Page 103 of Thorns of Silence

“I have a question.” I lowered myself next to her, careful to keep my distance. I’d caught her reeling away from Amon, so I had no doubt she’d punch me. “Well, two questions.”

She didn’t react, letting the silence engulf us. It was unsettling how much she looked like Phoenix, aside from her hair color. Sometimes even their mannerisms were identical.

“What happened with Angelo?”

That got a reaction out of her. Her head turned my way and she locked her gaze with mine.

She inhaled a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. “I killed him.”

“Why?”

“He attacked me.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. He showed up drunk, and started talking about Mamma and Phoenix. He thought she was his.”

“He beat you up?”

She swallowed, her delicate neck bobbing. “Yes. And while his hand wrapped around my neck, I reached for his gun and shot him.” I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. “I’m not sorry.”

I let out a sardonic breath. “I wouldn’t be either. I just wish I’d gotten to kill him first.” She tilted her head, watching me pensively. “I hope you made it hurt.”

She blinked. “We cut up his body.”

“While still alive?” She shook her head, returning her gaze to the blue sea in the distance. “Too bad,” I grumbled. “It would have been nice to know he suffered.”

“I’ll remember to take requests next time.”

“Touché,” I said. It was the next topic that was the sensitive one. “About your sister…”

Her head whipped my way and her eyes widened. “What about her?”

“Where do you think she’d hide?” It was the question I couldn’t ask earlier due to her violent episodes and everyone keeping Nix’s disappearance a secret, but now that she’d gotten the truth, it was inevitable.

She scoffed. “As if I’d tell you.” Fuck, she was too loyal. “What do you even want with her?”

To marry her. Fuck her. Love her.Not necessarily in that order.

“I just want to talk to her,” I said, lying through my teeth. Her snicker told me she didn’t believe me.

“Well, she doesn’t want to talk to you,” she said, stating the obvious. “You’ll never force her to marry you because of that stupid marriage contract.”

Once I had her, we’d be wed, and I’d charm her into falling in love with me. We had good sexual chemistry. It was a start.

“Who said anything about marriage?”

Reina rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the sea, signaling I wouldn’t be getting any more answers. I’d have to start my search at the beginning.

Then she surprised me. “My turn for a question.”

“Shoot.”

“What are you doing in the Philippines?”

“I hoped Phoenix would be with you,” I told her truthfully. “I knew Amon would eventually snatch you, but I hoped you would have insisted on dragging your sister along.”

Her lips curved into a wry smile. “I wish, but it was difficult to communicate, being that I was drugged and all.” Fair enough. “By the way, Phoenix will fight you every step of the way down that aisle.”