Raven's Crown

by Reana Malori

  “Dexter! No,” Raven pleaded. She didn’t want him to kill this man. He wasn’t worth it.

  All hell seemed to break loose as Raven’s father stepped forward, sword in hand. Anger covered his face, turning his handsome appearance harsh and cold with fury. His eyes were ablaze with retribution. “I, King Hans of Abingdon, claim my right of first blood.”

  The sword slid through the man’s chest, exiting his back. Blood splattered on the floor and coated the blade. After pulling the weapon back, the king placed his foot on the man’s chest, shoving him back and onto the floor. One of the royal guards approached the King and took the sword away from him.

  “All those present hear my words. By Royal Decree, Joshua Booker, Consul General to France in Shularia, was found to have committed treason against the monarchy of the country of Abingdon. His punishment is death. Dexter Sorenson, Maxwell Bishop, Kiana Bishop, Nicholas Mitchell, and Lavinia Mitchell, are protected under the crown of Abingdon. Now,” he paused before adjusting the sleeves on his suit, “get this piece of shit out of my sight. It’s time to eat.”

  As her parents exited the room, their guests followed. Many of them didn’t seem surprised by her father’s actions, and that spoke volumes. “What the hell just happened?”

  Dexter stepped in front of her, his eyes boring into hers. “Sweetheart, you just saw the man Nico, Max, and I will become one day. Your father may be a king, but he’s also a husband and father.” Hugging her close, he continued. “Remember what I said to you two weeks ago?”

  “No. What did you say?” Because he had said quite a lot, and she couldn’t remember everything.

  “I said, don’t ask me to be someone I’m not. Based on what I’ve learned about your parents, I think maybe you can talk to your mom about how that works.” His chest rose and fell with laughter.

  “It’s not funny, Dexter. My father is a damn gangster.” Although, she did feel like laughing herself. Her parents weren’t the people she thought they were.

  “Why else do you think your father took to me, Max, and Nico so fast? He recognized kindred spirits.” He turned before stepping to the side so they could walk into the dining area to take their seats.

  As Raven replayed his words, she had a sudden thought. “Wait a minute. If kindred spirits recognize each other, why did my mom connect with Lavinia almost immediately? Oh shit!”

  Dexter’s laughter could be heard throughout the room. “Yeah. I was wondering when that would hit you. I admit, there’s a lot to learn. Are you ready to wear the crown your Father will hand over to you in a few years?”

  Shaking her head as she looked around the room at the people gathered, she glanced up at the man by her side. “Will you be by my side when he does?”

  “Always.”

  Raven couldn’t help but think this trip back to show Shularia was meant to be. “With you standing next to me? Yes, I am. My only hope is that it doesn’t come anytime soon. Plus, I think I’m going to have Lavinia give me some private lessons.”

  “Smart move, Princess.”

  ~ FIN ~

  Thank You!

  Thank you for supporting my writing. It truly means a lot to me. If you enjoyed Raven’s Crown, Raven and Dexter’s story, please take a few moments to leave a review on the platform where this book was purchased.

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  * * * * *

  Keep swiping to read an excerpt from Dark Angel, Max and Kiana’s love story.

  Dark Angel

  Summary

  Maxwell Bishop was the man with a plan, and nothing—and no one—would get in the way of what he wanted. Until the day Kiana Moore walked into his life. Her beauty made him pause. Her kindness made him want to claim her. She was supposed to be off-limits. He was supposed to respect boundaries. Pursuing her could bring his perfect world crumbling down around him. In the end, none of that mattered. He wanted her, and he would do whatever it took to have her.

  To keep her sanity, and her job, Kiana Moore needed to stay away from Maxwell Bishop. No matter how much she tried to deny her desire for him, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. His lips beckoned her closer, teasing her with his sinful smile. His deep voice seduced her with every word he spoke. She had to resist him, even if it was the last thing she wanted to do. Her livelihood was at risk. Her reputation could be ruined. Then again, none of that mattered. Maxwell wanted her, and she knew he wouldn’t stop until she was his.

  When need and desire can no longer be denied, just how far will he go to claim his woman? Maxwell always gets what he wants. He’ll let nothing get in the way of convincing Kiana they belong together.

  CHAPTER 1

  Waking up to the warmth of the sun streaming through his bedroom window, Maxwell Bishop opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a woman’s naked back as she slumbered. Beautiful chestnut-colored skin lay atop his all-white sheets. The sight made him smile.

  His lady. His Kiana.

  Rubbing one hand down her bareback, he trailed his fingers along her smooth skin until he reached the curve of her hips. Moaning low as his fingers kneaded her soft flesh, he couldn’t help but think about sinking inside her again. His member thickened as he replayed the events of last night.

  After dinner at his favorite restaurant, they’d returned to his house in the suburbs. Within minutes of entering, he’d had her against the wall, her dress pulled over her hips. She’d yelped in surprise when he tore her panties from her body, throwing them to the side. The material of her skintight dress pulled and stretched as his hands yanked the material under her beautiful, perfectly sized breasts.

  “Damn. You’re so fucking beautiful,” Max whispered in Kiana’s ear before biting down on the soft flesh of her ear. “I can’t get enough of you.” Kissing her neck, he nipped at the skin. “Let me in.”

  “Max.” Her tone breathless, Kiana turned to look at him and smiled. “You want this?”

  “You know I do. Say the words, baby.” He’d almost resorted to begging.

  Since he’d picked her up from her apartment three hours ago, he’d been waiting for this moment. When he had her all to himself, away from all the crowds and people vying for his attention. Time alone with his woman was all he needed. When he could sink inside her so deep, he didn’t know where he ended, and she began.

  “Give me the words.”

  “If you want it, then you have to take it.”

  Her words unleashed the beast inside of him. Releasing his weeping cock, he pressed against the wetness of her pussy. His cock slid inside like a hot knife slicing butter, and it felt like heaven. A loud hiss released from his lips as he felt every inch of her body open for him. Her whimpers and moans reminded him of the sweetest, most beautiful music to his ears.

  It had taken him thirty-six years to find a woman who knew how to give him what he needed. Someone who was just as willing to have him fuck her against the wall, as she was to want the romance and roses. This woman was going to be the death of him one day but damn, what a way to go.

  His teeth bit along the back of her neck and shoulders as he pounded inside of her. Wetness seeped from her body, coating his dick, making his path easier. The tightening of her channel sent electricity coursing through his body.

  “Oh baby, that’s what I like. You know exactly what I need. Best pussy in the fucking world,” he whispered. One hand reached up to her long hair, grasping the long strands in his fist. Max pulled her head back, baring her neck to him. “No hiding tonight. I need to see your face.”

  And he did. There was an urgency in the air tonight. He couldn’t put his finger on what was happening, but he needed a stronger connection.

  “No hiding,” she agreed in a whisper. Her eyes fluttered closed. One of her arms reached back, grabbing the shirt at Max
’s waist, as if pulling him closer to her.

  “This is all mine. Tell me you’ll never leave me.” As he spoke, each word was punctuated by a hard thrust. At her continued moans and groans, Max clenched his hand tighter around the hair he was holding, forcing her head back more. “Say it, Kiana.”

  “I-I’ll never leave you, Max.”

  That breathless tone of hers set him off. He felt the orgasm rushing through his body. Increasing his thrusts, he wrapped his other arm around Kiana’s waist, pulling her body closer to his.

  “Damned right, you won’t. You belong to me. This pussy is only for me,” Max growled.

  If he could, he’d never let her out of his sight. This woman meant more to him than she knew. Or that he was willing to admit. Honestly, it scared him to feel this way about a woman. She held the power to destroy him in her hands and had no idea.

  As her orgasm hit, her body began to shake and quiver in his arms; her voice began rising in a scream as the overwhelming sensation traveled through her body. Just as she hit her highest pitch, he stopped fighting against nature.

  With a loud groan, he released his seed inside her. A little voice in his head wished his little swimmers could finish their intended mission. Visions of her swollen with his baby had begun playing in his mind, but he knew it was too soon.

  Coming back to the present, Max slid his hard cock against Kiana’s bare sheath. He knew one surefire way to wake her up with a smile on her face. Lifting one of her legs, Max stared at her for a few seconds before guiding his thick member inside her warm channel. Pumping slowly, he knew this morning was the time for some slow loving.

  He’d taken his woman hard last night. Multiple times. Never once did she tell him to stop or slow down. Kissing her naked back, he guided one of his hands to her chest, palming one of the fleshy mounds as he rocked her awake.

  For a guy like him, this wasn’t the life he’d ever expected to have. Growing up in government housing with a mother who worked two jobs, and a little sister who’d looked at him as if he hung the moon, his life had seemed to be on a one-way track. Prison. Hell, maybe even death. Somehow fate had stepped in, giving him a chance to do something different. He’d jumped at the chance, never looking back. Twenty years later, he had more than he’d dreamed of, and then some.

  As Kiana began rotating her hips, pushing back against him as he pushed into her, he smiled at how good things were for him. Having this woman in his bed, moaning against him as he slid inside her, was his idea of fucking perfect.

  Max stared at the form of the woman sprawled across his bed. If he could, he’d keep her right here where he could see her every day. He knew they were on borrowed time. Secrets had a way of coming out when you least expect it. Nothing in his life had ever been easy. He didn’t believe his relationship with Kiana to be any different.

  Sighing deeply, he picked up a lock of her thick, dark hair. He’d pressed his luck with this one. From the moment he saw her, she called to him. He knew she was too good for him, and one day soon, she’d know it as well. The time was coming when he’d have to pay the piper for this sliver of peace he’d been allowed to have.

  His reckoning was coming soon, but he wasn’t ready to pay the price.

  He could only hope that when his angel realized the man lying next to her was the devil in disguise, she didn’t rip his heart out. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her body closer to his. Closing his eyes, he wanted to grab another hour of sleep before they started the day.

  Kissing her on the forehead, he whispered, “When you find out what I really am, I hope you’ll still need me as much as I need you.”

  ♦♦♦

  A few hours later, Kiana stood in Max’s kitchen, making a cup of coffee. Taking a sip of the dark brew, she sat down on a chair in front of the breakfast nook. Her body was sore this morning, but it was a good kind of sore, she thought with a smile. Every ache and pain had been worth it. On any given day, Max was insatiable.

  He’d taken her repeatedly until she passed out with exhaustion. But last night was different. More desperate. Driven. He’d kept going long after they would have usually stopped. Asking her again and again not to leave him. Turning her head to look at the bedroom where she knew he still slept, her brow creased in concern. Maybe there was something else going on with him.

  They’d only been dating for three short months, but in that time, she’d fallen for him like a bag of rocks. Smiling as she thought of that night, she knew meeting him had been a stroke of luck. There was no one else like Maxwell Bishop, and she liked it that way just fine.

  Six Months Ago

  Kiana sipped her wine, looking around the room at all the suits vying for attention. Everyone here had an agenda. Some were here to grab the attention of that one person who could help them close a major deal. Others grabbed an invitation because they felt this was the place to be seen.

  There were also the ones who’d wormed their way into the outside circle of the senator speaking tonight. In Washington, DC, anyone and everyone who was someone, was connected to a high-profile political figure. You may not always see it in the public eye, but that didn’t make it any less real.

  She, on the other hand, was here because she had to be. Her law firm was one of many on retainer by the senator, and a few other political figures, so an invitation was a given. Attendance from the attorneys was mandatory. Since she’d been able to rock-paper-scissors her way out of the last two events, this time she was the lamb sent for slaughter.

  If she had her druthers, she’d be at home reading a book and watching reruns of her favorite crime drama. Taking a deep breath, Kiana began moving around the room with the intent to look as if headed somewhere specific. In reality, she just didn’t want to talk to anyone. Most of these people were stuffy, boring, and too damn uptight. She may be a Georgetown educated attorney, but these kinds of events were not her cup of tea at all. Speaking of tea…

  Walking up to the bar, she placed her empty glass down and motioned to the bartender. “May I have a gin and tonic, please?”

  Waiting for her drink, her nose caught a whiff of a man’s scent. Unable to stop herself, she lifted her head, looking in the direction of the smell. “Damn,” she said under her breath. Standing no more than six feet away from her was the kind of man who made panties drop in less than ten seconds without even trying. Dark hair slicked back from his forehead. Strong nose, with just a bit of a bend at the top, as if it had been broken once a long time ago.

  From what she could tell, he stood at least a couple inches over six feet. Maybe taller. His eyes watched the movement in the room, but he didn’t look to be the standard guest to attend an event like this. That’s not to say he looked out of place. That wasn’t it at all. He just looked like he had better things to do. His face showed boredom. She almost called out to him to “Join the Club” but held back. Not everyone got her humor, and he didn’t look like the type to take kindly to an unsolicited joke.

  “Here you go, Miss,” the bartender called out as he placed her drink on the bar. “That’ll be ten dollars.”

  “Okay, here you go.” She stretched out her hand with her credit card.

  “Hey Shane, put her drink on my tab. This one, and many others.”

  The bartender raised a brow but recovered quickly. “Sure thing, Mr. Bishop.” Turning back to Kiana, he smiled. “Enjoy your drink. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  She stood there like a fish out of water. Mr. Bishop? Who the hell is this guy? At the clearing of his throat, she turned to him, plastering a smile on her face that was meant to be welcoming, but not “too” friendly. After all, she didn’t know who the hell this guy was.

  “Um…thank you for the drink. Mr. Bishop, is it?”

  “You’re welcome. Yes, Maxwell Bishop.” Holding out his hand, he smiled. At the dimple that appeared in his cheek, her legs almost buckled. No man deserved to be this fucking fine. This shit wasn’t fair at all. “
Miss? Your name?”

  Coming out of her daze, Kiana looked at his face. When his eyes motioned down to his hand, she squeaked, “Oh, I’m sorry. Kiana. Kiana Moore.” Once her hand was clasped in his, she felt a zing go through her body. Pulling away quickly, she wrapped both hands around her drink.

  Unbidden, her eyes roamed down his body again. All she needed was one night with a man like him. Although he was wearing the fuck outta that black suit, she could tell he would give her something to remember.

  It wasn’t just one thing about him. No, it was everything. The way he looked at you when talking. How he stood in a room full of pompous suits as if he could give a shit about any of these people. The smirk on his lips, which hinted that he knew things you could only guess at.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Kiana.” He winked at her before taking a sip of his drink.

  Shocked at first that he didn’t even pretend that he was going to use her last name, as was the norm at these gatherings, she stared at him for seconds longer than she should have. The man went right to her first name as if they’d known each other before tonight. Laughing, she shook her head. Her first impression of him had been right; he wasn’t the typical guest at these shindigs. When he spoke again, she almost spits out her drink.

  “Now that we’ve gotten the niceties out of the way. Let’s say we get to know each other a little before we go back to my hotel.”

  Laughing to herself as she thought of that first night meeting Max, Kiana squealed when she felt his thick arms wrap around her waist.