this was unexpected in the best of ways, right when i thought this last book might feel like something was missing due to the change of setting, the author surprised me. it made sense for the mmc to not have his book be about the college for hitmen, while also being about breaking from his family generational tradition of being hitman. and then ending up with him joining his brothers in the business. because the story was all about freedom, so naturally it was a forced proximity, bodyguard romance. it’s brilliant, really. the contrasting juxtaposition between the main couple was rooted in the fact that they’re actually the same. for one of them to be free the other had to be “caged”, the poetic justice of it all.