Tarnished Crown (Gravestone Elite #2) by Caitlyn Dare (books like beach read TXT) 📕

when he lost control of his car and hit an oncoming truck. He died before the EMTs got to the hospital.

When I’m done working through the list, I sit back, trying to fit together the pieces of this unexpected puzzle. These men were all in prominent positions of society. Investment bankers. Lawyers. Government officials. And they all died in road traffic accidents.

Just like Gregory Kingsley.

What does it all mean?

And why the hell does my father have their names in a filing box marked with the Quinctus crest?

I pull out my phone and text the only person I trust with this.

Mouse: Can you talk?

My cell phone starts ringing, and I hit answer.

“Bexley,” I breathe.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I think I found something, but I don’t really understand what it all means.”

“Where are you?”

“At home.”

“I’m at my uncle’s house. Send me the address, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thank you.” Relief floods me.

“Mia…” His voice cracks.

“I’m sorry about earlier. I should have told the truth.”

“It’s probably better you didn’t.” I feel the anger in his words. “I’ll be there as quickly as I can.”

“Okay.” I hang up and stare at the list of names again.

Who were these men?

And why did they all end up dead?

19

Bexley

I pull up outside the house my GPS directed me to.

It looks like the perfect family home with a wraparound porch, complete with a swing seat. I might never have met Mia's parents, but I can almost picture her mom sitting there reading while her and her dad kick a ball around the yard.

It's the style of house that makes me yearn for the kind of normal upbringing I didn't have.

Yes, I have the money and everything my parents could buy for me, but none of that compares to having a real loving, caring family who actually spent more time at home than they did at work or schmoozing clients at fancy functions.

Climbing from my car, I spot movement in one of the upstairs windows and my heart starts to beat faster.

I was pissed at her for blowing me off yesterday and then being with Cade, really fucking pissed, but one look at her this morning with the dark circles under her eyes and I instantly softened. She wanted to be there just about as much as I wanted her there, but we both know that right now, there's little we can do about it.

I force the memories down and jog up the steps to her front door. I lift my hand to knock, but the door opens before I get a chance.

"Hey," Mia says almost shyly, pulling the door open and inviting me inside.

"Hey. Are your parents home?" I ask, noting the empty driveway I just pulled up beside.

"Nope."

"Good."

With my hand around her throat, I push her back against the wall, kicking the door closed behind me. All the air rushes from her lungs with the impact, but I don't give her a chance to recover. Instead, I make use of her parted lips and thrust my tongue between them.

It only takes her a second to get with the program before her hands wrap around my sides and she sucks my bottom lip into her mouth, making my cock swell, wishing it was that she was sucking on.

"Fuck, little mouse," I groan, ripping my lips from hers and kissing down her neck.

Her leg curls around my hip, and I grind into her.

"Bexley," she moans.

"Do you know how fucking mad I was last night, seeing you with him?"

"Yes," she breathes, and I pull down the neck of her tank to bite down on the swell of her breast. "I know, I'm sorry, I—"

"Don't. Don't apologize for something you have no control over."

"Oh God," she whimpers as I pull the cup of her bra down and suck her nipple into my mouth.

"I need you, mouse. I need you so fucking bad,"

"I'm right here."

Dropping to my knees, I undo the button around her waist and tug the fabric down her hips. She kicks her shorts and panties aside. Throwing one of her legs over my shoulder, I run my tongue through her folds.

"Oh God," she cries when I circle her clit.

As much as I might want to eat her for fucking hours, I'm too desperate to be inside her to give her too much time.

Pulling away, I stand, slamming my lips down on hers. She reaches out, making quick work of my pants before dipping her hand inside my boxers for my cock. "Mia," I moan when her fingers wrap around the length. "Need to be inside you right now. Turn around."

She immediately does as I say, sticking her bare ass out toward me, teasing me.

“Hands on the wall. This is gonna be quick.”

"Okay."

I take two seconds to appreciate how fucking sexy she looks before I run my cock through her wetness and push inside. She's tight like always, and it damn near makes my eyes cross as I slide myself in deeper.

"Bexley," she moans, flexing her hips as she adjusts to my size.

Wrapping my hands around her hips, I pull her back to meet my thrust, hitting her deep and making her cry out in pleasure. My body heats as my release surges forward an embarrassingly short time later.

Releasing one side of her, I slip my hand around her front to pinch her clit.

"Bexley," she cries as her pussy clamps down on my cock seconds before we both fall over the edge.

I'm still inside her when the sound of a car outside has her body locking up with tension.

"Fuck. Fuck. Is that my mom?"

I step back, quickly tucking myself away as she flies toward the window, pulling the blind back a little.

Her relief is instant. "It's just the neighbors."

"Aw, I'm sure your mom would love me."

"Yeah, aside from the fact they think they're marrying me off to someone else. Someone, I should add, who she thinks is wonderful."

"Okay, so I've just gone off your mother a little," I admit, picking up her discarded clothes and passing them over