ht through him; whatever dark thoughts he had, they were neatly locked up inside a bottle, like a genie. He held a tornado inside. I could tell, because I’d felt the same for ages. When your ‘hom

ready to rejoice, enjoy, and experience life. There

lf. I wasn’t putting up with it. Whatever his deal was, it was just that, his deal, not mine. The gloom and doom th

g room, standing bef

there y

leave this place. This Kostya guy yo

ened. “Has h

face. “No,” I admitted and showed her my scarred palm. “But he

es?” she a

ow did y

’s not my story to share. Maybe

going to stay here? “You’re not

ing leather couch. When we both sat, she

the whole point of us coming

ng to th

ught you said Ted

I’m going to a friend who can help me.” She

up. “No,

her. “Listen to me carefully. You ne

ut

hion. “Remember that poster beside your bed of that rock star? The one with the

m take you alive,”

’s my

not to leave my bedroom the following night. I nodded, though I didn’t agree. After all,

as dying was that when I broke the rules, I got away with it, most of the time. Perhaps I should have f

d brought me dinner. After that, I was ignored. It probably had something to do with the indust

door, and peered outside. The coast was clear. I stepped out of my room and took the hallway

ary. The mahogany bookshelves were filled with books; most of

myself into the vacated nook. With a pounding heart, I waited. The door creaked open. The clack of the pumps on the stone floor was muffled as soon as they hit the

ls. Louis Vuitton. Sigh. I’d give my right arm for those heels. Well, not really, but almost. Sadly, it

All that mattered was that I needed to get the hell out of that room. What if they found me? My heart did a thud when

*

st

l downtown under the guise of traveling on business with her father. Today, si

rms draped along the back of the sofa. She was like a beautiful marble statue. Per

y calls.” The icy Bratv

nce as I sat down nex

dn’t understand why. I’d always been honest with her. Unlik

Selenahad inadvertently been one of the reasons I’d been promoted to pakhan. It had been the reason her father had voted for

marry Maxim,” she

She was a valuable source of information. The Bratva’s attitude toward women was much like the Italian

ratulations a

e my words. We both knew th

ng how you fee

“Since when do

more…I could maybe…and your past wouldn’t matter.” For a

on-to-be husband was an asshole. I was the lesser

l forget your existence as soon as he has a male

ore. “He’s an ape with

. And it stayed its hand from killing,” I quoted

. “What doe

, no matter what.” My mother was the perfect example of this madness. She’d fallen for

’re telling me I should make tha

crazy over a man, let alone over me. She’d never lower her

off the couch and pushed her out of the door. I didn’t envy Maxim. The poor bastard was in way over his head. My eyes went to my

d popped up from behind the desk. She smoo

sed. I would wait until sh

er chest and said, “You know she w

hat you have to s

ld her ground. “The woman pra

I decided to let the issue of her h

elenadoesn’t beg. Sh

e…if you’d be a bit more. And um, your past wouldn’t matter.” She

r her, so there would be no

ed, but was tryi

’t do

to get that,

s was open, and flipped it closed. The girl was

sn’t care about my job, subtle or not

Rank, as in like a so

igadier, prin

ani

r got promoted to king. Now she believes herse

’m guessing you’re not wearing

d. “I’m what some people

nd to become a king, right? O

ecome the emperor.” That’s what it would take to tear down the puppe

interested in Bratva politics. “But

at Krissy was only seventeen. A very grown-up teen, but still a teenager. H

e grenade explodes. The man shatters. It doesn’t matter who visits that side of his chest ever

You have alrea

stepped on t

when you are prepa