Savage Queen (The Dark Elite 3)

I have no clue what they’re talking about, but whatever it is, neither of them seem happy about it. We’re standing close enough that facial expressions are readable, and the way Camilla tightens her lips tells me she’s not pleased. I can’t see Grace’s face, and I wish like hell I could.

Then, without warning, Grace turns sharply away from her mother.

The whole room seems to flinch with her sudden movement, a ripple of guns and weapons being pulled out, both sides aiming at each other.

But Grace knows what’s at stake, and she isn’t stupid. She doesn’t draw the gun holstered to her torso or make any threatening movements. Instead, she simply strides away from her mother without another word and walks back toward us. She doesn’t even spare a single glance over her shoulder.

The message couldn’t be more clear.

Meeting over.

My pulse picks up as she gets closer to us and farther away from the psycho bitch behind her. My three best friends and I hold off for as long as we can before we move from our positions and stride to her side, surrounding her in a cage of bodies and protection.

Grace’s face was impassive as she walked to us, but as we gather around her, the mask crumbles for a split second. Her whole body shakes with rage as tears glisten in her eyes.

“Just get to the car,” Hale mutters. “We’ll talk about it there. Keep your eyes straight ahead.”

She nods, biting her lip. A fierce need to know what happened out there in the middle of the warehouse fills me, even more than when it was going on. Camilla said something that deeply upset or pissed Grace off, and I don’t take well to people hurting her.

I shouldn’t look back, but I do. I throw a quick glance over my shoulder to Camilla, still standing in the middle of the room. She watches the five of us as we shuffle her daughter away with a chilling hatred in her eyes.

Fucking hell.

We get Grace outside and into the van, and I help her with the seatbelt buckle when her shaking hands can’t manage. The rest of us pile in quickly as our men fan out, getting into their own vehicles while point men cover us. Ciro drives this time, and Lucas and I sit in the back seat with her.

As we pull away, she drags in several long breaths. Her body is still vibrating beside me, and I lean a little closer to her. Reassuring her that we’re here. That we’ve got her back.

“Lies,” she mutters. “So many fucking lies.” Her hands clench into fists. “She didn’t actually want to marry my father. It was an arranged marriage, and she hated the idea of giving up her freedom. So she decided to manipulate everything. She decided to fuck with everyone’s lives, without caring about the

damage she caused.”

“Jesus.” Lucas lets out a snort. “Arranged marriages aren’t all that common anymore, although they still happen sometimes. Did you know that, Hale? About Camilla and Samuel?”

Hale shakes his head. “No. If my father knew, he never told me. I always thought Camilla adored Samuel. And that he loved her.”

“He did.” Grace nods. “He loved her even after he thought she died. Even after she betrayed him. At least he never had to find out the truth. It would’ve broken his fucking heart.”

In a quiet, clipped voice, she fills us in on the rest of her conversation with her mother.

“She asked me to join her. To bring down the Novaks,” she finishes. I let out a curse that’s echoed by Hale in the front passenger seat.

“What did you say?” Lucas asks.

“I said no, of course!”

I fight the urge to smack my brother across the back of his head, but with Grace between us, I resist.

“Sorry, stupid question,” he mutters.

“No, it’s fine.” She drags a hand through her hair, letting out a short breath. “I’m still just… you know. Processing everything.”

Shit. I understand how that feels. The hurt. Frustration. She’s taking all of this a lot better than I would.

“She said it as if she wanted to make it a mother/daughter thing,” Grace adds under her breath. “As if she thought I would…”

She shakes her head, swallowing. Without thinking, I slide my hand onto her knee, offering a comforting touch. I meet Hale’s gaze in the mirror at the same time, but he doesn’t say anything. He only gives me a small nod, like someone needed to take care of her in this moment and he’s glad I did.

I nod back.