Page 36 of Coerced Queen

If he doesn’t want me for Claire any longer, what does he want?The obvious answer is sex, and it’s no longer enough.I told myself I wasn’t going to fall more for him than I already have, and I haven’t.The problem is that I already lost my heart long before our wedding.It took an explosion to make me realize what I could’ve lost, and it was a lot more than my heart.

I can never lose him.I won’t be able to bear it.I already loved him before—I just didn’t want to admit it—but when he sacrificed himself, I saw a man who was worthy of my love.

Too bad he can never return it.

“Have a nice day, treasure,” he says, brushing his lips over mine and lingering too long, making a show of it for Dante’s sake.

Dante only shakes his head, clearly getting the message Saverio is sending.

Hands off.She’s taken.

I’m quiet on the way to the office, contemplating the plan I concocted while I was awake with Claire during the night.

It’s dicey, and Saverio will be furious if he finds out, but we’re running out of time.

I wait until Dante leaves to do his rounds with the men before I pick up the phone and call Rachele.

She answers with, “This is an unpleasant surprise.”

“I know how to guarantee Elena’s safety.”

Silence stretches on the other end of the line.After another beat, she says, “I’m listening.”

“I need to meet with Elena.”I stress, “Alone.”Taking a deep breath, I plough on.“And you’re going to arrange it.”

ChapterFifteen

Saverio

The bottle of painkillers stands unopened on my desk.Instead, I reach for the decanter of brandy, gritting my teeth against the pain.The physio session this morning was extra tough.It’s not conducive to hover in the past, but I can’t help the bitterness that sweeps through me when I think there was a time I could run hard enough to push my heartbeat to the limit.Now, walking from my desk to the bathroom is an exhausting challenge.

Dante, who sits in the visitor’s chair facing my desk, motions at the drink in my hand.“Maybe you should just take the pills.It’s too early for hard liquor.”

I have no intention of swallowing those pills.The pain grounds me.It reminds me of what must be done.It’s motivation to succeed in my goal, which is to get my mobility back as soon as possible.Until then, I’ll let the constant ache in my leg torment me because as long as it bothers me, I’m impatient to fix it.

“How are things at the club?”I ask.

“Anya is doing a great job.She’s running the place as well as any of us.Better, actually.”

I let sufficient warning infuse my tone.“Don’t get too chummy with my wife.”

“I’m Claire’s godfather,” he says, splaying his fingers.

“So you keep on telling me.”

“I’m not a backstabber.”

“No.”He did kick the first grenade away and pulled me off Anya when the ambulance arrived.He was the one who dragged me out of the debris when everything was over.For that, I’ll always owe him.“But Anya is Anya.She’s easy to like.”

He considers me.“However, you don’t love her.”

“It’s complicated,” I say, gritting my teeth.

“I gather you’re not sending her to Switzerland anymore.”

“She refuses to go.”

His gaze sharpens.“Are you guys talking?”He adds, “As in communicating.”

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