Page 30 of Jace
He’d joke with me and make me laugh until I fought back. Then he’d pull me into a silent hug and hold me because he understood.
It’s why we like to hate on each other. It’s a humorous layer hiding our shared trauma and brotherly love.
Either way, there’s nothing that can tear the kings and our queens apart. We’ve shared too much pain and passion. Together, we can’t be defeated.
Case in point: it was Loch’s queen and Nash’s daughter, Alena, who rescued Sasha from Valentin’s clutches. Valentin tried to kidnap Alena, too, but he fucked with the wrong lioness. Alena escaped, taking Sasha with her, and here we are.
Keeping our sister safe.
And sending a big FUCK YOU to two of the most sadistic men in the world.
It’s another reason why Vivian’s ex-husband is a twig I can snap compared to this forest of fucks we find ourselves in.
It’s why I shouldn’t bring Vivian into my real life either. Not like this. Not when we’re caught in two deadly crosshairs.
Though goddamn, the empty queen’s throne beside mine beckons to be filled like my aching heart.
All of my brothers have their queens.
All have the love of their lives.
Except me.
“So now what?” Nash asks. “We hide and wait for Sheremetev to come forus?”
“Fuck that. We’re not hiding anymore.” Sire leans back. “Ruslan and Sheremetev know where we are. Two warring Bratva armies flank us while we have theonething Ruslan needs and theoneperson Valentin wants.”
Nick huffs, sarcastically amused like all of us. “A kidney and Ruslan’s kid.”
It seems our father forgot that money can’t buy you out of death. Ruslan’s dying from kidney failure, rejecting the one Sire donated for our sake, and now he’s back for another one. He’ll only take flesh from his flesh.
And it seems that Sheremetev didn’t know that the worst enemy to make is a mother. Because our mother, The Queen of the pride, will charge after him like a lioness, clamping down on his neck before ripping his stomach open while he’s still alive for what he did to her daughter. She’ll feast on our father’s enemy before she turns her bloody fangs toward him.
It almost makes me laugh.
They say most mothers are naturally nurturing.
Yeah, well, they’re definitely deadly if you fuck with their kids.
On that note…
Our mother arches her elegant brow. “Thatman will get what I am willing to allow.”
“Which man?” Sire clarifies because she won’t even dignify the men by saying their names.
Mom’s sapphire eyes darken. “The thief of my baby girl. The man who will crawl to me on his dying knees if he wants to live. If he wants any ofmysons to give him a goddamn thing again, he’s going to beg me for it.”
Oh, Ruslan.
Good ol’ dickhead Devil Dad.
“What about Sheremetev?” Loch fumes, and I don’t blame him.
Loch had to fight so hard for Alena’s hand. First with her father. Next with our family. Then with Fate. The fact that Sheremetev tried to kidnap and traffick Alena, as well as Loch’s twin, Sasha, has Loch on the warpath. He won’t rest until he’s smashed Sheremetev’s skull open.
“If we tame Satan,” The Queen decrees, “we’ll destroy his demons.”
Grant cocks a confused brow, so Sire explains, “If we make a deal with Ruslan to save his life, his army will destroy Sheremetev once we find him.”
