Page 144 of Monsters Wear Crowns
When he finally ended the call, the room fell into heavy silence. I waited, gathering my courage, until he turned to face me. His dark eyes softened when they met mine. But there was still a dangerous edge in them.
“Moreau’s men are pulling back,” he said quietly. “For now.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak yet. We had just exchanged heavy words.
He took a step toward me. “You should rest–”
“No.” My voice cracked, and I forced myself to stand straighter. “Rafe, we need to talk.”
Chapter 27
His brow furrowed. “Adela–”
“One of his men found me.” I swallowed hard.
Rafe tensed. “What did he say?”
I hesitated. But there was no point in softening the blow. “Moreau still wants me on his side. And after last night…” My voice faltered, but I pushed through it. “He thinks I might be ready to listen. This man watched what you did to me.”
The room turned ice-cold.
Rafe’s face didn’t change, but the energy around him shifted into that slow, quiet burn I’d seen so many times before. “That’s not going to happen,” he said, his voice dangerously soft.
“I know.” My throat tightened. “But you need to understand why he thinks he has a chance.”
He stepped closer, but I held my ground.
“Rafe, I–” I took a shaky breath. “I can’t stay here.”
The words landed like a blow. His face hardened. “No.”
“I need space.” My voice cracked, but I forced myself to keep going. “I want to go back to my apartment.”
“That’s not safe.” His voice dropped lower. “Not with Moreau watching you.”
“It’s safer than being here.”
The silence between us was almost painful.
His eyes flashed. “You think I’d let anything happen to you?”
“You already did.” My voice broke on the words, and his face went pale. “Rafe…I don’t feel safe with you anymore.”
I saw the moment it hit him. He stepped back with a sharp inhale as if I’d physically struck him. For the first time since I’d known him, Rafe Vaughan looked…lost. He turned away, raking a hand through his hair. His breathing was ragged, his shoulders tense.
“Adela–”
“I’m going,” I said quietly. “Tonight.”
He didn’t turn around. But when he finally spoke, his voice was hollow. “I’ll have someone take you.”
The words felt like a surrender. But they didn’t feel like victory.
***
The ride back to my apartment felt like a funeral procession. Rafe didn’t come with me. I hadn’t expected him to, but some twisted part of me had wanted him to fight harder. Tobegme to stay.
But he hadn’t.
