Throne of Vengeance (Throne Duet #2) by Rina Kent

Everything.

I was even willing to divulge my attraction to him seven years ago, that it took so much self-discipline to stop myself from being with him even though I had a major crush on him. That, back then, I kept my bottled up feelings to myself because I was worried Dedushka would kick him out if he found out my intentions. I preferred to have him as a guard instead of losing him once and for all. At least that way, I could watch from afar and pretend we were together. That’s why his departure hurt more than it should. He disappeared off the face of the earth before I had the chance to express my feelings.

Now he’s repeating it.

I’m not fully over the first time, but he did it again. The only difference is that he has no plans to come back.

A sob tears from my throat as I hold the letter to my quaking chest. My heart is breaking, shattering, and slowly vanishing. And the worst part is that the only person who can make it better is gone.

Damn him. God damn him.

How dare he leave me with just a letter? How could he?

But you know what? I’m not the same Rai from seven years ago. I’m not the girl who put her pride above everything else and stomped on her heart in the process. This time, I’ll find him, and he better be ready for the wrath I’ll unleash on his ass.

I try to get ready as fast as possible, even though I’m so sore it hurts to move. The reminder of him inside me, holding me, caressing me, and kissing me brings a new wave of tears.

Shaking my head, I finish putting a dress on and don’t bother with makeup. On my way outside, I search the local news articles for anything fishy. There’s no mention of Rolan being assassinated, so that means it didn’t happen yet.

His death would cause an uproar in the media since he gets involved in many notorious business ventures.

Katia stops in front of me, her eyes holding questions she’s not voicing aloud.

“I need to find Kyle. Have you seen him this morning?”

She shakes her head.

“I don’t care what you have to do as long as you find him. I’ll go ask Granduncle for backup.”

I’m marching to his office before she can reply.

Anastasia is waiting near it, her brows drawn together, and she’s wearing black slacks and a jacket. It’s so rare of her to wear anything but dresses. She smiles upon seeing me, but she must sense something is wrong because she jogs toward me.

“Is everything okay, Rai?”

“It will be.”

“Are we going to the company?”

“You go first, Ana. I’ll join once I finish my business here.”

She swallows, her throat working, and a strange gleam passes in her eyes.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“I…I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For everything. I love you, okay?”

“Love you, too, Ana.”

She wraps her arms around me and then retreats, not allowing me to see her face as she turns around and leaves.

I frown at the weirdness of what just happened and contemplate following her, but my mind is too occupied with everything Kyle to focus on anything else. Once this whole thing is over, I’ll talk to her.

My hand is on the doorknob when Vlad’s brooding presence stalks down the hall. I assume he’s going to Sergei, too, but he breezes straight past me.

God damn it. Being treated as if I don’t exist by Vlad, of all people, hurts more than I’d like to admit. I release the doorknob and stride behind him. “Wait.”

He halts and spins around, his expression blank. “Do you need anything, Mrs. Sokolov?”

“Yes, I need you to stop treating me like a stranger.”

“Should’ve thought of that before you teamed up with a stranger against your own brotherhood.”

“Kyle is not a stranger, Vlad. He’s my husband.” The truth behind those words hits me to the core.

“In that case.” He nods, about to leave.

“I’m pregnant.”

That stops him and his eyes narrow. “Another one for show?”

“No. It’s real this time.”

“Congratulations,” he grunts.

“I don’t need your half-assed congratulations, Vlad. I need you by my side so I can protect Dedushka’s bloodline.”

I’m going for a low blow by using his loyalty to my grandfather, but it’s the only way to convince his mule personality.

“How about Kyle?”

“Kyle will be there, too. I don’t expect you to be best friends, but try?”

He grunts, but says nothing.

“For me?” I soften my tone. “Are you going to leave me alone in the midst of the pack of wolves of the elite group?”

“Of course not.”

“Then stop sulking.”

“If that fucker Kyle hurts you, I’ll happily torture him all over again.”

“You might get the chance to do that as soon as I find him,” I mutter under my breath.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s off to kill Rolan and disappear.”

Vlad clicks his tongue. “That idiot always did things without coming back to the inner circle.”

“Let me go ask Sergei for backup, then we will sit down and formulate a plan.”

“You want me to go with you?”

“Thank you, but I can at least ask Sergei for things on my own.”