Chapter 1
Cassian leaned back, watching him, considering. He could let this night end here, let Thorne vanish back into the legend he had woven around himself. But where was the fun in that?
"Tell you what," Cassian said, setting his cup down with a quiet clink. "A wager. You and I, one round of cards. If I win, you owe me a favour. If you win⊠well, letâs be honest. You wonât."
Thorne's gaze darkened, slow and deliberate. "And if I refuse?"
Cassian's smirk widened. "Then you'll always wonder."
A beat. Then, with a sigh that spoke of equal parts reluctance and inevitability, Thorne reached for the deck.
The game unfolded in careful plays and sharp glances. Cards flicked against the wood, drinks were downed between turns, and every move carried a weight neither of them was willing to acknowledge.
