King of Pride

“He usually left the bar after an hour or two, but here he was, still drinking and chatting with the other members like there was nowhere else he’d rather be. Something’s off. Timing aside, his behavior today didn’t match his previous patterns at all, and the closer I looked, the more signs of trouble I spotted: the tension lining his shoulders, the tiny furrow between his brows, the tightness of his smiles.”

Isabella’s extreme attention to detail when it comes to Kai’s routine and his current mental and emotional state hints at her attraction to him. This also evidences that there is at least an acquaintanceship between the two love interests, so readers are aware that they are not complete strangers.

“Objectively, I recognized Kai’s appeal, but I liked my men rougher around the edges. He was as straitlaced as they came. Even if he wasn’t, fraternization between club members and employees was strictly forbidden, and I had no desire to upend my life over a man again, thank you very much.”

This passage lists a few conflicts that will cause tension throughout the novel. Their opposite nature suggests that their relationship might not work out. Additionally, the no-fraternization rule at the club places Isabella’s job at risk if she pursues her attraction for Kai. It also hints that Isabella has had trouble in relationships in the past.

“I remembered all our interactions in vivid detail, whether I wanted to or not. She’d touched down in my life like a tornado, gotten my drink wrong during her first shift at Valhalla, and hadn’t left my thoughts since. It was aggravating.”

From Kai’s perspective, readers learn that Isabella’s attraction is reciprocated. Kai also compares Isabella’s entry into his life to a tornado. This comparison hints at the ways she will continuously pull him outside his comfort zone and beyond the illusion of total control that he exerts over his own life.

“‘Says the workaholic who spends most of his nights in his office.’ It was a miracle his wife tolerated him as long as she had. Alessandra was a saint.”

This interaction between Kai and Dominic subtly foreshadows the plot of the next installment of the Kings of Sin series. In King of Greed, Alessandra decides that she’s tolerated Dominic’s neglect of their marriage for long enough and initiates a divorce.

“I’d successfully kept my distance from Isabella for almost a year, and I was well-versed enough in Greek mythology to understand the dreadful fates that awaited sailors lured in by sirens’ songs. The last thing I should do was follow her. And yet…”

Kai compares Isabella to a siren, which alludes to how she will draw him away from his “safe zone” of control over the course of the novel. While sirens usually draw sailors to their deaths and Kai views spontaneity and social scandal as close to it, Isabella ends up being a positive change in his life.

“Despite my current frustrations with writing, there was something so special about creating and getting lost in new worlds. Books have been my escape for years, and I will publish one eventually. I wasn’t giving up that dream so I could become an office automaton.”

This passage reveals that a career path as an author is an escape from the cycle that Isabella finds herself trapped in—flitting from job to job with no sense of purpose and no accomplishments to her name. Through writing a novel, Isabella also hopes to escape the self-shaming and lack of confidence that plagues her day-to-day life.

“The practical side of me insisted I return home that minute to write; another, more convincing side glowed with pride. Kai wouldn’t have challenged me if he weren’t rattled, and there were so few things I was truly talented at that I couldn’t resist the urge to show off. Just a little. I released a confident smile.”

This passage shows the positive impact that Kai can have on Isabella’s life. Within their first real interaction, he has already boosted Isabella’s confidence.

“More small talk, plus a hint of awkwardness when Clarissa slid a quizzical glance at Isabella. She’d recognized Dante and Vivian, but she clearly didn’t know what to make of Isabella, whose violet highlights and leather skirt were the antithesis of her own classic neutrals and pearls.”

Clarissa’s confused assessment of Isabella implies the differences between them. Clarissa embodies everything that Kai should go for, according to his status and the wishes of his mother. In contrast, Isabella is a scandal waiting to happen.

“He usually whiled away his days on a yacht, surrounded by models and other hedonistic heirs. His father had built his company from the ground up, but Xavier’s ambition hovered somewhere south of zero.”

This passage introduces readers’ first glimpses of Xavier Castillo, the male love interest of the fourth installment of the Kings of Sin series, King of Sloth. His lack of ambition and preference to party hints at his own flaws that he must overcome in his future love story with Sloane.

“‘Campaign for the job, Kai. Do what it takes to make them happy. I know you think it’s beneath you, but don’t let your pride get in the way of winning. Not unless you want Tobias giving you orders from the corner office.’ My stomach revolted. I hated the word campaign almost as much as the word lose. It was so…undignified. The fake smiles, the ass-kissing, the platitudes both parties knew but didn’t acknowledge as lies.”

Kai’s disdain for “fake smiles” and “ass-kissing” speaks to his preference for authenticity and his rejection of superficiality in both professional and social spheres. These are also actions that someone resorts to when they aren’t confident in success or when they believe someone is above or holds more power than them. Due to his own excessive sense of pride, these are things that Kai would never admit to nor allow.

“He was dressed like a normal person today in a sweater and jeans. Yes, the sweater was cashmere, and yes, the jeans probably cost more than an average person’s monthly rent, but at least he’d ditched the suit and tie. As sexy as he looked in business attire, he looked even better in casual wear.”

Kai’s decision to dress more casually here evidences the subtle changes that Isabella is inspiring in him already. Isabella’s contrasting personality, which embodies spontaneity and casualness, prompts Kai to embrace more of the same in his own life.

“I liked Isabella. I liked her more than anyone I could remember. But there was a vast ocean of difference between like and fallen. The former was a safe, clearly marked path. The latter was an abrupt, potentially fatal crash off the side of a cliff, and I wasn’t ready to take that leap.”

Kai’s internal conflict regarding his feelings for Isabella is clear. While he is open to admitting that he likes her and is romantically interested in her, there is only so much control he’s willing to relinquish after living his life so guarded and rigid for so long.

“But I’ve never been a business assistant. […] What if I fuck it up and destroy her company before it even takes off?”

Isabella’s deep-seated insecurities are revealed in this passage when she considers stepping into a new role as a business assistant for Alessandra. It encapsulates her self-doubt, which is at war with her desire to succeed.

“I wanted to explore the city and just live without worrying about sullying the family name, and I didn’t want people to treat me differently because I was an heiress. No scrutiny, no expectations, no pressure.”

This passage highlights Isabella’s desire to detach from her familial expectations and the pressure to succeed by a certain age. Isabella’s longing to explore the city and live without the weight of her family’s name reflects her desire to carve her own path free from the pressures of legacy.

“Richard thought he was a kingmaker, but I could win without him. I was Kai Young. I never lost.”

Kai’s assertion that he can succeed without Richard, whom he views as influential enough to be a “kingmaker,” speaks volumes about his inflated self-perception. He believes too totally in his own capabilities, which marks his inevitable downfall.

“Sometimes I stayed at Alessandra’s house until ten or eleven at night, but I never caught a glimpse of Dominic. It was like he didn’t even live there.”

This passage hints at the complexities in Alessandra’s marriage. It’s suggested that Dominic is either absent or deliberately disengaged from their shared space, which adds an element of mystery and emotional distance to their relationship that will be explored in King of Greed.

“I couldn’t imagine how Kai must’ve felt. This was his family. His company. His legacy.”

After losing the CEO position to another candidate, Kai feels the loss of his family, company, and legacy in a way he hasn’t prepared himself for. This outside perception of Kai’s loss from the perspective of Isabella highlights the duality of privilege and burden. While he has access to opportunities that many might envy, the expectation to uphold and enhance a legacy creates a formidable source of pressure and internal conflict.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew I couldn’t do it with Gabriel hovering over me. His judgment would crush any freedom of thought out of me. A long pause ensued.”

Isabella struggles under her brother Gabriel’s judgment, as it stifles her creativity and independence. This interaction highlights the theme of familial pressure that runs throughout the novel, particularly the expectations that weigh heavily on Isabella, stemming from her family’s accomplishments and reputation.

“My hubris had cost me the leadership role the first time because I’d refused to ask for help; I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”

This quote illustrates Kai’s character development as he reflects on the damaging effects of his own pride. Initially, his inability to seek assistance costs him a leadership role. This moment of self-reflection marks a turning point where Kai decides to prioritize a modicum of humility and remain open to collaboration rather than his previous solo mentality.

“It wasn’t just about Kai or Jill. It was about the fact that someone believed in me. Enough to send my manuscript out when I didn’t have the courage to do it myself; enough to take the time and give detailed notes when her inbox must be flooded with similar queries. Kai always said he had faith in me, but seeing him act on it was different from simply hearing it. I’d spent so many years internalizing my failures that I didn’t trust anyone who didn’t confirm my insecurities. There was comfort in the familiar, even if the familiar sucked. Being small was easier than putting myself out there for other people to judge.”

Isabella has always struggled with recognizing her own worth outside of the external support she receives from people like Kai and her agent, Jill. For years, she has harbored doubts and internalized a narrative of inadequacy, often finding comfort in the familiar even when that has reinforced negative self-perceptions.

“I’ve always prided myself on being the best. I had to be number one. I had to win. I collected prizes and awards because I saw them as a reflection of my self-worth, and I thought nothing tasted better than victory. Then I met you […] And everything else…faded. We’ve been through some dark times, but you were always the brightest part of my life. Even when we broke up. Even when I walked out. Just knowing you existed somewhere in this world was enough.”

Kai self-evaluates in this passage yet also realizes that his deep love for Isabella is more important than any ambition. Kai’s identity has been built around his need to be the best, a compulsion that aligns more with external achievements. However, meeting Isabella has reframed his priorities into something more internal.

“I wasn’t going to turn into Nora Roberts or Dan Brown overnight, but I didn’t care. I finished my story, I loved it, and that was all that mattered.”

Isabella has a newfound sense of satisfaction and growth as a writer. This passage illustrates her newfound self-fulfillment and the sense of purpose that she’s been searching for.

“Once I released my need for perfection, the words flowed. There were still days when I wanted to tear my hair out over sentences that wouldn’t form or a scene that wouldn’t crystallize, but for the most part, I was really fucking excited to work on the story. After years of drifting, I’d finally found my purpose—to create, both for myself and others.”

This passage highlights Isabella’s transformative shift in her approach to writing, symbolizing her character growth and the relinquishment of the perfectionism that often caused her Debilitating Pressure to Succeed. By letting go of her rigid standards for herself, she is able to experience a renewed sense of creativity and motivation.