Page 66 of Unforgiving Queen

“I’m sorry, Papà.” I took his free hand in mine. He had lost weight and was miles away from the man he’d been when I was a little girl. I used to think of him as larger than life, but that had all changed when Mamma died.

“You have to marry Dante Leone,” he insisted, his voice firm. His face was gaunt and his eyes looked like they had sunken into sockets, but still they grew heated. This was important to him. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

I shook my head.

“I’m so sorry. I want to do what you ask, but I can’t. Not like this. Nothim.” My heart was already crushed beneath Amon’s heel. Dante would destroy me if he learned I killed their father, no matter how much Amon had let slip about the way he’d treated them growing up. There was no safety in marrying Dante Leone, only utter ruin. I let out a shaky breath, hoping to get through to him one last time. “Please don’t make me.”

Something flickered across his expression. Regret? I wasn’t sure. It was hard to read the man who never had a hand in raising me.

When he said nothing, I whispered, “What about Phoenix?”

She couldn’t marry him, but I couldn’t hurt her like this. Or leave her alone. I wanted her to find happiness. The two of us should stick together.

Papà misunderstood my comment and answered, “Dante won’t marry Phoenix. He finds her lacking.” He scoffed, clearly pissed off. “You’re our only option, Reina.”

Howdarethat fucker? I wanted to storm back over to him and punch him in the face. Maybe choke the living shit out of him while I was at it.

Rather than plot the murder of another Leone, I took a calming breath. “You shouldn’t let him talk about her like that.” He broke into a coughing fit, and I waited for it to pass before I continued. “I hope you broke his nose for speaking like that about my sister.”

The look he gave me told me he didn’t. He might’ve let it slide, but I would be sure to deal with it. Later.

“Papà, me marrying Dante Leone is a mistake,” I said softly, locking eyes with him. “A big one.”Because I killed his father. Because I’ve been with his brother.It wasn’t like I could admit to any of it. “Phoenix and I are safe. We’re not part of your world and we don’t want to be. Besides, did you forget?”

“Forget what, Reina?”

I let out a frustrated breath. “I agreed to an arranged marriage only so long as I had the final say in the matter. Dante Leone is a definite ‘no’ from me.”

His eyes locked on me, full of turmoil.

“You’re getting married to him, and that’s final.” I opened my mouth, but before I could say something, he cut me off. “I saidfinal, Reina.”

A cold sensation scratched my throat and filled my lungs. Something tasted bitter about marrying Dante, the wrong brother.

I wasn’t ready to accept this.

“No.” My voice was firm and stubborn.Final.Two could play in this game.

“If you don’t do it, Phoenix will have to take your place. Considering his high opinion of her”—he gave me a pointed look—“she will be unhappy. He’ll make her life hell.”

His words pierced my chest. He knew I would always protect Phoenix, but even more, I couldn’t allow her to take my place because she was Dante’s half sister. The words from that despicable man, Angelo Leone, trickled into my thoughts.Phoenix is mine.

Resigned and overwhelmed, I made my way back to the Leone brothers. One had broken my heart and the other would break my body.

I found them both still leaning against the wall, their positions almost identical and their hands in their pockets. There was no sense hiding my distaste at my current situation. I’d known for a few years that it’d come down to an arranged marriage, but I could’ve never predicted he’d give me to Dante Leone.

He was one of the few men who knew Amon and I were… I didn’t know what to call it. A fling, I guess.

Why would Dante even want me, knowing that? It wasn’t as if I could ask him. I’d agree to this charade for now, but I’d be damned if I let another Leone brother screw me—no, Phoenixandme—over.

I had a feeling Dante was playing another angle here, but I couldn’t pinpoint why or what. I gave my head a shake. I’d have to buy time to get to the bottom of it.

“You came to your senses,” Dante said in a deep, sarcastic voice.

A frustrated sound traveled up my throat, but I kept it locked in. Thankfully, Papà answered for me because I couldn’t find the words. At least not the kind that he and Papà wanted to hear.

“She did, Dante.” A spark flickered through Amon’s dark eyes. “We’ll discuss the plans tomorrow.”

I avoided looking at Amon, but his gaze burned a hole in my cheek.