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Chapter 185
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 186
KYRABack to Fishtown. Kyra withheld a groan as the odd smell of tar mixed with rotten fruit wafted past her nose as she maneuvered through the familiar market, observing her surroundings for the first sign of a threat. Since the previous night when she left Guardiola's sight, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and followed.At first, she contemplated it being paranoia, but after a night of instincts tugging at her sleeves and blaring red, she caressed her suspicions, reminding herself that she couldn't put it past the old man. As she scanned the market for Laron, considering giving up after hours of fruitless searching, her attention was suddenly caught by a noise nearby. Raising her head, she immediately spotted a small crowd gathered not far away.Then the whining from within, "I swear I took nothing. Get your hands, or else you regret it... Ouch, man, that hurts! Let me go. ""This kid," she murmured, making her way toward the scene, maneuvering through the crowd by
Claiming His Queen Chapter 187
LILY'Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay. We are experiencing technical difficulties, and our team is working hard to resolve the issue. Thank you for being so patient.'Hugging my bag, I inhaled deeply as the heartwarming scenarios in the train station engulfed me, sending waves of longing and nostalgia slamming in. A young couple, their faces radiating with love, shared a tender embrace as they bid each other farewell. Nearby, an elderly gentleman offered his seat to a pregnant woman, his kind smile lighting up her tired face as she settled in while he stood beside her, his attention in a newspaper. Each interaction filled the station with a warmth that melted away the frustration of the delay. Despite the chaos around me, there was a quiet beauty in these simple acts of kindness, I had always found joy in the smallest moments, so as I sat, nestled in a corner, my eyes fixed on the scenes unfolding before me, my sight began to blur. None of that changed, and I was
Claiming His Queen Chapter 188
He shut the car door, "What did you think? That I will leave without you? "My mouth opened, but I couldn't get a single word out except deep-throated croaks despite the thousand thoughts running through my head. "Take all the time you need." He checked his watch, "We have a flight to catch in a couple of hours." He left me and poked his head in the front seat to speak to the driver. So back to Campania, I thought, taking the first step to Alessia's door, if I had a clue, that was all it took to change his mind. But then I never imagined returning to a place I swore never to set foot in, and even so, the manor?As I reached Alessia's door, I glanced back to see Adler leaning on the car, engrossed in his phone call, prompting me to question how patient he was willing to be. With a deep breath, I pressed the doorbell and waited."One moment!" Alessia called out, and soon after, the door swung open, revealing her. She froze at the sight of me. "Li... Lily?" she stammered, embracing me
Claiming His Queen Chapter 189
RUNESmoke and dust cleared, and he winced, damn... The outcome was more horrific than he calculated he wasn't gonna lie. The crates toppling over on the other side of the warehouse had him rolling his eyes until they almost hit the back of his head; by God, she was so dramatic.What was she screaming about? Was she thinking she could take on five men three times her size and mass? Maybe she could, but that was going to take ten times the time they would need to bury a bullet in her head.He crouched against the metal aid holding the ceiling, staring closely at the toppled crates at the far end of the warehouse, and sang, "Kyra?"She showed up almost immediately, face reddened and sizzling inside; Rune sighed; how much he missed he... Annoying the fuck out of her, he corrected as he suppressed his heartbeat, flipping out of proportion.Walking up to the corpses sprawled on the floor, not even betraying as much as a fling at the horror that lay on her feet, she looked up and snarled,
Claiming His Queen Chapter 90
SALVATOREWhen there was a gathering that involved making a circle around a weak and wounded person, he knew he was about to sniff the faint whiff of blood and listen to the agony of the newest enemy Domenico had his hands on. None of which were his favorite things to do.But what he never expected was Rune to be dragged into their center, half-conscious, the hair on the back of his head matted with blood seeping down his neck.His stream of consciousness paused, and he held his breath, determined not to betray his emotions, especially under Domenico's watchful eye as he handled an AR-15. The older man had ulterior motives, and he wasn't willing to comply without a cost.Until he caught sight of Kyra behind him, seeing his sister shut her eyes against the sight of Rune had the organ in his chest aching in a way he never thought would. And what was that bruise on her face? Why was there a fucking cut on her lips?He looked back at Rune on the floor; the clothes he had on, covered in d
Claiming His Queen Chapter 191
ADLER"... You will have no say in any decision-making or my authority," Adler recited from the notes he had prepared during the brief car ride to the Manor. "Additionally, Rune is receiving a promotion, and I am aware that one of the four disloyal Capos will have to be removed to make room for that, so choose who you want to let go."All remained as he had encountered it, except for the lack of the goons who had departed upon his orders, leaving the five of them still grappling with the tension that had nearly resulted in losses.He had made the right decision by asking Lily to wait in the car, and she had chosen wisely by not creating a fuse about it. Wait till he told them they owed their life to her.Salvatore's expression upon seeing him was far from welcoming. Perhaps relieved, yes, but the grand entrance failed to captivate him. They all had reason to be angry; he had observed their rising emotions and chose the last moment to reveal himself.Now that he thought of it, that was
Claiming His Queen Chapter 192
ADLER.Just like he thought, she wasn't in the car when he went to get her, so pulling back into the manor, he raced to the stairs, hoping she wasn't in the room.There were many things he needed to get rid of, things that could set her off in a nanosecond. Things that could bring back memories in the blink of an eye.But when he pushed the door open, and it gave way immediately, he felt his stomach churn upon seeing her standing before the hung jewelry and observing its shimmer.Her father's pendant hung above her while she stared at it, rigid and unmoving.His heart pounded uncontrollably in his chest."Why didn't you get rid of it? Yeah, that question. Why didn't he get rid of it? Maybe it was because it was the last object that held her memory, or that was what he thought.Grief had erased the thought that the pendant had more to do with her father than her; all he thought was to be able to hold something, anything that spelled her name and carried her memories.When it got too qu
Claiming His Queen Chapter 193
VITOThe last time they spoke, they told him they were working on his release."Working on it?" He had growled, standing up from the queen-sized bed he had been sitting on, "I've been in here for two weeks, and you're just working on it?!" "Sir," his lawyer stepped forward, "There isn't a case to be debated on when the evidence was served to them on a silver platter.""Oh shut the fuck up, Homer," he had snapped, " There is nothing a little more money can't solve. All it takes is the right amount of toppings to serve it out.":Exhausted, he rubbed against his forehead, " I need to get out of here before this becomes public knowledge.""So far, there is nothing out in the media. And with the judge's feedback, you'll be out of here in no time and even pick up from where you stopped in the election," his lawyer explained, voice so even it made him spite, he lost a lot, including their terror when they stood before him, " All I ask of you is to be patient. "He sighed. Maybe he was over
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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
