Page 126 of Diamond Kisses

“Fine? It seems as though our definitions of that word are slightly different.” He scoffed. “You’re practically a corpse.”

“I’m still breathing.”

Unfortunately.

He eyed me. “Barely.”

Physical pain kept building but the emotional pain of losing Ily made me breathless. It hurt to breathe. To exist without her. To have images of her dead on the grass with Peter dead beside her.

I couldn’t recall her laughing because she’d hardly ever laughed on that despicable island.

I couldn’t remember her happy because we’d never gotten the chance.

That was the saddest part.

The hardest part.

We’d met in a nightmare, and we’d never gotten free.

And now I was awake and all I wanted to do was go back into the dream where I could find her.

Rubbing my bleeding heart, I forced myself to hide the depth of my despair.

Soon, I wouldn’t have to feel anymore. Soon, I was going to a place where discomfort and grief couldn’t hurt me. The sooner Q left me alone, the sooner I could join Ily and Peter and all the other jewels who’d lost their lives.

A question popped into my head. Utterly pointless now but still…curiosity itched. “Where was Victor’s island, by the way?”

Q stiffened. “A private atoll off the coast of Portugal.”

“Portugal? But we flew four hours to get there.”

“He probably flew longer than needed to disorientate whoever was on board.”

“Sounds like something he’d do.”

“Why did he collar you?” Q asked quietly. “Why did he hurt you so badly?”

I laughed on a painful exhale. “Let’s just say, I didn’t agree with the initiation ceremony.”

“What did that entail?”

“Killing.”

He pursed his lips and fell silent again, his pale green gaze churning with yet more questions.

Before he could ask any of them, I ran a hand over my face, dislodged the faint tracks of tears, and willed my mourning, throbbing body to stay alive for a little longer. “Speaking of Victor, I’m assuming he’s dead?”

He nodded slowly. “The slaves were…creative in his murder. I didn’t stand around to watch since I needed to get you to a doctor, but Franco—the team leader of the men still on that island—has relayed what happened.”

“Tell me.”

He eyed me as if assessing if I’d pass out again. “Perhaps we should wait until—”

“Now, Q.”

“You’ve only just woken. We’ve spoken too much as it is.” He shifted toward the door. “I’ll get the doctor to check on you and then we’ll—”

“No,” I hissed. “Now. Not later.Now. Tell me what happened to Victor. I need to know.”

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