Page 133 of Reign of a Billionaire

“So, are you two going to get married?” Sasha asked casually.

I glanced around, curious who he was talking to when I noted everyone’s eyes were on me.

“Leave her alone, Sasha,” said Aurora, coming to my aid. “You’re turning into a gossiping old hag.”

He grinned. “At least I’m a hot hag.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Lara muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, and laughter filled the room.

“I must say, I’m curious myself,” Royce chimed in.

Kingston and I shared a look. “When we find Liana.”

“When we find Liana,” I repeated.

I wasn’t alone anymore. I had a family—a very big one—but until we found Liana, our lives wouldn’t be complete.

So we’d wait. Together.

I tucked Lara in, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She admitted she was too old to be tucked in, but some days, she needed that reassurance. We all did, and I saw no harm in it.

“You’ll be careful, right?” she asked, her voice full of trepidation.

“Always,” I promised. “Kingston’s bringing a knife and a handgun. I’ll have a gun too.”

“What if you?—”

“Shhh.” I pressed my finger against her lips. “Nothing will happen to us. And I’ll send you a message every hour.” I glanced at her nightstand. “Your phone’s charged up?”

She nodded, her tension slowly easing.

“You look pretty,” she said as I stood up. “Kingston won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”

I chuckled. “Thank you for helping me pick the perfect outfit.”

Blowing her one last kiss, I made it out of the room and closed the door softly behind me. But instead of heading to the study where Kingston was, I made my way down to the basement.

It was my first visit since we’d been back, and I had spent the last few hours mentally preparing myself for this confrontation.

I made my way into the dungeon alone, my steps soundless against the hundred-year-old stone. Maybe it was my glutton-for-punishment tendencies or a fruitless hope to extract more information that would help me find my sister sooner.

“I need to see Sofia,” I said, giving the two guards stationed outside my mother’s cell a tight smile. The guys exchangedhesitant looks before I added, “Either open the door or step aside.”

One of them nodded while the other opened the door and I slipped inside, holding the hem of my pink bohemian dress off the ground. My gun holster strapped around my thigh played peekaboo—some habits were hard to break—as I made my way deeper into the dark space.

My eyes slowly adjusted as the dark, cold, and destitute dungeon came into view. Just like the one from my nightmares. Just like the one from Kingston’s. Except this time, Sofia Volkov was the one chained to the wall.

Without her fur coat and expensive clothes, she looked harmless. Like another victim suffering the wrath of evil men. Exceptshewas the evil here, confined to a room where she could do no harm.

I came to a stop a few feet from her, locking my eyes with her, every memory of my torture coming to the forefront of my mind. I’d come to terms that it’d be something that would remain with me for the rest of my life.

“Hello, Liana.”

“It’s Louisa,” I corrected her. A vein in her temple pulsed in response, but she remained silent. I was doing this for my twin. For my man. For our future children. “Hello, Sofia.”

Her lip curled with a sneer, but her rejection no longer hurt. There was no love lost between this woman and me. That ship had sailed a long time ago.