Page 76 of Unforgiving Queen

I waited for her to continue, but she remained silent.

“You can tell me anything.” She was there for me when I needed her. I’d be there for her when she needed me.“I won’t judge, and I won’t tell anyone.”

God knew I was the last person on this earth who could judge anyone. Well, anyone but the Leone family.

Her hands trembled visibly as she signed her next words.“I can’t tell you. It breaks me to even think of it, saying it out loud will destroy me.”

I believed her. There was such force behind her words that it hit me straight in my chest and rattled me.

“Tell me how I can help you.” I cradled her face, mouthing the words slowly so she could read them. “Tell me what to do.”

“Don’t ask me to come to your wedding,” she pleaded. “I cannot watch you marry him. Seeing you with him will destroy whatever is left of me.”

Whichever path I took, whichever decision I made, I knew that at the end of it all, I would lose her.

Phoenixwouldremain safe no matter what though. Even if it meant I had to kill again.

28

REINA

My gaze darted to the clock on the wall for the hundredth time.Five o’clock. I huffed and pulled at the seam of my skirt, feeling totally out of place. I thought back to my conversation with Phoenix yesterday, to her tearstained face.I can’t tell you.I’d never felt more disconnected from my big sister, more helpless. Nor could I figure out what she was keeping from me.

Frustration welled in my stomach and I shook the thoughts from my head.

What waswrongwith this man? The least Dante could do was be punctual. He’d been the one to suggest we get to know each other, yet he was nowhere to be found.

He suggested we grab drinks at the Red Dog. To be exact, his message stated,

You and me. Red Dog. Drinks. Time to get to know me.

I hadn’t even bothered questioning. Big mistake.

My reply wasn’t extremely heartwarming.

I’m ok not knowing you. I’ll meet your cheap ass at Red Dog.

His reply was instant.

No need to be thinking about my ass.

As fucking if.

Firstly, disgusting. Secondly, I wish you’d lose my number.

I guessed my papà gave it to him. I really wished he wouldn’t have. Dante’s reply didn’t take long.

Just be there.

So here I was. This place was a bar fight waiting to happen. It was clear nothing good came from a seedy-looking establishment with “red” in its title. Double red flags when half the patrons were drunk before the lunch service was even over. I should’ve known better, yet here I was, sitting alone, drinking my hideously expensive Casamara Club.

What had compelled me to agree to this stupid idea?

I wanted to be somewhat tolerant, considering I’d sliced his father to pieces and all. Not exactly a romantic reason, but whatever.

And the freaking bastard was standing me up.

I ignored the curious eyes burning into me when suddenly a body slid onto the barstool next to mine.