LOGINThis 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
Ava The words hit me like a slap, the coldness of them slicing through the tense atmosphere between us. For a moment, I can’t breathe, can’t think. I just stare at him, my father, who has never once been anything close to the man I needed him to be. "Money?" I repeat, the incredulity dripping from
Suddenly, I didn’t feel so sure of myself. “I know what you’re thinking.” He murmurs, his forehead pressing against mine as he exhales deeply. “But trust me, you’re the only woman I want.” “Then why do you have a condom?” “I’ve had it since the day you moved in.” Oh. Warmth floods my skin,
My father tries to speak, but all that comes out is a choked cough. He looks up at Nikolai, and for the first time since I've known my father, I see hatred burn brightly in his eyes. "You shot at me." He accused, but Nikolai doesn't flinch. "Be thankful that's the only thing I did." He says, "The
He doesn't say anything “It was stupid,” I whisper more to myself than him, my voice shaking as the tears I’ve been fighting to hold back start to fall. “I know it was and yet I thought that if I could just hear him say it—just hear him say that he was sorry for everything he’s done, for everythin







