Page 85 of Monsters Wear Crowns
Rafe’s jaw tightened. “Because it won’t change anything.”
“It’ll changeeverything,” I whispered. “Rafe…if you love me, you’ll tell me the truth.”
The words hung between us, heavier than I meant them to be. He went still–so still, it was terrifying. And then he laughed, low and bitter like I’d said something foolish.
“Love?” he said, stepping closer until there was barely any space between us. “Is that what you think this is?”
The words were a slap. But I held my ground. “If it isn’t, tell me now.”
He didn’t answer. His silence cut deeper than any words could have.
I swallowed the ache rising in my throat. “Great. Now, at least, I know my worth to you. I am just protection from whatever horrid fucking shit you’ve done. I don’t even know if you deserve my protection because I know fuck all about you!”
He flinched. Just barely. But I saw it.
I took a step back, my chest tight. “I see.”
“Adela–”
“No.” I held up a hand. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to use every piece of me without givinganythingback.”
For the first time, his control cracked. “I told you, I’m keeping you alive.”
“Is that all this is, then? You never answered me.” I whispered. “Is this just a business arrangement with a little sex on the side?”
He didn’t answer. And that silence was my breaking point.Why the fuck couldn’t he answer that question?
I turned on my heel, heading for the door. I couldn’t breathe in this room–not with him standing there, holding everything back. But his hand closed around my arm, spinning me back toward him.
“Let go,” I warned.
“I can’t,” he said, his voice raw. “You want the truth? Fine. Your mother–”
The door burst open. One of Rafe’s men stood there, his face pale and grim.
“What’s wrong, Kieran?” Rafe asked urgently.
Kieran ran his hand over his long black hair, his brown eyes wide. “There’s been a breach,” he said. “At Sinclair Solutions.”
My blood turned to ice. With a quickness I didn’t realize was possible, I was calling Laura.
Laura’s voice was a razor through the phone line. “Adela, we’re–”
“I know. What’s happening?”
“Theget your ass down here right nowkind. Our firewall’s taking hits from every direction. These aren’t your garden-variety hackers. They know exactly where to strike.”
I was already moving, yanking on my shoes and grabbing my bag. “How bad?”
Laura’s silence was answer enough. Then, quietly: “It’s not just a breach, Adela. They’re going after the client database. And they’re putting a lot of effort into Rafe’s.”
I froze in the middle of the bedroom. My pulse slammed in my throat. “What?”
“They’re ripping to get at his information,” she said, and I could hear her fingers flying over her keyboard. “We’ve contained most of it, but if they get through this last layer–”
“I’m on my way.”
I hung up before she could respond, heart pounding as I bolted for the door. Rafe was waiting in the hallway, like he alwayswas, eyes narrowing as soon as he saw my face. “What’s wrong?”
