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Chapter 84
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 85
[ADLER]The stream of smoke blown out by Victor, who stood by the window behind the godfather, holding the curtain aside and looking outside, created the fog in the spacy office. Adler would still bet all of his attention was on their father's conversation with him.Waiting to see his reaction to the massive explosion thrown at him.“You made up your mind so suddenly.” He averted his gaze to his brother's back. “Or is there something involved?” Even if there were, Domenico would not admit it. When his father called him to grace the Rome manor urgently, Adler was not expecting anything less horrifying than getting engaged in two days. What was his father thinking?Domenico’s face was stoic when he fixed his gaze on Adler’s dictating his words, which were almost law.With Victor around, they couldn't display their indifference for the sake of the hierarchy. "There’s been a shift in plan, Adler. Besides that, Athena is a lady; time passes while she waits for you to put a ring on her fi
Claiming His Queen Chapter 86
It sucked when the brain replayed the negative aspects of life repeatedly, so you spent your nights trying to figure out how to react and feel. Worse, my favorite form of escapism, denial, proved ineffective. I could not trick my mind into thinking I did not care, so I kept telling myself it was all a dream."The boss's engagement."It could not possibly be Adler's engagement. He happened to be in my ward one day, and the following day, he was getting engaged? The only plausible explanation was that I was still at the hospital in my gown, waiting to be checked out by him, Rune, or Kyra.However, when morning came and I saw the pictures of myself on the wall staring back at me, I could accept it. Adler was getting engaged. I laughed as I rose from the bed and brushed my hair away from my face. Where did I get that idea? That he would settle for me. Enough of a reason he shouldn't was his family's dislike for me. Not to speak about his position in public. Next, class?I could list a
Claiming His Queen Chapter 87
SALVATORE.The last time he stood before this sight, his heart didn't want to fall out of his chest; instead, the next day, he found himself in front of Father Martin, confessing how he had felt butterflies at the burial of his oppressor: His Father.Of course, the penance was a long one, so long he had taken days off training to fulfill them, but since it was all mistaken for his grief, there had been no fuse.Now he stood a distance under a tree, watching the white and gold coffin that held the dead, slain body of the only human that had made him desperately hold on to life since he was fifteen.The scores of priests present followed the coffin as it was carried to the hole that would serve as an everlasting resting place.Salvatore pulled off the shades and massaged the bridge of his nose, kicking against the urge to look away. He needed to see this to understand that Father Martin was never coming back.But he could follow him down there; paradise wasn't the goal. He lowered the b
Claiming His Queen Chapter 88
AUTHOR’S POV [ADLER]“This is the happiest day of my life." Athena whispered, so only he heard as he pushed the ring into her finger, "Would have been so if all of this isn't a fake."He fitted the band before kissing her knuckles. Another round of applause from their audience interrupted his thoughts."You could at least smile, you know." She continued, as they turned to face the crowd slowly surrounding them, “You said to make this believable, but here you are doing the bare minimum.”He sighed in exhaustion, letting his eyes sweep over the faces of the guests, people who had a link to the underworld. But cover that with an ironed-out suit and a pleasant, restful countenance, and one had judges, politicians, and sometimes even governors.But also, he could begin to see the discomfort in their faces as they noticed the supposed 'groom' who made all of this up, creating distance. Distance that didn't have to be physical before it was noticeable. He needed to play this right. It was t
Claiming His Queen Chapter 89
[RUNE.]"Excuse me, ladies," he announced after Adler had disconnected. The smile on his face slowly waned when his eyes met Kyra, standing some distance away from him. He sighed, skipping breaths each time he saw her had to stop."No, thank you," he said, pushing the cup when the rim was placed to his lips. He still never thought there'd be a day he'd reject a filled glass, but now he was doing it. A mistake wasn't a mistake if he didn't learn his lesson.Kyra was avoiding him, refusing to look in his direction, no matter the noises he made. She regretted it—regretted that she let the lowest of all scum see her in her vulnerability.He'd have to take it and face it; it was a one-time thing, one that, if anyone found out, would be his death.But then, in a way, he was hurt. Yeah, his pride was. She didn't come for seconds; instead, it was almost as if he didn't exist to her anymore.Did anyone else see it? He looked from her to Adler; both were almost alike behaviorally. They could
Claiming His Queen Chapter 90
[EVA]She noticed Salvatore approaching from the corner of her eye. Eva let a smirk escape her lips as she took one last look at Victor and his troops.HE JUST MESSED WITH THE WRONG SISTER.A FEW MINUTES EARLIEROf course, she loved parties, especially parties like this, for she wasn't grown up enough to partake in them like Lily had before their dad died, but given the opportunity on a silver platter, she sure as hell was about to make the most of it.She exuded femininity, standing tall with a raised chin while watching the grand carnival in the form of an engagement, dressed in a soft, long dress of mild ivory and her idea of the perfect makeup. For an engagement, who would go to such lengths? All furniture, glass, and porcelain fixtures exuded an opulent aura.In the glaring lights and attention, she felt like Cinderella. What was left? The clock striking twelve? Haha, jokes on them; she lived in the party. A short distance up the steps, beneath the roof of a don who, she would h
Claiming His Queen Chapter 91
LILY’S POV“....THINK OF THE BAD THING YOU HATE ABOUT THEM”With my shoes in each of my hands, I walked lifelessly up to my room, the noise from the hall becoming fainter the further I went. I wished the hurt would fade the same way the music did.At least the idiotic tears had ceased; I should be feeling embarrassed Rune had seen me in my anguish, and although he didn't take it seriously, making his usual jokes and giving me half-baked advice, it was evident in his countenance that he was solidly behind me.According to his advice, I was to find out the behavioral traits I detested about Adler, and somehow, that was supposed to help me get over the hurt ripping across my chest. The second piece of advice, ‘don't fuck them,’ was too late to unadminister. I wish it had come at least a month earlier.I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I needed the zzz’s more than ever, and hopefully, it was going to be easier to catch them now that I was both mentally and emotionally tired.I raised my face to
Claiming His Queen Chapter 92
The detonation was deafening, so deafening that my ears rang, goosebumps grew on my arms, and my throat went drier with each quickening thud of my heartbeat.I let the gun fall from my hands, stepping away from it and the body frame that held the disbelief on his face.Adler studied the hole I had made in his room's ceiling, then returned his eyes to me. “Note taken,” he said, picking the gun off the floor. “How did it go off?” He was seriously pondering, and for a moment, he forgot he wasn't alone. But when he looked at me, he had his brows knitted. “Does everything work with you around?”My feet were still stuck to the floor; I couldn't remember a pistol being this loud. It wouldn't be surprising if I had acquired an ear bleed.The pounding on his door had me snapping out of my trance. "Boss, are you okay?” "Si,” Adler responded, "you can leave the door.”I wish my hands would stop shaking. In the process of scaring him, I added another trauma to the pile already existing.Adler dr
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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
