Page 22 of Coerced Queen

Her features contort into a mask of confusion and disapproval.“You’re not the man I knew.”

My chuckle is dry.“I guess you never knew me.”

“Jesus, Sav.What happened to you?”

We both know she’s not talking about the damage to my body.

“Was there anything else?”I ask.

“I inherited most of Papa’s assets.I’ll have quite a bit of money to put at your disposal if you want to make things right, but my condition remains.You leave Elena in peace, or you don’t get a penny of my money.”

I turn my face away.“I don’t need your money, Rachele.”

She walks back into my line of sight.“You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

I give her a thin smile.“I won’t.”

She mumbles, “Stubborn ass,” on her way to the door, not looking back when she leaves.

A moment of silence passes.

“She’s right,” Anya says after a beat.“You’re going to need that money.”

“No,” I say, the word harsh.“I’m not using Rachele’s inheritance to settle my vengeance.”

“It’s her vengeance too.”

“You don’t know her like I do.She doesn’t give a fuck about justice.What she did was offer me a buy-off in exchange for her cousin’s life.”

The color vanishes from Anya’s cheeks.“You’re not going to kill a pregnant woman, are you?”

“No,” I admit.“I’m not going to kill Elena, but what do you think would’ve happened if I told Rachele that?She would’ve run straight to her cousin and reassured her.Something like that always comes out.And do you know what the men, Raphael, and everyone else would think?They’d think I’d gone soft, because what I should be doing is avenging what he tried to do to you.”

“You’re not Raphael,” she says with disdain.“It will be wise to remind people of that.”

“Because I’m such a good man?No,tesoro, people don’t want a good man.They want a man who can protect them.”

She doesn’t answer.

“You should go home,” I say.“You’re wasting your time here.”

“The police questioned me.”

I breathe in.Out.“What did you say?”

“That I know nothing.”

“Why?”

She tilts her head.“Why what?”

“Why didn’t you tell them the truth?Luigi and Giorgio are gone.They can’t kill you any longer.You could’ve told them I killed Lewis and Kearney and threatened you to keep your mouth shut.Do you think you owe me because I saved you?”

“Honestly, Saverio?Sometimes, I don’t know why I give a damn.”

“You don’t, darlin.’You just think you do because you’ve told yourself that you should.”

Her nostrils flare.“I know you’re hurting.”She waves at the bed.“I know this isn’t easy, but do you have to be such an asshole?”

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