Page 20 of Queen of Wrath

“What about justice? What about what those bastards deserve?” I was so blinded by anger that I could barely see straight.

My marking burned as if a fire was being held to it.

After everything they’ve done to me? Jax and Diesel… They deserve to burn!

Rowan grabbed my face, holding my focus with her eyes. “Lea, look at me!”

I relented.

“If you choose to walk down that road…it isn’t one you can come back from. Once you allow that rage to consume you, what will be left of you? What about what you deserve?” Her words were like a bucket of ice water being dumped over a burning fire.

The rage was snuffed out from my chest, and I relaxed into her hands as tears welled up in my eyes. “What does that matter now?”

“It matters! You matter!” She spoke as if she was commanding me. “You deserve peace. You just have to be strong enough to choose it.”

I lowered my head, and she pulled me into her shoulder.

How can someone like me, with this storm of violence inside of me, ever expect peace to find me?

She held me there, refusing to let go until I had calmed down. Her hug was too tight, and more awkward than any hug I’d experienced.

Somehow it was exactly what I needed.

She finally released me, and I wiped my face, taking a deep breath to calm myself. “Alright. Now that we have that settled, I have a plan to help our mission along… But you’re probably not going to like it.”

Okay, I have to keep my wits about me today!

Anxiety had been creeping under my skin since I’d woken up this morning.

I tried to stifle the feelings of anxiety and disgust, but they welled up in my throat in the form of bile.

Rowan had suggested that I seduce him… Jax.

If I played it right, she was convinced that it would get me greater access to anything secretive going on. But the thought of as much as having to touch him, made my insides feel all slimy and repulsive.

I couldn’t…

I knew it would destroy him, and his “perfect” little family, cheating on Chika, but I would rather rip my skin from my body than touch him again!

The idea was beyond repulsive.

A horrible sickening feeling overcame me.

I had to figure out how to destroy him another way. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, but I was going to make sure the world knew exactly what kind of men Jax and Diesel were.

My eyes flickered up to what was ahead of me, and the blood drained from my face.

Zane walked in front of me with Mairy on his arm, and a young child on his shoulders.

Mair… My dear friend from school. She is right there…in front of me.

I hadn’t seen her in so long, but seeing her now was torture. I couldn’t even do something as minor as greeting her. Although, it was nice to know that she and Zane had ended up together. Mairy had had a massive crush on him, after all.

Zane looked around, seeming disinterested in what his wife was saying, and caught my eyes. He looked shocked for a moment—probably because I was staring at them all wide-eyed and stalker-like.

I quickly averted my eyes and kept walking as if nothing weird had transpired. I didn't stop until I was safely inside the facility. I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one had followed me.

A mixture of relief and disappointment came over me.