Page 57 of Crowned Queen (Blood Empire 2)

I smile as I watch two of the best women to ever walk this earth dance. I’ve only been exposed to monsters who only saw good looks and a quick buck in me, taking things from me that they had no right to take. But Harlow, she rids the world of such evil. She makes the world a better place, even if it's in a morally wrong way. She would never hurt someone who didn't deserve it, and never in that way.

And Evie. She’s the sweetest soul there is and happens to be utterly in love with her Queen. The look Evie is giving Harlow makes me emotional seeing that much affection for another person.

The more Harlow sings, the more Evie looks ready to drag her into one of their offices. They are adorable together. Evie talks to me about everything, and I love that she trusts me enough to be so open with her feelings. She told me that Harlow is, well... very Queenie in the bedroom, but that's kind of a given and Evie loves it. But when it's just their day-to-day life, she's her regular Harlow self; sweet, protective, teasing, and with an overall oddball personality.

I love hanging out with them. It’s always in a relaxing carefree atmosphere.

“I don't get it,” Axel says, watching the two girls on the dance floor. “She has my brother and my cousins by the balls, isn't that enough? She’s so fucking selfish.”

“Hey,” I say, turning to look at him. “I know you two aren’t in a good place right now, but I care about you both, and I don't appreciate you talking about her like that. It needs to stop. Harlow is different from most women. She has been through some of the most fucked-up things that a person can go through. I should know, I’ve had a pretty similar life, and gone through some of the same stuff she has. It fucks you up, never leaving you the same as before. It slowly eats away at your mind and soul, but here she is, opening up to not only one person but five.

“Be grateful that such a strong, powerful, and dangerous woman cares about your cousins and your brother. Why should she feel bad about loving her best friend, the person who kept her going through her time in Hell? She became a mother to your niece when the person who gave birth to her failed her. You're letting something that happened when you were eighteen affect you as a grown man, after all this time. Get over it! And stop being a disrespectful ass to the woman you’re in love with, because, Axel, I’m not stupid. I see it in the way you look at her. So just stop it.”

I’m normally a very quiet person, not one to speak my mind and to just go with the flow because I’m just happy to be out of the Hell I’ve been in for years. I don't complain. I don’t fret. I just leave things be, but I can’t stand to hear him talk about the woman, who is literally my savior, like that.

Axel’s face softens. “Hey. I’m sorry,” he says, getting up off his bench to pull my vibrating body into his arms. He freezes and curses like he just realized he didn't ask to touch me, but when he goes to pull away I wrap my arms around him, pulling him back into the hug. We stay like that for a moment until my heart rate levels out.

Axel sighs. “Look, I can't promise you that we’ll be besties, but if it means that much to you, I’ll stop giving her a hard time. Maybe I’ll just avoid her or something.”

I sigh, getting frustrated because he's not understanding. “Axel, you will never be able to avoid her. She will be in your life forever whether you like it or not. Stop torturing yourself and tell her. You deserve love and she just might surprise you.”

He snorts, shaking his head. “Yeah, maybe,” he says, just to humor me.

“Is it really worth losing your family over? You're picking a grudge with an eighteen-year-old girl over your brother and cousins.”

“I am not!” he growls.

“No? Because the more you put down the woman they love and avoid them becauseshe’swith them, that’s just proof you are choosing that grudge over them. Every time you get into a fight with the guys, it’s because of something you did or said to her. It’s creating a wedge between you and your family. When they’re mad you just come and hang out with me and as much as I enjoy our friendship, you need your family too.”

He goes to argue because he does not enjoy being wrong when his phone rings. He sighs and looks at the screen. “Shit. I need to take this, it's about work. Do you think you will be okay for a moment?”

I look over and see Harlow give Evie a kiss before Evie heads into the back and Harlow makes her way over to us. “Yeah, I’ll be okay.”

“Hey.” Harlow gives me a beaming smile that’s infectious, but Axel just mutters to himself before leaving. “What’s his deal?” she asks, taking a seat next to me.

“Axel is just being Axel.” I chuckle lightly. My body hums whenever Harlow is around. She makes me feel free, alive, and like a new man.She will never truly know or understand just how much she means to me.

“What else is new?” She rolls her eyes. “When is that Sasquatch gonna stop hating me? It's really getting old, and he's not doing himself any favors. He’s pushing the guys away the more he doesn't come around to the fact that I’m with them.”

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I think they need to spend some time together. Maybe some time away from all of this will help,” I say gesturing to encompass the club and Harlow herself.

Her face looks thoughtful for a moment before she speaks. “You know what, you're right... and I think I know just the thing.” She grins.

Neo walks into the room, greeting the girls before locking his eyes on Harlow. “Gotta go. Once they leave, I think we’ll need to have a sleepover. You know Rosie loves them.”

“Sounds perfect,” I smile.

She squeezes my hand lightly before blowing me a kiss as she says goodbye. She runs across the room, jumping into Neo’s arms with a giggle as he spins her around then pushes her up against the wall, which is when they proceed to eat each other's faces.Well, that's what it looks like from here anyway.

“Hey, you,” Evie says. “Wanna go watch a movie or something? Harlow gave me the night off. Well, she told me to go home, then stole my laptop. I’ve been trying to find out where she hid it, even tried to tempt her. It failed, but I got an orgasm out of it.” I snort at her random bluntness. Her cheeks go pink. “Sorry.”

“I think it's safe to say we are close enough to talk openly about stuff like that.” I laugh and glance over at Neo, who is sneaking up behind Axel on the phone. Harlow stands there, smiling wide as she watches Neo grab the back of Axel’s pants and pull up. Axel lets out a curse, spinning around with a look of murder shining brightly in his eyes.

“Did you just give me a fucking wedgie? For fuck’s sake, Neo, grow up!” Neo punches Axel in the nuts before taking off, grabbing Harlow’s hand and dragging her away, the two of them laughing like children.

“He scares me.”There's something unhinged about that man.Without Harlow, he would truly be something to worry about. I know that Harlow would never let something happen to me, but the way that man is consumed by her, I don't want to find out what he would do if he ever felt threatened.

“Yeah, that one’s an oddball. He’s like a big, plushy teddy bear with a rusty fork and the need to spill blood. But that's just another Monday around here.” She laughs as she turns to me. “You see it, right?”

“See what?”

“Why it doesn't matter that Harlow enjoys the bloodshed, the need to kill.”

“Yeah, I do.” Because there is so much more to Harlow McKaven than meets the eye. You just have to be willing to look past the crazy to see the beauty at the center of it all.

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