Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #3)

by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

And finally, and certainly most enjoyable, was watching his best friend—The Villain—a man who Alexander had never thought would open up his cold, closed off-heart, fall truly, deeply, and wildly in love with Evie Sage.

And most of all, she hid that it was incredibly likely that Trystan Maverine was her true love.

He no longer had an assistant. He had an apprentice. A furious, maddeningly frustrating, and disgustingly beautiful apprentice.

Near the man who caused you physical harm? No, I’m afraid I prefer to decapitate in private.

Trystan was not a hero. He was not a valiant knight or anyone’s savior; he was evil, and he would reclaim that title twenty times over if it meant destroying anyone who put that haunted look on Sage’s lovely face.

“I’m telling you because you deserve to hear it. I’m telling you because you deserve to know that someone does, very much, love you.”

“I love you, Trystan, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

The destiny monster may have decided their fate, but it couldn’t have his mind, his thoughts, his kiss. And Trystan used all of them in that moment to show Evie he loved her more than life, more than breath…more than death. Kissing her more deeply, like he was defying the gods, defying destiny, defying everything that had ever told him he didn’t deserve the precious thing he held in his hands.

“Gods, you have driven me to madness, Sage. Ever since I first laid eyes on you, I knew you would be the source of all chaos.”

“We are even, then. I’ve had so many inappropriate dreams about you I began to organize them alphabetically depending on whatever act of corruption we were committing.”

But then again, she supposed that’s where her true strength lived—in her ability to be vulnerable, in the depth of her feelings. The greatest power was bestowed to those who were brave

enough to feel emotion and to do so thoroughly.

“I LOVE HER!”

“Everything I vowed when you betrayed me—that I’d never feel anything again—it was all useless against her. She weakened every defense you built. The moment I met her and every day since has been irritating, confusing, stifling, frustrating, maddening, and absolute chaos. You cannot say I am incapable of caring for others. I’ve broken every

promise I’ve made to myself. I didn’t have a choice”—his voice shook with rage and pain and longing—“in loving her.”