Page 73 of The Shadow King's Brother

Tall. Lean. Dark eyes that gleam with a cold, unsettling intelligence. A sharp, cruel edge to his expression.

"Elio De fucking Luca," he drawls, dragging my name out like an insult. "Right on time. I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

I don't lower my gun. My finger rests lightly on the trigger, ready to fire. "You killed Susan? Who the hell are you? And where's Nica?"

She can't be dead, too.

Can't. Can't. Can't.

He tilts his head, considering my words with feigned innocence, before flashing a chilling grin. "Yeah, dear Suzy. She got… tiresome. Unpredictable. Emotional." He sighs dramatically. "You know how it is. Some people just outlive their usefulness."

This was never Susan's show, was it?

She was a pawn, just like everyone else. The realization leaves me momentarily stunned.

"Who. Are. You?" I keep my voice steady, but my grip on the gun tightens.

The guy steps forward, slow and deliberate, like he has all the time in the world. Like he knows he's already won.

"Name's Eduardo," he says, voice casual, almost amused. "Eduardo Rodríguez."

I take a step back. No way. The last name hits me like a physical blow, knocking the air from my lungs.

He catches my reaction and grins. "Didn't see that coming, huh? Guess my siblings did a damn good job keeping me a secret." He claps once, the sound sharp in the dead air. His eyes—cold, detached, unreadable—send a chill down my spine. I've seen eyes like that before.

Naomi. He's her brother. And Peter’s. Has to be. But younger.

"No way," I murmur, trying to make sense of it.

"Oh, way." He flicks a few curls from his forehead, still grinning. "And you're gonna lower the gun now… unless you want dearNicato die. I much prefer Victoria, more…royal. It fits her."

“If you hurt her, I swear,” I groan in his direction.

My stomach knots. She's alive. Thank God. But my shoulder is screaming, and I can't afford to let him see the weakness.

Keep him talking. Stay in control.

Slowly, I lower the gun—but I don't let go.

"Why'd you kill her mother?" I ask, my voice careful. "Susan wasn't a threat to you, was she?"

Eddie's smirk fades. His jaw tightens.

"Told you. She was getting tiresome, besides I don't share power."

"Fine, just tell me where Nica is. And I'll leave you to it. You don’t need her."

And I mean it.

Eddie tuts, wagging a finger in mock disapproval. "That's not how this works, Elio. There are rules, even in a game like this. Besides, she'll be my queen. Not yours."

I take a step closer. "Tell me where she is."

"You're really gonna try to intimidate me right now? That's adorable with her life in my hands." He shakes his head. "You're hurt, you're outnumbered, and you're clearly not thinking straight. And yet, here you are, trying to play the hero."

My finger twitches on the trigger. "You don't want me as an enemy. Trust me on this one."

"Oh, but I do, Elio. I really do." He smirks again, that same smug curve of his mouth like a knife twisting in my gut.

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