Claiming His Queen by Goode, Ella (best self help books to read .txt) 📕

There’s a lot of sincerity in Vieth’s eyes, but she’s a con woman who has held power for nearly twenty years.

“What will Cora say if you kill her mother? She’ll never let you touch her again,” Vieth argues.

She’s not wrong. “Fuck,” I curse and release Vieth. She drops to the floor, hacking her lungs out. I draw my gun out and point it at the tray-holding girl. “Where is my wife? I’m only asking once more. Any delays and I start killing everyone here.”

“Sara has a hideaway at Piper’s Park,” the girl blubbers. “It’s on the edge of our territory that borders Ashford. She’s been going there a lot for the last couple of months.”

“Ashford,” I repeat. I tuck the gun away. “Kailler!” I bellow. My second materializes at the door, gun in hand. “We need the car. Send someone to Piper’s Park. A Vieth orphan has Cora. They’re plotting with Ashford.”

Kailler nods and starts off at a run. I follow. Bran pulls up just as Kailler and I break through the front of Vieth’s townhome. The side door of the van zips open, and we dive inside. Bran’s accelerating before we have the door shut. “Pole will be at Piper’s Park in five minutes. Do you want him to go in?”

“Have him identify whether Cora is there. If she is, don’t go in. If she isn’t, take the whole building down.”

“Someone’s following us.”

“It’s Karin Vieth. Pay no attention to her.” Cora is mine, which means I protect her. I haven’t done a good job. I let my guard down. I thought Vieth wouldn’t allow this snake into her garden, but I was wrong. I won’t make that mistake again.

Chapter 21Cora

I can’t believe Sara is doing this. I’m so not getting to go out on date night with Aidon. I think what upsets me more than anything is that my mom has always been so good to her. The same way she is to all the girls. I’ve heard so many of the girls’ stories over the years. Everything from the places they’ve come from to the things they had to endure before my mom found them. It had often made me wonder if I ever wanted out of the cage my mom kept me in.

Sara must be having some sort of break. That’s the only explanation as to why she would betray my mother. I try to remember what Sara’s story is. For some reason I can’t seem to come up with anything. I’m close to a lot of the girls, but as far as Sara’s backstory, I seem to be drawing a blank.

Her face has turned from angry to excited as the car we’re in gets farther away from my mom's warehouse. She thinks she’s gotten away with taking me. But I know better. Not only will my mom be coming for me, but Aidon will burn down this entire town in order to find me.

“Mom is not going to be happy about this.” I say the one thing that gets everyone to sit up a little straighter. It’s not only out of fear, but many don’t want to disappoint her either. She practically raised most of these girls since they were teenagers. They really do look at her as a mother figure.

“Fuck her.” That excitement falls from her face. “You’re so stupid thinking you’re special. All the girls think it really. I don’t get it.” She rolls her eyes. “Cora is so sweet. Whenever I’m not feeling great Cora can always make me smile.” She mimics the other girls. “Did you see that Cora made sprinkle cookies for all of us!?” She screams the last part in my face.

“Someone doesn't like sprinkle cookies.”

She smacks me. I reach up, cupping my throbbing cheek. I know in this moment there is no saving Sara. I can tell from the look in her eyes that she knows it too.

“Your mom used you. Don’t you get that? She made you into this little virgin sacrifice to get herself more land. To save her own skin when the great Aidon came knocking. You’ve been her insurance. She used you the same way she uses us all. She’s no different from the men. At least at a man’s side you could be their queen.”

We stare at each other for a long moment. Did my mom use me? Maybe, I suppose. I was happy for once to try and do my part. To be a part of the rest of the girls. I would have done it to save any of them. The truth is my husband could have burned the whole warehouse down with all of us inside of it, including myself.

“I swear there is nothing in that brain of yours.” She grabs a bag, pulling it down over my head as a phone starts to ring. “I got her! I told you I could do it.” She coos the last part. I have no idea who she is talking to. Not that it matters. Whoever it is will be dead soon too, courtesy of my mother and husband. Let’s not forget Kailler. I’m sure she’s itching to off somebody, and this will give her an excuse.

The only thing I pray is that this doesn't somehow have my husband and mother trying to kill each other. If something did happen to me, many would die.

“Why are you yelling at me?” Sara starts to pout to whoever she is talking to. I’m guessing it’s the man that is going to make her his queen. I think she should have picked herself another king. “We’re here. See you soon. I love-” She pauses. “He hung up on me. Jerk.”

I hear the sound of the door opening seconds before I’m pulled out of the back of the car. I stumble and fall over my feet, my knees hitting the concrete. I cry out in pain. Someone is going