Raven's Crown

by Reana Malori

  Her tongue came out to lick her bottom lip, and Dexter’s gaze tracked the motion. From the moment they’d first met, Raven had enticed him with the smallest of gestures. A small smile, the touch of her finger against his skin, the swipe of her pink tongue over her full lips. Even when she wasn’t trying to, she turned him on. But he couldn’t focus on that right now.

  “Baby? Explain to me why you left me. Why you walked away from what we had,” he said abruptly, pulling back from her.

  He knew she was caught off-guard by his question. Her mouth opened and closed in shock as she stared at him. If she thought he wasn’t going to bring this up, then she didn’t know him very well.

  “Does it matter now?”

  “Yes. It does. You seem happy to see me today, but that wasn’t the case last night. When I walked in, you looked like you’d seen a ghost.” Just the memory of the shocked look on her face made his heart hurt. Even though she claimed to love him, she’d still been willing to leave him behind as if he meant nothing.

  A sad look came over her face, and her head dipped low. “It wasn’t that I was unhappy that you’d arrived. I just hadn’t expected it. I thought you’d be too angry. Feel that I’d somehow betrayed you.”

  “I am angry. I do feel betrayed,” Dexter growled.

  Glancing away from him, she looked to be lost in thought for a few seconds. “What do you want from me, Dexter?”

  “I want the truth!” He stood from his chair and began pacing the floor.

  Placing her fork down, she wiped her mouth with her napkin before placing it on the table next to her unfinished plate of food. “What if that’s not possible? All I can say right now is that I’m happy you’re here. I’m sorry that I left the way I did. The truth is, I loved you before I came home, and I still love you today. Even if you don’t believe me, it’s the truth.

  Anger, frustration, and need for the woman in front of him coursed through his body. He wanted to be angry with her. Tell her he was through with all her bullshit and walk away, get on a plane, and get back to his life in D.C. But he couldn’t. Something held him back from taking that next step. Sighing deeply, he placed his hands on his hips and closed his eyes. “Do you know I’d planned to ask you to marry me?”

  Her gaze shot to his and he could see the surprise, then joy, and finally sadness reflected on her face. “You were? I didn’t—didn’t know.”

  “I was waiting for the right time. But now, being with you in your world is a new experience for me. Back in the States, we were just two people who fell in love. Sure, I knew about your family, but it was an afterthought. Not something I had to deal with regularly. Here,” he paused while looking around, “I’m at a disadvantage. I’m still me, but you’re no longer the Raven I met and fell in love with.”

  “But I am, Dexter.” Her bottom lip quivered with emotion. “I’m the same person you met that night at the club. I’m still the woman who brought you chicken noodle soup when you had the flu. Who I am hasn’t changed. Not when it comes to you. I just needed to deal with this situation with my parents and my home. I need you to believe me.”

  He didn’t want this moment to spiral. Sadness wasn’t in the cards today. But he also needed Raven to know how serious he was about the two of them. “It was never my belief in you that was in question. My trust in you is the issue. You didn’t trust me enough to tell me what was going on, or that you had to leave. Hell, I still don’t know if you’re telling me the truth about everything. Raven, you know the one thing I cannot abide, is a liar.”

  Raven stood from her chair and began pacing along the length of the table. “I messed up, okay?” Her voice was loud and filled with frustration.

  “Raven, stop. Babe, stop talking!”

  She turned to look at him with those big beautiful eyes, wetness trailing down her beautiful face. He wasn’t trying to break her spirit or make her feel as if he’d never forgive her. He would. Hell, he already did. But she was going to be his wife one day soon, and he couldn’t have shit like this happening again.

  “Raven, I love you. More than I ever thought I’d love anyone else. If we’re going to make this work between us, there can’t be any more lies. You can’t run away because you think you can handle shit alone. That’s not how it works.” Dexter moved closer to Raven, bending his knees to capture her gaze. “Don’t hide from me. You know I don’t like that shit.” His arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her body closer to his. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

  Shaking her head, she raised her hands to his shoulders. Looking into his eyes, she smiled. “Not yet.”

  He wanted to press the issue but knew this wasn’t the time. Plus, having Raven in his arms like this reminded him that he hadn’t made love to her in over a week. Leaning his head down, he kissed her soft lips. “Damn, I missed you.”

  Her laughter rang out, the sound reverberating throughout the courtyard. “Is that all you think about,” she teased. Her fingers reached up to play in the hair at the nape of his neck. Raven knew how much he loved it when she did that. His cock thickened in his pants as he thrust his body against hers.

  “Feels like someone’s happy to see me.”

  “No. He’s ecstatic to be near you again. He’d be even happier if he could be inside you.” Reaching his hands down, he grabbed her thick ass, squeezing the flesh in his large palms. Damn, he loved this woman.

  A moan released from her lips, “Dexter.” Their eyes still locked together, Raven lifted on her feet, pressing her lips to his in a soft but sensual kiss.

  Dexter lifted her from the ground, and Raven wrapped her legs around his waist. Breaking their kiss, his breathing was harsh as he spoke. “I need to make love to you.”

  “I need you, too. There’s a secret place where my parents and my guards never go. They know when I’m there, not to bother me.”

  “Well, what are we waiting for? Show me to your castle, Princess.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Raven

  Entering the guesthouse, Dexter lay Raven on the mattress in the bedroom she’d pointed out to him. His green gaze was filled with love and desire. She knew running from him had been the wrong decision. At the time, she’d been so worried about her parents, and avoiding a broken heart, she could only think to do one thing. Leave. Now that they were together again, she wanted to tell him everything. Explain her fears. Tell him why she’d come home without telling him. All of it. But first, she wanted to make love to her man.

  “I need to see you naked,” Dexter growled. He placed soft kisses along her jawline and down the side of her neck. His hands moved down towards her pants, and he began removing the material from her body. “I can’t believe it’s been over a week since I last had you.”

  Raven could do nothing but squirm under his ministrations. Her body was attuned to his every touch. The feel of his warm breath on her bare stomach started a fire burning inside her body. The anticipation of what was to come caused her body to shiver with need. She pressed her core against Dexter, demanding without words that he give her more. She knew he would take care of her. He always did.

  Within moments, she lay naked in front of him. He stood at the end of the bed. Smiling down at her. Raven lifted her arms, beckoning him forward. At this moment, she wasn’t the Crown Princess dealing with the potential family scandal. With Dexter, she was simply Raven Whitfield, a woman was loved by a man. Right now, it was the only title she cared about.

  Dexter leaned down, placing both hands on either side of her ways. “Do not leave me again.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I know you think you’re protecting me, but–”

  “I was. I am. I need to be able to protect you. This isn’t what you signed up for.” Raven knew Dexter could protect himself from any danger, but if they were going to be equal partners, there were times she’d have to step up her game. Plus, she would be in danger more often than he would.

  Lying between her le
gs, Dexter braced himself on his elbows. His thick cock bumped at her entrance. Raven moaned, lifting her hips to press her mound against him. Why didn’t he enter her? From the engorged thickness of his member, he was more than ready to get this party started.

  “Baby, look at me.”

  Raven turned her gaze to his. Her breath stuttered with it in her chest. Dexter was the only man for her. When she looked into his green eyes, she knew he’d be by her side. No matter what happens. “Yes, Dexter?”

  “Marry me. Be my wife. We’ll deal with the other bullshit later. Right now. I need us to get back to Raven and Dexter. When you’re with me, I need you to take off your crown. Be the woman in my arms when I go to sleep at night. Be the mother of my children so you can tell them stories about how long your labor was with each of them. I want you, Raven, for the rest of my life and yours. You’re the only person who can keep me sane despite my mother’s old-fashioned way of thinking.”

  Raven gasped. “You knew I’d overheard your conversation with her?”

  Nodding his head, Dexter began shifting his body. “I saw your shadow. I kept expecting you to walk inside the room. When you didn’t, I knew you were hurt by her words. When you gave me that bullshit story for why you had to return home, I knew you’d misunderstood the situation. I would never have had the phone on speaker if I thought in any way that her words would make you leave me. I needed the chance to explain, Raven. You never gave me that. You made a choice for us. That’s not how this works.”

  “I misunderstood?” Raven could hardly put two words together. Dexter kissed the path down her naked form, stopping just above her clit. Chest rising with need, she widened her legs to make room for his broad shoulders.

  “Yes, baby. You did.” He placed a kiss on her bare wet slit. “You are the only woman who matters to me.” Dexter flicked the tip of his tongue against her clit, wrenching a moan from her lips.

  “Dexter,” she whimpered, “please.”

  The press of his tongue against her nether lips was like lightning passing under her skin. “Oh, fuck,” she yelled into the room. His hands pressed against her thighs, baring her mound to him even more. Dexter lifted his head. “You taste so good.” A wicked smile came over his face before he dipped his head between her legs. Adjusting his form, he settled in, grabbed her thighs within his hands, and licked every inch of her warm, wet pussy.

  Stars exploded behind her eyelids. Their combined moans, along with her loud gasps, and his loud slurps, joined in lewd, carnal, and raw sounds in their secluded space. The more he licked, the more her body responded by giving him more of what he was seeking. Her juices flowed from her channel into his waiting mouth. The more he sucked, the harder she pressed her pussy against his open mouth.

  Dexter tugged her clit within his teeth. When he clamped down lightly on the sensitive flesh, she careened into an orgasm. Raven’s mouth opened in a silent scream, and her body locked in place. Her hips canted upward, forcing her pulsating pussy against his face. Her toes curled, and her fingers clawed the mattress. Once she was finally able to catch her breath, she could only say one word. “Dexter.”

  He broke away from her body before using his hand to wipe her juices from his face. “I’m not done with you just yet. Before we leave this guesthouse, you’re going to know you belong to me. You won’t leave me again. Promise me.”

  Barely able to breathe, Raven stared at the man looking down at her with a dark look of passion. She gave him the only response either of them was willing to accept. “I promise.”

  Raven glanced at his thick cock as it dripped precum. She bit her lip in anticipation. The feeling him slide inside her body. If Dexter thought he needed to convince her that they belong together, who was she to stop him? Especially when his methods were just the thing she needed.

  “I was so afraid when you left without a word. What if something happened to you while in transit? What would I have done then? How would I have lived without you?”

  Raven reached up to grab his face in her hands. “I will never leave you like that again. I know what I did was wrong. And I promise not to do anything like that in the future.” Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pressed against his lower body, bringing him closer to the place she needed him to be. Dexter’s thick cock breached her wet, slick channel. Raven moaned at the sensation. She’d missed being with him this way. Missed this feeling of fullness, of completeness, while they’d been apart. As Dexter sank his thick member inside her body, she knew it was time to bring him up to speed on what was happening with her family. But Raven knew that conversation would take place later. Much, much later.

  Dexter hips rolled with every deep thrust inside her body. The man seemed to be in no rush to get to the finish line, but that’s exactly what Raven had been hoping for. She wanted this to last. The two of them needed to reconnect.

  “Fuck. Damn. Oh, my God.” She couldn’t help the words coming out of her mouth. It felt too good to stop now. The man knew how to make her scream. He knew just what areas to touch on her body, where to place his soft lips, and how to stroke her deep enough, to make her moan in ecstasy.

  “Yes, Baby.” Dexter’s sexy voice whispered in her ear on every downstroke. “You’re mine, Raven. You were meant for me.”

  Raven could do nothing but nod her head in response, words would not have been possible. Dexter seemed unstoppable and continued fucking her for what seemed like hours. He placed her body in different positions, as if unable to stop making love to her. Raven orgasmed over and over again. He rode her hard, then flipped them, placing her on top and forced her to take control.

  “That’s it, Princess. This is what I want to see every night when I go to bed.” His hands reached up and grabbed her breasts, kneading the flesh as he rolled his hips underneath her.

  A thin layer of perspiration appeared on his skin. Dexter continued to move his hips as she chased after another orgasm. As Raven’s eyes focused in on his, she felt the stiff power of his steel-like shaft as it plunged inside her body. He was so hard, and at that moment, she knew that having his dick inside of her was the most wonderful feeling in the world. As they both careened towards their release, Raven felt her body seize just before pleasure rolled through her. As they both tried to catch their breath, Raven lay down on his chest. Her eyes began to close as the energy left her body. There would be plenty of time afterward for them to deal with the shitstorm circling around them.

  CHAPTER 6

  Raven

  Later that night, they were having dinner in the family’s private dining area within the family residence. Raven thought this day would never come, having both her parents and Dexter in the same room, having dinner. Of course, she’d always hoped this would be the endgame for them, but life had a way of throwing curveballs.

  “So, tell me more about yourself,” King Hans directed his question at Dexter.

  Raven was positive that her father had already ordered a full background check on him. His question was more than likely unnecessary, but she knew her father. He was testing Dexter. He wanted to see how he handles himself. Usually, she would be okay with this line of questioning, but she didn’t like her father digging into Dexter’s past. Not that he had anything to hide, but she wanted to go into this relationship with him without having her family delve into every aspect of his life. There had would be some things they learned about each other naturally. Things she didn’t want to read on a twenty-page report delivered to her by her family’s security team.

  Just as Raven was about to interject, Dexter wiped his mouth with his napkin and began to speak. “What would you like to know?”

  Raven’s father glanced at her mother, a smirk on his face. “Well, you seem quite cozy with our daughter.”

  Raven eyed her father with the glare. “Stop it, Father. Mom? Please help me out here. You know how Dad can get.”

  Her mother glanced sideways at the man she’d been married to for more than thirty years. From
the look on her face, Raven knew no help was coming from her mom. Her parents were in cahoots, as usual.

  “Well, Raven, I agree with your father. I’m interested in knowing this young man’s intentions with you. I mean, the two of you did spend the entire afternoon locked away in the Rose Garden guesthouse.”

  Warmth flushed Raven’s cheeks. She knew exactly what her mother was alluding to. Raven’s gaze turned to Dexter, hoping he had not picked up on the message her mother was sending. Unfortunately for her, the look on Dexter’s face told a different story. He knew exactly what Raven’s mother meant. Dropping her head in her hands, Raven groaned in embarrassment. She knew the gesture wasn’t ladylike nor befitting a member of the royal family, but it was how she felt. Dinner was quickly turning into a damned three-ring circus, with her parents as the Masters of Ceremony.

  “Raven? Everything okay?” Dexter’s voice called out to her. Splaying her fingers apart, she peeked through the opening to look at him. At his smile, Raven removed her hands from her face. Rolling her eyes at him, she sat up straight. She reached out her hand to grab her wine glass, taking a sip before she dared speak again. “Are you going to the dark side, too? Don’t let these two fool you,” she said, motioning toward her parents. “They may be the King and Queen of a country, but they're still parents. Sneaky ones at that.”

  “Sweetheart, have you forgotten where I grew up?” Glancing at her parents while they sat across from each other sporting broad grins, Dexter raised his glass in a silent toast. “Your parents not only love you, but they need to make sure I’m the right person for you. The right person to stand by your side. You are the next Queen, after all. So,” he paused to take another sip of his drink, “I understand your father’s question, and I’m happy to answer him.”