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Chapter 33
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 34
AUTHOR'S POV [ADLER]Climbing down the car, his first action was to raise his head, scanning the house, precisely her room window.It was a habit he couldn't do without, wanting to find out if she was home, even though he knew he couldn't tell by just looking at the always wide-opened glass.With the back of his palm, he wiped the blood rolling down the side of his head. He needed a hot shower; he smelled of rubber and burning flesh.What could he say? His day had gone rough.He slammed the door shut and went to the booth; pulling out a black bag, he moved straight into the house. And standing at the entrance, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.The last time he had this feeling, his world had gone through a significant change, and not the good kind. It had been a turning point in his life, a moment that shattered his sense of security and innocence. As he stepped into the dimly lit hallway, memories of that fateful day resurfaced, and a shiver ran down his spi
Claiming His Queen Chapter 35
The idea of waiting when one was in danger had to hold one of the most thorough fears. The terror seemed to be eating me from inside, my breath wavered, and each time I tried to whisper prayers, I busted into tears.Sitting with my arms around my knee, my chin pressed against it, my eyes wide open in the darkness, waiting and hoping for something, anything.I could hear Salvatores phone continuously ringing in the car, and I prayed in my head for it to just stay silent.When the sound of another car stopped close to mine, I covered my mouth with my palm. To make matters worse, the stench of the boot was getting to me; it smelled of blood and rotting pieces of flesh."Shit," I heard my pursuer curse, I knew his head was poked into the opened window of the car, but his footsteps couldn't be heard again. I blinked in the car, was he gone? Was he not?It's been more than twenty minutes being in the place, and my clothes were drenched from the sweat, and each sound I heard against the car,
Claiming His Queen Chapter 36
AUTHOR'S POV [ADLER]He felt her fear, her trembling, but it didn't surpass his when he called repeatedly, and nobody picked.It didn't surpass his when he had let Kyra find Salvatore while he and Rune searched for her, tracking Salvatores landline while struggling not to cause a major accident on the road as he drove past red lights and incoming trucks.The terror he felt when he came to the sight of the car, in the middle of nowhere, shut with no one in it, the urge to yell into the air, was so evident. Had they gotten her? Was she dead?Until he heard the silent sniffle coming from the car trunk, knocking against the windows, hoping to listen to it again, hoping it wasn't his hallucinations playing tricks on him.Now that he held her in his arms, breathing in her scent, it was hard to explain the feelings. They seemed to cascade out from him; when he thought he could explain one out, it became stronger.Only her mattered right now, this human, wetting his shirt with her tears, her
Claiming His Queen Chapter 37
[ADLER]Nothing gave him a thrill like hunting alone, and that the hunt had a reason was just satisfactory, like the reason for the stench filling the car he rolled into the Bratva's domain.Although the rage hadn't yet subsided, especially when the thought that if he was a few more minutes late, something would have happened to her had his hands tightened around the steering wheel harder than was needed.It was her voice, filtering from the speaker, that had him temporarily paralyzed, unable to move for seconds, but then like everything that had to do with her, the next minute, had him jumping into the car on a highway to either hell or her.He reached her, yet the anxiety of what might have occurred continued to strike him unexpectedly.He stopped the car, in the den he was in, there were fewer men in the compound than he had hoped there would be; surprised and on alert, he stepped out of the car, looking up and around him, seeing the figures in the dark, he smiled _Thought so_He
Claiming His Queen Chapter 38
AUTHORS NOTE.DUE TO GOODNOVEL NOT SUPPORTING THE ITALIC AND BOLD FEATURES, TO WHICH I USE IN DIFFERENTIATING FLASHBACKS AND THOUGHTS, HERE'S THIS PUNCTUATION — —.THANK YOU.***LILY'S POV.—When things get dark, you know.It's in the pain, the heaviness of the heart. It's in the first raindrop and the tears. It's in the fear of the night. It's in the terror of the phone ringing."I'll protect you, Lily, I promise." he kissed me, full on the lips, his fingers caressing my hair, "Just trust me, that's all you have to 𝒅𝒐, 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 me..."Ha, big mistake."You think you're fucking better than me, Lily." the blood, more blood seeping from the cut, drenching my panties. With each thrust he made, the pain...Intensified. I felt foolish. I trusted. Again.—Knock"Lily?"Knock knock"Lily, are you in?"***I sprang onto my bed, chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. I pushed my hair off my face, staring at the blue sheeted bed I was in. I touched my face and cotton shirt. Go
Claiming His Queen Chapter 39
[ADLER]—"Adler," He heard Priest's voice behind him, and he frowned; what did one need to give to get alone time in the damn Manor, "Your father has been looking for you,"His added pressure to the little blue orb he was working on on the paper; seeing he had created smudges, he glared at Priest, only to see Rune behind him too.He ignored them, focusing on the grotesque image."Adler, what are you doing?" Priest's voice cut in, "Are you drawing?""No," he snapped just so they left; how could he have forgotten to lock the door, slammed with another full memorial image of her? That was it.When the hand got thrown across his shoulder, he fumed."Oh my my," Rune crooned, "Look who suddenly decided to take on art, Addie, that's who,"He turned to them to find Priest's face filled with worry, the crucifix he just began wearing resting against his chest, "What are you two doing here? I don't even care," he began to roll up the paper.But Rune stepped before him, leaning down and peering i
Claiming His Queen Chapter 40
LILY'S POV.I didn't sleep that night. Instead, standing in front of my mirror, I stared at my reflection, struggling not to let the memory hit, but in seconds I was wincing at the sudden jolt of it slamming into me.What was wrong with me? What had I done?I would rather have remembered my near-death experience with the Bratvas than the memories with Don Adler, but then my brain cells had their way of making me go through the worst time of my life."Goddamnit, Lily, I tattooed your name on my fucking chest!"Well, not like I expected him to spit it out like that, but still, it was no answer to my question. But did I even ask a question? I was more like accusing.Walking to bed, I fell face-first into it, screaming my frustration into the sheets. I had to be going crazy.But still...I sat up, staring at the far end of the wall, it was the way he had kissed me, drawing me in, like he was bent on giving me instead of taking, and when I tried to push him to go hard, he had...Pinned me
Claiming His Queen Chapter 41
[RUNE]The human moaned behind him, "Where are you dragging me to? I learned Tae Kwando, you know.""Lily, even if you did, you won't be able to implement anything being this skinny, so shh shh." He rolled his eyes,"Hey! Do not..." But even with the words she spewed, she never physically resisted being pulled away. He smiled discreetly. She was so simple. "Don't act like I'm taking you to the guillotine; it's just breakfast.""I can have it in my room, you know," she whimpered as the dining table came into view, "Rune, you know what? I'm not even hungry, aw Rune.""If I didn't know better, I'd think you're frightened of seeing someone in the Manor" That she was behind him made it easier to pull that off. The sly tone reached his voice when her wrist went rigid in his hold. "Or are you?""O-of course not," she stuttered as he pushed her down on a chair in front of an already-filled plate, "W-why would you say that?"Enough reasons, the manor was in a mess since her encounter with Ad
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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
