Throne of Vengeance (Throne Duet #2) - Rina Kent Page 0,30

then winces. “I’ve been ready for thirty years. The time I lived until now has been a ticking timer until I get my revenge.”

“Then what?”

“Huh?”

“After revenge, what were you planning to do?”

He shrugs as if that’s not important. “Go back to England and take on contracts. That sort of thing.”

“Then go.”

“What?”

I place the gun on the ground and remain hunched down to undo the ropes at his ankles, then release his wrists and torso. Kyle doesn’t move, even when he is completely free.

After I’m finished, I step away from him, but I’m not far enough to stop feeling his presence or smelling him.

His signature clean scent fills my nostrils, but it’s now accompanied by the stench of blood, strong and poignant.

“What do you mean by go?”

I suck in a sharp breath so I can speak with a sliver of calm. “I’m giving you the only way out.”

“What way?”

“Forget about revenge and just leave. Go back to England or wherever you want to go. Just don’t show your face around here again. I’ll make everyone believe you are not made for the Bratva and that we amicably split up.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “You can go through the back door over there where there are no guards.”

Kyle staggers to his feet and steps toward me.

I step back, my voice turning harsh, like Dedushka’s when he issued orders. “If I see you again, I’ll kill you.”

Not waiting for his reply, I gather the gun from the ground, turn around, and march toward the front door.

My legs are heavy, screaming at me to stop and face him again, to take one last look, one last touch.

One last kiss.

Walk away. It’s done, Rai. Just walk the fuck away.

Dedushka once told me sacrifices need to be made for the family and that not all of them would be easy; in fact, many would hurt. He said there’s no honor without pain.

Now I understand exactly what he means.

As soon as the door closes behind me with a slow click, I brace myself against the wall for support. My chin trembles and my legs are about to fail me.

I’m breathing so violently, as if I’m about to stop any second now. That’s when I hear it—the sound of something breaking in my chest.

At first, it’s quiet, almost unnoticeable, but it gets louder and louder until it’s the only thing I hear.

Ah. This must be what it means to have a broken heart.

The most daunting part is, I don’t think this feeling will ever go away.

11

Rai

I don’t feel so good.

That’s an understatement. I can at least admit that I’m the worst I’ve been since…Dedushka’s death.

A weight perches on my chest, confiscating my air supply and replacing it with a harsh, merciless gloom.

It’s draining me.

Asphyxiating me.

And all I want to do is just…scream.

But at the same time, I don’t have the luxury of losing myself to that feeling. It’s over. Everything is…done.

It’s been exactly two hours since I freed Kyle. Just two hours and it feels like fucking years already.

I was never good at letting things go. I never get used to the feeling with time like most people. Instead, I hold on to it and keep replaying it in my head during every waking moment. I didn’t let go when Mom died or when I was separated from Dad and Reina, and I definitely didn’t let go when Dedushka left me all alone with this pack of wolves.

I lost too many things and became horrible at moving on. So it’s not a surprise that I keep replaying Kyle’s words and seeing his bloodied face over and over. At this rate, it’ll consume me and eat at me from the inside out little by little.

So instead of getting lost in my own head, I choose to go back to V Corp and busy myself with work. Kai called to schedule a meeting, and I asked him to come today. I need all the distractions possible.

Ruslan and Katia accompanied me silently. They’ve been sulking ever since I freed Kyle. I left before Vlad could catch me because he’d have my head on a platter, but I’ll deal with him later.

Ruslan even told me that Kyle isn’t the type who will disappear just like that, but he forgot that Kyle has no choice because if he comes near my family or the brotherhood again, I will have to kill him.

Kai shows up on time, as usual, gives a firm handshake, and joins me in