Page 136 of Unforgiving Queen

The mere idea of letting everyone think I just threw my sister to the wolves squeezed my heart. I loved her; I was supposed to protect her.

“I’m not thrilled about it,” I admitted. “I’ve kept a lot from Phoenix already, and I don’t want to keep another secret.”

“Just for a little bit.” He cupped my face, then continued softly, “I still have to come to terms with my own father, and I need to get to the bottom of my cousin’s dealings. This will protect our families. Once he’s eliminated, we’ll tell everyone.”

My lips captured his in a searing kiss. “As long as our families are safe.” I deepened the kiss with all the love I hadn’t dared to utter in words yet.

He might have broken my heart, but he was slowly repairing it.

50

AMON

We took a helicopter ride to Cyprus and I’d lined up for my private plane to meet us there. From there, we flew to a little private airport in Jolo, Philippines.

The tightness in my chest refused to ease. Something felt wrong. Very wrong.

Shit was happening in the underworld. Too many women were disappearing, all of them blonde. My idiot cousin Itsuki had connected with Sofia Volkov along the way and was counting on her to strengthen his business dealings.

It was time I put an end to him.

Everything was lined up. Once I got his exact location, I’d find him and kill him.

Just like Reina, I was worried about my brother and the members of the Omertà. I hadn’t heard from Dante or anyone else apart from Hiroshi since the day I kidnapped Reina. My right-hand man conveyed the Omertà didn’t take the news lightly. I had been cut off from all their dealings until I returned to Italy where I would face them all.

Well, fuck that.Fuck them!My wife would get her peace first. She’d talk to her family and friends. Then I’d deal with them.

Of course, since Hiroshi was able to get through to me, so was my mother because she was always with him. She didn’t hide her disappointment. She blamed me for Dante’s distress. Blamed me for bringing shame to our family.

I recalled the conversation I had with her during our flight somewhere over India while Reina slept restlessly next to me.

“She’s nobody.” My mother’s voice pitched higher than I’d ever heard it. “The illegitimate daughter.”

I took a second to suck in a breath before releasing it. She’d just confirmed she’d known Reina wasn’t Romero’s daughter. “Need I remind you that to the world, I’m the illegitimate son.”

“There’s a big difference. You’re not a bastard and she is,” she screeched. Thank fuck she wasn’t here because I’d have murder on my hands. “You’re throwingeverythingaway for her.”

“She might not mean anything to you, but she’s everything to me.” If she couldn’t accept her, we would no longer have a relationship. Simple as that. “You can have both of us in your life, or you’ll have neither of us.”

Mother’s gasp traveled over the line. “You would throw me away? For her?”

“It’s hardly that dramatic.” Frustration boiled inside me but I contained it. “It’s your choice. Accept her or lose us both.”

Reina’s body jerked, her breathing labored while a small whimper left her lips and I pushed all thoughts of my mother aside.

“Shhh,” I comforted her, combing my fingers through her curls. Her eyes slowly opened but their blue was blank, as if she was still lost in her dreams. Or a nightmare. “You’re safe,” I murmured.

That must have assured her because her eyes fluttered shut and her breathing slowly returned to normal.

I tucked her safely to me, covering her with a throw blanket, and my lips brushed against her forehead. “I’ll always choose you, cinnamon girl.”

I didn’t know what my mother’s choice would be, but it didn’t matter. She’d make hers like I’d made mine. Besides, I wasn’t willing to forgive and forget. She still owed me explanations—many of them.

Bottom line was that none of it—the Yakuza, the Omertà, power, wealth—mattered to me. I didn’t need anything but her. Like lungs needed air. Like the moon needed stars. Like Earth needed the sun.

Then there was my brother, but Dante would come around. I was certain of it. He knew why I’d done it. I sent him all the evidence about Reina’s parentage and a text explaining we had to talk about my parentage. I wanted to break the news of who my father was in person. The ball was in his court now.

This fucking silence sucked.