Page 44 of Bitter Queen (Advantage Play 4)

And I’m not finding comfort in it this time.

17

Diece

The main floor is silent. Scanning the empty kitchen, my black shoes scuff against the floors before I stalk toward Kingston’s office in search of answers. As I raise my fist to pound on the door, it creaks open then Ace appears with red-rimmed eyes.

“What’s going on?” I demand.

She shakes her head but doesn’t bother to explain as she slips past me. Attempting to rein in my frustration, I push the door the rest of the way open and find Kingston rubbing his hand against his face.

His troubled gaze snaps to mine. “Get in here.”

Closing the door behind me, I take a seat across from him, then rest my elbows against my knees and wait.

With a sigh, Kingston starts, “When did you get here?”

“About the time all hell broke loose. What the hell is going on?”

“Dex. He’s been messing around with Regina behind my back.”

Feeling like I’ve been sucker-punched, I scratch my jaw and try to come up with a solution. But there isn’t one.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.

“Yeah. And that’s just the beginning of the shitstorm we’re in right now.”

“What else?” I demand.

“Jack’s here.”

“Why?”

Scoffing, Kingston explains, “Showed up on our doorstep this morning. Believes his boss set him up to take the fall for working with Burlone. Says his name is Mr. Reed. Ever heard of him?”

I shake my head. “Not off the top of my head, no.”

“Lou’s doing some recon to see what he can find. But we think he’s the one who was asking Dominic about Q, digging for information.”

“Why?” I repeat. It doesn’t make any sense.

“We don’t know yet,” Kingston admits with defeat. “But Dominic Castello is in the basement, and we believe he has a connection to Mr. Reed. We interrogated him before the shitstorm with Dex hit, but I might have a few more questions, so I haven’t disposed of him yet.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” I voice aloud. “She’s just a normal girl.”

“Is she?” Kingston challenges, resting his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers in front of him.

I shake off my annoyance and change the subject because honestly? I’m not sure who Q is. The only things I’m sure about are my feelings for her and her shitty experience under Burlone’s supervision. “What do you need from me?”

“For now, I need you to stand by me and not intervene when I use your brother as an example of what happens when a soldier disobeys my order. Do you think you can do that?”

My jaw tightens as my stomach swirls with acid, but I swallow it back and look him square in the eyes.

“Family first,” I answer him.

“Always.”

“Where is he?”