“I need him,” I choked out with tears streaming down my cheeks. “He can’t die… He promised me before he left…”
“It’s okay.” Drake cradled the back of my head. “Just let it out.”
“Luca doesn’t get it,” I whispered.
“He’s under a lot of pressure. Luca has until his thirtieth birthday to become the Grand Master of The Devil’s Knights. And you haven’t accepted his proposal.”
“But,” I stammered. “I don’t get it… Nothing will change if we get married. It’s not like he wants me. He only cares about a stupid title, his power, and producing an heir.”
“Everything will change,” he promised. “You will be our queen. That means something in our world.”
“Yeah, I get that, but... Luca still gets what he wants.”
“Queens belong to their subjects,” he countered. “Not the king.”
My eyes widened as the reality of his words rolled over me.
I belong to The Devil’s Knights… and they belong to me.
Words failed me as he spun me around the room, picking up the pace. He was so damn graceful I wondered where he learned these moves. For a big guy, he sure as hell was light on his feet.
Despite my reservations about marrying Luca and becoming their queen, I needed answers about Aiden. If I wanted my brother back, I had to infiltrate the ranks of one of the most corrupt and powerful secret societies in the world. I would gladly sacrifice my life for the cause.
Long live the queen.
“What exactly does being the queen entail?” I asked, even though I was afraid of the answer. “You say I’m bound to the Knights, but do you mean like… sexually?”
A smirk pulled at his delicious mouth. “Whatever you need, my queen.”
“And Luca would be okay with it?”
“Of course,” he said with a shrug. “He has to share the Queen, power and all.”
“That’s why he’s always been so cold with me,” I guessed.
He nodded to confirm my suspicions.
“Years of torture…” I shook my head, disgusted. “And for what? Because he didn’t want to share me with his friends.” I looked up at Drake and bit my lip. “No offense, but I don’t want… that from the Knights.”
Drake tilted his head back and laughed. “None taken.”
“Being with one man is hard enough,” I admitted, embarrassment coloring my cheeks.
He smiled. “Don’t worry. None of us expect that from you.”
I blew out a deep breath. “I assume all of you will eventually get married and have your own families.”
“Eventually. But we’re not allowed to marry yet.”
“Why not?”
“We’re waiting for you to choose…”
Before he could finish, the monitors screeched from the opposite end of the room. We drifted toward the entrance doors. The Devil’s Knights gathered about ten feet away from the plastic curtain, watching my grandfather operate.
“We should head over,” Drake suggested.
I gulped down my fear, knowing this could be it. Every second was precious at this point. I thought of our final moments together, right before Marcello left to defend this castle on the sea. My hands wandered up to his muscular chest as I kissed his cheek. His skin was warm and soft, and he smelled so good I wanted to taste him.
I couldn’t lose him.
I needed Marcello.
Drake led me by the hand toward the curtain. My head pounded right at the base of my skull, blurring my vision. The room spun in front of me into a mess of colors and sounds. That constant beeping reminded me of what little time Marcello had left.
My grandfather shouted at someone, his words muffled.
Why couldn’t I hear him?
His voice sounded so far away.
Five, four, three, two, one…
Just breathe, Alex.
We stopped beside Luca, who looked at me out of the corner of his eye. I clutched my chest to make the pain stop, sobs ripped from my throat, stinging my lips.
“He’s dying,” I muttered. “It’s all my fault…” I lowered my head and focused on breathing, attempting to control the swirl of emotions tearing through my insides. “It should have been me.”
“Breathe.” Luca ran his fingers up my arm in a soothing motion. “Just breathe, baby. We got you.”
The Knights. They would do anything to protect their Queen. A weakness I would expose when this nightmare was over.
Drake stood behind me, his hand on my hip to steady me as Luca grabbed my arm. Pressing my thumbs to my eyelids, I forced back the tears and let them comfort me. Despite their guilt for Aiden’s disappearance, I needed them.
Until I found my brother, I could tolerate Luca’s fingers dipping beneath my sweat-soaked shirt. I could let him massage my back and whisper sweet shit into my ear. And I could let Drake hold me against his chest, his fingers grazing my stomach in a soothing motion.
“Marcello will make it,” Luca assured me.
I sobbed, my lungs heavy as I took a few deep breaths and glanced up at Luca. “How do you know that?”