Page 38 of Monsters Wear Crowns (Crowned Monsters Duet #1)

Rafe didn’t turn right away. When he did, his face was unreadable. “Moreau’s trying to secure new partnerships. Ones that could double his resources and stifle one of my clients.”

The cold that had settled in my chest spread deeper. “Do we know who he’s trying to get?”

“Not yet.” His eyes met mine. “But we will.”

I crossed my arms, trying to hold my ground even when I felt it shifting under me. “How is this all going to end?”

The smile he gave me wasn’t a smile at all. “In one of us monsters killing the other.”

I wanted to say that was enough, that his ruthlessness was exactly what we needed. But the words stuck. There was a difference between a man who fought for survival and one who enjoyed the bloodshed. And I was honestly beginning to wonder which one Rafe Vaughan really was.

Before I could say anything more, his phone rang again. He held up a finger while he answered. “Vincent, what did you find?”

I hugged myself as a gust of wind ruffled my hair and silk robe.

“Wonderful, we’ll meet at the Orchard House tonight. Thank you, man.” He hung up, finally placing his phone in his back pocket.

“The Orchard House?” I asked, shivering from yet another gust of wind.

“It’s one of our safe locations outside of the city,” he answered quickly. “Vince said that he found something good we could use against Moreau, but he needs some time to get it.”

My stomach clenched at that. This entire thing had spiraled out of control, and it only became worse after I had gotten together with Rafe. “That’s great,” I smiled. “Laura’s got the office under control today, so I guess I have an unexpected day off.”

He grinned, approaching me with a sigh. “What do you want to do today?”

I made a quick show out of contemplating, and he laughed. My heart jumped at the sound. “I would honestly love to just get some coffee and maybe go to a bookstore.”

Rafe raised a dark brow, his voice a low, sensual whisper. “Did you need some new dirty books, little doe?”

I couldn’t hide my blush. I loved it when we flirted like this. Life felt too stressful lately. “Maybe.”

He bit his bottom lip, pulling me in for a quick, passionate kiss. One that set my entire fucking soul on fire. “I think I’m a little overdressed for coffee and books. Let’s get dressed and try to have a relaxing day for once.”

“Like a regular boyfriend and girlfriend?” I joked, turning and sliding the glass door open.

“Precisely,” he kissed my cheek.

Seeing Rafe in casual clothes was honestly just about as breathtaking as seeing him in a suit.

I nearly choked on my water when I watched him step out into the sun wearing a pair of khaki pants with a white long-sleeved shirt and brown loafers.

He screamed money with the elegant way he walked, dressed, and talked.

“Wow, look at you,” he grinned, his gaze sweeping over my short-sleeved flowy, blue floral dress and blue bow tying half of my hair back.

The neckline plunged, offering a lovely view of the swells of my breasts.

My wispy bangs were styled so they perfectly framed my face.

“I’m not used to seeing you in anything that’s not skin-tight. Arguably, I might like this the best.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, hush. I figured I’d look the part of girlfriend instead of savage queen today.”

His hand found my lower back and pulled me in for a kiss as his black car pulled up.

***

It was a Tuesday morning, so the bookstore wasn’t nearly as busy as usual. Thank goodness. We strolled through the front door, welcomed by the nostalgic smell of thousands of books. I led him toward the romance section while sipping my iced vanilla lavender latte.

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” he started, coming to stand beside me while I perused.

“Oh, no, thinking ?” I raised a brow at him .

“Oh, shut up.” He lightly spanked me. “No, I was thinking that it’s been a while since I’ve made you feel…alive.”

My stomach dipped. “Rafe, every day with you recently has made me realize just how close to death I am at any given moment.”

He laughed low, swirling his iced coffee like he had all the time in the world. “Well, I have an idea.”

I turned away from him to scan the shelves, enjoying the chase and the feeling of his eyes on my back. “Is that so?”

“Yes.”

The single word sent a current down my spine. I shivered when his body pressed up behind me–solid, warm, commanding. “What’s your–”

“Hold this, please,” he murmured, slipping the iced coffee into my hand.

Before I could ask a damn thing, his hands gripped my hips, pulling me flush against the hardness already straining in his pants. His mouth grazed my ear, voice laced with sin.

“Try to be quiet, love. I’ll keep watch.”

My breath caught. And then his hand was under my dress. Fuck.

The cold air kissed my thighs as he shoved the hem up with little patience. My heart thundered as his fingers found the waistband of my brown lace panties, slipping beneath without hesitation.

The first press of his middle finger inside me was enough to make my knees go weak. I nearly gasped out loud.

“Shh, baby,” he whispered, nuzzling behind my ear as his finger curled inside me. “Don’t want anyone knowing how soaked you already are.”

I bit down on my lip, holding both of our iced coffees in my trembling hands like some absurd attempt at composure. He took his time–lazy strokes, slow circles over my clit that made my legs quiver.

“You got so wet, so fast,” he chuckled darkly. “Is that because we’re in public? Or just because it’s me?”

“Rafe,” I breathed, my voice barely audible, every inch of me burning.

“God, I love it when you say my name like that,” he growled. “Like your throat can’t decide if it wants to moan or beg.”

I was spiraling–utterly fucked in the head and loving it. We were in the middle of the goddamn New York Public Library, surrounded by ancient texts and silent rules, and Rafe Vaughan was knuckle-deep inside me. And I never wanted him to stop.

He slipped in a second finger, groaning against the back of my neck as he stretched me. “So tight,” he rasped. “You grip me like your body knows who it belongs to.”

I whimpered, clenching around him, dizzy with need. My dress was bunched up around my thighs, my panties shoved to the side, and still he moved like we had all the time in the world.

His palm pressed hard against my clit as he worked his fingers deeper, faster. Precise. Devastating. “You look so fucking cute taking my fingers, baby,” he whispered. “Like a good little slut who just wanted a book and a brutal orgasm.”

My thighs trembled, my hands tightening around the iced coffees until the plastic crinkled.

“I can’t–Rafe–I’m gonna–”

“Shhh.”

His other hand clamped over my mouth, silencing the cry as the orgasm ripped through me like lightning. My body bowed, back arched against him as heat surged through every nerve ending.

“That’s it,” he growled, fingers never slowing. “Come for me. So fucking pretty when you break.”

I came hard–stars behind my eyelids, teeth against his palm, thighs shaking as he milked every last tremor from my body. His fingers stayed inside me, stroking me through it, claiming me.

When he finally pulled out, I sagged against him, boneless and dazed. And then he brought his fingers to his lips and sucked them clean. Slowly. Like he wanted me to watch every second.

“Goddamn, Rafe,” I breathed, cheeks flushed and pulse still erratic.

He kissed the shell of my ear, smirking. “Next time,” he said, taking his coffee back from my hand, “we’ll see how many shelves I can fuck you against before we get caught.”

“That did it,” I shook my head, euphoria buzzing through my head.

He shrugged like what he just did for me wasn’t a big deal. “You’re very welcome,” he laughed, snatching his iced coffee back. “Now, let’s buy you some books and get home.”

My heart swelled at his words.

Home.

As much as I wanted to feel Rafe fuck me when we returned home, I had another idea.

He opened the car door for me like a proper gentleman, earning a few intrigued glances from three women walking by.

I smiled, sliding into my seat. I couldn’t believe that he was mine.

Jesus, this man was everything I needed.

Average, boring men never seemed to do it.

But Rafe…I was always fantasizing about him taking me and doing things like what he just did.

After shutting his door and putting his seatbelt on, he looked at me and winked .

I couldn’t stop myself. I leaned over, putting my head on his shoulder, earning an amused chuckle.

“I really want to thank you for what you did for me,” I whispered into his ear while my right hand slid down his muscular chest. He tensed beneath my touch, pulling out of the parking lot .

“What are you doing?” he asked with a smirk, his eyes watching the road.

I answered by unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants with one hand. His breath stuttered while I fisted his cock. “Well, well, you’re already hard for me,” I smiled, squeezing with an upward stroke.

He clenched his jaw. “Watching you come is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. And I’ve been picturing what I was going to do to you when we got home.”

Heat flooded me again. “Do you want me to stop?” I asked innocently, tracing my fingers along his shaft.

“No,” he gritted out. “I’m still going to fuck you when we get back. I’ll just last longer, now.”

I grinned like a greedy cat. “I’d love that.”

Rafe merged onto the highway, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on his thigh. My fingers wrapped around his cock again, slow strokes teasing over the thick length of him. He was so big my fingertips didn’t even meet, and the weight of him in my hand made my body ache with anticipation.

A low groan rumbled from his chest. “I love seeing your pretty hand around my cock.”

I smiled, watching the way his eyes flicked toward my French-tipped nails. “Me too,” I murmured, voice thick with heat. “But I know something you’ll love even more.”