Page 143 of Diamond Kisses

Two dogs barked and bolted into the closest meadow, cutting through the wildflowers.

Q sighed beside me, his gaze catching the last fire of the sun. “I used to hate this place. I had dreams of tearing it down. But after I killed him, I made it my own. I used the rooms to help instead of hurt.” Glancing at me, he shrugged. “When you came to visit me last year, you mentioned the depth of your loneliness. I get it. I was so fucking lonely until Tess. I think that’s why I was so hard on you that night. You reminded me far too much of myself, and I know what I was capable of back then, so…I sent you away, and… I’m sorry.”

Resting my hands on the rock wall, I didn’t reply.

There wasn’t much to say.

I appreciated his willingness to share, but all I could think about was returning to Ily.

We stood in silence for a while, my instincts itching to leave.

The sunset might paint the world in flames and hide the shadows where monsters lurked, but I knew the truth. Q knew the truth. And that truth ate at me because I didn’t want to live in a world where darkness could so easily snuff out the light.

If…when…Ily woke. I wanted her to live in a safe world where she would never be hurt again. Where thousands of other innocent people never had to endure what Peter and all the jewels had on that godforsaken island.

Funny how all thoughts of suicide had morphed to murder.

I wanted death.

I wanted tobecomedeath.

I want to make them pay.

I want them in pieces.

I want to wring their fucking necks—

“How’s she doing?” Q asked softly, studying my face and no doubt seeing fury bubbling beneath my skin.

In the dusky clouds, the wispy shape of a gemstone appeared. A perfect stone ready to glitter for some sadistic creep. I shook my head as all my festering fears pounced. All those split seconds when Victor haunted my thoughts.

Turning to him, I rolled my arm, my cast growing claustrophobic with healing. “Are you sure Victor’s dead?”

He scowled. “Very. Why?”

“What about the other guests that visited? Have you tracked them down?”

He nodded and fished a cell phone out of his back pocket. Tapping in his key code—in full view to memorise—he navigated through a bunch of files and opened a document, then passed it to me.

Taking it, I scrolled through the list of names.

Anendlesslist of names.

Addresses, phone numbers, even some medical records.

“What’s this column?” I tapped the one to the far right.

“The clubs.” He crossed his arms. “Traffickers and rapists enjoy their smoke-and-dagger shit.” Glancing at the screen, he curled his upper lip. “Roscolo is in Norway. I believe there were thirty members last time we checked. They’re next.”

“Next?”

He smirked. “I made a promise to Tess that I’d never put myself in undue danger, but…I also made a promise to myself to exterminate those who don’t deserve air so…they’re next.”

Whip-hot violence coiled through me.

I was…jealous.

Jealous of whoever delivered the killing blow to those motherfucking bastards who deserved it.

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