Page 131 of Monster

Dominic’s words followed me throughout the next day.

I didn’t even know why I told him I wanted just him.

Not because it wasn’t true, but because now I worried I’d shown too much of my hand—or my heart.

And I didn’t know how to deal with that.

Dominic had left early in the morning, and he had been gone for most of the day. I wondered when he would deem it safe enough for me to get out of this house. I didn’t want to leave the safety of his protection. Not anymore. I wasn’t stupid. But I also didn’t want to be trapped in this house forever, with only him, Lucy, and—rarely—Colt for company.

School would start soon, and I needed to return to my job.

His words from last night came back to me.

He said things were going to be bad for a while. He needed me to stay right by his side, but he wouldn’t tell me what the things were.

The bastard hadn’t used a condom since he’d fucked me that first time. I wasn’t on birth control. I didn’t think I was pregnant now, but that was hard to tell so soon. If things were really going to be bad for a while, did he really think getting me pregnant was the way to go?

And why was he so hell-bent on having unprotected sex? I didn’t know. There was almost this light in his eyes as he looked at his cum dripping out of me, and I swore I could see him plotting when he could do it again.

I shivered.

I didn’t know when I had become like other girls, turning stupid from lust, but I had.

I felt even stupider when I couldn’t bring myself to regret all that we had done.

What was more, I craved it. I craved him.

I couldn’t. I had—

I took a deep breath.

I was slowly falling for the terrible man.

I looked down at the piano in front of me. I had been sitting here since Lucy left for home after I had dinner with her and Colt. That was probably about a couple of hours ago. I didn’t know why I was sitting here if I couldn’t bring myself to play the beautiful instrument.

I pressed my finger down on the F sharp a few times.

It was as I expected. The piano played beautifully.

Using two fingers, I played “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” smiling a little when I came to the last note. Playing the piano was like riding a bike. At least, it was for me. It didn’t matter how many years had passed since I’d last played a certain song, I still remembered it.

Remembering how to play was never the problem.

It was the physical act of it, and at this point in my life, I had given up hope that I could play again. I couldn’t.

I let out a small sigh, then I felt something—orsomeone—breathing down my neck. I jumped and turned around to find Dominic standing there.

“What the fuck? You scared me.”

He shook his head. “Baby, we really need to work on your situational awareness.”

“There is nothing wrong with my awareness. You just move like a cat,” I accused.

He rolled his eyes. “I made plenty of noise.”

“Yes. About as loud as a cat.”

His lips twitched, though he didn’t smile. Good. I might have slapped him if that was the case. And he might just spank me in retaliation.

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