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Chapter 21
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 22
LILY'S POV."The fear in your eyes? it's the kick I didn't know I needed." Larissa flicked her hair back before she clutched the purse with both hands, looking so at ease.And I, still repeating the words of comfort, could feel my blood rushing through my veins as I spotted the men.There were about four individuals wearing black short-sleeved Polo shirts, and with every glance I took, they seemed to be closer.And each time they drew nearer, and I noticed how big they were, I realised how much chance I didn't stand against them.I shut my eyes, hoping when I blinked them back open, my fear would be gone, or maybe even all of this, and I would be back at my workplace the hour before I graced Greg's invitation in Palazzo CremisiBut when I flashed them open, she was still right there, staring at me.I clutched the fabric of my gown, "Adler will not allow me to be taken,"She turned her back on me and began to waltz away, "RIP, Lily; I wish I never met you."There were times I wished I
Claiming His Queen Chapter 23
"They almost had her; we were there just in time," I heard the familiar voice.My forehead creased, and through tear-filled eyes, I saw the frame studying me while holding the phone to his ear.When I saw Rune peering down at me, a weak relief filled me when he reported into the phone, "Adler, she's fine. It was a close call, though."I smiled through my tears, threw every discomfort I felt around him; unable to control the relief, I hugged him."Thank you... Thank you so much."He appeared rigid. I knew he was staring down at my head as my shoulders shook, and I cried into his chest, "I thought I was going to die."Rune patted my head awkwardly, then muttered, "It's alright, dollface,"But I still clung to his shirt, refusing to let go, afraid to let go. I wasn't in danger anymore, but I couldn't overcome the fear that had enveloped me, the terror that consumed me.It was so extreme that it blurred my vision, and although a part of the reason I held onto Rune was
Claiming His Queen Chapter 24
[LARISSA.]She slammed her bag against the wall, sinking her fingers into her hair.She felt the tears on her lids—hot, painful tears made from the deepest part of her distress.Her door was shut, and although she had expected her husband to walk into the room and confront her, he hadn't.Old coward. That was what he was—hiding behind looking after the Bratva to shield his cowardice.Larissa raised her head, catching her reflection in the mirror at the room's far end. The beautiful sparkle in her eyes was no longer present since she had lost her candlelight.Since she lost her son.And the only opportunity they had to put his spirits to rest, her husband had thrown it away for ammunition. Dimitri exchanged my son's life for mere shells.Her hands and lips trembled; she was made a fool of by her husband, the father of her child, who was supposed to push for revenge as much as she did.Clutching at the material of her gown, she sobbed, tears washing down her mascara, creating streaks o
Claiming His Queen Chapter 25
LILY'S POV.I folded the last of my clothes, placing them carefully in a box.It was morning, a day after the event that had almost gotten me killed, and throughout last night, I couldn't sleep; with my eyes wide open, I stared up at the ceiling, planning my exit out of the manor.It was a tough decision, especially when my subconscious seemed to remind me I was behind on my rent, might have gotten fired from my job, and had absolutely nothing to get Eva going.But still, it was better than staying past my welcome, parasitizing on a help rendered. So at six that morning, I had begun to get my things in order, ignoring the migraine that pierced through my skull from the hangover from last night.I smiled when I remembered Priest scrunching his nose at the smell of alcohol oozing from my breath, but still, he had stayed around.At seven, I was done packing, and in the next thirty minutes, I was walking towards Eva's room, situated in another part of the house.I knocked quietly on her
Claiming His Queen Chapter 26
AUTHOR'S POV (SALVATORE)He watched Adler shut the door before turning to Eva, but finding her already staring at him, he tilted his head sideways."You're hard on Lily."She ignored him, instead walking towards her wardrobe to arrange the clothes he suspected her sister had touched."If you want to keep your place here, I advise you not to snub me when I talk to you?" his tone hardened; damn, he had never been this way before, not with the opposite sex, since he hardly crossed them.But there was something about this brat, far beyond the rudeness and sneering upturned lips, that seemed to get to him.He wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle her or keep his distance.She swivelled now, her chin inclined upward, "Alright, sir, what can I do for you?"The cynicism wasn't hidden in her voice. Choosing to ignore it for Lily's sake and her own safety. He stood tall, "I heard Lily say she was abused?"Her sarcasm disappeared, and for a moment, her lips parted with surprise, "I don't know what
Claiming His Queen Chapter 27
[LILY'S POV.]"...I won't act like I'm not pleased, you know," Salvatore confessed as he swerved the car towards my working place.I narrowed my eyes at him, and he smiled sheepishly. He was driving me to work, my bag on my lap, and my hands still fidgety from the last time I and Adler spoke."Come on, Lily, don't act like it wasn't for the best. Yes, Adler might have presented it unconventionally, which is Soo him," he shrugged, "But I'm sure it was for the best."Unconventional was an understatement to his presentation. Correctly, it should be aggressive, and he still managed to send it across poorly.***"Sit down." Adler had ordered two days ago as I stood in his room. Making me wonder, why room? Didn't they have an office for this sort of thing?I noticed a video projector sitting just at the edge of the large, black spread covered bed as I entered the room. The curtains were grey, and I noticed he had rushed to throw a gun into a drawer.The sight of a big bed was setting off a
Claiming His Queen Chapter 28
Adler had told me I should be assertive, right? He had said not to flinch, speak my mind, and even demand what I want.But what if that person was everything your trauma embodied? What if you couldn't help but want to create enough distance because you never really moved on from him?"Honey," Clare's calm voice reached me as my fingers clutched tightly at my gown, and my knuckles turned white. "Are you okay?"Was I okay? No, I wasn't. I turned to her and nodded, lips curving as usual, "Yes, I am fine," I bent down to pick up the book I had let go some seconds ago, holding it as if it could protect me.Greg let his eyes roam on the walls, the ceiling, and even the senior citizens and my well-to-do cousin did not hesitate to show the disdain he held for every one of them.Finally, his attention was back on me, and he motioned to the door with his pupils, "Come on, somewhere private."I would have said no, told him to leave, call security on him, but knowing our history of how situation
Claiming His Queen Chapter 29
AUTHOR'S POV [ADLER]"Athena," Domenico pushed the pile of pictures to his son across the table, who stared at it confusedly, "She's beautiful, smart, and the perfect choice for getting more influence and unique heirs."If only his father understood he wasn't here at the moment, he checked his watch for the thousandth time that evening.Lily wasn't back yet, and Salvatore, as usual, left his fucking phone; he wondered what was keeping them. And while he decided to reassure himself she was okay and might be a few delays, with each minute that passed, he became restless.To give himself something to do, he stared down at the pictures.He'd give it to this 'jewel of Italy,' she was a beauty, more like a glittering pearl. He dropped the first picture, feeling bored already.The thing was, if he were still running around, still finding Lily, she still wouldn't have done it for him. With hair darker than coal and eyes a beautiful shade of brown.But still...Where the hell was Lily? He look
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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
