Se connecterThis book is officially over. I can't believe I finished it. There were times I wanted to give up. Times I did at some point, but for some reason, I always found the energy to push through. I want to thank everyone who gave this book a chance. Without you, this book wouldn't be as successful as it
“Nikolai, I- ouch” She takes a step towards me and then stops, her face twisting into a grimace. I'm at her side in an instant, my hands around her shoulder, steadying her, “What's wrong?” I ask, my gaze scanning her carefully. My eyes land on the thin ragged line on her knee. The edges are raw, a
To be honest I wouldn't blame her if she did. She’d just seen me torture information out of a man. A man who deserves every bit of pain I dished out to him and more but still. Ava wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t used to seeing other people suffer. I was. I thought I could shield her from the darknes
Nikolai There's a solid second that follows after I see her, where the two of us just stare at each other, neither one of us willing to break contact first. Fuck. She wasn't supposed to be here. How the hell did she even find this place? "Ava, wait," Her eyes widened, a flicker of panic cross
I don’t. My pulse dips, and my heart rate spikes. The passageway is dark and the light seeping in from the library barely serves as an adequate lighting source. I whip out my phone and turn on the flashlight, barely containing the scream that threatens to erupt from my throat, when I see a roach s
The drawing is far from perfect, but it's perfect enough to make Kira smile, and that's enough for me. “Do you think Papa will like it?” I smile softly, brushing a strand of her dark hair away from her face. "I think your papa will love it.” Kira's smile brightens even more. The door to the
Nikolai was leaving me. Again. The weight of disappointment crushes my windpipes with each breath I take in and release. This is ridiculous. I don't even like him. At least I don't think I do. Sure he was a gentleman all evening and managed to surprise me with how thoughtful he can be when he cho
Bear The new prisoner his father brought was rather chatty, Bear decided after he heard the third knock on the wall on the second day of his exile. "Bear?" came the little voice, soft and curious, as always. He'd come to realize that despite himself he actually found her voice rather tolerable. It
Ava “Mr. And Mrs Volkov, We've been expecting you”, the restaurant manager greets us as soon as we step into The Azure Reserve, his tone polished, yet the tremble in his voice betrays the professional demeanour he's going for. He extends a slight bow, then lifts his gaze to meet Nikolai's. “It’s su
The bell goes off and I gather my things, my mind still miles away as I make my way to the studio for my next class. The smell of paint and turpentine hits me the moment I step into the studio. I make my way over to my easel which stands in the corner next to the windows. Professor Bennett, the in







