Page 27 of Queen of Madness

Revenge.

Justice.

Peace.

Onyx takes a steadying breath and moves a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. “Your pink is fading.”

“Would you like to help me color it again?”

She nods, pressing the side of her face deeper into the pillow. “After my meeting tomorrow.”

My chest draws tight. She leaves the house only once a week, but every time, I get nervous. With her guards being killed so often, it’s only a matter of time before they step up their game and go for who they’re really after. “Are you sure I shouldn’t go instead?”

“Stop worrying yourself. I’ll be fine. I always am.”

The distinct smell of whiskey coasts across the silk pillow, and I find myself impressed she’s coherent.

“Besides,” she continues, tracing my jawline, “Maddy got me a new shield.”

“He is big. And handsome.”

Her blinks slow, her gaze becoming unfocused as I assume she pictures him. “He’s different.”

“I know.”

“Do you think Maddy told him the lie she tells them all?”

This makes me smile. “Yes.”

Maddy is as desperate as I am to have Onyx feel something, even if it means the pleasure of an orgasm, and tends to tell the new guards sleeping with her is a part of their job. Onyx never actually sleeps with any of them, but watching the men walk around waiting to be beckoned is one of my favorite pastimes now.

The unfortunate truth, though, is Onyx probablywouldfuck them, but deep down, I think she knows their inevitable deaths will only upset her more if she has any attachments to them. This new guard, however... he is very different from the others.

I don’t know enough to be able to see how, but the dangerous aura surrounding him is almost as dark as Onyx’s herself, and he does just as good a job as she does keeping it hidden.

The twins and I have eyes on him, though, and tomorrow will be a test of his character, considering we are suspicious of the man she’s meeting with—a new vendor for slot machines.

Nothing out of the ordinary, but he refused to deal with me, and insisted he meet with Onyx. Money is money, regardless of who works the deal, and him demanding to work with her is a red flag. But Onyx fears nothing and sees warning signs as an invitation to kill with no questions, so I’m letting her take the lead.

“Trick told me the new guard will be stationed in the building tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“And who will be at my side?”

“Williams and Thorn.” Two longtime estate guards who I trust to stop a bullet with their heads should the need arise.

She nods, tucking her hand under the pillow. I want to ask her about the reason she called me up. I know it was a nightmare—it always is—but I wonder how bad it was. The times she doesn’t tell me, I think they are the ones that tempt her sanity to crumble.

But she’s too fucking strong for her own good and a quick thirty-minute conversation is enough to distract her—enough to allow her time to cram the agony that haunts her back into its locked chest.

It’s not healthy, and damn sure isn’t going to work forever. “How bad?”

“Bad enough.”

I sigh, watching as she turns on her back, her dark eyes finding a spot on the ceiling to lock on to. “Want me to grab something from Cat or Maddy? Something to put you to sleep?”

“In the top drawer on the right.” She points a stiletto nail toward her dresser, holding a TV I’ve never seen turned on.

My brows snap up. “You were prepared?”

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