coffee shop had quieted down, the hum of the espresso machine and the occasional clink of cups the only sounds breaking the stillness. Kurtis sat across from me, his hands gripping his cup so tightly I feared it might shatter. His gaze was fixed on me, intense and unwavering, as if he were trying to peel back my layers and see straight into my soul.
But I was already bare before him.
“Lyra,” he said finally, his voice low, rough. “I need to know something before I go any further.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “What is it?”
His jaw tightened as he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Are you still in love with me?”
The question hit me like a freight train, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My hands trembled, and I clutc
