Page 159 of Monsters Wear Crowns
“I slept with him,” I said finally, the words tasting like both confession and defeat. “Last night.”
Laura didn’t blink. “Ofcourseyou did.”
That startled a laugh out of me. “You’re not even going to pretend to be shocked?”
“Babe, I love you. But I’m notblind.” She set the bottle down and folded her arms. “You’ve been half in love with that man since the night you met him.”
“Nothalf,” I muttered.
Laura’s expression softened. “Okay. So you slept with him. Now tell me the part where you’re clearly spiraling about it.Because you look fine to me. Other than perhaps some more sleep.”
I shot her a glare. “I don’t know if I can forgive him,” I whispered. “For hurting me.”
Laura’s face went cold, her sharp features going lethal in an instant. “Words are one thing, but if that man laid his hands on you–”
“It’s not…like that.” But my voice shook, and she heard it.
“Adela.”
I looked away, folding my arms tightly across my chest. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. He… lost control. And I thought I could handle it. But when a monster loses control, it’s not just painful...it’s devastating.” I forced a bitter laugh. “He’s a possessive psychopath who kills people. I guess I should’ve known he wasn’t the sweet, bring-him-home-to-mom kind of guy.”
Laura closed the distance between us, her hands settling on my shoulders. “He raped you,” she said, her voice deadly soft. Her saying it out loud made my stomach clench. “And you still love him.”
I nodded, hating how weak it made me feel. How absolutely fucked up it was. I kept making excuses for him.
Laura’s eyes flashed. “Your heart is going to destroy you. You know that.”
“I know,” I whispered.
***
Running was supposed to help. The rhythmic pounding of my feet against the pavement, the burn in my muscles, the steady drag of air into my lungs...it was supposed to clear my head. The city was so beautiful at night, reminding me just why it was referred to as“the city that never sleeps.”Being in love with one of the most ruthless criminals I had ever known scattered my fucking mind. I wanted so badly to mute the roaring at any given moment.
But nothing could drown him out.
Rafe’s hands on my skin. His voice in my ear. His weight,his heat, hisgoddamnpresence wrapped around me like a demon trailing his favorite angel. I pushed harder, cutting through the quiet side streets where the city hadn’t fully woken. Luckily, I didn’t see Kieran’s car when I slipped into my black leggings and favorite periwinkle hoodie. Being constantly monitored was a little fucking weird for me.
As I rounded another corner, a strange chill ghosted down my spine, yanking me violently back from my wandering thoughts. The rhythm of my footsteps faltered, and goosebumps prickled across my skin. Something was wrong.It was too quiet–justmy breathing and my heartbeat.
Tires screamed.
I skidded to a stop, eyes whipping toward the sound. A black limo came out of nowhere, roaring around the bend and screeching to a halt inches from the curb. The doors flung open before the vehicle had fully stopped.
I turned to run, but hands were already on me. Too many hands. One clamped over my mouth, muffling my cry. Another hooked around my waist. A third yanked my arms behind me, twisting them until pain flared up my shoulders. I fought like hell–kicked, twisted, drove my heel into someone’s shin, and earned a grunt of pain. But it wasn’t enough. I was dragged backward into the limo, swallowed by darkness. The door slammed shut and the locks clicked.
Trapped.
My breath came in short, furious bursts as I looked up at the four silhouettes closing in. The interior of the limo was tight and suffocating, the air thick with sweat, leather, and expensive cologne. Like death in a suit.
One of them leaned in too close with a nasty sneer. “Hey, gorgeous.” His hands were on me in seconds, rough and eager, sliding up my thighs and gripping my waist like I belonged to him. “Let’s see what’s got Rafe so fucking obsessed, yeah?” he murmured, tugging at the waistband of my leggings. Behind him,the others laughed like hyenas circling prey.
But I wasn’t prey. They had no idea who the fuck they were dealing with.
They should have checked me for weapons. The knife was small, razor-sharp, tucked against the band of my leggings where no one had bothered to look. I had barely a second to reach for it.
But a second was all I needed.
I found the door of the limo and kicked off of it, loosening the men’s grip on my hands before I reached for the knife.
