Page 547 of Rage

“You stole my crown,” she murmurs, always whispering when somebody else would yell.

My anger flares. “It was never yours.”

“It should have been. We were brought up in this world together. Women are supposed to be the prize, not the soldier. We use our looks, our mystique, our connections to get to a place of power, of security. Eddie was perfect—soon to be a king with hordes of family ready to fight his battles for him. He adores me, and I’d want for nothing. Only you took what your brother should have had. You ruined everything we stand for.”

“There’s more to a woman than her connections and looks. And our traditions have to catch up with the rest of the world sometime. Why not now?”

“I thought I was marrying into a good family, but it turns out you’re nothing but a bunch of classless progressives. Misha, where’s Vlad? I want to get out of here. I feel dirty just talking to this tacky creature.”

Morozov spares his sister a glance. “Nat, I have no idea where your lover is. Go find him on your own time. Can’t you see I’m busy keeping my son alive?”

Every muscle in my body stills as what Morozov said registered. I whip my gaze to the serpent across from me. “Did you seriously cheat on my brother? Eddie would kill for you. He’d die for you. And you cheated on him?”

Nat waves me off, picking her way around the pile of dirt beside the three graves. “Like your brother knows how to treat a woman like me. I chose him because he was the heir to a fortune and endless connections. Although, itisa bonus that he is so very loyal. I’ll never have to worry about a wandering eye.” She sighs, looking skyward. “But Vlad? Vlad is the man of my heart.He was so happy to pick you up personally. The bridal shop really needs better security. I only wish he’d grabbed you once you were back in your street clothes. You’ve thoroughly ruined a beautiful gown.” She pauses for the drama of it as my mind clicks it all together. “Now you’ll be buried in rags, like the classless little girl you are. It’s tragically poetic, if you ask me.”

“Say, Nat,” I call as she takes a few more steps away. “Vlad’s dead. And now you are too.” I pull the trigger as she turns to me with big, tear-filled eyes, and all I feel is a sense of pride when I hit her right between her perfectly arched brows.

Good riddance.

Chapter Eleven

Xander

I’ve dragged Liam over a few rows, despite his insistence that he should battle it out alongside Cece. The cartel heir. Damn. I should have figured that out. One hell of a reveal for one hell of a woman.

“Listen, man, you heard Cece. She’s the heir, not Eddie. She beat out not just her brothers, but all of her cousins, too. I don’t think she needs your one-legged ass getting in her way.”

He slams the blood drenched knife in my hand, retrieved in the chaos of my girl swinging in like a silver screen commando wearing a destroyed prom dress and a manic grin. “Heir or not, I need her to be okay. Go. Keep her safe. It’s three against one, if you count the kid. Even the odds.”

I take the blade, looking down at one of my oldest friends. “I really like her.”

“Now’s not the time, Liu. Get your ass in gear.”

“She likes me too. Stranger still, she likes your grumpy ass.”

He drops his head back against the gravestone. “Once again, not the time.”

“I’m just saying, if you’re willing to share, I sure as shit am.”

His half-hooded eyes snap open, meeting mine where I’m crouched beside him. “Share?”

“I mean, yeah? I don’t know. But she’s into both of us, we’re both into her, so why not try and see what happens?”

He blinks at me, then closes his eyes. “I must have hit my head harder than I thought.”

“Nope. But I’ll go play watchdog. Thought I should clear the air, though, as we’ve both kissed her senseless tonight. And I’m not letting her go without shooting my best shot.”

“Same. But Liu...”

“I’m going, I’m going. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

I slip back through the gravestones, picking my way over until I have a clear, short jump at Morozov. If I could get closer without fucking everything up, I would just pop out and end this stand-off. It’s not like Nat is the kind of woman to carry a gun.

Oh no, all the big, strong men around her are supposed to keep her safe. The woman must have a brain in there somewhere, but it defaults to men taking charge in a way that diminishes women everywhere. That she found out a secret like the one the Rodriguez family is keeping and immediately tattled to her brother says everything I needed to know about her I hadn’t already figured out myself.

She’s a dinosaur in designer dresses.

Cece will just be the first of many female leaders, and a damn fine one at that. These stuffy old families are due for some shake-ups, and Cece can’t be the only girl raised in this world to want more than to look pretty and pop out piles of criminal children. I know my mom wanted more, even if she never got it.

---