Page 138 of Unforgiving Queen

“Amon, can we talk?” She clutched her pearls, her eyes darting to Reina’s neck donning the necklace that’d once belonged to her.

“No, not today.”

“But—”

“I said not today. I’m taking my wife home.” She glared at Reina as if my rejection was her fault.

My driver, who happened to be waiting behind Hiroshi and my mother, waited for us and I motioned for him to open the passenger door so we could get the fuck out of here. I urged Reina to slide in before following behind her. I waited until the car started to drive away before turning to Reina.

“Are you okay?”

Her shoulders slumped. “Your mother hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” I assured her. “Give her time.”

She chewed on her lip. “What if everyone ends up hating us?”

“Then it will be like we said: you and me against the world.” I pulled out my phone. “Let’s try your family again.”

She sighed. “I already did. Several times. My cell service must suck. It keeps just ringing and ringing. It doesn’t even go to voicemail.”

I handed her my phone. “Use mine. Try your sister and friends. Even your papà.”

While she dialed the first number, I glanced behind me, noting Hiroshi and my mother were right behind us in their car.

“Nothing,” she muttered. “I tried calling Grandma and Papà.”

“Try your friends,” I said.

When we landed, I tried getting in touch with my brother and each member of the Omertà to no avail. This didn’t bode well, although I wouldn’t say that to my wife. She was stressed out enough as it was, worrying about her sister and family.

“I’ll try FaceTiming Phoenix,” she stated. The ringing went on and on until it was clear nobody was going to answer.

“Did you text her?”

She swallowed, worry etched in the lines of her face. “Yes, but I’ll do that again now.”

I’d always followed my instincts, and at this very moment, they were crawling over my skin like spiders. They screamed for me to turn this car around and speed back to the yacht.

Flares went off in my head.

I opened my mouth to order just that when the first bullet hit our car. It was too late. I reached for Reina and pushed her body onto the floor.

“Get down,” I ordered.

Her terrified eyes met mine as I pulled out my gun. Another bullet hit the windshield, piercing the driver’s forehead and exiting through his headrest. His body slumped forward, sending the car spiraling out of control.

Why in the fuck weren’t the windows bulletproof? All my cars were armored.Shit.

More bullets flew through the air, the sound deafening. Someone opened fire on us with a machine gun as the car finally came to a stop.

Pain exploded in my chest and Reina’s screams drowned out the gunfire.

She went to move. “No, stay down!”

My vision blurred, filled with a red mist. Ignoring the pain, I jumped out of the car and took shelter behind the door.

I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye and whipped my head around. It was the fucker with the machine gun, aiming at the car’s back door.