Page 38 of Bitter Prince

“I don’t think your friend will go easy on him,” Raven remarked.

“He fucking shouldn’t,” Athena hissed. “If we weren’t there, Roberto would have raped Reina.”

My head started aching and my ears were ringing.

“Everyone calm down,” Phoenix signed, giving the girls a pointed look. “Let’s just take it easy.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine,” I murmured. “Thanks to you.” I smiled dreamily, thinking of the tall, exotic man who swept in and saved the day. “And Amon,” I added softly.

The room quieted. The city noise never stopped, but even that seemed to ease. I found four pairs of eyes on me and I blinked, wondering what I missed.

“Oh my gosh,” Athena muttered. “Surely it doesn’t happen that fast, does it?”

“What?” My eyes darted from one girl to the next until they landed on my sister. “What happened?”

Phoenix watched me with worry etched on her beautiful face. “Have you fallen for him?”

I shook my head.

“Yes, you have,” Raven corrected my denial. “It’s all over your face.” I brought my hand to my face as if I could wipe away whatever they saw there.

“Don’t bother hiding it,” Isla said softly. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”

My shoulders straightened. “I’m not ashamed. I just think you’re all jumping to conclusions.” I felt my cheeks warm and my heart fluttered in my chest like a butterfly testing its wings for the very first time. “How did we get home?” I asked my sister.

Raven answered, “Yourboyfriendbrought us home. He insisted, and nothing could deter him. He took you and Isla in his car while his brother took Phoenix, Raven, and me.”

“You kept talking about galaxies,” Isla said with a serious face.

Heat rushed to my cheeks. Isla’s eyes fell to them, her lips curving with a knowing smile, but thankfully she didn’t say anything.

I closed my eyes, and all I could feel were his lips against my forehead, whispering to me in the most beautiful language I had ever heard.

Then I reached for my phone and orderedRosetta Stone Japanese, Level One.

20

AMON

Imade my way down the dungeon steps, faint voices echoing through the dark hallways.

My anger was strong enough that it threatened to erupt like a volcano, a red mist encroaching on my vision. I had to choke it down as it burned in my throat, using the breathing exercises I’d learned as a kid.

I let the familiar calmness wash over me as I approached the cell.

It wasn’t lost on me that both Dante and I had become molds of our father. My papà had used the dungeons on occasion when he wanted to get a particular point across. And here I was, getting ready to make my point in the same exact way.

Only, there was one exception.

This guy wouldn’t be leaving. Friend or not.

I let the demons rise and take over. In Italy, they thought il diavolo was the worst, but in Japanese mythology, Amanjaku took the cake. Roberto, as well as every other man—or woman—would learn tonight what it meant to fuck with me and mine.

Dante and Ghost were leaning against the stone. A smile pulled wide on their faces, baring white teeth, and their eyes gleamed with a promise. Kingston was a product of Sofia Volkov’s fucked-up ways. Dante was a product of our father and the torture he endured. I hated to even imagine what would have happened if we hadn’t found him when we did.

He had become slightly crazy, and very unhinged.

My brother watched me carefully, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He’d developed the habit over the last two years and refused to kick it. I didn’t like it. Addiction was a sign of weakness, but I knew nothing would make him stop. Not until he was ready to kick it himself.