"I know." I'm close enough now to see the scars on his face, the ones that disappear under his collar. Close enough to remember how his mouth felt on mine in the garden. "But I'm telling you anyway. Because when Roman eventually betrays you—and he will—I want you to remember that I warned you. Even while you were destroying me."
"Stop." He grabs my wrists, but gently. Not restraining. Just... touching. "Stop trying to manipulate me."
"I'm not manipulating you." I look up at him. I don't bother hiding the pain. "I'm telling you the truth. The truth you've been refusing to hear since you came back."
We stand there, too close, his hands on my wrists and my heart breaking all over again.
“I won’t stop until I’ve destroyed you.”
"You already have." The admission costs me. "My organization is gone. My power is gone. In two weeks, I'll be Roman's wife. Everything you wanted to destroy is already destroyed.Congratulations."
"Good." But he doesn't sound satisfied. Doesn't sound victorious.
He sounds hollow.
"Is it?" I challenge. "Does my destruction make you feel better? Fill the void where your life used to be?"
"It's supposed to." His grip on my wrists tightens.
"And does it?"
"I don't know." The honesty surprises both of us. "All I know is that I can't stop. Can't let go of this need to make you pay. Even if—"
He doesn't finish. Doesn't need to.
Even if I'm innocent. Even if it's destroying us both.
"Then do it," I whisper. "Take everything. Destroy me completely. But know that when you're standing in the ruins of what we could have had, it won't bring back what you lost. It won't heal what they broke. It'll just make you like them."
I pull my wrists free and head for the door.
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"Home." I pause at the threshold. "Good luck with your revenge, Maksim. I hope it's worth it."
I leave before he can respond. Before I can see whether my words landed or bounced off his armor.
The walk to my car feels like miles.
The Ice Queen is melting, and there's nothing left underneath but a girl who loved the wrong man and paid for it with everything she had.
I drive home through Moscow traffic, and for the first time in six years, I have no plan.
No strategy.
No hope.
Just the countdown to a wedding that feels like a funeral.
And the knowledge that no matter what I do, I've already lost the only thing that ever really mattered.
Chapter Fourteen
Maksim
I walk into Roman’s office. He’s summoned me here for whatever reason. I assume he wants to gloat about his upcoming wedding. I’m not a fool. I know Roman knows about my history with Kira. He can pretend he forgot, but I know better.
I’m playing it cool for now. I’m not going to act jealous. I’m not jealous. He can do whatever he wants with whomever he wants.
