Page 139 of Monster

The same fondness, I was sure, was present in my voice.

If there was something wrong with those men, there might be something wrong with us for being in love—I shook away the thought.

I wasn’t in love with Dominic Madden.

I wasn’t.

“Are you okay?” Ryleigh asked, and I realized I’d spaced out a little.

I shook my head and smiled at her. “Yeah, just wondering what they put in the water around here.”

She giggled. “Whatever it is, we’re drinking it.”

I laughed.

The bartender came back with our drinks, and we headed back to the table.

Ryleigh was in front of me on the way there, and she was already back with Roman when I tripped up the small platform raised in the back, and hands came out to help me.

I looked up into the blue eyes of a man I didn’t know.

He smiled softly at me. “Careful.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling back. “I probably would have hurt my ass on the way down.”

The handsome man chuckled. “We wouldn’t want that, now, would we?”

I shook my head, about to answer, when another familiar voice rang out. “Blue, I suggest you let go of my girl.”

The man named Blue let go of me right away. “Sorry, prez. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Dominic reached over and took me into his arms.

I glared up at him as Blue quickly moved away from the possessive beast.

“He didn’t do anything. He was just helping me. I would have fallen.”

Dominic bent and pressed a hard kiss against my lips, and even though I was mad at him, I couldn’t help but give in to it.

I moaned around his mouth and pressed harder against him. When he released me, I embarrassingly tried to follow his lips.

He wouldn’t let me.

“Fuck. I knew I should have fucked you before we left. I’m gonna make that a rule from now on.”

I chuckled nervously, almost half sure he was joking.

“I won’t feel better until you wear my brand.”

His brand? What the fuck did that mean?

He pressed another scorching kiss against my lips before leading me back to the table.

I followed him in a sort of daze, trying—and failing—not to check out his ass again.

20

EMMY

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