Page 2 of Monsters Carve Thrones (Crowned Monsters Duet #2)

ADELA

I never thought I’d marry a man with blood on his hands. Let alone one who bathed in it.

And yet here I was, seated in a sun-drenched bridal suite wrapped in ivory curtains, the scent of roses filling my nose. I was preparing to walk down the aisle to Rafe Vaughan.

Behind me, Laura fastened the final pearl buttons on my gown. She could negotiate a hostile corporate takeover with one hand and apply false lashes with the other.

“You look like a fucking queen,” she said, stepping back with a grin that couldn’t quite hide the flicker of worry in her eyes. “One that the people would undoubtedly build sculptures in memory of.”

I gave a dry laugh, folding my hands in my lap. “That’s flattering, Laur.” I grinned. “Hopefully there will be no need for such things. The war is over. I can return to Sinclair Solutions just fine.”

She met my gaze in the mirror. “Are you sure it’s over? Moreau had many friends.”

“And also enemies,” I countered coolly. “Enemies of Moreau are likely friends of ours. Or at least reluctant friends.”

She pursed her pink lips, her blonde hair swept up in a gorgeous updo. “Last chance to escape out the window, babe.”

I smiled, turning fully to my best friend. “I’m fine.” Even if every instinct honed in the world of power, crime, and ruthless calculation told me this was either the smartest or most reckless thing I’d ever done. Maybe both.

This man had awoken something wild in me that I still couldn’t make sense of.

A part of me hated myself for ever giving him a second chance after what he’d done.

But the other part? It craved the darkness he possessed.

Was I fucked up for that? Probably. All I knew was that I would never want to lie beneath another predator’s jaws but his.

She nodded, her gaze not leaving mine. “You’ve changed with him.”

I tilted my head, accepting what she said as truth.

It was true. Since he killed Moreau, we had weaved our businesses together.

I protected every single one of his clients, and he paid Sinclair Solutions to do so.

It wasn’t entirely easy at first. There were still many who were loyal to Moreau and pissed off at what we’d done.

So I had them hunted down and killed like fucking dogs.

Rafe made me harder. Before, I was an intelligent and confident business woman who worked with dangerous clients. But now, I was a ruthless killer just like him. I barely blinked whenever I put a bullet in someone’s head. But that was the nature of this world.

“I know I have,” I sighed. “But it’s for the best, I think.”

A mischievous grin formed on her pretty face. “I agree completely.”

I smiled, turning to the large, antique mirror. “With your salary increase, I’d hope you would.”

She winked, her gaze sweeping over us standing together in the mirror. Her black silk dress clung to her perfectly.

My wedding dress was custom-made: hand-stitched silk in a shade of pearl so rich it shimmered silver in the light.

It hugged my waist and hips before melting into soft layers that drifted behind me like fog.

The bodice was sheer mesh, embroidered with delicate vines that curled across my skin, tiny beads catching the light like morning dew.

My hair was swept into an elegant updo, soft tendrils left to frame my face.

I’d chosen not to wear a veil. I wanted him to see the eyes that would watch him for the rest of his life.

And I wanted to see what exactly I was claiming in return, even with dozens of wolves coming to show their support.

Even knowing nearly every man in attendance had killed more people than I could count.

Even though half the guests seated in the stone courtyard had, at one point or another, tried to kill each other.

Or Rafe.

But he had dominated the city and absorbed all of Moreau’s previous clients with my help. Our wealth grew substantially, and we sent generous gifts to those with ill will toward us. It was a clean slate.

The ceremony was held at a historic estate just outside the city. Vaulted archways, marble fountains, and wisteria climbing limestone columns adorned the courtyard, which was lit with golden light, casting long shadows over ancient stone.

Gunmen lined the perimeter. Rafe’s men.

Our men now.

I glanced down at my wrist and smiled at the small black crown inked into my skin.

We had gotten matching crowns one drunken night while wandering the city.

As I stepped through the archway, I felt the weight of a hundred eyes.

Predators in tailored suits. Power wrapped in silk and threats.

Heads turned as I passed, and not a single one dared to blink.

My eyes landed on him standing at the altar. My nightmare. My Rafe.

Dressed in a black tuxedo, a single black rose pinned to his lapel, he stood with his head tilted ever so slightly.

He was already picturing what lay beneath this dress.

Heat flared through me in response. His hands were folded calmly in front of him, but I could see the tension and restraint he always seemed to carry around me in a public setting.

Rafe Vaughan. The Dark Monster of New York’s underworld.

And the only man I’d ever truly loved.

My heart pounded–not from nerves, but from the sheer, staggering weight of what we were doing. This was a vow carved in steel and sealed in blood. I reached the altar and met his eyes.

“Hello, little doe,” he murmured.

My pulse spiked. I couldn’t fucking wait for him to worship me tonight.

The sun hit the altar, making the stone glow gold.

I stood before him, spine straight, chin high, heart thudding against my ribs like it wanted out.

He looked at me like I was his salvation, and I knew I looked at him the same way.

The officiant, a quiet man in a black tailored suit, stepped forward.

His voice was calm and steady, as if he knew not to provoke the energy in the air.

Rafe said that this man had married mafia kings, mobster bosses, corrupt bankers and everyone in between.

“We are not gathered here under illusions,” he began, his eyes flicking between us.

“There are no fairy tales in this place. No tired words about meek devotion or flimsy promises.”

He paused. The courtyard was silent.

“This is about alliance. About power, and a fierce love. It is about binding two souls who have seen the world for what it is and chosen each other.”

I could feel every eye on us. Every breath held tight in waiting. Laura sat in the front row beside Kieran and Nico, her shoulders slightly tense with the knowledge of the amount of killers around her. She was never the one to handle the dangerous men.

I was.

“This is not a union built on fragility ,” he said, voice deepening.

“This is a union built on strength. Fire. Loyalty. Control. This is a bond carved in steel, and sealed in blood. If there are any here who object–” He gave a dry smile, sharp as a blade.

“–you’ll need to live long enough to speak. ”

A few people actually laughed.

The officiant turned to me. “Adela Sinclair,” he said. “You may speak your vows.”

I turned to face Rafe fully, the silk of my dress brushing against his leg.

My heart raced while I stared at the man before me.

“I never dreamed of white dresses like the other little girls,” I said, my voice echoing across the stone courtyard.

“I never wanted a love that exhausted or bored me like those women I graduated school with. I wanted something that could stand the fire that had always been within me.”

My eyes locked with his, and the corner of his mouth curved in that wicked, lethal grin that always made me want to drop to my knees.

“Then I met you, Rafe Vaughan,” I went on, steady. “A man who didn’t ask me to shrink. Who didn’t flinch when I bared my teeth. You met my power with your own, and instead of trying to dull my edges, you sharpened my blade.”

The wind stirred, brushing through my veil-less hair.

“You are chaos wrapped in discipline. Violence with a crown. And still, I choose you. Not in spite of the blood on your hands, but because you wear it without shame. Because you never lied about the monster beneath your skin. And because I’m so goddamn deranged that I found it fascinating.”

He was breathing harder now, his jaw tight, his eyes ice and flame all at once.

“I vow to match your wrath with mine,” I said, louder now. “Forever and always.”

My hand found his.

“We are not gentle people, you and I. What we have is brutal. And beautiful. And honest. And in this moment, I give you everything I am. My name. My empire. My loyalty.”

I squeezed his hand, gaze unblinking.

“I take you as my equal. As my king. Not just until death tries to part us, but even beyond that.”

The officiant’s eyes sparked with approval before turning to Rafe. “Rafe Vaughan.” The name alone made several guests sit straighter. “You may speak your vows.”

He held my hand a little tighter, stepping closer until there was barely a breath between us.

“I never thought I’d love anyone,” he said, eyes locked on mine.

“Not really. Not the way a man like me is built to. I was forged in the blood my father spilled to build this empire. I was taught to take, to rule, to destroy. But then I found you.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw as he swallowed, as if the truth was heavy on his tongue.

“You didn’t ask me to be good. You didn’t flinch when you saw the violence I carry in my hands. You looked at the monster... and you fucking smiled . And moaned.”

The whole courtyard held still. Even the wind, the birds, and the men with guns along the perimeter. The air bowed to us in that moment.

A dark smile curved his lips. “You are vicious. Brilliant. Beautiful. And you’re mine .”

My heart thudded, hard and fast, against the cage of my ribs.