Page 4 of Monsters Carve Thrones

His grip on my fingers burned.

“And if the world ever tries to take you from me, I will carve my way through heaven and hell to bring you home. Because loving you is the best thing I’ve ever done.” He tilted his head, eyes blazing.

The silence that followed Rafe’s vows was heavy. Every soul in the courtyard seemed to be holding their breath, not out of reverence, but awe. Fear. Respect.

Or all three.

The officiant stood before us, smiling with the grace of a man who had married many terrifying people. “By the power vested in me,” he began, his tone respectful. “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

My pulse roared in my ears.

“You may–”

Rafe didn’t wait for permission. He took my face in both hands and kissed me like he owned the very air in my lungs.There was no softness or hesitation, just fire, and a brutal hunger. It was like he’d waitedlifetimesfor this moment and would never waste a second of it. His mouth claimed mine in front of everyone. It was unapologetic and fierce, and everything I could ever have asked for.

When he finally pulled back, his mouth brushed my ear, his voice ragged. “I can’t wait to ruin you in this dress,” he whispered. “On your knees, finally wearing my name.”

I bit my lip. A jolt of heat shot through me, straight to my core.

The crowd didn’t cheer.

They stood in respectful silence, dangerous men and cunning women who understood exactly what had just happened. An alliance had been formed. It wasn’t a casual union, but one that etched its name into history.

Rafe pulled back to look at me, his breath touched my lips. His thumb dragged slowly over my cheekbone, like he was memorizing me again now that I was his.Truly his.

“Mrs. Sinclair-Vaughan,” he murmured, that wicked grin returning.

My lips parted, a wildfire igniting within my core. The wind moved through the courtyard, stirring the silk of my gown and the trailing wisteria around us. He offered me his arm, and I took it. And as we turned toward the aisle, every guest stepped aside. Not one dared block our path or look away.

We didn’t walk out like a bride and groom.

We walked out like a king and queen.

***

The hours that followed passed in a decadent blur. Golden afternoon light spilled across the stone courtyard like honey, warming the limestone beneath our feet. Chilled champagnesparkled in crystal flutes, passed by silent waitstaff dressed in black, and laughter laced through the air. It sounded elegant, but never without that ever-present undercurrent of tension. Like every guest could feel the weight of power sitting at their tables. We moved like royalty through it all.

I glanced up at the night sky and said a silent prayer to my mother, hoping she’d forgive me for marrying a Vaughan man.

Photographers trailed behind as we posed beside carved marble fountains, their basins overflowing with white roses. The wisteria hanging above us swayed in the breeze, its perfume sweet and almost too innocent for the kind of celebration we were hosting. My gown clung to my body, silk turned molten under the heat of the sun and his gaze. I felt it constantly, scorching a path down my spine, across my bare shoulders, over the swell of my breasts.

We finally cut the towering, dark confection laced with dark cherry and chocolate. I fed him the first bite, letting the cherry stain my fingers. He returned the favor, but I caught a streak of red on his thumb and leaned in, my lips parting.

I sucked it clean slowly and deliberately.

Rafe’s gaze snapped to mine, icy blue darkened like the underside of a glacier. A muscle ticked in his jaw as my tongue dragged across the pad of his thumb. I tasted sugar and tension and the slow unraveling of his control. His hand lingered at my waist, fingers tightening in a silent warning.

His mouth lowered to my ear a second later, voice like velvet-draped steel. “You keep that up,” he murmured, “and I’ll bend you over that table and fuck you in front of everyone.”

I swallowed a laugh, heat pooling in my stomach, my thighs already pressing closer. Hah, I’d let them all watch.

***

By the time we reached the penthouse suite atAman, the air between us was combustible. He swept me up in his arms with an easy motion, and laughter bubbled out of me. My head buzzed from all of the champagne and dancing. He waltzed in, spun me around, and set me down like a gentleman.

And then locked the door behind us, his eyes sweeping over me like a predator. The moment it clicked shut, he moved.

His hands found my waist, yanking me against him so fast the breath left my lungs. His mouth landed on mine in the same instant, a growl low in his throat.