When Heroes Fall (Anti-Heroes in Love Duet #1)

by Giana Darling

To the strong women who have earned their armor by battling their entire lives for respect, admiration, and a love worthy of their greatness.

“You watch too many movies, Elena. In real life, the villain always wins because we are willing to do anything to succeed.” He paused as I did in the doorway. “I think you know a little something about that.”

He looked criminal, filled with wicked intent and handsome enough to tempt the pope to sin.

Kodawari, the Japanese word for the relentless pursuit of perfection. I didn’t so much want to be perfect––which I was aware enough to know was an impossibility––as I wanted to seem perfect.

“This is what you must understand, Elena. They are wrong. Women bear the trials of their men, the delivery of their babies, the weight of their families. Women are extraordinarily strong. So, you must trick the men into giving you power. Do not tell them you are strong, and do not fight them with words because words can be undone. Fight the injustice with action, lottatrice mia, because action can be understood in any language, by any man.”

I wanted to be the kind of a woman who was called a hero, but I’d spent most of my life being called a villain. If enough people treat you like a villain, you become one.

I could be an emotional terrorist, my broken pieces weaponized like shards of broken glass. I was used to being the bitch, the warrior, something strong and impenetrable, more a worthy adversary than a worthy friend. But Dante looked at me as if I was some priceless, mysterious work of art, and he wanted to know the story behind my almost smile.

“If being a bitch means being smart enough to know the truth and brave enough to speak it, I’ll count it as a compliment,”

“Not all love is romantic,” he pointed out rationally, staring into my fearful eyes. “I don’t think you’ve had enough of it to know that, but I’m offering the love of a friend and the love of my body. The love of a man who can see you are not hateful. You are not villainous. You are misunderstood. And Elena, you don’t realize this yet, but I see you, I know you, and I’m fucking undone by the beauty of you.”

“I don’t want to be loved,” I asserted, almost baring my teeth at him because I’d never felt so threatened in my entire life.

“Let me love you anyway,” he suggested.