Page 24 of Monsters Wear Crowns (Crowned Monsters Duet #1)

The soft clink of my wine glass against the cool marble countertop filled the quiet of my penthouse. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city shimmered–a sea of lights against the velvet night. But I wasn’t paying attention to that.

I leaned against the kitchen island, scrolling through my phone with one hand, the other trailing the rim of my glass. My eyes flicked over headline after headline–scandal, corruption, murder. Nothing new. Not when you worked with the kind of clients I did.

I snorted softly. Cute. They hadn’t even scratched the surface of what that client had really been up to.

A bold headline: Tech Mogul’s Sudden Disappearance–Foul Play Suspected.

I kept scrolling. It wasn’t rare to see my clients’ names splashed across the news.

Sometimes, it was fraud. Sometimes, it was a murder or money laundering.

I’d grown used to the chaos, the scandals, and the whispers, but lately, I felt I was teetering closer to the edge than I ever had before.

I didn’t want my company in the headlines.

My phone buzzed against the marble.

When I saw the number, a slow smile curved my lips.

Unknown Number: Wear a dress for me.

The glass hit the countertop with a soft thud as I set it down and straightened. The warm flush in my blood had nothing to do with the wine. I stared at the message a second longer than I needed to, savoring the ripple of anticipation it sent through me.

He actually texted me from his real phone number.

I downed the rest of my drink and went to get ready.

I chose the red dress. It was sleek and sinful, the color of blood and temptation.

The plunging neckline dared anyone to look, and the hemline didn’t leave much to the imagination either.

Paired with black heels and a swipe of red lipstick, I looked every bit the woman I wanted the world to see: powerful and fucking untouchable.

I stored his number and stepped into the elevator. When the following message came through, my pulse kicked up.

Rafe: Here.

The doors slid open with a soft chime, and the warm summer night wrapped around me.

The black limo idled at the curb, sleek and ominous beneath the streetlights.

And when the door opened, and I saw him lounging in the shadows with those ice-blue eyes locked on me, my heart raced in a way it hadn’t in years.

I was stepping into the unknown. Into his world.

And I couldn’t wait. I craved anything that allowed me to be close to him.

His eyes swept over me, lingering on my tanned, muscular legs.

I slid into the limo, the cool leather brushing against my skin as the door shut behind me with a soft click .

The low hum of the engine barely registered over the pounding of my heart.

Rafe sat across from me in the dim light, one arm draped lazily over the back of the seat, his legs spread like he owned the world–because, in a way, he did.

His eyes traveled over me slowly, taking in every inch of the dress he’d asked me to wear. When his gaze finally reached mine, a wicked smile curved his lips. “Perfect,” he murmured, and that one word sent a slow shiver down my spine. “I expect to fuck you in that dress tonight.”

Heat flooded me, but I didn’t let myself get distracted. Not yet. I leaned back, crossed my legs, and kept my voice calm and steady. “Did you find the leak?”

For a second, he didn’t answer. He just watched me, his head tilting slightly, and the weight of his silence made my pulse skip.

Then he said, simply, “Yes.”

That one word felt like a stone dropping into my stomach. I kept my face relaxed, but my mind spun. I knew what that answer meant. He had fucking killed someone. “Is it handled?” I asked carefully.

His smile sharpened. “It’s handled.”

My throat tightened. I didn’t ask for details–I didn’t need them. I already knew what Rafe Vaughan’s version of handled looked like. Blood. Bodies. Silence. I wondered if he did it himself or had someone do it for him.

I shouldn’t have been surprised. I knew what he was, and I’d still chosen to step into his world.

But knowing it in theory and facing it in reality were two very different things.

The limo moved smoothly through the city, but the space between us felt charged and sensual.

I watched him pull a crystal tumbler from the mini bar and pour a measure of whiskey, the muscles in his forearm flexing beneath his rolled-up white suit sleeves. He offered me the glass without a word.

I took it, more to steady my hands than anything else. The whiskey burned as I swallowed, but it did nothing to chase away the ache in my chest, the strange mixture of fear and desire I always felt around him.

“You’re quiet, little doe ,” he said softly, watching me over the rim of his glass. “Does my efficiency bother you?”

I met his gaze, forcing myself to hold it. “I don’t like loose ends. I assume you don’t either.”

His eyes gleamed. “We agree on that, then.” But there was a darkness behind his words.

“And what happens when the next threat comes?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “When someone else tries to get into my system?”

Rafe carefully set his glass down and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. When he spoke, his voice was low. “Then they bleed,” he said. “Just like this one did.”

My stomach flipped, but I refused to show weakness.

I’d grown up surrounded by powerful, dangerous men–men who would crush me if I let them see fear.

And I wouldn’t start now. Not even with him.

Especially not with him. But the worst part I couldn’t admit, even to myself, was that the danger only made me want him more.

The limo eased to a slow stop at a red light, the faint glow of the city spilling in through the tinted windows. I could feel the weight of Rafe’s attention like a physical touch–the heat of it sliding over my skin, curling around my throat.

“How can you be so calm?” I asked, my voice soft but steady. “You know someone’s coming after you.”

A slow smile tugged at his mouth. “I told you, I’m always prepared.”

“Prepared for what?”

His eyes darkened. “War. It’s a constant threat in our world. You should know that.”

I nodded. I was aware of that constant, looming threat.

At any point, someone could try to take me down.

I’d go to prison for fucking life if it came out who I protected.

Oh well, it was the excitement and the darkness that kept me sane.

Because honestly? If I was doing anything else, I’d be bored as shit.

The limo started moving again, the soft vibration under my legs a reminder of just how fast things were spiraling.

“And what happens when that war touches my company?” I asked, keeping my voice cool.

He tilted his head, considering me. “It won’t.”

“And I’m just supposed to take your word on that?”

He smiled. “You’re supposed to trust me. ”

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “I don’t trust anyone , Rafe.”

His eyes gleamed. “That’s because no one’s ever earned it.”

The words slipped under my skin too easily, burrowing into places I didn’t want touched. And annoyingly...he wasn’t wrong.

I drained the rest of my whiskey and set the glass aside. And when I turned back to him, he was still watching me, his gaze sliding lower. His attention was wildly intense.

“Why did you ask me to come with you tonight?” I asked.

“Because I wanted you there.”

“And because you want me to see how you do business.”

He smiled like a predator. “You already know how I do business, Adela.”

“I haven’t. Not really.” I swallowed. “If I decide this is too risky?”

He leaned forward slowly, until there was barely a breath of space between us. His voice was a low, velvet threat. “Then I’ll convince you to stay.”

I bit my lip. I hated how easily he could do this. Lifting my chin, I met his gaze. “Is that a promise? Or a threat?”

His smile was wicked. “Both, baby.”

The limo slowed, and I realized we were approaching a private airstrip. The sleek, black shape of a helicopter waited on the tarmac, its blades already spinning.

I glanced back at him, one brow arching. “Going somewhere?”

He reached for the door handle, but not before his fingers brushed my thigh, just enough to make me suck in a breath.

“If you wanted to see more of...how I do business,” he murmured. “Then join me.” The door opened, and warm summer air rushed in. I stepped out, my heels clicking against the pavement, and when Rafe joined me, his heat at my back was enough to make me shiver.

This was perilous. I knew it. But I followed him anyway .

The wind whipped at my hair as we approached the helicopter, the low thrum of the blades vibrating through the air. He walked ahead of me like he owned the world. Maybe he did, in his own way. Power clung to him, effortless and destructive.

The pilot nodded at him in silent acknowledgment, and when Rafe offered me his hand to help me up, I hesitated just for a second.

“You’re sure about this?” I asked, my voice low.

His eyes flashed with amusement. “No, love . But we’re going anyway.”

I took his hand and settled into the plush leather seat beside him. The helicopter lifted smoothly into the night sky, and the lights of the city sprawled out below us like a glittering sea. I tried to focus on the view, but his presence made it nearly impossible.

“Where are we going?” I asked after a long silence.

He turned his head toward me, his mouth curving in that slow smile. “Shipping yard.”

“You’re not concerned with being intercepted?” I asked casually, though my stomach twisted slightly.

“Not entirely,” he admitted, his hand landing on my knee.

“That’s reassuring.”

He chuckled, nudging me playfully. And my heart did a little flip when he did.

The helicopter began to descend, and my gaze swept over the shipping yard. It was filled with cranes, containers, and floodlights painting the night in cold gold.

Rafe’s world.