Page 19 of Regal Queen

I heard it at the same time as Coulter.

A whistling sound.

We both reacted at the same time, jumping to cover Rose, shoving her to the ground.

My world crashed around me as a RPG blasted into my house.

A large hole exploded into the side wall. Flames and shrapnel tore through the room. A roar ricocheted in my ears as the house shook.

“Come on," Coulter was on his feet before me, dragging both Rose and I with him. He moved away from the crowd at the door. Instead he shoved us out the nearest window. I landed on my feet, my senses finally coming to me. I caught Rose just as she landed.

Then Coulter jumped, landing beside us with a grunt. I noticed his face was pale and sweaty again.

We ran. Rose led the way, clasping onto both our hands. We ran across the field towards the helicopter, reserved just for us. The pilot was already there, waiting.

Another boom crashed behind me. Fear sparked my blood, realizing they could shoot us out of the sky.

Good thing I had the baddest motherfucking pilots assigned to me.

I didn't look back. I grabbed Rose by the hips and hauled her up and into the helicopter. Then I shoved Coulter up and into it. They both reached down, grabbing my hand and heaving me upward.

I landed on my chest, skidding across the floor. We all took our seats, strapping ourselves in.

Hanging on for our fucking lives, the pilot jerked us upwards into the air.

As we escaped, I turned, looking down at the last thing I had of my mother. I watched as it burned to the ground before my very eyes.

My security team was shooting from their own helicopters. They used rifles to take out the men holding the rocket launchers first. One of them landed on a helicopter that had just taken off.

On the ground was chaos, both Dimitri's and my men dying. Their bodies were torn up and lifeless on the ground.

I hated this, hated that men gave their lives for me. What made my life worth more than theirs?

In the chaos, I saw a lone man, staring up at my helicopter. It was as if he knew that's where I was.

He didn’t pay any mind to the fighting on the ground. He also faced off the bullets shooting from the sky as if daring them to hit him.

Somehow, I knew that was Dimitri. The monster inside me raged.

I was going to kill him.To see his very life melt from his eyes.

To know that I was the one to put that dog down.

I was going to drop from this helicopter and strangle him with my own hands.

"Stop!. A soft voice was over my shoulder, and two hands were on my waist. I suddenly realized that I’d taken off my seatbelt, my body already obeying my mind.

Rose's fingers folded over mine, firm and comforting at the same time.

I pulled my gaze up to meet hers, and firece eyes greeted me.

"We will kill him, I swear to you, Bourbon. But not right now. It’s not the right time.”

I was caught up in the ferocity of her gaze, unable to look away from those jade eyes that I wanted to drown in.

Eyes that promised me the world and in the same moment denied me my very existence in it.

Eyes that burned for me, but also stared at Coulter with the same passion.

I finally tore my gaze from her, not looking at the remnants of everything I lost but instead, stared straight ahead, steeling myself.

Making a promise that I would do everything possible to get my revenge, while simultaneously walling up my emotions from the woman who'd already claimed my heart.

I would end this, then leave and never return.

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