Bitter Queen (Advantage Play #4) - Kelsie Rae Page 0,3

I’m positive the skin will break.

With a sigh, he turns down a long, winding road off the highway. The nearest town is at least thirty minutes away. If he wants to kill me, or rape me, or hurt me, this is the opportunity for it.

“We’re here,” he mutters when the car rounds the corner.

My heart drops to my stomach as my new prison comes into view. The place is huge, with a gray stone exterior and lush green vines weaving up the sides. A set of steps leads to a heavy oak door that looks like it could’ve belonged to a castle from the fifteenth century.

Hell, it could’ve belonged to the beast himself in Beauty and the Beast.

But this isn’t a fairy-tale. It’s a nightmare.

And no matter how hard I’ve tried, I can’t wake up.

With a twist of the key, Diece turns the car off. Then we sit in silence. Again. I can feel his stare, but I don’t bother to look at him as he waits a few seconds before announcing, “Let’s get settled, shall we?”

I don’t move.

“Come on, Q. I’ll show you inside.”

Unfolding himself from inside the tiny car, he closes the door then waits for me to follow him. When I don’t, his jaw tightens.

“You promised me, Q,” he calls before turning around and holding my stare through the windshield. “You promised you’d do whatever I asked if I let you hurt Burlone. I kept my end of the deal. Now, I need you to keep yours. Will you please get out of the car and come inside?”

Please.

It’s funny. That word never worked for me when I was begging Sei to stop. When I was pleading for him not to hurt me. Not to use me. Not to make me do all the despicable things he made me do.

The squeak of the hinges on the passenger door makes me jump as Diece tugs it open then offers his hand for me to take.

“Please?” he repeats.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I fight off the urge to run. Then I slip out of the car without his help. The gravel crunches beneath his shoes as he steps back to give me plenty of space. With a glare, I cross my arms and wait for his next command.

Because they always demand more.

3

Diece

“Ladies first,” I mutter, motioning to the entrance of Matteo’s place.

With her chin to her chest and her eyes on the ground, she heads to the entrance. I follow behind her, then use the large gold knocker to announce our presence.

Matteo Moretti answers a few seconds later. The bastard stepped back from the family business when his father started strengthening their family’s connection with Burlone Allegretti. But he’s proven to be a friend of the Romanos when we’ve had our backs against the wall. And today is no different. His gaze lazily scans us both up and down before he steps back to allow us to enter his family’s summer house. The one that’s been vacant for years and belongs to one of Burlone’s associates. It’s the last place anyone would look for us. Especially Q’s enemies.

“Come on in,” he offers.

“Thanks.”

As we step inside, he replies, “Don’t mention it. Lou told me to pick up a few things before you got here. They’re in the west wing.”

Queena’s mouth twitches, hinting at her beauty, but she keeps her eyes on her hands and continues to wring them like a dirty dishrag.

“Something funny?” I ask in a low voice that’s only meant for her.

With a subtle shake of her head, she keeps her lips shut.

Shocker.

I sigh. “Q, this is Matteo. He’s…a friend of the family. Matteo, this is Q.”

“Nice to meet you,” Matteo replies, though I can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he scans her up and down another time. I don’t know what Kingston said to convince him to help us. And I have no idea if he knows that Q helped bring Kingston’s plan to fruition during the poker tournament at Burlone’s estate. The plan that led to Matteo’s uncle’s arrest less than forty-eight hours ago.

It’s not like they were on good terms, but he’s still a Moretti.

I do know one thing, though. He’s not an idiot, and if Kingston trusts him, then so do I.

Matteo might insist that he keeps his hands clean, but the bastard knows everything and everyone in this business. He might even know Q’s true identity.

But I sure as hell don’t.

After another moment of silence, Matteo decides, “Let me show you