CHAPTER 57
Ava’s POV
I knew I should have stopped.
Every sensible thought in my head warned me to pull away before I became too attached to a man like Cain Harlow. Men like him came with walls, secrets, and scars too deep for someone like me to understand. If I let myself fall, there was every chance I’d end up heartbroken when he decided this meant nothing.
But the more I tried to think, the harder it became.
His lips were warm against mine, gentle in a way that completely contradicted the intimidating man everyone else saw. There was no force behind the kiss, no urgency. It felt as though we were both discovering unfamiliar ground together, unsure where it would lead but unwilling to step away.
So I kissed him back.
Not because it was wise. Not because it was safe.
But because,
