Claiming His Queen

“If Vieth meant for you to have her daughter, she would have taken the girl to Lakewood.” Lakewood is Ashford’s estate north of the city.

Ashford laughs lightly. “This is true. I suspect Vieth does not trust me like she trusts you. But I don’t really give a fuck about all that. We have a perfect opportunity here.” He leans forward, inviting me to copy him. In a much lowered voice, he continues, “Give me the girl, and you will have fulfilled whatever bargain Vieth made with you. When she’s unsuspecting, we’ll smash the nests and root her out of here once and for all.”

“And then what?” Ashford never thinks ahead. It’s a miracle he’s still alive, but I guess it’s because he pays well.

“And then we rid ourselves of the scourge that is Karin Vieth and her girls. I don’t have to worry that every time my man gets his dick wet, he’s going to be spilling all our secrets out on the pillow. You have to feel the same way.”

I think of Poppy and the execution-type bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. I do not like that he’s dead and that he was killed by a Vieth orphan, but giving Cora to Ashford is never going to happen. Not while I’m still breathing.

Chapter 8

Cora

I lie on the bed bored out of my mind. That woman Kailler came and took the old food cart and left another. I prefer to call her killer in my mind because she looks so damn deadly when you look into her eyes. I tried to get her to talk to me, but it was like pulling teeth.

I don’t think she likes me. I’d gotten so excited when I saw it was her that was dropping off the food. I would have preferred Aidon, but I wasn't going to turn my nose up at another woman. I figured we could bond on some sort of level, but I’d been wrong. Not that I’m going to give up.

I shoot up to a sitting position when I hear the elevator. The doors slide open a few seconds later. Kailler steps out with a box in her hand. I slip off the side of the bed. She’s dressed in black slacks and a buttoned-up plain white shirt. Her hair is tied back in a tight ponytail. There is not a speck of makeup on her face. She is beautiful without trying.

“You’re back.” I smile at her. Her face remains unreadable. Yeah, she really doesn't like me. It shouldn't bug me, but it does. I think I’m so used to women being around that it’s odd to me that she’s so cold.

“I brought you this.” She holds out the small box, and I see it’s a Kindle.

“Oh my gosh! Thank you.” I rush toward her in my excitement, meaning to give her a hug. The next thing I know she flips me, and I land back onto the bed. Kailler’s mouth hangs open for a second.

“I didn't mean to do that. You rushed at me and….” Kailler starts to ramble like I’m going to attack her now.

“That was so bad ass.” I pop back up to sit. “Can you show me how to do it?” She gives me a puzzled look.

“You shouldn't run at people like that,” she informs me. It didn’t take her long to switch back to being cold.

“I was going to give you a hug as a thank you.”

“Sure. The next thing I know you would have stabbed me in the process to steal my keys to get out of here. This is not my first go with a Vieth orphan.”

“I don’t have anything to stab you with. Not that I would if I did.” To be honest, blood makes me squeamish. I am still trying to get past the dead body I saw yesterday and all the blood that was draining from it. Even now thinking about it, I start to feel a bit nauseous. I had a nightmare about it last night.

“I don’t need a hug.” I’m not so sure I agree with her. She looks as if she needs a ton of hugs. She tosses the Kindle box onto the bed next to me.

“Will you teach me?” I ask again as I slip back over to the bed again.

“No.”

“Please?” I push. She stares at me for a moment. She is thinking this through. A small glimmer of hope rises in me that I’m beginning to crack that hard exterior of hers.

“If you’re trying to convince everyone that you really are Karin's daughter you’re doing a terrible job of it.”

“I’m not trying to convince anyone. It’s the truth.” I shrug, not sure it really does matter if they believe me or not.

“Do you need more food?” She ignores my response. I shake my head no. I still haven’t eaten off the lunch cart they brought in. She turns to walk over and inspect it.