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Chapter 159
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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
Claiming His Queen Chapter 166
LILYLast night was a mess.To correct that, last night, I was a mess.Lying on my bed, wide awake and hugging a pillow, every word I had spat the night before replaying in my head and bearing the brunt of my vulnerability. I wished I was calmer, wished I had controlled myself as he did, but then I had always been a crier, not just in front of people I swore I wanted nothing to do with.Adler.He sent emotions running through me like a tsunami, so intense I screamed and cried like a homeless banshee. Were there banshees with homes? Or did trouble-making dons yank them into houses that smelled like scented woods? Probably why they were always hysterical.Back to the issue on ground; I whacked myself mentally and mouthed an oww.In my angered state, I observed Adler appearing lost, and the candlelight, accentuating his hollowed eyes, intensified my sense of guilt.Mentioning a guillotine in connection to his near-marriage to Athena was just... Ugh, it made my mind go fuzzy. This was p
Claiming His Queen Chapter 167
He stood by his word and drove me home immediately after a tumultuous breakfast that ended with me walking away into the outside air and humming. It distracted me from the thought of striding back into the house and dropping a brick on him.The ride back to Alessia's was marked by silence, tension heightening as the seconds stretched into hours. This time, he drove with me beside him, wondering the issue with the dark shades.But I kept my questions to myself, holding onto my purse as if for my dear life, and returned my gaze to the window.I wanted to ask him about Rune, for I had a sinking feeling nothing was alright with him and wouldn't be if Domenico discovered I was alive. But then I killed the thought; Adler wouldn't leave Italy without putting Rune under some protection.We reached my newly found home at noon to find Alessia waiting on the porch, fidgeting with her phone, and when Adler dropped and went round to my door, I saw her face contort into a frown.Adler opened the do
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Claiming His Queen Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER**RUNE—KYRA**"...I'm just saying it's not fair Laron gets to spend the summer break with Luigi," Rune followed Kyra to Laron's wardrobe. "Luigi gets all of his weekends. What time do I get to have?"Kyra snatched Rune's equestrian leggings and walked back to the bed. "You're exaggerating again." She folded the leggings and tucked them into Laron's nearly overflowing box before turning to him. "You gave him the go-ahead, remember?""Yeah, but that was before I realized it was for a whole month. He's monopolizing all of Laron's free time," Rune sighed, flopping onto Laron's bed dramatically. "I just miss hanging out with my son, you know?"She stayed silent, and when he looked up, she was staring at him."Why?""Well," she zipped the bag close and walked up to him, "why does it seem like you haven't learned how to tell Laron no?"Rune frowned. "What are you saying? I tell him no all the time.""No, you don't." She straddled him, placing her hand flat on his chest. "Alri
Claiming His Queen Chapter 240
ADLERWhen he reached the Villa, the memories came hurling in. The last time he had been here, under that open shed, Larissa and Dimitri were having the time of their lives.He could still remember the lively evening, how he heard the chatters as soon as he parked, looking around him at the goons on every turn.Presently there was no single soul on this premises, but Adler knew better.Parking Kyra's motorcycle right in the center of the compound, he observed the house, its windows, all dark, except one of them, on the ground floor, the orange glow giving it an eerie touch.The gun firm in his left hand, Adler moved through the shadows, the moonlight his aid as he advanced headfirst through the entrance.Maneuvering his way through doors, following the orange glow, he placed his finger readily on the trigger, listening for a sound.But nothing came, just the faint silence.He felt it was coming to this, watching his opponent spiral down a rabbit hole as he struggled with the obsession
Claiming His Queen 239
ADLER**FOUR MONTHS AGO**He could hear the elevator go down and for the first time in his life since the afternoon his mother died, he wanted to drop to his knees and give it all up.It was over. The wet towel seemed to burn against his skin, the wet towel over his head was now hot lava, and the metal around his finger was rapidly heating up and cutting off his circulation.He couldn't make it, there was no use trying, for what he had done, this was well-deserved, two hells in one lifetime, he dared anyone to beat that?But Lily? His mind tugged. What about Lily? The thought that he was never going to see her again was too great a loss to take without trying.Adler rose.Then came the beam, whirling down and landing on where his lower legs were supposed to have been if he hadn't rolled over just in time, his palm flattened on the hot ground.Holy fuck! He snapped it back to himself and hastily yanked out the hot ring, hoping to save it but then kicked against the idea when the band s
Claiming His Queen Chapter 238
SALVATORESalvatore stirred, his lids opening as he gradually regained consciousness, eyes meeting the bright lights of the chandeliers above him.His head felt like a shattered egg, memories mangled and hitting him piece by piece, as the familiar aura registered. He was still in the manor, he could tell, but where exactly?The wails of a baby had his eyes snapping fully open, and Salvatore was sitting up in a jolt. The pain that went through him was like torrents, his head felt heavy, and the world around him seemed to spin."Hey look, our main guest is awake," Victor's taunts clouded his ears. "Christ, don't go back to sleep again, we've been waiting."Salvatore struggled to his feet, the sight before him sending his heart thudding.Victor sat on a settee, crossed-legged, with Eva beside him, hair stuck to her wet face, and her red-rimmed eyes staring forward, the hopelessness in them so obvious.If Constance's cries came from the crib, next to a goon, then where was Lily? He turne
Claiming His Queen 237
RUNERune could taste the blood that coated his mouth. Still, he gritted his teeth, refusing to let the cries out. With his hands held back, the old man pounded his fist into his abdomen unrelentingly.The pain was excruciating, each blow sending shockwaves through his body. Rune's vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay conscious, to keep thinking.There was no way out of this, he knew. They were behind closed doors, in a room that smelled like dust and cobwebs; no one could hear him here.Well, no one except Laron, whom he constantly ordered to shut his eyes. The boy stood before the second goon, eyes shut, yet tears still rolled down his face.Every sniffle he heard from Laron cut through like a knife, and he wished he could do something, be the super dad Laron believed in, but right now the only thing he could do was stare at the floor."Had enough?" the old man sneered, his knuckles smeared with Rune's blood. "I thought to make this easier on you, but..." He grabbed a handf
Claiming His Queen Chapter 236
SALVATORE"...What did you use this time?" Salvatore asked, slamming the booth shut. "Will they live?"Rune blinked, staring wide-eyed at him. "You wanted them to live?"Kyra's head shot up from the driver's seat. "What did you do?"Rune chuckled, raising both hands in mock surrender. "I'm kidding. The soldiers are alive. They'll feel some type of way tomorrow, but that's just Ketamine for ya."Salvatore fought the urge to pull out a pistol and aim at the fucker's right leg. This wasn't the time to be stupid; tension was high, and it was D-day.Just like Rune had promised, the compound had few goons, and they also seemed to be in panic. It would be this way until they got out of this godforsaken place."The back gate is empty," Rune whispered as he walked up to Kyra, cupping her face with both hands and kissing her full on the lips. "See you on the other side in a few minutes, Princess."But she drew him back in. Urgh, Salvatore groaned and turned away. Those two behaved like they wer
Claiming His Queen Chapter 235
SALVATORE"...There's been another attack." Victor inhaled the smoke from the lit end of his cigar. "It happened at the same time as the fire yesterday. Ruslan is finally convinced of my innocence."Salvatore shared a glance with Kyra and then back at Victor. Was he actually saying the fire he had started to disrupt the engagement and that had somehow gotten out of hand was connected with an attack?Quietly wincing as the cloth grazed his partially burnt arm, Salvatore returned his gaze to Victor, who was suddenly deep in thought."I'll be gone again," Victor waved away the smoke, "but this time for a few days. Again, Salvatore will stay behind. I wish it didn't have to be so, but I need someone I can trust to keep Eva safe."He resisted the urge to share another glance with his sister. Even though he couldn't read anything on her straight countenance, he knew she was still mad at him."Can you?" Victor asked. "I can easily put her under Kyra's care. Give my father's favorite princess
Claiming His Queen Chapter 234
EVASince Victor came back, he had been so busy he barely found time to see her. The days seemed even more void, the future gloomy. Hiding away in the confines of this room, she listened to the sound of the chapter of her life closing.Now she climbed down the bed, went to her wardrobe, and crouching to her knees, pulled open a compartment and brought out a small wooden box. It had been months since she last looked at its contents, afraid it would bring back unwanted memories and reignite her obsession with him, but here she was.Eva looked behind her at the door, then back at the box. Taking a deep breath, she flipped open the cover, staring absently at the contents inside a little beaded necklace that held a crucifix. His crucifix.She had sunk so low as to steal a part of him while he slept. She doubted he ever searched for it. If he did, he’d know it was missing and no longer in the pretty house that smelled of him.She struggled, praying for the embarrassment to wash over her so
Claiming His Queen Chapter 233
LILY"I was six when I discovered that the convent sisters who came once a week to take children from the orphanage were anything but angels," Ruslan said, rocking my daughter's cradle. "It became clear why the boys never came back, and the girls who did barely lived."Twenty minutes ago, I had laid my sleeping daughter in her crib and rushed into the bathroom for a quick soak, despite knowing she wouldn't stir.Two seconds ago, I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around my chest and damp hair still dripping, only to see Ruslan standing over Constance's crib and staring at her.Even though he didn't touch her, my racing pulse refused to die down.But he paid no heed to my presence and continued, "They needed us in a coal mine in this little spot in Serbia." He paused, his gaze remote. "Our starved, wiry, agile bodies were the perfect fit for narrow spaces, running errands, and sometimes checking if the explosives had completed their work."My hawk-like eyes on Constance made it
