Page 105 of Crowned In Blood
How could he…why did he?I didn’t even know who he was when he left for Italy, and yet he’d left his entire familia in my hands?How could he be so foolish?
Then I stilled.
Hadn’t he told me all along? That he’d give me anything, giveupanything if it meant having me?
Marco had stalked me, long before we’d ever met at my birthday party. And he always called me his queen. He wasn't being irresponsible. He simply believed in me that much.He’d always believed in me.
My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes, but I clenched them hard.No. I can’t. If I start crying now, I won’t stop. I’m barely holding it together, but I have to until he’s back to me.
I squeezed Marco’s hand, cleared my throat, and surveyed Marco’s—no, our men.
Not a shred of doubt clouded their faces. They were almost militant in their stance. It was a direct reflection of their respect for Marco, and whatever he had done had ensured they would never question me.
Their loyalty and confidence in me was almost overwhelming, but instead of fighting against it, I accepted it.
“We move on as planned. Stake out Felipe’s mansion and give me a final head count on how many guards he has.”
Our men nodded.
“Have Felipe’s men arrived at his warehouses?”
“Yes,” Joseph said.
When I spoke again, my voice was low, cold, full of fury. “When you're torturing them for information, make it hurt. I want them to writhe in pain, beg for death. Cut out their eyes, pull off their fingernails. Break them ineveryway possible. They went after Marco, and they are going to pay the price for their actions.”
I squeezed Marco’s hand again. “And when you’re done, I will join you at Felipe’s mansion. But do not touch him—Felipe Alvarez is mine.”
22
Catalina
“It’s starting,” I breathed, running my fingers through Marco’s hair.
Our men were out there, getting the justice Marco deserved.
He hadn’t moved, not once, and the doctors said it was too soon to know anything. That I had to wait.
I’d always thought I was a patient person. I’d waited for years to be free from my father, spent months working on investigating the trafficking, but for the first time in my life, I couldn't stand it.
Now, when I needed it most, time seemed to move at a snail's pace. I kept checking my watch, thinking hours had passed, only to find it had just been a few minutes.
“If I could, I’d take your place,” I whispered. “I’d take all the pain, the hurt, anything,everything. I’d take it for you.”
I kissed his forehead, tucked the blanket around him again, then smoothed out the wrinkles.
I couldn’t stop myself from moving. If I didn’t touch him, then I’d pace. If I didn’t pace, then I might scream, sob. Wail the entirety of my heartbreak so loudly that every person in this hospital would hear it. And that was the one thing Irefusedto do.
When this was all over, when my Marco was back to me, then I would. I’d release the bundle of emotions fighting inside of me, ripping apart. But until then, he needed me to be strong, to believe that he’d come back to me, and he would; I just had to wait, no matter how agonizing it was or how long it took.
I'd do anything to bring him back. I’d crawl across hot coals if it meant having one more second with him. If it meant hearing his voice, his laugh, feeling the strength in his body as he wrapped his arms around me, calling me his vicious little queen.
Something changed in the air, like an electric charge surged through the room. And when I looked up, shock flooded through me.
“Jo?”
She rushed toward me, and I barely had time to stand before she threw her arms around me. “I’m so sorry. I came as soon as I heard.”
“Heard? But how did you get in?”
