Page 58 of Cruel Crown

“I got that much,” I said, annoyed.

“You think you’re special?” the grandfather said in English. “Pero no eres nada,” he went on.You are nothing. “Besondere.”Special. He finished in German.

“My granddaughter is a prodigy, and so is Damian, and the American looks like a dipshit, but he has his uses.”

Bastian turned to grin at me. “I speak Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Latin, and American Sign Language. I’m also a black belt in various forms of martial arts and can fly anything smaller than a jet.”

“Sign language?” I raised my eyebrows at him.

He shrugged. “Seven-year-old me thought it was cool as fuck to talk with your hands.”

“What they’re trying to say,” Daphne said, glaring at all of us, “is that you’re notthatspecial. Everyone who becomes Sekten is gifted or can offer us a gift.” She ignored me and tapped the screen at all the dots I was looking at before.

“These are field agents. They are the ones who hide in the shadows that have less-intensive training. They start out here but get accommodated and lead a more…peaceful lifestyle. Still cunning and deadly but more…civil.”

“And the ones here?”

“We’re the elite. Crème de la crème,” Bas answered for her.

“Usually, you have to prove your worth before Damian allows you into the sanctum sanctorum.”

“Told you I’m special.” I winked at the old man to piss him off. He rolled his eyes at me.

My grin came back.

“You think he brought me here to hurt you?” I said more seriously, reaching for Daphne. She seemed to hold her breath as I reached for her hair and tucked it behind her ear. Such a simple action, but it conveyed so much more.

“Yes…”

“Not happening,” I swore.

Before anyone could reply, there were three taps on the door. I reached behind my back out of habit more than anything until I realized I didn’t have a weapon with me. None of us did.

“Coast is clear…I’ll be back.” She started to walk out. I was about to go after her when her grandfather spoke.

“Don’t just stand there with your dick in your hands, and go watch her six.”

I rolled my eyes at him but ran after Daphne.

She was walking rapidly when I touched her arm.

“What’s going on, Petal?”

She looked at me and where my hand was holding her. “You shouldn’t touch me.”

I sighed tiredly. We were back to this shit.

“There are more cameras on this floor,” she finished softly.

“I’m okay. I like touching you, Petal,” I said as I scanned the corridor at where the cameras were located. I pushed her to walk a bit, then when we were in a safe zone, I pushed her against the wall. My hand came to her waist, pinning her there, and I rested my forearm on top of her head.

Before she could say anything, I kissed her. It was surreal to do this so freely without any fighting. Maybe I did have an obsession that went from her to her body, her lips, the way she said my name.

Her lips opened for me, timidly giving in to our kiss. I liked it a fucking lot. When I pulled back, there was a dazed look in her silver eyes. I liked that a lot more.

“What was that for?” she asked, her tone loud, trying to hide the fact that she was breathless.

“Because I can,” I said, kissing her right cheek. “Because I wanted to,” I said, kissing her left. “Because you’re mine,” I said against her lips before I gave her another kiss. As I pulled back, I groaned when she held my lower lip between her lips, gently biting it and pulling it. The action went straight to my dick.

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