By the time Crocodile strode into his study, his composure was restored, his arrogance fully intact, and there wasn't a single hint of the sin he had just committed lingering in his expression.
Sineka, on the other hand, was still trying to compose herself in her room—legs weak, skin flushed, the phantom of his touch still burning between her thighs.
And the bastard knew it.
A smirk ghosted the corner of his mouth as he adjusted his coat, the faint scent of jasmine clinging to his collar. The taste of her still lingered on his tongue, sharp and sweet, a reminder of the power he'd claimed within the mirrored walls of that closet. Yet as he moved through the villa's grand halls, the predator in him slipped back into control. The man who ruled the underworld had no time for indulgence.
Not now.
Not with the tides shifting beneath his feet.
The study's heavy oak door closed with a quiet click, shutting out the world beyond. Sunlight filtered through half-drawn curtains, casting shadows across the mahogany desk where the Den Den Mushi waited patiently—its cherry-red lips and long lashes unmistakable.
Stussy.
Crocodile exhaled a slow curl of smoke as he lowered himself into the leather chair, taking a moment to pour himself a glass of whiskey before reaching for the receiver. The ice clinked softly against the crystal as he swirled the amber liquid, then raised the glass to his lips in a slow, deliberate sip.
Only then did he press the receiver to his ear.
"Took your sweet time, Croco-boy," Stussy's voice purred through the line, rich with honeyed amusement. "Busy with something?"
Crocodile tipped his glass slightly, the faintest smirk touching his lips as he leaned back into his chair.
"Business," he replied smoothly, exhaling smoke through his nose.
"Mmm..." Stussy hummed knowingly. "Is that what we're calling it now? A little birdie told me you've acquired something new—or should I say, someone new?"
The faint clink of ice against glass was the only sound that followed. Crocodile's expression didn't shift, but his grip on the glass tightened ever so slightly.
Sineka.
The queen he'd taken into his domain, a woman who'd slipped through the cracks of his carefully controlled world only to spark something dangerous in his blood. Temptation wrapped in silk and fire.
Stussy chuckled softly, as if she could hear the thoughts he refused to voice. "You always were a man of singular focus, Desert King. It's very unlike you to keep company."
Crocodile took another slow sip, savoring the burn of the whiskey before setting the glass down with deliberate care. "Maybe I'm getting sentimental."
Stussy laughed, a warm, teasing sound. "You? Sentimental? Oh, please. I'd sooner believe Kaido swore off drinking."
Crocodile's chuckle was low and humorless, the faintest glint of teeth behind his cigar. Let her think what she wanted. The fewer people who understood him, the easier it was to stay three steps ahead.
"Flattery aside," he drawled, "I'm assuming you have something worth my time."
Stussy's laughter softened into a knowing hum, her tone shifting into the smooth cadence of business.
"The underworld's shifting, and not everyone is surviving it," she said, her voice sharpening beneath the sweetness like a blade hidden in silk. "The Montressi Cartel is collapsing. One of their own sold them out, and the government's already gutting their operations in the North Blue. Too many loose tongues, too many bad deals."
YOU ARE READING
A Bride for the Desert King | Crocodile
Fanfiction"Marry me," she commanded, almost. Crocodile narrowed his eyes at the impertinence of the woman who stood in front of him. "Ara," he heard Ms All Sunday mutter amusedly. "Who are you?" "Sineka Duskblade," she replied.
