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Chapter 26
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Queen of the West Chapter 27
MONIQUEOnce, I had a crush on this boy in college. I never made it obvious, never gave myself the chance to even hope that he knew I existed. I was a loner—an orphan who'd lost everything in one day. Friends? They were a foreign concept to me, not in ballet school, not in college, and certainly not during my second degree. I often looked back, wondering how I managed to survive it all with no one but Richardson and my godfather by my side.But then, one day, he noticed me. The boy, who I thought would never even glance my way, asked me out, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like things were finally different. We had a one-month relationship—brief, but it meant everything to me at the time. And when we finally had sex, I thought it had brought us closer. I'd opened up to him that night and told him about the worst moment of my life—how my parents were killed right in front of me.But the next morning, he was gone. He never spoke to me again. Every time he passed me in the halls after
Queen of the West Chapter 28
MONIQUE"...Monique," someone whispered.My heart was pounding before I even opened my eyes. The sheets clung to me, damp with sweat, as I struggled to remember where I was. I gripped the mattress beneath me, trying to steady my breathing, but the panic had already set in—raw and unshakable. My name echoed again, softer this time, cutting through the haze of fear.I jolted awake, like I'd been falling and had finally hit the ground. My eyes shot open, locking onto a pair of dark green eyes on a face that was vaguely familiar. I let out a scream. Loud. Desperate."Shh... shh, Monique, it's me. You're having a nightmare," Liam's cooed softly. But I stared at him—stared into the eyes of my parents' killer, the man who had ripped my world apart.Tears blurred my vision, hot and unstoppable, as the memories of the nightmare crashed down around me. The nightmare, the terror—it was him. And here he was, of all people, comforting me through the very nightmare he had caused.I trembled in his
Queen of the West Chapter 29
LIAMWhat were these feelings?I wasn't used to opening up to anyone, much less a woman. No one knew about my past—except maybe Felix, but even with him, there were limits to how much I let him in. What the hell was happening to the barricade I'd put up?Why the hell had I told Monique my life story? What was it about her that made me let my guard down? I'd need to keep an eye on that. Monitor myself, make sure I didn't go too far.I'd never taken a woman out on a date. Never spent the night in the same bed with anyone—until her. From the moment I woke up after that first night and found her gone, I knew she was trouble. The way her mysterious disappearance unsettled me... I hadn't expected to be affected like that.Now, I was at a crossroads. I could either let her in completely, or I could cut her out of my life before things got out of hand. But the idea of pushing her away made my pulse race, and not in the good way. No, I wanted her close—too damn much. When she woke up, screamin
Queen of the West Chapter 30
MONIQUEStanding in my hotel lobby, watching it thrive, gave me a rare sense of satisfaction. The place was bustling—guests flowing in and out, the hum of conversation and clinking glasses filling the air. I couldn't help but smile behind my aviators, a magazine in hand, blending into the scene as if I were just another guest.I took a sip of my coffee, pretending to be absorbed in the article, while in reality, I was taking in every detail of the operation. I had taken a break to meet Richardson, curious to see how the hotel ran in my absence. It was running smoothly, better than I could have hoped.For now, no one in the lobby seemed to notice me. To the staff and guests, I was just another customer, lounging at the café with my croissant and magazine, waiting for a ride or perhaps passing the time. Perfect.Richardson slid into the seat across from me, giving a brief nod before leaning in. "By the hint of a smile on your face, I take it you're quite impressed by the workings and bu
Queen of the West Chapter 31
LIAMI wanted to ask her who the hell that guy was, but I held back. Not because I didn't care—I did.A lot.But the real question was whether it was even my business. I'd asked her once if she was sleeping with someone else. She never gave me a straight answer, and I didn't push it. Still, seeing her slip out of a man's car looking guilty made me wonder why we never talked about it again after that day.If she was in a relationship, then I had no business sniffing around her panties, and she had no business taunting me and flashing said panties in my face all day, everyday like she wasn't getting enough from her man.I've stolen, lied, and done whatever it took to get to the top. But I wasn't the type to take another man's woman. Yet, here I was, fuming and mad with jealousy. Because I wanted her, and I hated the idea of anyone else having what I thought should be mine.Seeing what I'd just witnessed only made an already bad day worse—all because of her. Felix had called me earlier w
Queen of the West Chapter 32
MONIQUEWalking out of Liam's office, I felt a strange mixture of pride, relief, and confusion swirling in my chest. Pride because I was getting damn good at this. Standing there while he questioned me about the false intel, I had feigned ignorance and even a bit of self-reproach like a seasoned pro. My face didn't betray a thing, even though my heart had been pounding the entire time.The relief washed over me as soon as I stepped out. He hadn't questioned me about anything more serious, hadn't pressed me about Richardson, even. I'd been worried all afternoon that he was on to me, that somehow, he'd pieced things together and I was moments away from my cover being blown. I mean, with the strange way Felix had been staring at me when he came. But no. It had just been about the fake information.Why hadn't he brought up Richardson? I'd half expected him to corner me about it the second I walked in. I had already rehearsed some explanation, prepared to lie through my teeth. But it never
Queen of the West Chapter 33
MONIQUEOver the weekend, I spent some much-needed time with Sophie, my only real escape from the chaos surrounding me. With Sophie, everything felt simple. She had this innocence that I clung to—a break from the manipulation and lies that filled the rest of my world. We spent the day having brunch and strolling through the park, and for a few hours, it was easy to forget about everything else.But then my phone buzzed, and reality came crashing back in. It was my reminder telling me about my regular visits with my godfather.After parting ways with Sophie, I made my way to Don Antonio's mansion. As always, the place was a fortress—an empire of wealth and influence.I found him in the garden, tending to his roses. He looked up when I arrived, his weathered face breaking into a broad smile. "Niña, my dear. Always a pleasure." He opened his arms, and I leaned into his embrace, a familiar warmth that reminded me of my father, no matter how hard I tried to suppress all memories of him.We
Queen of the West Chapter 34
LIAMI always got what I wanted when I set my mind to it. And when I didn't, things got bad—not just for me, but for everyone around me.The two things I wanted most were solid deals, great business returns. And her.It didn't take long for me to realize how badly I wanted her. The wrong intel she'd fed me about the Queen of the West? It didn't matter anymore. People made mistakes, right? What bothered me was not knowing who that man was to her. That question gnawed at me until I finally let it loose.Was he a lover? A family member? I remembered she'd once mentioned having a brother. Even though I did my research after she told me her full name, all I found under "Monique Harris" in Midtown Manhattan was a middle-aged woman with three kids. No brother in sight. But maybe I missed something. Maybe she wasn't local to Manhattan after all. So, I let that slide.But now, standing in front of me after I'd asked about the man from the other day, she looked shocked—downright trembling. I co
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