Page 11 of Queens and Monsters

Rei’s penetrating dark gaze was locked on me. “We met…last night.”

The intensity of his stare brought back the feelings from last night, the almost painful twisting of my insides. I said a prayer that my padded bra was keeping my nipples from giving me away.

Emiliano quickly poured himself a glass of cabernet and lifted it to me. “Cheers.” He looked at Reinaldo and back to me. “I have an idea. We’re planning an escape for later tonight. Jasmine should join us.”

“Where do you think you can escape to on Christmas Eve?” I asked.

“Emerald Club is open,” Em replied.

I nearly spit out my wine. “Oh, I’m most certain that Dario wouldn’t approve.”

“You’re an adult,” Rei said. He lifted his dark eyebrows. “Aren’t you? You don’t need Daddy’s permission.”

“I am an adult.” I recently turned twenty and Dario wasn’t my dad. He was my guardian, but that will be legally revoked upon my next birthday. “But seriously, Emerald Club? As soon as we stepped through the doors, one of the guards would call Dario.”

“There has to be someplace in this city that is more exciting than here,” Em said.

We all turned toward the large room.

“This is exciting,” Rei said. “We can guess who will pull out the first weapon.”

“See that man over there, the one looking our direction?” I asked.

They both hummed their response.

“That’s Piero, my bodyguard.”

“We’ve met,” Em said, lowering his voice. “The way he’s staring at us, he may be the first one to pull out his gun.”

“I’d gut him before he had the chance,” Rei said in a menacing murmur.

“Excuse me,” Contessa said over the din of voices. “First course is served.”

People around the room began to stand and move toward the dining room.

“Are there assigned seats?” Em asked.

“Dario is at one end,” I replied. “Andel Patr?nat the other.”

Em leaned down, whispering near my ear. “Tell Piero to take the night off. Rei and I will keep you safe.”

Emiliano pulled out my chair and helped me sit before the two of them sat on either side of me. The warmth of their legs pressed against mine beneath the table gave me a feeling that was the opposite of safe. It stirred a fire within me, tending the flames I’d felt for both of them since last night.

Somehow, we managed our way through allfive courses.

I’d grown up with this tradition and knew how to take it easy with the first few courses as the food continued to come. It was clear that many from the cartel weren’t as familiar. They’d eaten too much in the beginning and as Contessa announced dessert, there were many groans and the murmurs of being too full.

As people were stepping away from the table, Em leaned closer to me. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

I turned to Rei. “Do you want me to go?”

He shrugged. “If you can get away from your bodyguard.”

Chapter

Four

Reinaldo

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