All Hail (Queen Crow, #1)

by J. Bree

fuck, just stab me. Either I die for you or I die after you, either way I’m dead.”

“You’re ruthless and you’re fierce. You’re unstoppable and you’re so fucking loyal that you won the Wolf’s friendship. The Jackal doesn’t fucking know who he’s messing with.”

Ash Beaumont is chivalry in the most arrogant and snarling package. I adore him.

I knew he’d fall for the Mounty girl, I just didn’t realize at the time that we all would.

“Ash isn’t the only one who breathes for you, Floss. I’d level fucking cities for you, any of us would. If you need some quiet then it’s yours, just… just don’t drown in it.”

You know I’m not going to leave anything to chance when it comes to you.”

“Good. There’s no point going out if you’re not ruining someone’s life.”

Aodhan grins and I’m tempted to ruin his life. They’re both baiting me to convince me that this is a good idea. They want me angry and fighting back about going out so I enjoy my night but… I’m still on the fence about it. I wish I wanted to go out and drink and find some stupid man to spend the night with. I wish I wanted to act my age for a minute but really, I just want to stay home and plan out how to take control of the Bay completely. How could drinking and sex compare to total world domination?

Come dance with me.” I look at him over the rim of my glass. “Why?” He huffs and leans in close to my ear. “Because I’m sick of seeing you hide away. You’re more powerful than anyone except the Wolf herself. Why are you hiding behind your brother when you could take the power for yourself? Come dance and forget about it all.”

Loving Atticus Crawford is so ingrained in me that it’s now instinctual. I think I could give up breathing easier than giving him up

Why is everyone I’m surrounded by in love and happy and complete while I’m desperately trying to scrape together the pieces of myself so I can just exist in peace? Great. The signature Blaise Morrison Pity Party has somehow infected me.

Aodhan lifts my hand up to kiss my palm and I just about melt into the disgustingly dirty warehouse floor.

“I’ll fucking gut him for this, Queenie,” he murmurs against my lips before he kisses me, cradling me close like I really am some precious girl to him.

Watching Avery’s stiff back as she walks into her giant, empty fucking mausoleum of a house on heels that could kill a man is a special form of torture.

I never gave a shit about power. Not until I saw the girl who wields it like a weapon.

“I guess the knife she pushed into my guts was enough to make me a safe place. Besides, she knows I’m not gonna say a fucking word about it. I’d rather fucking die and I’ve proved that to her.

“Fuck, that would be something to see. Queenie sacrificing a goat.” My nose wrinkles at him and I ignore his chuckle. “Where would I even find a goat? I’m far more comfortable with human sacrifice.”

“Please don’t say Daddy around me again until the baby is here; I think my soul just left my body.”

“Wipe your chin, for fuck’s sake. I’ll call Ash to come kill you if you pop a tent in your pants right now. I’ll fucking do it, just for funsies, because I don’t wanna see that shit.”

“You look like you’re about to kill your husband for his oil fortune, Queenie.”

Now I’m fucking glad I saw you before you left… fuck me.” He says it like a prayer but I lean up into his space and enjoy the way he stops breathing. “If you’re here when I get home… maybe.”

I can’t wait to strip that dress off of you when you get back.

“Is there someone you can call about her? Fuck, I think she wants in you, Queenie. I’m not sure whether that was a sex thing or a blood thing but either way you’re on her radar.”

“Is this your way of telling me you’ve been whoring yourself out to her to build your empire? I’m sorry to tell you that I’m not going to play that game. I don’t kneel for anyone.” Illi murmurs praises under his breath but Atticus’ eyes narrow at him. “You belong to the Wolf. So does your little psychotic guard dog.” I lean down to retrieve my drink and smirk at him. “We stand with Lips. We always have, being inducted just means that you know where my loyalty lies. If I gave a fuck about the validity of the politics of Mounts Bay, I’d join the Game but I’ll have a seat at any table I want.”

“I killed for you long before your brother did. I was bleeding out the buyers your father auctioned you off to before you made it to middle school. You think I walked into the Game clean? My hands were dripping with the blood of men who wanted to destroy you, Avery. Don’t you ever tell me I gave you up; I have never given you up. I’ve tried to give you a good life, if you don’t want that then you’re mine. No more coming to meetings with the Butcher draped all over you, no more dancing in the Bay with the Stag. You have my full attention. What are you going to do with it?”

I still want him. Just as bad as I’ve always wanted him. I guess I’m going to be doomed to be in love with a man who can’t give me what I want, no matter how hard I try to plead with him to accept who I am. At least I’ll give him up knowing what he tastes like.

“Fuck me or fuck off. I’m over this little bout of foreplay you’re so intent on having.”

You think I don’t know you love him? You think that shit will scare me off? Queenie, nothing affects you and me except you and me. He’s not going to ruin this for us, get that through that gorgeous head of yours.”

The integrity and loyalty in Avery Beaumont is second to none and I don’t know what the hell I did to get her attention but I’ll do fucking anything to keep it.

“If you get blood on me, I will murder you in your sleep, O’Cronin. The Wolf isn’t the only one hiding in the shadows,”

you, Beaumont, are fucking perfect. The type of woman any man would crawl through glass on his knees every damn day to get the chance to be with and I won’t fucking hear you talking shit about yourself like that. Not at all, so just fucking don’t.”

Whatever choices you made, I was giving them to you. Fuck, if you had’ve stuck that knife through my heart, I still would’ve been happy with your choice. I went there to help you and if dying for you did that then I’d go to the grave without a fucking complaint. What else do I have to say to you for you to understand that I’m not going anywhere? I’ve watched you march into every fight with your family with your head held high and your little arsenal of tricks and I knew that you’re it for me. Sometimes, you just know these things and, Queenie, I’m not fucking this up, no matter how hard you push.”

“Shut it, Queenie, you’re lucky I’m not ripping this dress to pieces and fucking you on the kitchen counter. You want a bed then kiss me.”

“Maybe I want rough. Maybe I want you to need me so badly you forget to treat me right.”

“This is mine now, Queenie. Every night you’re gonna cook some fancy feast for me and then I’m eating you out for dessert.”

“I’m not giving you up for fucking anything, Queenie. Nothing would make me let you go… but if you want him as well, then I can live with that. I want your heart to be whole, not torn in half.”

I dare you to break me.”

he looked at me like I was the sun. Like everything in his world revolved around me, like I was the most precious thing he’s ever encountered and he would live and die for me.

“I became the Crow for you, Avery. None of this will be worth it if anything happens to you.”

“There’s always more, Avery. Between us, there will always be more.”

“I love you, Mounty. Hurry up and finish that tour so we can plot our global domination and grow old together.”