Page 151 of Inferno

To meet Enzo in Italy, he had to be someone. Someone powerful. Connected.

Of course.

He lied as much as I did. Five years ago, we were both pretending. It’s a hard pill to swallow.

The Prince was never coming to save the Queen. It seems he wants to destroy her too.

I guess now it’s time to learn who we really are.

His hand clamps over my mouth with a cloth. My scream is swallowed.

My eyes plead with him. I need one chance to talk. Perhaps he has a shred of humanity left to listen.

He doesn’t let up, his hand smothering me, and each breath is now burning.

“Sweet dreams, baby. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

The last thing I hear before the dark takes me?—

A soft, eerie melody. Ringing like a lullaby in hell.

Chapter 58

DECLAN

Carefully laying her on her side, I turn on the lights. And then I see her there, her breathing shallow, her eyes closed.

Peaceful.

Beautiful.

Mine.

I instinctively clutch at my chest, a searing, familiar pain lancing through me. The same agonizing stab that always accompanies the memory of her.

The way she screamed for me.

The way she betrayed me.

I tap on the headset, and Finn’s voice comes through.

“Office,” I say.

Folding my arms over my chest, I get down on one knee, brushing her hair from her pretty face. She still has the deep purple running through the ends of her hair, throwing my mind straight back to Italy.

“It didn’t have to go this way,” I tell her.

The door opens behind me, and I back away from her.

“Tell me she ain’t dead?” Finn asks as I turn to face him.

“No, just knocked out for a bit. You should know, you’re a doctor.”

I point at her chest, clearly moving.

“What’s your plan?” he asks.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

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