VALENTINAI chose him. And now I have to live with it. Loving Mikhail means stepping into a world that doesn't forgive, doesn't forget, and doesn't let you walk away. Enemies are watching. Waiting. And I'm no longer just the girl in the middle...I'm the target. If I want to survive… I have to become just as dangerous as the man I chose.

MIKHAILI knew what choosing her would cost. I just didn't expect it to change the rules. Valentina isn't fragile. She doesn't need saving. And she doesn't belong in the background of my life. That's the problem. Because the moment she stands beside me, she becomes visible. And visible things get targeted. People start watching. Testing. Waiting. Not for me… for her. I should distance myself. Create space. Regain control. I don't. Because the truth is simple: She's not a weakness. She's the one thing I won't negotiate. And if anyone decides to find out what that means—they won't get a second chance.

This is Book 2 in the Shadows & Desire Series. Reading Order: Wicked Vows, Wicked Lies.