Page 126 of Kingmakers, Year Four

“That’s no fucking apology,” I reply.

“I had no choice.”

“Oh shut the fuck up, you had a thousand choices.”

Now he frowns, his dark brows coming down low across his eyes.

“Maybe I did,” he says. “But I can’t see this ending any different.”

All I can think is how fucking stupid I was.

All the things I must have missed.

I knew from the moment I met Ares that he hated me. I could feel it radiating out of him.

I’ve always had good instincts. But I ignored them. I pushed aside the things that seemed strange, that didn’t make sense. And why? Because he was handsome? Because he paid attention to me? Because I was lonely, and I needed a friend that badly?

Because he made me feel things I never imagined feeling . . .

Things that keep coming back to me now in flashes, bright and beautiful and intensely sensual, protesting that they were real, that they meant something, while the chains around my wrist declare the opposite.

“Who are you?” I ask him, furiously blinking back the burning tears that want to flood my eyes. “You’re not Ares Cirillo.”

“No,” he says. “I’m not. My name is Rafe Petrov.”

The pieces fall into place.

Kade Petrov. Rafe Petrov. And . ..

Miss Robin. That beautiful face, those brilliant eyes, that low, husky voice like a thrill across the skin . . . so similar to Ares. To Rafe, I should say . . .

“She’s your mother,” I murmur.

“Yes,” Rafe nods. “She’s Sloane Petrov.”

“You lied to me all along. From the day we met.”

“Yes,” he says. And now I see a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but I don’t fucking care. I don’t care if he feels bad about it.

“So what is it, then?” I say. “Revenge? My father killed someone you love, and now you’re going to kill me?”

“No!” Rafe cries. “No one’s killing you. No one’s going to hurt you, Nix.”

“Liar,” I say, bitterly.

“Look,” Rafe says, gripping a handful of his own hair before roughly pushing it back. “Marko has my father. He’s been holding him prisoner, extorting us for money. We’re finally getting my dad back. I had to bring you as insurance. But I promise you Nix, no one is going to hurt you. I won’t let that happen.”

“You’re not going to hurt me. You’re just going to kill my father in front of me. Is that right?” I ask him.

Now Rafe’s face darkens with that shadow that I’ve seen before. When I’ve caught glimpses of who he really is.

“He has to pay for what he’s done,” Rafe says.

“I won’t help you,” I say, through gritted teeth. “I’ll fight you. I’ll stop you if I can.”

“That’s what I thought you’d say,” Rafe replies.

That only makes me angrier. He thinks he knows me, while he was lying to me the entire time. Well, I might surprise him still.

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