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Mikhail, being the Petrov heir, must graduate as one of the top three. Anything less is considered unacceptable by our family.
A muscle flickers in Mikhail’s jaw for a second, as if the constant pressure he’s under is so intense that he physically has to brace for it. But then he just gives me a strained smile. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, Alina.”
Curling my fingers around the edge of the counter, I grip it hard while anger streaks through me like lightning. Of course it is something I worry about. I am a part of the Petrov family too. In fact, I should be sitting there at the table too, plotting with them. Not standing by the stove in silence.
But I know that they will never see me as anything but their fragile little sister, so I draw in a steadying breath and release my death grip on the counter before simply turning back to the frying pan.
The scent of garlic and herbs once more drifts through the air as I stir the food a bit more forcefully than necessary.
“They are, though,” Anton says quietly from the table behind me. “Slipping, I mean.”
Mikhail says nothing, but I can feel the tension vibrating in the air. The tension and the desperation. They need that video gone. And they need Kaden neutralized.
Another wave of guilt crashes over me.
Gripping the spatula hard, I clench my jaw and try to swallow down the nausea in my stomach.
I should’ve done it sooner. Why have I waited this long?
But deep down, I already know the answer to that.
I got distracted. Distracted by how Kaden treats me like a real person, a real opponent, and not some breakable glass figurine to be put on a shelf for display purposes only. Distracted by his fascinating intellect. By his strong hands and the feeling of his lethal body against mine. By the interesting contrast between how dominantly he fucks me and how gently he cuddles me afterwards. By his scent. By the flicker of emotion I see in his eyes more and more often. By everything about him.
But that needs to stop.
I need to stop this now.
I’ve had what I need for almost two weeks.
It’s time to end things between us once and for all.
32
KADEN
It’s time to stop. In fact, I should’ve stopped weeks ago. My plan was to torment Alina while I gathered what I needed, and then ruin her completely and toss her back onto the Petrovs’ doorstep. And yet, I still haven’t done that. I’m still playing with her. But I need to stop that now.
Alina has become too dangerous. She has too much power over me. Her tears ripped my heart out so badly that I almost killed two students because they made her cry. And her mere existence is messing with my head so much that I lost control and beat up my own little brother because I couldn’t handle the storm of emotions inside me when it should be the other way around. I should be the calm one who offers Jace a fight when he is losing control. Not the one who pummels him to the floor. Not the one who needs his help.
But Alina has messed with my head. She has messed with the very core of my being. And I can’t let that slide any longer. It’s time to play my secret card. The one that will ruin Alina and break the Petrov family.
Sliding my phone out of my pocket, I send a text to Alina.
Me: My house. One hour.
One minute passes. Then two.
I glare down at the phone, waiting for her to reply.
It’s seven o’clock on a Friday evening, which means that she could technically be out with her friends or at some party or other. It’s what Jace is doing right now, after all. But I know that she’s not. I know that she’s at home.
At last, her reply comes in.
Alina Petrov: Why?
Me: I thought I made it clear on that rooftop months ago that you don’t question my orders. When I call, you show.
Alina Petrov: And what happens if I don’t?
