The Assassin in the Castle — J.R. Rain; H.P. Mallory

The second book in an addictive Historical Fantasy Romance series, perfect for fans of Jennifer Armentrout and Sarah Maas.When Master Nicolo realizes his mother is still alive, he tells me I'm to join him on his quest to locate her.This little adventure will give me the perfect opportunity to assassinate him-something the prince eagerly reminds me of.Yet, I'm torn...Even though I'm not supposed to get feelings for my targets, I can't help but think I've grown a bit of an attachment to Nicolo.Yes, he has a rough exterior, and yes, there are times when I wish I'd already accomplished my task, but there are also moments when he reveals something deeper-someone kinder, someone nobler, and someone even funny.Regardless, I'm well aware that I have a job to do, and the time to do it is dwindling away.But once we leave the walls of Woodfall Gath, just the two of us, any fondness I might have harbored for Nicolo only grows, especially when he reveals a side of himself I didn't know existed. In fact, I'm fairly certain even he didn't know it existed.Regardless, I have a decision to make-to kill Nicolo or not to kill Nicolo.And if I don't kill him, could we have a future together? Or is our future doomed because everything between us is built on nothing but lies?THE ASSASSIN IN THE CASTLE is a medium-burn romance that's rated 18 + owing to some colorful language, master and servant situations, and bully vibes.