Page 47 of Unforgiving Queen

There was a sharp blade now where my heart used to be.

“I’m going to ask you again, Reina.” I could barely keep the leash on my fury. I had to take a breath before I gritted through my clenched teeth, “Who. Hurt. You?”

Fire flared in her eyes and she straightened her shoulders, jutting her chin up. “Fuck off, Amon. You don’t have the right to ask me any questions.”

Her response had me taken aback.

I took a step closer, she took one back. “Reina—”

“Knock it off,” she hissed, the shine in her eyes muted.I did that.That knowledge hurt more than anything else.

Goddamn it. All this was so fucked up. I’d burn the entire fucking world to ask for her smiles. It was so fucking wrong, but I didn’t know how to fix it. Fixme.

“Fine, have it your way,” I gritted. “But I will find out who did this and then—”

I didn’t have to finish the sentence. She knew exactly what I meant. Choosing to ignore my words, she sidestepped me and headed toward Oba while I stood still, my fists clenching and unclenching. I was itching to let this rage loose, but it was neither the time nor the place.

“Hello, Oba, do you have our order?” Reina’s soft voice filled the restaurant, the sound acting like my own personal homing beacon.

I listened to their exchange, every fiber of me on high alert.

“What happened,hina?” Oba asked, her voice trembling. I wasn’t surprised Oba found a Japanese nickname for her.Sun. It suited her with that hair that shone like gold.

“Just an accident.” Reina kept her voice light, but there was an undertone of something there that I couldn’t exactly pinpoint. “It’s much better now.”

Oba shook her head, clearly not believing her.

I didn’t even know she was back in Paris. Darius hadn’t alerted me to it. A week ago, on New Year’s Eve, I saw her sister and friends partying, but Reina was nowhere in sight. I’d assumed she was still with her grandmother.

Could it be that the Brazilians had gotten to her? If they did that to her, I’d tear Perez Cortes limb from fucking limb.

Oba bagged her order and handed it over. “Do you want me to have someone carry it out for you?”

Reina’s short curls bounced as she shook her head. “No, my friend is right out there. We’ll drive back.”

“Okay,hina.” Oba’s hand still lingered over Reina’s. “Please be careful. I don’t want to—”

Reina smiled, patting her wrinkly hand. “I promise, everything is okay. Thank you for the last-minute order.”

“Of course. Anything for you.”

“I’ll see you next time.”

Oba brought her palm to Reina’s cheek and cupped it gently. From the moment they met, Oba was taken with her.

“You look after yourself, okay?”

Her short curls bobbed again as she nodded. She looked different, but the same. Older somehow. She passed by the table where my mother and Dante still sat, both of them watching her.

She simply tilted her head in acknowledgement while my brother stared at her like it was his job and he was getting millions for it. I had to fight the urge not to throw myself at him and dig his eyeballs out.

Instead, I remained still and waited.

She walked by me like I was a complete stranger.

I couldn’t resist. Before I knew what I was doing, my hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

“Reina—”