Tropes: He's hard to the world but soft for her; touch her and die; grumpy-sunshine
FMC: Nera - vet in training; mafia princess
MMC: Kai - the third part of Sergei & Az's "team" of assassins; known to be unkillable
Intimacy: On page; exhibitionist; dom/sub undertones

Summary
Kai has been raised to be a killing machine. He can take out a dozen people without breaking a sweat and doesn't have any personal ties. Until he meets Nera. When Kai is ready for it all to end, Nera selflessly saves him and Kai can't help but be drawn to her. He watches her from afar, trying to fight the inexplicable urge to keep her safe, but as the months pass, his resolve weakens. Even if he could get over his hangups about his past and present, would Nera even be able to look past all of the murder and carnage that he has left in his wake? What could the future possibly look like for a man who has never known affection and a woman who is joy incarnate?

Thoughts
t's been barely 3 months since the release of this book and I already had to reread it. There's something about Kai and Nera's relationship that is just so pure despite all of things they've been forced to do to survive. Reading as someone finally sees Kai for who he is, instead of just a weapon, made me actually emotional. He finally has someone in his corner and he will go to whatever lengths necessary to protect her. Neva Altaj has somehow outdone herself, again, and crafted a couple I can't help but become emotionally invested in. Sure murder, stalking, and possessiveness aren't attractive qualities in the real world, but in this universe, Kai is essentially the sexiest man to exist. The complete and utter adoration he feels toward Nera is the thing of fairy tales. Nera herself is such a badass woman who will go to any lengths necessary to protect her family. She stands firm in her convictions, loves fiercely, gives herself selflessly, but still makes time for herself and her needs. I honestly could read an entire book just of domestic fluff with these two at the center.

A few of my favorite quotes (marking as a spoiler in case you don't want to read but there aren't any plot point spoilers mentioned):

• Nothing moves. No sounds, other than my breathing. Nothing. But I know he's here. It's a sixth sense that seeped into my bones years ago, since the first moment I met him.
• The night she tied her scarf around my thigh and then offered me her hand, my life became hers.
• "I don't need a guardian angel,"...."Good. Because that's not what you got." "And what did I get?"..."A demon, tiger cub."
• "You, my tiger cut, are a ray of light in the absolute darkness my life has become and has been for a very long time."
• "I'm pretty sure birthdays don't work like that, cub. But if I can choose, I'd pick June second." ...The day we met.
• I want all of her. Not want - need. Like air. Like the blood flowing through my veins. Each beat of my heart, it's hers. For nearly a year, every cell of my being has been hers.
• Life. His lips on mine feel like life itself.
• "I'm never going to leave you," he says. "Even if I wanted to, I know I never could. I'll be watching over you till the day I die, cub. And as long as I live, no one will dare touch a hair on your beautiful head."