Page 62 of Wrathful King
You’re going to bleed for me so prettily.
I pushed the voices and images out of my mind while my heartbeat sped up.Ignore the voice,my mind chanted.
“Breathe, Reina,” Isla cooed. “I’m sure Phoenix is fine. We just can’t find her right now. But you know your sister, she’s so tough.”
Buzzing in my ears increased. “We’ll find her. Bad guys don’t have her.” Raven’s assurance was no assurance at all.
“For fuck’s sake, Raven. Wrong thing to say,” Athena hissed.
Was another Perez Cortes torturing my sister? The tremor started in my fingers and spread over my body. I gripped my hands, my knuckles turning white as I attempted to gain control of myself.
Torn limbs. Terrifying screams piercing my ears.
A hand reached out to touch me, and a month of memories burst to life. I let out a scream, my vocal cords scratching at my throat as I whipped around, ready to fight whoever dared put their hands on me.
My eyes darted around and the room tilted. Someone tried to restrain me, but that only made it worse. My lungs squeezed, my heart raced, and my vision blurred while I fought my demons.
Until two warm hands came around me from behind. “No,” I whimpered, caught somewhere between the nightmare and reality.
I attempted to headbutt whoever held me but to no avail. Fuck whoever it was, he wouldn’t have me. I’d go down fighting.
“It’s me, cinnamon girl. Calm down.” A soft whisper against my ear was enough to confuse me, making me pause. “You’re safe.”
Slowly, the nightmare faded and the world came into focus.
Eyes wide and heart racing, all I was able to do was stare, seeing my friends’ horrified faces, Papà and Marchetti studying me with blank expressions. The scent of lemons and apples registered, and I lowered my eyes to the two strong arms around me.
They were Amon’s, and if there was any doubt about it, the bracelet I gifted him all those years ago was wrapped around his wrist, soothing my panic slightly.
Desperate to get myself together, knowing too well that I looked like a batshit crazy person, I kept blinking until I choked out, “I… I need Phoenix.”
Marchetti’s brows pinched, watching me with a confused look on his face. “What?”
Grandma appeared, and in the far corner in my mind, I noted the diamond tiara on her head. She only wore those when she was getting married or divorced. The girls shot her odd looks. Papà muttered a curse, though I could hardly hear past the ringing in my ears.
And all the while, I observed the scene like I wasn’t part of it. I had left the jungle and captivity, but I was still a prisoner of my own mind.
Papà stepped forward, ignoring everyone. “I know you do, but you have to trust us that she’s okay. We have to get you better. That is what’s most important right now.”
“I just want to make sure she’s okay,” I croaked. “Just one call. Please.”
“Not now, baby,” he pacified. “When you’re better.”
My control evaporated like a wispy cloud on a sunny day, and I descended into madness. Another scream ripped from my throat, and in the next moment, I felt a prick against my neck.
23
AMON
My chest constricted as I listened to Reina’s little whimpers.
I clenched my jaw as my gaze fell on her wrists and noted the cuts. Fuck! I made a mental note to remove all razors from her bathroom and to speak with her therapist.
Reina’s body jerked slightly, her eyes moving behind her closed eyelids. It gutted me from the inside, her pain slicing clean through me.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Marchetti cursed. “I thought she was getting better.”
“She’s better than she was,” Romero answered somberly.
