Crowned by Fate (Crowned 2)

What he has done with the place is questionable for even the slightly disturbed, but I’d be lying if I didn’t enjoy it at times.

When you lose your daughter and your wife within a span of hours, you reach for anything and everything in an attempt to fill the void that they left inside of you. But nothing sticks, because when it comes to love, and I’m talking real fucking love, there is nothing strong enough to replace it.

The room is white, with intricate paintings lined impeccably across the wall. Everything is perfectly aligned.

Because that’s Devon.

This room, also known as the sitting room, is decked out with leather sofas, three stripper poles, curved red booths, a tendered bar, dim, sensual lighting, and a corner we all know is where Devon racks up his coke. This is supposed to be his lounge room, with his bedroom and kitchen leading off the back, but he gave it his own Devon touch.

“She’s right, you know,” Max says, coming up beside me and handing me a glass of what better be fucking vodka and not water.

“About what part?” I ask, lifting the glass to my mouth.

“About how you have to get rid of all of this.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “This here. What do you see when you look around?” I don’t know why I ask him. I don’t even like this kid.

“I see a lot of wealthy men and the hottest strippers I’ve ever seen.”

I shake my head. “No, you’re seeing what we want you to see. This place isn’t open to just anyone. These people in here? Are some of the most powerful men in the United States. No one, and I mean no one, who isn’t supposed to know about The Den, knows about The Den.”

“So it’s like a gentleman’s club?”

I smirk around the rim of my glass, cracking my neck. I find myself watching my fucking wife, who has found a rather comfortable spot on a curved leather chair that sits right at the front of the room. Her legs are crossed, her drink dangling between her fingers and her robe slightly open at the front. She’s watching a couple who are about three seconds away from fucking on one of the sofas. I watch her watch them. It takes me back to the first time I met her, and how sexual she was. Like a feral, untamed wild cat, she needed to be fucked into place.

She still is.

“Yeah.” I clear my throat. “Something like that.”

Max follows my line of sight. “I care about her, man. A lot.”

I pat him on the back, taking a sip of my drink. “Good for you. Maybe you can stick around.” I leave Max to whatever he wants to do and make my way to Isa. She still hasn’t taken her eyes off the couple when I lean against the chair beside her.

“You know, I will never understand it.”

“Understand what?” I ask, thinking she’s going to say something about the couple and their vanilla sex.

Her eyes come up to mine. She sinks her drink in one go and swipes the residue off her plump lips. “Why you can never completely trust me.”

I pause. I didn’t expect her to show emotion. Not in this kind of atmosphere. Isa is like the ice queen who builds walls upon walls until they’re so thick that it takes twice as long to melt them.

It’s worth it, though. She is worth it.

The colder the ice, the more fire in the heart.

Makes no sense at all.

Isa swings her legs over mine to turn sideways. “Why?”

I clear my throat, resting my hand on her upper thigh. “I trust you.”

“Liar,” she argues, her eyes widening but voice soft.

“Am not.”

“Are so.”

I roll my eyes and she gasps. “Did you just roll your eyes?”

Before I can fight it, an easy smirk crawls over the corner of my mouth.

“In all seriousness…” she whispers, turning away from me while looking out to the crowd of people. Damn, she’s real emotional tonight.

I bring my hand to her chin and yank her face back to mine. “In all seriousness, Isa, I’d trust you with my fucking life.”

“I don’t want your life in my hands, Bryant.” Her tongue sneaks out and dampens her bottom lip. “I break everything I touch.”

I bite her bottom lip into my mouth, tasting the familiar poison of her blood. “The fuck you do.” I breathe in and out. “I set up the video at your father’s ball, yes.” Her thumb continues to caress my cheek. “I saw an opportunity and I jumped on it. When you first came back, I was shocked. I thought you had escaped and I would have to go through the pain of putting you back in that room and go through the healing process all over again.”

Her body stiffens, pulling her hand away from me. Ah, this is Isa realizing those walls are thawing. She turns into fucking Elsa, throwing up more ice to stop them from liquefying, but what happens when you put ice in the Devil’s hand? It melts. “Don’t fucking turn away from me, baby, because I’ll be there. Right there wherever you turn. You can’t escape me.”