⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (reread)
''We were separate entities, but now, we're one''
Safety warnings:
- H 30 / h 22
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Violence/d*ath
- Mention of r*pe/assault
- Mention of child neglect/abuse
- Loss of loved ones
- HEA
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
Are Rina's books exactly like drugs to me? Yes. There are very few authors whose entire work I absolutely love and she is one of them.
I cannot believe this trilogy is over. So many of my theories panned out but there were a few of the right theories with some tweaks that I did not see coming.
We start this book right off with a massive look back on the day that changed Sasha's life forever. The massacre ended almost her entire family. It was graphic and very detailed so please be careful when reading, her cousins, her mom/dad, everyone died in gruesome ways.
Right after that prologue we are thrusted into the moment Kirill is standing at the altar with Kristina, and what we get is an epic plan coming together. He masterminded something that I don't think anybody else could ever achieve. He knew, HE KNEW, he would not be marrying Kristina. Not because he would back out or feel bad about Sasha but because it was never his plan to marry her. He only went this far to provoke his brother (Kristina's love) who step forward and finally be by her side BUT to also manipulate everyone in the brotherhood to see he was never in the wrong and was the one that was jilted lol
All that planning and instead of marrying her, Konsta married her that day instead and Kirill was named Pakhan. Everything was working out the way he wanted it, and instead of having Sasha be away for the original 6 months planned, he said 3 months would be enough now and he could have HIS WIFE finally at his side.
''At this rate, I'll get back to my actual wife sooner than I previously calculated.''
Imagine his absolute shock when Viktor informs him that there was a bombing, they go and they find a charred body with her wedding ring and the bracelet he gave her on the corpse and the DNA results come back to Sasha. Kirill goes through the absolutely worst spiral I think we see in Rina's books. He truly believes her dead and more than that, he believes he is the main reason she is gone. He gets drunk every night at her grave, he sees no light and literally wishes to die to join her.
Kirill is not interested in anyone or anything during those two months, he is truly haunted and the thought of someone else never crosses his mind since he is adamant on finding her killer and later joining her in death.
''If I die, will I be able to join you?''
He is haunted by her ghost. It's really heartbreaking to watch his entire world explode and turn into ashes. He knows he messed up, but he never thought the ending would be her death. You can see his absolute love for her during the chapters where her death lingers. He believes she is dead for two months and those two months we get the unfiltered deranged Kirill. He goes on rampage after rampage to find her killer to no avail. Not only is she missing but so are Maksim and Yuri aka Anton (Sasha's older brother).
''If the only light in my life was taken away, how dare they keep theirs?''
We finally get Sasha's present POV, and we find her in Russia with her uncle, grandma, cousin, and Anton. She is suspicious of Anton and where he goes where she follows one day to a cabin and there, she finds Maksim hanging. She convinces her brother to let him down and stop this madness. They keep him there for a while and things are revealed.
1) Anton reveals that Maksim had a crush on Sasha (as a guy) which confirms the theory that Maksim is gay
2) The original Yuri was killed YEARS ago when the ''accident'' happened to him and Anton went through surgery to change his looks a bit to match, colored his hair, voice changing etc.
Sasha is absolutely heartbroken over Kirill's betrayal, she wants him dead, and vengeance is all she sees. She refuses to even believe he cared or loved her. She planted the dead body after the explosion to make it look like she died to hurt him or fuck with his head BUT believed that once the DNA was done, he would know she was not dead.
Well, someone fucked with the results, right? You can take a few guesses on who it was but more on that later.
Sasha is opposed to her families plan to kill everyone in Kirill family and refuses to approve the plan, instead she releases Maksim secretly and sends a message. She will speak with Kirill alone to finish this once and for all.
When Maksim shows up and informs Kirill that his wife is not dead that was the moment he was brought back to life. He is angry and absolutely enraged that she faked her death, but he is also happy to know his light is alive.
Honestly their reunion was the only thing I wish was different. I wanted her to make a big entrance as a woman and have everyone be completely shocked BUT we find out that Kirill had Viktor basically inform the world that Sasha was a woman and his wife - which I wish we could have had a better look into this, but we don't get everything we want. Right Kirill? haha
They are back in each other’s orbits, and it feels like no time has gone by. They are just crazy and protective about each other than ever before. You can see Sasha struggle with her feelings and her need to keep his safe throughout their initially reunion but let’s also acknowledge SHE SHOT HIS ARM haha
During this entire exchange Kirill tries to make her believe him about not marrying Kristina, not wanting her family dead, and never attempting to hurt her or causing the bombing. She has a hard time believing him but slowly doubts herself when she goes back to his home and sees Kristina, pregnant and happy but all her doubts come crashing down when Konsta is revealed to be the husband and father revealing Kirill never married her and actually brought them together.
He only sent Maksim to Russia to find her family to open a line of communication.
These two have got to get their communication skills to a better level and what better way to do that than to take her to a secluded cabin for weeks and reignite their fire for each other?
''I'll have no other wife but you''
They spend those weeks, talking and fucking. So much more is revealed during this time:
1) Anton is in love with Maksim, and they are sleeping together - while still fighting
2) Sasha believes that Kirill has nothing to do with the massacre or anything related to the events over the last few months
3) Sasha is showing signs of pregnancy (that she is oblivious to, but the readers must see)
4) Kirill hates Christmas, while Sasha hates it for it reminds her of the day her family died but for her, he will do everything to make Christmas happen and be a happy memory once again, even wearing matching Christmas sweaters.
''I prefer being in a fucked-up coexistence with him than being happy without him''
Once they are back home things are progressing in the sense, we are getting closer to finding out wo the traitors are, who caused the massacre etc.
My original guess from the previous books is that it's Albert and possibly the grandma working together but what we get first is Konstantin’s possible betrayal when Kirill is shown proof that he was the one that requested Sasha be killed in the bombing.
Did I believe this? No
Did Kirill? I think he initially did but then the puzzle pieces came together, and he played the world with how he handled the betrayal, all to get the real ones out of the dark corners they linger.
First off before we move forward - Sasha is confirmed 15 weeks pregnant and it happened before she fled from the cabin, they are having a boy and before we ask why she didn't notice her bump, it's because she did not have one and she has a smaller bump throughout her pregnancy.
And also, I need to mention the funniest interaction between Damien/Adrian and Kirill, they were playing with Damien about his upcoming marriage and how the wife is the winner, and the husband needs to lose to keep her.
''This is fucking confusing. I'm gonna win. End of Story.'
''Too new'' I tell Adrian.
''Too inexperienced'', he replies
Now back to the traitors and how it plays out.
Kirill has proof he finds from his father about what occurred that day. He gathers everyone that needs to realize the truth and the ones he needs to expose in one location (in the pretense that they think they successfully kidnapped Sasha/Viktor). He shows up by himself and presents all the proof to show the grandmother and Sasha that he had nothing to do with anything, it was all Yulia and Albert.
How? Well - Yulia previously revealed she had a lover outside of her marriage because her husband was brutal and raped her every time, they had sex which resulted in Kirill and Karina being born (which is why she hates them and wishes them dead) but Konsta was born from her love, and who was that? Anatoly aka Sasha's Uncle was also killed that day. He and Yulia had an affair for year every summer she went to Russia for holiday. Eventually Anatoly broke up with her when his wife got pregnant and she was set out for vengeance, told her husband that she had a lover to provoke him to kill them all but who helped her give Roman all the plans and infiltration information? Albert.
Imagine the grandmothers shock when Albert turns around and laughs his crazy ass about how he struggled for years to keep himself looking innocent. Going on a rant about how he wasn't loved enough, and mommy didn't choose him a good wife, so he killed his whole family and only kept her because of her influence etc.
Was I shocked? No. The only thing that was shocking was WHO she had the affair with because I thought it would have been Albert, but Yulia has loose screws, so she just had to fuck with everyone’s life. She killed the father of her favorite child and also poisoned Roman for years before he died. She was also the one who forged the DNA results.
Albert dies right after he kills his mother. Yulia is shot and ends up in a coma but dies 2 weeks later, Maksim gets shot because he jumped in front of Anton right before Albert shot his gun.
It's just a shit show. So, what is the conclusion to all of this?
1) Konsta and Sasha are cousins
2) Kirill never had ANYTHING to do with any of it, not even by accident.
3) Maksim and Anton are madly in love and would die for each other
4) Albert was a madman and wished nothing but harm for his family all because he wasn't the favorite
5) Konsta chooses Kirill over his mother and is glad he lived, and she died
6) Mike will be living in Russia with Maksim and Anton who will raise him as one happy family. They both quit from Kirill's team (he gladly accepts) and Anton fixes the mess his uncle created.
7) Karina wants Viktor. She demanded Kirill hand him over to her and Kirill despite it all says he wouldn’t want anyone else for his sister though Viktor is hesitating and doesn’t show any interest (but we can assume it’s end game).
The epilogue gives us a look into 2 timelines, one is 5 months later where Sasha's water breaks and the second one is 18 months later where we meet Vaughn (their son) who I have to say HAS TO BE WHITE MASK.
Kirill is still Pakhan and that means Vaughn is the heir, which is why I think his identity is hidden to keep him safe? He is also younger and just about the same age as Nikolai and his twin sister Mia/Maya.
To me Mike cannot be white mask, he is 9 years old by the time this story ends, and he also never felt comfortable with English or living in the states. He obviously grew up in Russia..to me he probably doesn't have a close relationship with any of the Legacy of Gods kids.
I wonder who Vaughn will end up with, as we know he does not get a book (yet) but I wonder if it's Maya? or someone else? I'm in need of answers. I hope we get something concerning his future in some form!
Overall, I loved this series. Is it my favorite from Rina? No, but it's my second favorite. Deception Trilogy is still superior but that's only because Adrian owns me, but honestly Kirill is right there with him.