Throne of Vengeance (Throne Duet, #2)

by Rina Kent

Miss Sokolov, I know you hate it when I call you that, but I need the distance right now so I can write this. The first time I met you, I thought you were just another spoilt mafia princess, but I found you to be a tough bean. You didn’t let anyone tell you what to do and you stood up for yourself. You didn’t stop there and made it your mission to help those weaker than you, even if it meant going against people with more influence than you. Here’s the thing—I didn’t plan to get close or to learn about you as much as I have. My sole mission at the time was to use Nikolai’s intel to keep an eye on my uncle’s movements from afar. At one point, that mission started to blur. At one point, the only reason I looked forward to new days wasn’t my grand revenge plan, but you. The more time I spent with you, the harder you tore at my armor and engraved yourself deeper inside. The more I saw, the blurrier my purpose became, the more insignificant I felt. Watching you go after your goals without hesitation made me question my whole fucking existence, and I hated that feeling. That was part of the reason I left. I woke up one morning and realized you didn’t need me anymore. That you never have. You’re too individualistic and independent, and having me by your side would’ve only hindered your master plan in the brotherhood. I’m not saying leaving was the best decision I’ve made. It was probably the worst, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have realized just how much you’re an integral part of...