Page 55 of Merciless Queen

I lift my head and open my eyes, unable to ignore the urge to look at her now. With it, the rest of the plane fades away. I search her hopeful expression—the lowered brows, the dab her tongue makes against her bottom lip. Almost like she’swantingher father to be at fault here.

“Every word was true.”

A flash of blood.

Madre screaming.

Holding Padre’s corpse.

I blink, pulling from the consuming past. “Yeah,” I murmur, hating how the quick, vivid flashes of memories jolt me so strongly. “Yeah, he did something. But this doesn’t surprise you.” It’s a statement, not a question, as another memory returns. One where she agreed to knowing he wasn’t a good person. “I’m sure living with Ursin Volkov had its challenges.” I don’t mean for my voice to soften how it does. To indicateanysympathy.

She snorts and looks down the stretch of the plane at everyone else. “You could say that.”

“What’d he do to you?”

Rolling her eyes, she readjusts her body in the cushions, pulling her legs even tighter to her. “Like it matters.”

I shrug to downplay my curiosity when really, it’s taking over my focus. “Was it because your father pushed you ontoErico Rossi because he was so terrified of us, or something else entirely?”

She stills. “How do you know about Rossi?”

“I know a lot. Your father wanted a North American ally and used you to get it. But Rossi was already married and never entertained the wife switch. That correct?” It is, but I give her the benefit of the doubt.

Her chin lifts as she stares past me. “Rossi would have been wrong for me, and I didn’t want the union either. It was a mutual agreement between him and me.”

I’m sure.Instead I only smirk and make no additional comment on her obvious determination to mask the truth. She didn’t want the alliance, nor did he, but there was more to Ursin’s actions than she’s letting on because he wasn’t one to listen to her desires when they didn’t align with his own. More so, he definitely wouldn’t have stopped trying to build his defence.

“Erico Rossi did me a favour by murdering my father. Maybe that’s heartless to admit, but his attempt to shove me into an empty marriage was actually one of the nicer things he ever did.” She huffs, smirking down at her hands. “His death paved the way for me to become someone other than some silly princess. A doll for his manipulation. Erico freed me, and while I hate him for killing my papa, the man who despite fucking everything, I do—did—love in some meager fraction, he has my gratitude as well. With Papa gone, I became Pakhan, not out of necessity but desire. I fought my way to the role.” Her eyes flash up, tightening in the corners. “So whatever he did to your family, I get it. But if you think I’ll quietly accept the punishment intended for him, then you’re a fucking idiot.”

Well, well. Look who threw away her crown and found a dagger instead.

At this point,I just want answers.

Answers to what happened between Zeno’s organization and mine.

Answers regarding my fate.

Festering about the unknowns is really fucking annoying and makes for an extremely long flight, especially since I don’t know how long the flight from Moscow to Italy is.

I’ve already tried to create as much space as possible between Zeno and me, which is difficult on the small couch. It’s a semi-uncomfortable position to contort into, the armrest digging into my back, but I try to shut it all out by resting my head on the back of the couch. To return to another day, when I was conducting daily business, or hunting the location of my target, Boris. Simple stuff compared to the murder and kidnapping that’s occurred today.

Then, shattering the extent of silence I’m able to slice out for myself, breaking my lulling zone-out to the plane’s thrumming jets, is Zeno’s voice.

“You think I haven’t figured out that you revel in your current life? I’ve been having the Bratva stalked foryears. Longer than you even realize. Long before you were in charge. Once news of your father’s death made its way to me, I watched to see who’d take over. I was told when your uncle didn’t accept you, and about the deal you made to prove yourself to your father’s Elite. I knew when you realized regardless of what they thought, you were a Pakhan and stopped seeking their approval. I know every change you made to the operations. I know you go out every Friday to one of three clubs to scratch that itch you do so well at hiding, all to avoid an actual relationship. I know you, the Merciless Queen, refuse to allow a man by your side because history shows what having a king on the throne does. I’m well aware it’s against your every fibre to roll over and accept the fate your father’s choices have on your family.”

If only he stripped me bare of my clothing before dragging me from the mansion. Only thenmaybeI’d feel more naked than I do in this instance. The mention of being stalked for years would otherwise concern me if it wasn’t for all the truths he’s listed out. No wonder he was so alluring inside the club. He knew so much about me already, and subconsciously, I needed to match the facts with my own.

Without giving him a response to all he’s revealed, I squeeze my eyes shut and tune him out entirely, focusing on the jet’s engines instead.

Papa pointsto the couch in the farthest corner. “Sit. Clean up or something.”

Flipping my hair, I throw a glare his way before obeying because really, I have nothing to fight him with. I sink intothe black leather of theFamigliaplane as Papa and his new business partner settle in a few seats down.Good. Stay away from me.In their minds, I’m not worthy of listening to their scheming.

To distract from the reality of my upcoming future, I scan the plane, noting the differences between ours and the Rossis’. While Papa enjoys white leather and gold trim, theFamigliaplane is all black leather and smooth surfaces. It’s larger too, more ostentatious.

“You like?”

The elder Rossi’s voice jerks me to the moment, and I blink, looking toward him and Papa, who nods once. So determined to get me to say and do everything he approves of.

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