Page 79 of Jace
“In his office by the front door. Too easy.”
I hear a clamor of cords and plastic. She must be taking the desktop tower right out the door. Fuck, she’s a badass. No wonder Grant is obsessed with her.
Jace said the true meaning of Bratva is “band of brothers,” and I can sense it. But the queens are close as well. And the kingsandqueens together? They’re invincible.
Alone, I’ve survived, and I’m proud I made it through this past year. I read how many victims of what I’m going through have contemplated taking their lives. I understand. I’ve been there, but now I’m fighting my way back.
Because no one does this alone.
The moment I told Jace—the first person I told—my lonely life changed. I realized there is a way out. That if I ask for help, there are people who care.
Like Delphine, Ruby, Vale, and Nadine.
My god, Jace’s mom reminds me of my mom. There’s something about strong, older women. They’re aspirational asskickers. I want to be like them now, not later.
“Delphine.” I barely whisper, worried for her silence. “Are you okay?”
“Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.”
“Um… is thatgood?”
She laughs, all smoky and sweet. “Little by little, a bird makes her nest. You are good. You are almost free.”
I want to cry. I know; as a proud empath, I always want to cry happy or sad tears, and I won’t be ashamed.
“Thank you,” I whisper humbly.
“De rien. Tis nothing. Nadine freed me from my captors, so I free you from yours.”
Delphine had captors? I’m sure I’ll hear so many harrowing stories in time.
“It’s everything, and I owe you.”
“Just love Jace, yes? You do?”
I smile. “More than I’ve been free to show him, but I will. I do. I love him very much.”
I hear a car door dinging before it slams. She’s making her escape. She must be using wireless earbuds to talk to me. “He loves you very much, you know. He has been waiting for you. He is our last lion to claim his love. Please, Vivian, do not hurt him.”
“Never.” I swallow. “I want to be his queen; I just don’t know what I have to do.”
“Il n’y a qu’un bonheur dans la vie, c’est d’aimer et d’être aimé.” Delphine could be telling me to suck butter off his toes, and I’d do it. She makes it sound romantic before she translates. “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. So to be his queen? Simple. Let himloveyou.” Her smoky tone teases. “Ineveryway you desire.”
I understand most of what she’s saying, but the rest sounds like erotic inference.
“Does that way include himanda second king?”
It doesn’t scare me. Honestly, I don’t know this emotion, but it fills me with heat.
“Our kings do not make their queens do anything,” she answers. “They only give us what we want. Do not worry.” She pauses. “Now, I will take this to Nash. We will make sure it has the file, then we will destroy it.”
“Can you, uh…” I turn my back on the crowd. Not that anyone’s paying attention to me whisper with dread. “Can you be the only one to find the file? Like Ruby did with the other one? I… I don’t want another man, particularly another king, seeing the video. I haven’t even told Jace what it is.”
Delphine’s pause is long, like a faraway hug. “Of course. The queens never betray each other. You understand, yes?”
“Yes, and thank you.”
We end the call, and I want to collapse into the potted palm. Relieved. Hopeful. Finally seeing a light at the end of this nightmare tunnel as my phone buzzes in my hand.
