More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“He’s predictable when it comes to her.” Roman tipped his chin toward Ayana. He sounded bored. “It would be romantic if it wasn’t so stupid.”
“Touch a hair on her head, and you’ll regret it. I promise.” My soft warning echoed in the vast space.
Wentworth pushed Ayana’s top up, and my vision blacked out for an entirely different reason. I was a rational person. I was calm, collected, and strategic. I didn’t let emotions overshadow reason But in that moment, I didn’t care. I wanted his blood on my hands and his head on a fucking plate.
Shadow. That fucking cat. I could kiss the damn thing.
“Ayana, sweetheart, look at me.”
“Ayana.” My voice firmed. I was minutes away from losing consciousness, and I needed to get through to her before I did. “It’s okay, srce moje. Look at me.”
“I told you what would happen if you went near Ayana again.” I pressed the gun against his forehead. He sobbed. The scent of urine filled the air. “But I forgot to mention another thing. Don’t touch my fucking cat.”
“Where is she?” I demanded. I grabbed Roman’s shoulders and shook him. “Where is she?”
“It’s okay, baby.” It was my turn to lift her up and wrap an arm around her. She didn’t wake up. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
And I remembered lifting it and shooting Emmanuelle right between the eyes. If I hadn’t, she would’ve killed Vuk. That’d been my only thought, so I hadn’t hesitated, hadn’t even really aimed. I just…did it.
“I’m more worried about you.”
I didn’t regret killing Emmanuelle. It was her or Vuk, and even if she weren’t evil, I would choose him. Every time.
Seeing him crawl away like the pathetic coward he was in his last moments on earth had been satisfaction enough. A small death for a small man. It was what he deserved.
“When I thought you were going to die, everything else stopped mattering—the Brotherhood, the photos, your utter lack of appreciation for my shoe collection.”
“All that mattered was you because I want to be with you.”
And as long as you don’t go around, like, stabbing people who give you a parking ticket, I—” Vuk finally moved. He grabbed me and crushed the rest of my ramble with a kiss, his mouth hot and urgent. I melted.
He was alive. It finally, truly sank in. He was alive, and we could be together, no holds barred.
“So, no stabbing parking attendants,” he said when we broke for air minutes or possibly hours later. I heard the smile in his voice. “Any other conditions I should know about before we make this official?” “Um.” Just kiss me again. Immediately.
“Nisam sklon kompromisima, srce, ali za tebe bih pristao i na hiljadu njih.” I waited for a translation that never came. “You’re going to make me look that up too, aren’t you?” Vuk flashed a cocky grin. “If you give me a kiss, I’ll tell you what I said after.”
“Okay, Markovic, pay up,” I said. “What did you say?” “I’m not usually a compromise person, srce, but for you, I’d agree to a thousand compromises if you asked.”
“And yet, you won’t translate srce,” I breathed, trying to restore some semblance of control to my emotions. “You know what it means,” Vuk said, his voice tender again.
Srce moje. My heart.
“Fuck what the doctor said.” Vuk nuzzled my neck. “I pay him, so my orders supersede his.”
“Cockblocked by a cat. Unbelievable.”
“Plus, you saved my life. Again.”
“No, srce,” Vuk said. “You saved mine.”
Like my mother said, joy didn’t require the absence of grief, and happiness wasn’t always found in the big moments. More often than not, they existed in small pockets of time like these—in a room with an adorable cat, the man I loved, and the knowledge that he loved me back.
Good instincts. No wonder Harper married her.
“Is that your way of saying you want to see me in holiday lingerie?” she teased. I want to see you in everything. Anything. A wicked smile. Nothing.
“Merry early Christmas, srce moje,” I murmured. Ayana smiled, her face glowing with such happiness it made my heart squeeze. “Merry early Christmas, my love.” I stilled. My love.
“I love you,” she said. “Not because you saved my life but because you’re you.” It was as if she’d read my mind. “Grumpy, sweet, smart, loyal…a little stabby at times, but no one’s perfect.” She smiled at my small huff. “I’m in love with every part of you, Vuk Markovic, and I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while. Tonight just happened to be the night I found the courage to do so.”
“I don’t deserve you, Ayana Kidane,” I whispered. “But fuck, I love you too.”
“You’re thinking of murder, aren’t you?” Ayana came up beside me, her face a portrait of amusement. Possibly. Cannot confirm or deny. She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck.
Define enjoy. I lowered my head so only she could hear me. “I enjoy spending time with you,” I said. “I enjoy seeing you happy. That’s what I enjoy.”
You should be glad I love you so much.”
“If that’s supposed to make me want people around more, it’s having the opposite effect.”
Most importantly, Ayana was enjoying herself, and I would do anything to make her smile—including hosting and staying at a feline birthday party.
Vuk!” I squealed when he swept me up off the ground.
There was only one sentence printed in vintage typewriter font: Will you marry me?
“It’s because I wanted to do this under the Northern Lights. Last year, when we were in D.C., you told me you never got to see the Lights, and I wanted you to experience them. I want you to experience everything beautiful in this world, Ayana, and I hope you’ll give me the honor of being by your side for it all.”
Ayana Kidane, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Oh my God, yes!” I sobbed. “Of course I’ll marry you!”
We fit in a way that was uniquely us—light and dark, sea and snow, flame and ice.
my sighs had just been the universe whispering to me, Wait a while longer. Your perfect match will come. He had. And he was worth every second of the wait.
