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Epilogue
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Claiming His Queen Chapter 1
Lily"...I’ve always been his, and he’s always been mine."I shut the book I had been reading aloud to a couple of senior citizens, my relief and sadness of leaving another fictional world to face my harsh reality.Catching myself in time before I slipped into my daily dose of sadness, I looked at my listeners, all sitting on the same settee, attention still on me, and I knew they shared my sadness about it ending."Finn reminds me of my late husband," Clare, one of my patients under me, whispers as if she was telling me a dirty little secret.I chuckled, standing on my feet, knowing there was about to be trouble. Counting mentally, I was at three when another voice of a grey-haired woman grumbled, "Enough of your fictional husband." I saw Sarah rolling her eyes at Clare, her hand curling around her walking frame as she struggled to stand up.It didn't stop Clare from staring at her ring and smiling fondly at memories she had made up from my constant reading to them of my romance boo
Claiming His Queen Chapter 2
"You have to get married to him, Lily.." I watched him raise his glass and sipped from his wine, looking unaffected by the death sentence he just spilled on me.My throat suddenly went dry as my fingers began to dig into my skin; I fidgeted and stared at the familiar face in the portrait, the angry dark eyes, the raised chin, and the hollowed cheekbone.Enzo Dimitri, best friends with Greg, wasn't the kind of guy I liked to be around, and you guessed it, he wasn't the type of guy that wanted ordinary people around him.He wasn't the kind of man with marriage in mind; what happened?Greg saw the question in my eyes and answered them, "Dimitri needs one of his sons to fill in his position back in Russia, and the only way Enzo is getting in is if he gets married."With a shaky breath, I demanded, "And you thought I was going to be perfect for a devil-like Enzo, Greg? You know who he is! You know what he can do!"He leaned in and grinned in my face, his fingers under my chin, "Did you th
Claiming His Queen Chapter 3
I stepped out of the Taxi to find my landlord next to the blue building with peeling paint that was my abode which I shared with my mum and little sister.Seeing him, my first thought was to get back into the taxi and flee that Arena; maybe returning when it was almost morning or sleeping back at Lucia's place tugged at my mind.But then he immediately turned, spotting me on the sidewalk, and his face turned a shade of red, and it wasn't the cold.Squaring my shoulders, I scaled past running bicycles of rebellious teenagers before dodging balls of children trying to hit their goalpost made of piled stones; then finally, I stopped before Squalo, my landlord Squalo wasn't his real name, but few people knew what it was, and most of his Tenants weren't one of them, but I heard the reason he was called Squalo was because of his ability to instill fear in his debtors.And now I was one of them.Standing before him, I jumped into action, "Signor Squalor, things have really been tight lately
Claiming His Queen Chapter 4
Hoodies had some way of making me feel safe. That it had been the clothing I had worn when Greg almost took advantage of me was the reason.It had taken him a lot of minutes trying to pull it off, giving me a chance to slam a kick into his groin—the best moment of my life.But now this gigantic hoodie was doing nothing to shield me from the coldness in Enzo's eyes, blonde hair slicked back just like Greg's, and his grey eyes held all the disgust he had for me.Surely Greg would have told him about me, and this had to be Greg's way of punishing me.Standing before them, hoodie cap over my head, eyes to the floor, but a few times raising my lash to stare at them, to see Greg's doting eyes on Enzo, whose heated gaze was on me.This was Greg's office, where his father's Art and photo frames were stuck to the wall. When I worked here with my mum, this was my favourite place to clean, intentionally spending hours in here but making sure not to touch any ammunition.The last time I had been
Claiming His Queen Chapter 5
Losing the most important person in my life was my breaking point. Remembering back, it was at this time I lost the will to leave.Nothing held meaning anymore, not the urge to continue moving on when there was nothing to live for anymore.The beautiful house, bright lights, floral gowns, and made-up face.Speaking of a made-up face, there was a lot of mess streaking down my face, soiling the white gown I wore. My shoes had been kicked off my feet as I lay on the rug on the floor, sobbing with my hands wrapped around my knees.I couldn't fathom how many minutes or even hours I had been lying down here, blocking the outside world out. The girl who helped me dress looked helpless, trying to get me up and to the car.All she received was a teary stare before she scurried for.There was no use going to the church to continue this mess. The reason was dead; the cause could have been alive if two men who owned so much had just helped me out.𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒈! A burning sensation filled my chest at
Claiming His Queen Chapter 6
'ADLER.Whatever that meant was lost to me, just that it was what was written on the piece of paper, mouthing it out to the stranger, feeling stupid and silly. How could I believe shit like that, by the way? How desperate had this made me?I felt Enzo's hand under my chin, pulling me to face him; I met his eyes, shivers running through my body like electric shocks, waves upon waves. Tears filled my eyes again."What the fuck are you looking at, Huhn" he leaned, pushing the ring into my hands. Put it on; let's get this over with," I nodded, whispering, "I'll do it, don't just hit me again.""You better," he snarled, "Else," he raised the gun's muzzle to my face.But then.But then, I could hear footsteps striding towards us, but too scared to find out what because Enzo's rage had me focusing my attention on him."With this ring, I pledged thee..."Opening my mouth to repeat the words, when I began to hear the congregations murmuring words I couldn't fathom, but still, I couldn't divert
Claiming His Queen Chapter 7
My mother told me and my sister, "When life changes, go with the flow." And I always did that, got the negative news, cried the night and the morning, with my head held high, I was ready to brace the storm.But now, I was a hare caught in a headlight, against a fence, with nowhere to run to, a murderer with the gentlest touch holding me close.Leaning down, he placed his forehead against mine so he was looking into my eyes, raising the ring that had stopped at his boot some minutes ago, "I ditched the jacket," he grinned, "there's a suit, your gown looks beautiful, wanna get married?"Huhn?He threw the ring away, "Ha, just kidding," but why was he looking disappointed, and why did that sound like false cheer?Shadows suddenly filled the church door, Don Adler turned, and his face straightened, "What does it take for me to have alone time?""Jesus Christ Adler." I turned to the door to find two more men entering. The one who the voice had come from was in a black polo shirt and blac
Claiming His Queen Chapter 8
LILY'S POV.I stirred to the feel of my hair caressing my face, the strangeness immediately hitting me out of nowhere; for the last I remembered, I wasn't supposed to be alive.And why was the ceiling a beautiful white design, or was it just my sight blurring from all the pain dancing in my skull?I winced, shutting my eyes, and when I opened them again, thankfully, my sight had cleared, and yeah, the ceiling wasn't mine. This was a very, very strange place.Although My brain felt void, I knew I was in a place I wasn't supposed to be.What had happened? I looked down at the light blue floral dress that stopped at the middle of my lap; I drew myself up in a sitting position, puzzlement nudging as I looked around.This place, the air, seemed too expensive.Where was I?The last I remembered was the shooting in the church, Enzo's blood seeping out of the crimson hole at the side of his head to the floor, I felt my body tremble as I slowly dropped my wobbly legs to the floor, my fingers
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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
