Fierce Queen (L.A. Ruthless Series Book 2)
Fierce Queen: Chapter 38

I smiled at Lucia as the sonographer rolled the small machine over her stomach and showed us the images of her unborn child on the screen.

‘Oh, look, Alana,’ she said with tears in her eyes. ‘He’s perfect.’

I took hold of her hand and squeezed tightly. ‘He certainly is, sweetheart,’ I said with a smile. Seeing her baby on the screen was the perfect antidote to the completely crappy start I’d had to my day.

Alejandro had been true to his word and had stayed at his hotel all night. I had hardly slept, foolishly hoping that he would come home and slip into bed beside me. When he hadn’t, I had wondered again if someone else had slipped into his bed – our bed – at the hotel instead.

Sex was his favorite way to unwind and deal with stress, and if he wasn’t doing it with me, then was he looking elsewhere?

‘Would you like some photographs?’ the sonographer asked, breaking my train of thought.

‘Yes, please. We’ll need three, won’t we?’ Lucia replied. ‘One each for me and Alana, and one for Alejandro.’

I nodded at her. ‘Yes, that would be nice,’ I said as my mind drifted back to our argument the previous night. I had outright asked if Alejandro regretted marrying me and he had just sat there staring at me, as though he didn’t want to admit the truth. And then I had only gone and made the whole situation worse by suggesting that it was me who regretted our marriage, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I had checked my phone a dozen times that morning, hoping for a text or a call, but I had heard nothing from him.

I contemplated calling him, but I didn’t know what I would have done if he’d ignored me. While we weren’t in communication, I could pretend that this was just a silly argument. A blip that we would get over in no time at all.

A short time later, Lucia and I were climbing into the armored SUV with Hugo and Hank, as well as our new driver, George. Alejandro insisted that if we must leave the house, we do so with armed guards and in the safest vehicle.

We were just pulling out of the car park and towards the intersection when I heard Hugo shouting to George in Spanish. I couldn’t understand what he said and before I had time to ask, or react, the whole car shook and shuddered and I was thrown forward, my seatbelt cutting into my neck as the sound of crunching metal and smashed glass filled my ears.

I grabbed hold of Lucia’s hand as the car skidded along the road. My ears were ringing and my head spun. I heard shouting, and gunshots and then nothing.