What do you think?
Rate this book
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2021
He releases a deep sigh, staying silent for a beat too long. “Is it worth it?”
“Is what worth it?”
“Losing everything for her?”
A small smile grazes my lips. “Absolutely.”
He drags his gun down the hollow of my cheek. I swallow, and it’s not only because of the deadly weapon. The way he watches as the metal slides down appears to be nothing short of anticipation.
She willingly closes her eyes and whispers, “I wish I’d never met you.”
My lips brush against her forehead. “I’ll meet you over and over again if I have to.”
”I do love you, Lia. I always have. But my form of love isn’t sweetness or softness. It’s nothing noble or delicate. My love is selfish and villainous. My love is the type where I will kill people to protect you and erase others to avenge you. My love is possessive, obsessive, and knows no boundaries, not when I first met you and certainly not now.”
”I didn’t know you danced, Adrian.”
“I don’t.”
“You are right now.”
“Because you look beautiful.”
“You’re dancing because I look beautiful?”
“It’s a perfectly good reason.”
I don’t tell him he’s the only one I’ve been thinking about, in the most terrifying way possible, and that when I saw him again in the audience, something inside me unlocked. That I think I had my best performance yet, just because I knew he was there.
He gives me the stink eye. “I’m a grown-up.”
“Of course you are. I’m just going to lift you and you’ll wash your hands, all right?”
He nods. I hold his small body as he lathers his hands with a lot of soap, then grins at the bubbles. I can’t help the smile that stretches across my lips at how he finds the smallest things joyful.
”I know you deserve better, but I’m unable to let you go, so I’ll try my best to be worthy of you, Lenochka.”
"Because even though I performed the act of living before, I've never truly lived until Lia came into my life."
"You're my last stop and I plan to stay, not move on." "You're my last stop, too."
"He sometimes watches you as if he wants to stab the air for making you cold.”
“Is it worth it?”
“Is what worth it?”
“Losing everything for her?”
A small smile grazes my lips. “Absolutely.”
My form of love isn’t sweetness or softness. It’s nothing noble or delicate. My love is selfish and villainous. My love is the type where I will kill people to protect you and erase others to avenge you. My love is possessive, obsessive, and knows no boundaries, not when I first met you and certainly not now.”
One day, she’ll realize that the world we live in doesn’t matter. We’re the only ones who do.”
“You’re not only my lover and my husband, you’re also my best friend and my partner in everything.”
“And you are mine, Lenochka.”
“I love you, Mr. Volkov.”
“I love you, Mrs. Volkov.” And I’ll spend the rest of my life showing her exactly how deep and raw that love is.
I was wrong, of course. So utterly wrong. And I would’ve made a huge mistake had it not been for Adrian. He brought me back. That thought causes my heart to thump wildly in my chest, slamming against my ribcage. Even when I chose to be Winter, my husband got me back and treated me as Lia. He also refused to call me Winter, even when I begged him to. Even when I threw tantrums and demanded it. Even when he could’ve easily made me into Winter. And that touches a deep, dark corner of my soul. One that had no light, no hope, and no way out.
My son grins as his feet dangle from the toilet. I’m in his direct view while remaining outside the stall as he instructed.
“I don’t call Mommy anymore,” he says. “I can do it on my own.”
“That’s a good boy.”
“That’s right. I am. I’m gonna be big as you and protect Mommy when I grow up.”
“And what am I going to do then?”
“It’s okay. You can protect her too.”
◜‘Is it worth it?’
‘Is what worth it?’
‘losing everything for her?’
a small smile grazes my lips ‘absolutely’◞