Page 137 of Unforgiving Queen

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Two hours later, we landed in the Philippines.

Reina and I made our way through customs. So far, they hadn’t even bothered checking our documents. Reina’s hand securely in mine, we exited the building only to find my mother and Hiroshi waiting for us.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, looking past them to see my driver staring with wide eyes.

Only the people closest to me knew I kept a place in Jolo, Philippines. Hiroshi and my mother were two of them, and at this moment, I regretted it. But then who fucking thought they’d ambush me like this at the airport.

“What are you doing here?” I questioned. After all, I only spoke to them a few hours ago and neither one of them mentioned they were in Jolo. If I’d known, I’d have re-routed my plane. “How did you know we’d be here today?”

“I hacked into your plane’s control center,” my mother answered. “Itinerary wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“Privacy means nothing to you, does it?”

“Musuko.” My mother clicked her tongue, her eyes on Reina as if she couldn’t stand the sight of her. My wife didn’t cower, but whether she realized it or not, her grip on my hand tightened. It was hard for anyone to miss Mother’s glares. “We need to talk about…her.”

There was no mistake who she was talking about. Judging by the way Reina’s fingernail dug into my hand, she picked up on it too.

“Mother. Hiroshi.” Mother stiffened at my tone. “Meet my wife. I presumed you flew all this way to welcome her into our family.”

My mother flinched as if I’d struck her. Hiroshi took it better, wrapping his arm around her and patting her shoulder in comfort.

“Congratulations, Amon.” Hiroshi’s eyes darted to Reina and he even smiled. “To both of you.”

“Thank you,” Reina responded, her voice soft and small.

“From Dante to Amon, you’re a busy young lady.” I wanted to reach out and wring my mother’s neck. I understood she was bitter that she’d lost Romero to Reina’s mother, but that wasn’t Reina’s fault. Her parents’ sins were their own.

“Is there a reason you’re both here?” I asked instead of lashing out like I really wanted to. “I don’t recall inviting you.”

“I have news from the Yakuza,” Hiroshi stated. I slid a lethal look at him. “Your cousin is making a move and learned of your port in Indonesia. He’s routing a shipment of—” He broke off, his eyes flickering to Reina. “It’s a product you don’t touch. He’s trying to undermine you and associate you with the business that the Omertà doesn’t approve of.”

“It sounds like he’s laying a trap,” I deadpanned. Itsuki had grown some balls in my absence, no doubt due to Sofia Volkov’s influence. The idiot was too blind to see she was only using him. “When is the shipment supposed to hit the dock?”

“Tomorrow.”

My eyes darted to Reina. I didn’t want to leave her so soon, but this was important, and the sooner I eliminated my cousin, the sooner she’d be safe. We all would be.

“I have to get my wife to my compound where she’ll be safe, then I’ll fly out.”

“I can come with you,” Hiroshi offered. My gaze flickered to my mother. “Your mother and I are staying at the hotel,” he added, as though anticipating my protest.

Thank fuck.

“You’re sure his shipment arrives tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Seems reckless, even for him,” I remarked. Hiroshi nodded in agreement. “Aside from eliminating me permanently, do we know his agenda?”

He shook his head.

“Now might be the perfect time to take over,” my mother chimed in. “Everything you worked for is within our reach. You can’t let her—or anyone—stand in your way.”

Reina stiffened next to me at my mother’s tactless words. Jesus, had she always been like this and I just missed it?

“I’ll touch base with you tomorrow, Mother.”