Page 16 of Revenge of a Queen

On the drive back to the house, Elle fills him in on everything that went down this morning. He looks as murderous as always which for some reason just makes me laugh. By the time we arrive, my excitement at seeing mini-Elle has increased tenfold. What can I say, there's just something really enchanting about seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

It’s just another thing I don’t understand about Marcus. How did he just walk away so easily, without falling in love with the little version of his best friend. I can’t help but feel sorry for him, no matter how fucking angry I am at him right now. Because when he finds out the truth, and he will, I know him well enough to know that. He is going to hate everyone but no one more than himself.

“He’s a fucking idiot,” Donovan says as we pull up to Elle’s house.

“For once we agree on something, Donovan,” I say with a smile and then flip him off one more time before climbing out ignoring his chastising of Elle about hanging around Rebels too much.

Elle just laughs him off as she climbs from the car and heads for the door and lets us in. We follow her through the giant hallway and into the main living area. I have been here more than a few times now and still I am astounded by the amount of wealth here.

I have more than I ever imagined I could, now, in terms of a home, cars, and stuff, but I am still not used to it. I’m not like Marcus, I didn’t grow up with any sort of wealth. I barely lived hand to mouth as a child and Rachel and I suffered together. Our parents were a pair of crackheads, who were more concerned with their next high than their children's wellbeing. So, standing in a house worth millions, that is just something I don’t think I will ever get used to.

It’s the same feeling every time we get paid by Zack. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the illegal money we have coming in under the table too, but something about that legitimate payment hitting a real bank account does something to me inside. Makes me proud to know I can afford more than basic necessities now. I wish Rachel were still alive to experience it with me.

We find Helen sitting on the sofa reading to Cassie and they both look up and smile as we enter.

“Mommyyyyy!” Cassie squeals as she struggles to rush off the sofa to run to Elle. When she dives into her arms it hits me in the heart every time. This is what a mother should be like: loving, attentive, and willing to burn the world to the ground for their children. I see that in both Elle and Helen. I only wish I could have been as lucky to have someone like them as a parent instead of the shitty hand I was dealt.

Helen immediately starts fussing over us asking if we need anything, offering us snacks, and drinks. I can’t help but feel happy about it. She is no relation to me; she barely even knows me but the way she mothers over me makes my heart light and happy. A feeling I am becoming accustomed to for the first time ever.

Cassie turns to Donovan next and I swear it’s the only time the ice around his cold, dead heart thaws. For her and only her. Okay, maybe Elle too, but mostly Cassie. I wish I could say I didn’t understand him, that I didn’t relate to his psychotic nature, but I do. Knowing what happened to Rachel, what his brother did to her fills me with a rage I can’t even describe. So, to be in his shoes and have witnessed the aftermath with Elle, got her out of there, only to find out they had left her pregnant. I can’t even imagine how psychotic that would make me.

I see it on his face every time I look at him. That rage, that pure unfiltered murderous look that tells me he will level this fucking city for these two and not have one single regret. How he holds onto that level of anger and doesn’t plant a bullet in the skull of his father and brother every day he sees them is beyond me. But he does and it’s all for them, kind of hard to keep a hatred towards him.

Cassie finally looks to me and in an instant all my anger and rage from the day disappears when she screeches my name.

“Jaceeeeee!” She shouts as she clambers down from Asher's arms.

She bundles her arms around my legs, and I reach down, lifting her up into the air and throwing her above my head while her giggles filter through the air.

“Careful!” Asher snipes at me and I just laugh causing him to curse under his breath.

I ignore him in favor of Cassie as I bring her down and ruffle her hair, “How’s my favorite little lady?”

“Happy!” she shouts excitedly and makes me smile wider as I look at Elle, Helen, and even Asher as they all share the same smiling expression at her words.

“Well, we can’t ask for better than that, can we, mini?”

Chapter 9

MARCUS

Iwake to water being dumped onto my head and jump up to find Jace leering down at me.

“Time for school, asshole,” he says, with a scoff as he steps over me and my eyes follow him to find Lincoln looking at me with distaste too. He just shakes his head and they both disappear into the garage and it isn’t long before I hear the rumble of an engine as it takes off.

I guess it’s time to get up. I stand with a grumble trying to ignore the pounding in my head. I lost track of how much I drank yesterday, hell, how much I drank in the last two weeks. The only answer I know, is a fucking lot. I ignore my soaked t-shirt and head straight into the kitchen for coffee and aspirin, my only salvation right now, and feel the buzz of my phone in my pocket. I ignore it in favor of the coffee and then head to take a shower.

Looking in the mirror I see a reflection I barely recognize. Looking back at me isn’t the man I am used to, the leader of the Rebels, the King of the South Side. No, the only thing I see is a broken, betrayed boy. I haven’t shaved since Elle ripped out my heart and stomped on it, so I’m rocking an unusual amount of stubble.

I grimace at the sight. Everything hurts. My head, my back, my fucking heart. I put up a good defense yesterday, but I would be lying if I said I still wasn’t hurting like fuck over everything that happened.

I thought leaving town when Elle dropped the bomb of Cassie on me was the perfect solution. I still can’t believe it, Elle King is a mom and not only is she a mom but her kid’s dad is none other than Asher fucking Donovan. Fuck, just thinking about them together makes my skin burn with jealously. However, disappearing didn’t work, out of sight but definitely not out of mind. She was all I could fucking think about.

I came back to town with every intention of acting like she meant nothing to me. I rocked up to school with my pride back in place and a girl on my arm, yet it still didn’t deter my little King. No, instead of being deterred, she fought back with that smart mouth and what I hope was a fucking joke with Jace. If not, I think I might murder my own fucking brother. Watching him touch her should not make me feel the way it did. I am fucking done with her. She is, what I thought she always was, a liar and a traitor.

I shower quickly and throw on some clothes and grab my jacket off the floor on my way out, opting for my bike. My phone buzzes again as I go to swing my leg over and I remember I still haven’t checked it. I pull it out and see numerous texts all from the same person. Cherry.

CHERRY: Can’t wait to see you baby!

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