Page 40 of Tarnished Queen

“Xena is your don. How is anyone supposed to trust you?” she fires back.

When he speaks, his voice shakes with pent up rage. “She is not my don. I never swore loyalty to her. She killed my father.”

Belle gasps behind me. “Giorgos is your… your father?”

“He was. And the moment Xena killed him, I decided to move against her. I won’t pledge myself to someone who killed my family.”

“Me neither,” Belle says adamantly. “The moment I realized Xena wanted to kill Nikolai, I wrecked the car and got away from her. I don’t know where she is or what her plan is, and I’m definitely not gathering information on her behalf. I want her dead.”

“Something we can agree on.”

I glance between them quickly. “So whatever the hell this fight was… it’s over now?”

Belle nods. “If he can agree I’m not a traitor, I can agree he’s not.”

“I can agree,” Christo says, somewhat unwillingly.

“Great,” I say. Then in one swift move, I press the knife to Christo’s throat again. Belle gasps, but Christo just stares at me, eyes wide. “And if you ever lay your hands on my fiancée again, I will gut you before you get the chance to take another breath.”

Christo swallows. “Understood.”

I turn the knife around and hand it back to him, handle out. Christo takes it from me gently and slides it back into his pocket. Immediately, the tension in the room eases.

“You two weren’t engaged the last time I was here,” he remarks.

“It’s… new.”

“Some might even say ‘unofficial,’” Belle mutters.

I step back and lean against the counter next to her. My hip brushes hers, and I have the urge to shield her body with mine. But Christo, for what it’s worth, is keeping his eyes very far north of Belle’s equator.

Christo looks between us, brow furrowed. “So, is this—Are you doing this because of Xena?”

Belle shifts next to me. “What do you mean?” I ask flatly.

“You called off your engagement to her, and she was furious. Getting engaged now—to Belle, especially—it will send Xena over the edge,” he says. “It will draw her out.”

Christo isn’t wrong. Even if that wasn’t my plan from the start.

The truth is, I’m marrying Belle because she’s a distraction to me. She is an enigma, floating just beyond easy categorization. Marrying her helps place her in an easily definable role with easily definable expectations.

It tells my men that Belle is mine. There will be no more dividing of attentions and protections. They’ll protect her as they protect me. And I’ll be able to keep Belle and my child under closer watch.

But Christo’s line of thought is intriguing in its own right.

I tilt my head to the side. “Not a bad plan.”

“Does that mean I can share the happy news?” he drawls.

“Be my guest. We won’t be sending out Save the Dates, as I’m sure you can understand.”

“Then I’ll spread the word to the people who ought to hear it.” Christo lowers his head in a small bow and backs towards the door. “Anything else you need from me tonight?”

I shake my head and wave him on. “You’ve done enough. Thank you, Christo. Elise needed your help.”

He nods again and slips out into the night.

The moment he’s gone, Belle turns to me. “Hefound Elise?”

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