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Chapter 157
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 158
LILY"This is why you caught the flu." Sarah snarked. "Did you tell your doctor that you stay outdoors for hours uprooting vegetables you can get at the store?"Looking sideways, I picked up the basket of uprooted carrots. Then I turned to her, sitting in her wheelchair beside Claudine, who was reading a book on the patio."Left to you, I would be sitting on my ass twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and three sixty-five days a year." I yanked my gloves off and threw them into the basket. "Claudia Darling, what are you reading to your grand aunt?"She scrunched her nose. Without looking at me, she grumbled, "It's not important, and it's embarrassing."I gasped, drawing near them, "How can you say reading is embarrassing?""Reading this..." She flipped roughly through the pictured book in frustration, "It's embarrassing. I want the books you read. The ones with the men on them."Despite the cold, I felt the heat rise to my face. Then I joined Sarah in her ongoing laughter, alth
Claiming His Queen Chapter 159
KYRATrue to her word, she had gotten rid of Rune without his knowledge, leaving him behind in the guise of getting some errands done, but ... Here she was, back at Fish Town, but this time... alone!Wasn't that wonderful?There were other beautiful aspects to being alone; the fish town at night was another haven on its own. The smell of tar soap and dough filled the air, and so did booze.The drunken laughter of men and women choked the atmosphere. While she sat alone, it was typical for a couple to waltz drunkenly outside and hit her table.The only thing suspicious was a few children close to tables. They drew closer when their occupiers became even more tipsy. When they moved away, it was with haste.Kyra raised the cup to her lips, about to pull her eyes off the suspicious children when she caught sight of the familiar frame that sent deja vu running through her.Under the yellow lights hanging in lines in the bar, his pupils took on a yellow hue. It was even more enchanting than
Claiming His Queen Chapter 160
LILY"In the pages of a book, we find an escape and a mirror reflecting our own stories, struggles, and triumphs. I encourage you to share your thoughts openly, fostering an environment where the exchange of ideas becomes a cherished part of our meetings..."I stood amidst the crowd, staring into space, hating the feeling that had enveloped me.Elated. I was supposed to be elated.Running a book club for senior citizens? This was my dream come true. Among the people I loved, what more could I wish for?Alessia delivered a hurried speech with Claudine at her side. Her restless movements and hopeful gaze conveyed her excitement, seeking a reflection of her emotions on my face.My lips twitched, sending her little heart at peace. Beside me, Sarah held my hand, squeezing for comfort. For the second time, I saw her fighting tears and losing."...Let this book club be a source of inspiration, fostering new friendships and providing a space where the love for literature transcends age."Obse
Claiming His Queen Chapter 161
ADLERHe was sober for the first time in months, and it was not because Athena was most likely waiting for him before a church altar but for another reason; he had given hints, but little enough to fly over their heads.Listening to the chatters coming from downstairs, Adler sighed and looked into the mirror; a fresh haircut and a shave didn't hide that he was a shadow of himself.The last four months were no easy feat, waking up to the weight that increased with every thought of her. He wasn't sure how he held on. Did he? That wasn't holding on; sending himself through gruesome torture wasn't holding on.But it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough punishment for being the core culprit of her demise. He was supposed to be there for her. He was supposed to fucking be with her. He let her go.Adler turned on the sink and splashed water against his face to keep more awake. He needed to feel every bit of it, every pain, the loneliness, and most significantly, the fear.It was D-day. The month
Claiming His Queen Chapter 162
Kyra's voice echoed from Adler's main room, likely the cause of her delay. Quickly turning, they ascended the stairs, narrowly avoiding a collision with her frame at the open door."What are you doing?" Salvatore demanded.Oh, he knew. That question shouldn't be asked when Adler had the muzzle of a nine-millimeter pistol pressed to his chin, and right before their gaze, his grasp on the gun tightened.Rune felt his stomach sink. Green eyes stared straight ahead at Lily's pendant, which she refused to take back. The months of drowning himself in liquor had hidden his real grief; now, it was all open for them to see.Kyra stepped forward, and Adler rested a finger on the trigger, forcing her to halt. Rune could see her tremble and hear her stern voice shake, but Adler, never shifting his gaze from the pendant, said nothing."You don't know what you're doing. You can't do this." Each word falling from her lips was forced.He could, Rune thought, and if they did nothing about it, it woul
Claiming His Queen Chapter 163
LILY.The familiar smell of lilies teasing my nostril woke me up from my restless nap, and shifting to my side and finding a stem of Lily placed on the small drawer next to my bed, I smiled to myself, tracing the white edges with my pupils.Lids feeling heavy and sore reminded me of what had gone on some hours before I drifted. The wet spot on my white sheet acted as a souvenir.A shame, right? Because for all I knew, Adler was on his honeymoon, probably the happiest he had ever been."Gosh, not now..." I muttered, shutting down that train of thought. It was enough bawling my eyes out for the past forty-eight hours.I stretched my limbs beneath the soft, velvety blanket, reveling in the room's dimness. The air held a subtle coziness, soothing against my skin, contrasting deeply with the chill that had tormented me before the ticking clock overhead lulled me to sleep.It made the room feel like a sanctuary.As I let my gaze wander, my eyes caught the dim glow of the bedside lamp. It wa
Claiming His Queen Chapter 164
RUNEHe had just raised the blinds and declared the scenery outside void of suspicious activities when the heavy thuds descended on the hotel room door.Rune caught his breath, snatched the gun from the table next to him, and aimed it at the door, waiting for the first head to slip through and get a free pass to h'l Fire's concert.The pleasant smell of the eucalyptus diffusers and drop-dead gorgeous chandeliers hanging over him was just a terrible reminder that it wouldn't be long before Domenico was creeping in and putting an end to him.Suppose he wasn't the one at the door. Rune took a deep breath and rolled over until a milk-colored sofa covered him, and raising the gun over his shoulders, he waited.The last twenty-four hours changed his perspective on who should be at the top of his wanted list. They were two of them, and by god, he wanted to fuck them..... Up mentally, of course. Fingers tightening around the gun, Rune waited, listening to the television blare.Adler had lef
Claiming His Queen Chapter 165
ADLER"...please stay."Wishes came true, for here she was, just like he had yearned and groaned for. Five months of torture proved effective, he blinked, except she hadn't woken up from the dead; she had been alive but made sure Rune kept it a secret.There and then, like a stripped movie, the occasions he had slammed his car against a wall, stayed before a loaded gun, and slammed his fist against a mirror replayedAll those times she was here, all because of one mistake he would never make again.She stood in silence, and the trembling subsided. Her eyes welled up once more as she gazed into his, and as he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb, she drew in a deep breath.He knew that reaction, for it had taken all of his power not to howl at the sky and pump fists into the air when he scaled her window with a stem of Lily between his lips—early years of street robbery had paid off.She had cried herself to sleep, and on the browser was information on the wedding. On another tab wa
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