Page 75 of Monsters Wear Crowns
But it didn’t. I had no idea what I’d gotten myself into with this man. If I had never agreed to this proposition, I would likely be home drinking wine, watching a romantic comedy, or reading my favorite filth.
I felt him before I heard him. The shift in the air, the faint sound of the glass door sliding open. And then rough his hands settled on my waist. Rafe didn’t speak. He didn’t have to. His presence filled the space like a storm cloud, and I wasn’t sure if it was anger or restraint.
Perhaps both.
His fingers slowly traced up my sides, and I broke out in goosebumps even through the hot water. Even now. Even when I was tired.
“You’re quiet,” I said, my voice low.
“So are you.” His mouth brushed my shoulder, and I shivered.
I turned, facing him. The water ran down his face, his dark hair slicked back, and his icy, dead-eyed stare made my heart stutter. There was something in them I couldn’t place, something destructive and distant. I almost wondered if this man was capable of anything warm. Or if his soul was as cold and metallic as the gun he used to kill.
“We justkilledpeople together,” I said, searching his face. “I think that earns me a few answers.”
One dark brow arched. “Does it?”
I glared at him. “Don’t do that. Don’t deflect.”
He tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle he hadn’t quite figured out. “What do you want me to say, Adela?”
“The truth.” The word felt like a dare.
His jaw tightened. “The truth is dangerous.”
“So am I.”
That earned me a flicker of a smile, brief and sharp, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
I stepped closer, my palms sliding up his chest. His heart was steady beneath my fingers, but there was a tension in his body.
“You asked me to stay,” I said softly. “You wanted this.”
“I still do.”
“Then let me in. Why does Moreau hate you so much? Whatexactlyhappened between you?”
He was silent. The water beat down on us, the heat and the steam wrapping around our bodies, but the cold between us was undeniable.
“Is this just about the business?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “About Sinclair Solutions protecting your empire?”
His eyes flashed. “You think I’d put you in my bed forconvenience?”
“I don’t know what to think, Rafe. You never tell me. You’re closed off.”
The silence was nearly intimidating. And then his hands were on my face, his grip almost too tight. His eyes burned into mine.
“I wantyou,” he said, low and fierce. “But wanting you doesn’t mean it’s safe.”
I swallowed hard. “Safe stopped being an option the moment I met you.”
He didn’t answer. He kissed me instead, like he was trying to prove something. Or maybe trying to forget about whatever plagued his mind.
The water cascaded over us, steam rising in thick clouds, but it wasn’t the heat of the shower that made my skin burn. It was him. The way his hands moved over me like he was memorizing every inch.
Rafe pressed me back against the cool tile, his body solid and warm against mine. The contrast sent a shiver through me, and his eyes darkened as he felt it. “I’m tired, baby. Can we forget about this for tonight?” His voice was a low murmur, his breath brushing my lips.
“Okay.” My voice wavered, and his mouth curved in a small smile. I sighed, watching the water glide over his beautiful tattoos.
