Page 7 of Cruel Crown

I started to move away to get what I needed when Gideon reached out and pulled me back by my hip.

“Give me your mouth, Petal.”

And because time was of the essence, I did. I turned my head and kissed him. It was soft, unlike anything I had ever felt before. A low growl emitted from his throat and tingles shot down my spine.

“Hurry the fuck up because I need to be inside of you,” he growled.

While he went to the basement, I went to my room and grabbed an extra pair of blankets, then went to the bag in my closet and mixed some stuff that would let the girl sleep through the whole night. She needed her rest, and for one night, I wanted peace.

With a syringe in one hand, the blankets, water, and a warm rag in the other, I made my way to the basement where Gideon already had the girl on a cot.

“You do this often, love?” he asked, referring to the chains around the bed.

“It’s one of my safe houses,” I admitted as I grabbed the syringe and injected it behind the girl’s neck. While it took effect, I grabbed the blanket and put it over her body.

“I like to be prepared for anything,” I told him before I left the room. I went to my kitchen, where I had various vials of different vitamins ready to be injected. In this line of work, you were always on the go, and more often than not, sleep was a privilege and not a right. For your body to be in the best shape possible, you had to feed it accordingly, but that wasn’t always possible. I liked to inject vitamins frequently. They gave me a boost and made it possible for me to keep spreading myself thin.

When I came back down, he had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, showing me the tattoos that now adorned his arm. One of his hands had skeletal shading from the wrist going up to his knuckles. On his other hand was a broken crown, with the word “mad” on his middle fingers—theaan anarchy symbol.

It didn’t take a genius that it was an ode to his old life in MI6. He renounced his loyalties and was now revolting against said government.

“You like what you see?” His husky voice snapped me out of my momentary lapse of sanity.

Shrugging, I replied, “Just wondering why all the tattoos? We both know they’re a liability.”

He grinned at me, and we both knew I was admiring his body, but like hell if I’d admit it aloud.

“I’m not scared. I’m not hiding. If they want me, they can come fucking find me.”

Nothing held him back anymore. Weirdly it made my lower stomach quiver, and the ache that I had between my legs since the moment I saw him outside of Yates’s house intensified.

Keeping myself busy seemed like the way to go. Grabbing the warm cloth, I cleaned the girl’s face, sighing in relief when she didn’t stir. I wouldn’t have to deal with her asking me to kill her again.

She was young, a little taller than me, with brown hair. Her skin was pale with a gray hue from lack of sun. She was basically skin and bones, and this was only what I could assess from the outside.

“The chains were used for training,” I found myself explaining.

His voice was low, and the energy in the room changed. “Was it for the tycoon bastard?”

“Yes,” I replied as my eyes met his.

“Did you fuck him?”

“Have you stayed celibate since the last time I saw you?”

His jaw went taut, and I could see he was grinding his molars, but he couldn’t deny it, and I was glad he didn’t try to lie to me.

“Come on, I’ll inject you,” I said as I started to walk away.

“What, are you going to put me to sleep too?” he bit out.

“Vitamins. You’re going to need stamina to keep up with me.”

And just like that, a playful glint came to his eyes, and it gave me a thrill.

The basement was bare, and there was a bathroom attached, no windows, and it locked from the outside. My cabin was remote, so no one would be able to hear the girl if she decided to start screaming. Once Gideon stepped foot into the kitchen, I locked the door.

“Up the stairs, the last door on the right,” I said as I grabbed a cup of water and more supplies. Once I finished my water, I left the cup in the sink and asked myself what was I doing?

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