Semua Bab Queen of the West: Bab 21 - Bab 30

MONIQUEAs the clock ticked closer to the moment of the official seal being opened, the few guests that were in attendance had dwindled—it was almost laughable. The very few guests that hung around mingled, champagne flutes in hand, while photographers hovered nearby, ready to capture the moment. But as I scanned the room, I discovered Liam was nowhere in sight.This was his big night, wasn't it? The launch couldn't wait, but neither could my questions about his whereabouts. Watching how all this affected him was the highlight so far of my time in his employ. I couldn't even hide the satisfaction on my expression.I slipped to the side of the ballroom, out of sight of the few people lingering, and quickly dialed Richardson. As I waited for him to pick up, I surveyed the room again, searching for any sign of Liam. When Richardson answered, his voice was clear and steady, reassuring me and rubbing my own proud shoulder. It just felt too good."Everything's running smoothly here," I cou

MONIQUEI hated him.Who did he think he was, claiming my body like it belonged to him? As if that wasn't enough, he stirred feelings in me that had no right to exist. Thankfully, I caught myself before they could take root.I knew exactly what kind of man he was. What had I been expecting—some kind of commitment to whatever twisted thing was between us? He was a lying, disloyal, murderous bastard. It was time to sever any ties that weren't focused on one goal: tearing down his empire and ripping everything from him, just like he did to me.Blanca was exactly his type—married or not. They were a perfect match. A shallow relationship like that was going nowhere fast. I still heard her condescending tone when she delivered his message at the launch, practically gloating. If he was going to sleep with her, he might as well have done it in the hotel foyer and given his guests a show.God, I was furious. But why?I hated feeling this unsettled, this worked up.I spent the day watching him

LIAMI stared at the text from Monique, my pulse quickening as I read her short and simple reply: "Pick me up at seven." It felt like an indirect acceptance of my invitation—an indication that she had agreed to the dinner I had arranged.A date, huh?I wasn't one for dating; I had never believed in commitment or the vulnerabilities that came with it. But somehow, Monique had managed to slip under my skin. She impressed me in ways I hadn't expected, and now I found myself looking forward to our time together more than I cared to admit.As I climbed into the backseat of the car, I signaled for my driver to head to her apartment. The city zipped by outside, but my mind was fixated on her.I couldn't wait to see her in the dress I picked out for her. Could I charm her beyond the sex invitations I always presented her with? A part of me wanted to keep things professional, yet another part was desperate to see that spark in her eyes again.When we arrived, I stepped out and straightened my

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

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