Page 38 of Crowned Queen (Blood Empire 2)

She huffs out a laugh, shaking her head before giving him a sad, pitying smile.

“The difference is, no one here looked at you like you were a sex object. There’s no laughing, no one pointing and making you into a freak show.”

“Um, I did?” I say, raising my hand with a grin. Harlow looks at me, giving me a look that just about stops my heart, but also low-key got my dick hard.Right now isn't the time.My grin slips and I give her a guilty look as I put my hand down. Man, I really need to learn how to read a fucking room.

“You added your own humiliation. You cared way too much about what others thought that you hyped up the situation to be worse than it really was. You see guys dancing in my cages all the time, girls as well. You were not put up there to be ridiculed, you were put up there to punish yourself. And the chastity belt...” She grins, looking at the medieval contraption. “That one was just for me. So how about you stop seeing me as some evil villain, and maybe try getting to know me instead. Your brother and cousins have, maybe you should too.” With that, she turns and leaves, Evie following after her, taking her hand as they walk side by side.

I might not like the idea of sharing my Queen with more people, specifically with people I don't know well, but Idoknow Evie is good for her, and genuinely loves her. So, I’ll just get the fuck over it.

“Come on, fucker. Get out,” I say, opening the cage. He gets out with a huff and takes off for the staff room, walking like a crab with a broomstick up his ass. I pull out my phone and videotape this shit too.

We meet Axel outside at the car. It’s silent all the way home. The car ride is rife with tension. No one wants anything to do with him right now. “So you're just gonna ignore me now?” he grumbles from the passenger's side.

“Yes. Because if we don't, we will probably end up killing you,” Cass growls, casting a glare at from the driver's seat.

“Come on! She’s fucking ridiculous! I mean, not only does she have you three wrapped around her finger, but you’re not even good enough for her that she goes and starts something with Evie? Doesn't that piss you off?”

Cass turns to face him. “No, it doesn't because Harlow isn't like everyone else. I don’t give a fuck if she’s with Evie or anyone else she chooses to add to our group. I’m just grateful that she has allowed me back in. I think I can speak for the others, as well on that,” Cass argues. Dean and I grunt our agreement. “I was ready to share her with you all back when we were teenagers, and I’m still okay with it now. As long as I get a piece of her heart, I don't care who she chooses to give the other pieces to. She went to Hell and came back. If we can offer any type of love, trust, or happiness to her, then I’m going to damn well do it.”

Axel says nothing, just looks out the window with his jaw clenched. “You know, if you would just get over whatever the fuck has you hating her so much, she would let you in too. I mean you have a hell of a lot of work to do to make it up to her, but you could be where we are,” I tell him, looking at him from the back seat.

“Yeah, okay,” he scoffs.

“You do know she loved all of us back then, right?”

“What?” That got him to turn his head.

“When we were teenagers, she loved us all, not just Cass,” I tell him.

“Then why did she pick him?” he growls, hurt flickering over his face, as he turns to face me.

“Because I was the only one who took the chance and made a move!” Cass snaps.

“Well, how the fuck was I suppose to know?” Axel snaps back. “You mean to tell me that if we would have also told her how we felt, you would have just let us all date her too? Please,” he lets out a humorless laugh.

“Yes, I just said that,” Cass tells him. I look in the rearview mirror to see he's dead serious.

“That's it, isn't it,” I huff out a laugh, shaking my head. “You hate Harlow because you think she chose your brother over you.”

“No! Fuck you. You don't know anything,” he growls.

“Neo and I, we weren't ready for Harlow. Not that Harlow. She was too pure, too innocent, even after everything she went through growing up. Cass was what she needed then, and maybe even you if you would have told her your feelings,” Dean says, growing angry at Axel.

Cass parks the car in the garage and shuts the engine off. “I did!” Axel shouts. “I fucking told her I loved her, and she turned me down! So fuck you! Fuck all of you!” He pushes the car door open, getting out and slamming it shut, taking off and disappearing into the house.

“There is so much more to this story that we don't know.” Cass sighs, running his hands down his face.

“Yup. But if he doesn't talk to her and work out whatever the fuck is going on, he’s gonna lose her for good. There's only so much she's willing to give up or take a chance on to make things work and have anything that resembles a relationship,” Dean says, getting out of the car.

Fuck.Today has been one fucking wild ride. But every day with Harlow is, and I love it. Now, time to go have some snuggles with Mr. Bacon.

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