Page 122 of Unforgiving Queen

But then I remembered what happened. All the tears, pain,death. Worst of all, what it would mean for Phoenix. So I pushed him away from me, shaking my head in disbelief.

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

He stared down at me. “I’m not exactly the joking type.” I took a step away from him but he pinned me in place, his eyes darkening. “Reina, don’t push me on this.”

“You’re mad! I’m not marrying you. You… us… we don’tloveeach other!”

Something cracked in his eyes, but before I could zero in on it, his mask was back in place. “You will marry me.”

Frustration welled in me as tears gathered in my eyes. I gulped in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

“No.” I shook my head again, making my rejection loud and clear. “We can stand here and argue all day, but I’m not marrying you.”

His eyes flashed. “Reina,do not push me.” Hearing the words a second time sent shivers up my arms.

My spine snapped upright.

“Or what?” I pushed against him with all my strength, then punched him in the chest. “You’ll kidnap me? You’ve done it already. You’ll force a marriage on me?” I let out a bitter laugh. “Well, guess what? It can’t get any worse.” My ears rang with fury as I brought my finger to his chest and poked at him with every word I spoke. “You criminals should learn to be a bit more creative. Kidnapping women and forcing marriage is so last season.”

That seemed to amuse him, his lips tugging at the corners. The man was clearly batshit crazy. God, what I’d give to have a bat. I’d smash his head and—

I sighed.Who am I fooling?Just the thought of Amon suffering made my chest throb.

“We should at least talk about it and take it slow.”

His face was a closed-off mystery. “Even if we talk, I won’t accept your refusal. It’s happening today.”

My shoulders slumped and I resigned myself for the next truth.

“If my refusal is not enough reason for you, then this should be.” My heart thundered in my chest. I was running out of options here. “Papà said if I don’t marry Dante, my sister would have to, except those two can’t get married.”

“Those two like each other more than you think,” he deadpanned, grabbing my elbow and digging his fingers into my skin when I tried to shake him off. He was pissed off. Good! Let him have a taste of his own medicine.

“They’re half-siblings,” I blurted out. “Theycannotget married.”

Our eyes held and I prayed he’d see the truth in my eyes. It was imperative that he stop this bullshit and take me back, even if it meant I really married Dante Leone. I’d find a way to annul the marriage… or something.

“Phoenix is not Dante’s sister.” Amon’s voice was calm, too calm, and the expression on his face set me on edge.

“Amon, please,” I breathed. “Trust me. I wouldn’t lie about something this important. She is his halfsister.”

“She isn’t,” he claimed, confidence oozing from him.

“And how do you know that?” I spat out.

“Becauseyouare Dante’s half sister.”

Silence.

I could barely focus. He’d dropped the bomb on me with such ease, as if hearing that type of life-changing news were a perfectly normal occurrence.

I tried to free myself from him but he tightened his hold around me.

“Letgo.”

“Now what?”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” I screamed. “If I’m Dante’s half sister, that means…” My stomach churned and I gasped, images of the two of us playing in my head. Amon’s naked body, powering into me. Gripping his hair, the sheets. Bile rose to my throat, threatening to empty my stomach.