Crown of Lies (Pretty Ruthless Monsters Book 2) by Eva Ashwood

Author:Eva Ashwood [Ashwood, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-11-29T00:00:00+00:00

24

NICO

I give the signal, and we move toward the loading dock. The lack of guards outside is unsettling, but I push the thought aside. Harlan’s arrogance could be working in our favor, or this could be a trap. Either way, we’re committed now.

My mind races with thoughts of Quinn even as my body operates on pure instinct. I scan the area, noting potential entry points and escape routes. The loading dock door is our best bet—less secure than the main entrance, easier to breach quietly.

I motion to Atlas and Killian, directing them to take positions on either side of the door. My fingers work quickly, picking the lock with practiced ease. The click of the mechanism releasing sends a jolt through my system—we’re in.

We slip inside and huddle behind a stack of crates, giving our eyes a chance to adjust to the dimly lit warehouse.

The place is fucking cavernous, and it should be easy to pick up every footstep, every voice. Still, I have to strain my ears for any sign of movement, any hint of where they might be holding Quinn. The silence is oppressive, broken only by our shallow, controlled breathing and the faint hum of distant machinery.

As we creep through the warehouse, my mind races, flooded with memories of Quinn. The first time I laid eyes on her flashes before me—her fierce determination, that glint of defiance in her eyes. All the heated exchanges and bitter rivalry play out like a movie in my head, each frame confirming the undeniable spark between us.

Our wedding day. Yeah, it was a sham wedding, but fuck she looked good that day. I’d thought I’d won then, believed I’d finally conquered her.

Fuck, how wrong I was.

The night she snuck into my room, knife in hand, replays vividly. The dim light glinting off the blade, the tension crackling in the air. That moment when everything changed, when the line between hate and desire blurred beyond recognition.

I shake my head, trying to focus on the present. We need to find her, need to end this. But the memories keep coming, relentless.

The way she felt in my arms, her body molding to mine like she was made for me. The fire that ignited every time we touched, every kiss a battle for dominance. I remember thinking I could break her, tame her.

Instead, she burrowed her way under my skin, into my veins, until I couldn’t tell where I ended and she began.

I think about the days I kept her captive, convinced I was punishing her. The satisfaction I thought I’d feel as I tortured her, tried to make her submit. But with every scream, every defiant glare, something inside me shifted.

I told myself I hated her. Repeated it like a mantra, desperate to believe it. Thought if I said it enough, it would become true.

But that was another fucking lie.

I clench my fist, anger and self-loathing coursing through me. We fucked up. I fucked up. The lies, the manipulation—it all started with us. With me.

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