Page 51 of Cruel Crown

“Do you get it now?” I whispered. “I break everything even when I don’t want to.”

His arms around my waist got tighter like a steel band. “Don’tyouget it? You can’t break something that’s been broken a long time ago.”

My breath hitched, but he continued.

“You’re willing to die for everything you believe in. I think that’s fucking stupid, but I also know it’s rare and beautiful. You care in ways most people will never do. You care so much that you would shed your blood for your cause, and I’m not going anywhere, Petal, because I won’t let you get away from me. I already told you that your beauty is in every lash you proudly display, in the defiance you carry in your eyes. Beauty is the way you live in hell and make me feel like I tasted paradise.”

“You really aren’t going anywhere, are you?” I sighed.

“Nope, not a chance in hell,” he said as he leaned in and kissed my nape. “Short hair suits you.”

“Come on.” I patted one of his hands that was around my waist. “I’ll do your physical.”

He kissed my nape again and let me go. And I thought I liked that about him. That he didn’t push when he knew I was at a breaking point. I still had a few hours for my decision, but I thought we both know where this would go.

Daphne

With my back against the headboard, I put my hands around my knees as I watched the door and waited for what would happen. It was almost twelve, and Gideon had yet to make an appearance.

He liked seeing me at my weakest but not because he got a sick pleasure in seeing me fail but because he got off on the idea of protecting me. No one ever protected me. As much as my grandmother claimed to love me, she never did anything because she was too busy trying to get revenge.

The door creaked open, and tingles spread all over my body. I heard his footsteps as he came in, and soon his body came into view. Despite the scar on his eye, he was still gorgeous. If anything, it added to his appeal. He closed the door with one hand while with the other, he carried a box.

“I am terrified of what will happen…” I said, admitting the truth as soon as he walked through the door.

“That’s okay, Petal, nothing scares me,” he said as he came to stand by the edge of the bed.

“I haven’t given you an answer yet.” I stared defiantly at him. He smiled at me, all his teeth gleaming and victory dancing in his eyes.

“You were waiting for me. Had you wanted, you would have hidden out somewhere in this fucking castle, but you didn’t.”

He had a point.

“No one can know about us.” I hoped he saw that it wasn’t because I was ashamed but because we needed to be safe.

“Petal, shut the fuck up and get over here.” He watched me with keen eyes. I knew the only way to get to his side was by crawling to him.

The moment I removed my blanket and cast it to the side, I heard his intake of breath. He was right; I was never going to say no. People often forgot the fact that I was more than a killer. There were times where I hated being a woman, for it had brought me pain and suffering, but I knew the art of seduction.

The black silk nightgown hit me just below the apex of my thighs. The moment I got on my hands and knees, I looked up. Gideon was coming out of his skin, his eyes bright and filled with lust, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He threw the box at the edge of the bed and waited for me to make my way toward him.

“Enjoy it because this is the last time I’ll ever cra—”

He pulled me by the back of my head as he bent to give me a kiss. “Trust me, baby, that image is going to be burned in my mind forever.”

I stared into his eyes as he picked the box again and handed it to me. I looked down at it. With shaky hands, I picked it up and shook it, trying to make out what was inside of it.

“What is it?” I asked as I pulled away and sat on my haunches.

“Proof that I won’t ever let anyone mess with you.”

My stomach dipped, and my curiosity piqued. I opened the lid of the box and dropped it on the bed. It was a good thing I didn’t have a weak stomach because any other woman would have screamed or thrown up.

“I told you that anyone who hurt you would end up dead.” I felt his fingers run soothingly across my cheek, calming the raging storm that was starting to take place inside my soul.

Slowly I reached for the finger that had been cut off, inspecting it, and it might be almost decaying, but I had a gut feeling who it belonged to.

“He’ll never lay another finger on you. He won’t get to touch you and caress you,” Gideon said as he tilted my chin so I could look at him. He then picked up a piece of meat that used to be pink but was now decaying. “He’ll never get to say another word to you. Lick or kiss you.” He threw the tongue back in the box, and last, he picked up the dismantled dick. “He sure as fuck will never get to rape you ever again,” he vowed as he threw the part back in the box.

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