Page 55 of Queens and Monsters

“What is it?” the capo asked.

“Mr. Luciano is on the phone.” He handed Dario a cell phone.

“What?”

The capo’s face went absolutely ashen. “Fuck. Is she all right?”

My pulse kicked up.

She?

She who?

He closed his eyes as his nostrils flared. “Bring her home immediately, and Dante... find out who is responsible. I want their head.” He handed the phone back to the guard and focused his attention on me. “Camila and Jasmine were out to lunch.” He shook his head. “All I know is they were drinking margaritas?—”

“She’s only twenty.”

“Their lunch went well. Zhdan approached Jasmine.”

“The fuck?” I was back on my feet.

“He left the restaurant. When the ladies went back to finish their meal, Jasmine became ill and disoriented. They have her in the car on the way back here.”

“She was roofied?” My fingers balled into fists. “I’ll kill him.”

Dario exhaled. “If I asked you to leave?—”

“I’d tell you to go fuck yourself.”

Slowly, the capo stood. “You may stay as long as you agree to my rules.”

My lips formed a straight line. I would listen.

“You will respect me as capo dei capi and as Jasmine’s guardian. That means you’ll clean up the way you talk to me.”

If that meant I could stay here, I could agree. “Is there more?”

“I need to find out what’s happening with Myshkin. In the meantime, the only way I’ll allow you to take Jasmine to the safety of your father’s yacht is if she’s married. It’s bad enough that you’ve kissed.”

“You’ll agree to allow us to marry?”

“Your theory has merit. I won’t use Jasmine. You obviously care for her.”

My shoulders relaxed for the first time since I boarded the plane. “I do, sir.”

Chapter

Nineteen

Jasmine

Awave of nausea ripped me from my sleep. I sat up, dazed as I looked around my bedroom. My mind whirled with questions as I threw back the covers and hurried toward the bathroom. Falling to my knees, I retched as the contents of my stomach came back up my throat.

“You’re going to be okay,” the female voice said softly while gentle hands gathered my hair.

My entire body trembled as I peered over my shoulder to see Catalina. Before I could speak, another wave of nausea hit me like a punch to the stomach. The vomit reeked, splattering into the water and leaving my mouth tasting horrible. Shaking, I flushed the toilet and laid my forehead on the edge of the toilet seat as I tried to remember coming home.

“What happened?” I finally asked.

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