Her POV (Lila): "I can't stand him. That smug smirk, those knowing green eyes that see straight through every wall I've built - they drive me insane. He's everywhere. Watching. Waiting. Calling me Cracker like he still owns the right. He's dangerous. He's infuriating. He's the boy who vanished and returned as a man I should fear. The more I fight him, the more I feel myself falling... and I hate how much I don't want to stop." His POV (Asher): "She thinks she hates me. That fiery glare, that sharp tongue, that stubborn heart that refuses to break - I notice everything. I've watched her for twelve years. Protected her from the shadows. Sacrificed everything so she could stay innocent. She's loyal. Reckless. Impossible to ignore. I don't just want her to fall. I want her to need me the way I've needed her since the day I left. The question is... how much of my darkness can she survive before she finally sees the monster who's always loved her?"