Page 71 of Regal Queen

Nineteen

The slow beatof my heart was like a death toll in my mind, and my fingers dug into the skin of Rose's thighs to hold her in place. Could she hear my pounding heart? The way it rammed itself up into my throat? The fist tightening around it like a noose?

We were on my bed and she was straddling my lap, her arms wrapped loosely around my neck.

Her intense gaze on mine was penetrating, and I grew lost in her gaze for a long moment while the knot in my throat lodged itself there.

"I've changed my mind." Her voice was soft as her eyes flittered shut and she leaned forward, nuzzling her nose against mine. "I don't want you to do it anymore."

"Too late," I replied, still staring into her face.

Her eyes bolted open, falling to the space beside us where I was clutching the phone.

"No." She shook her head vehemently. "Hang up. Don't do it."

She tried to grab the phone but I jerked my hand away from her, my other fingers tightening on her side to keep her still.

I stared into her eyes as I spoke. "I'm doing this, okay? For your sister.”

Fear, harsh and blatant, spoke volumes in her wide eyes. I brushed my hand over her hair, pulling her closer to tuck her close to me. “Just stay, right here with me, and I’ll be okay."

"What the fuck do you want?” Nero's harsh voice came over the speaker, and Rose's body stiffened even as my own back straightened, steeling myself for what was to come next.

My voice was mocking, in the only way I knew how to confront my father. “Is that the way to greet your long lost son?"

“Bourbon!” He immediately exploded on the other line, cursing out a line of expletives before addressing me. "Where the hell are you? I've been looking for you."

Rose's nose brushing across my neck calmed my raging heart.

"I know you have." I forced my voice to seem unaffected, though my anxiety at confronting my monster father was dumping adrenaline into my bloodstream so fast, I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

“I knew it. You ran off, looking for that girl. I always knew you were my weakest son."

I bit down on my response, needing to play my role in this for a bit longer. "I'm not calling to talk to you about Rose."

“I should hope not, as the bitch is better off dead. She isn’t worth it, Bourbon, not for all the money we could have selling ozone in our clubs.”

Rage shot through me as he continued his rant. I was going to reach through the phone line and trottle the man.

“It's okay," Rose murmured softly, her fingertips soothing over the skin of my back. I realized that I was squeezing her hip a little too harshly and relaxed my hold over her. She nuzzled into my neck, burrowing her face and I slid my hand across her back protectively to hold her there. I took in a deep breath, gathering her comfort like strings into my heart, wrapping around it protectively.

I might be holding her physically, but she was holding me together mentally and emotionally.

She was my protective shield now.

"I want to talk about Lily," I interrupted Nero and he stuttered, surprised at the change of topic.

When he spoke again, his voice was a sneer. "You're only making things worse for you. Just come home right now, and we'll work this out. We can still make a deal with Dimitri. He's a forgiving man if--"

"You still don't have the ozone." The realization suddenly washed over me. No wonder it hadn't been on that carrier ship.

For the first time in a long time, Nero was speechless, the silence over the phone giving me the confidence I needed to speak again. "He screwed you over. You gave him what he wanted, and he still didn't give you the drugs."

"Just come home, son."

Son. That’s the second time he’d called me that in a matter of months, a record compared to years before. He must really be desperate. He’d probably staked a lot of money and interest on this deal with Dimitri.

He also must think I'm an idiot.

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