Page 37 of Monster

He shook his head. “I’m pretty sure she’s still asleep, or she’s just really quiet when she moves.”

I nodded. “Did you drive here by car or bike?”

“Car.”

“Good. Go down and pull up to the side of the building. I’ll be down with the girl in about twenty minutes.”

Just as soon as I made sure she had something to eat.

Wouldn’t want her to be sick when the drugs finally took effect.

He nodded and walked away without hesitation. I liked that from my men. I needed them to listen to me without question, and to go along with discretion with whatever I had planned. That was the only way my club had survived as long as it had.

I had men who didn’t get uncomfortable or queasy from all the questionable things I asked of them, and Blue needed to be exactly that, considering I was coming in to abduct the music teacher.

I smiled a little at the thought and used my key card to let myself into her room.

It was quiet, and I found her on the bed right away.

She was still sleeping.

The events of last night must have really tired her out because she didn’t even stir from the presence of a monster in the room.

Quietly, I made my way over to her.

I stood at the edge of the bed and looked down at the delicate girl, almost buried under the covers, her face free of makeup, and relaxed in a deep sleep.

She looked younger like this.

She looked like—

Mine.

I shook my head, shaking away the whimsical thought.

I wasn’t a man given to whimsy.

I didn’t give in to every urge, and I didn’t protect sweet little girls who looked like they needed a hero in their life.

I was the furthest thing from a hero, but she’d played with fate when she decided to help Braxton.

Her life was now entwined with mine, and that was all there was to it.

I leaned down and let my fingers run gently across the soft skin on her cheek, taking in her fair skin before letting my finger drift upward to the tip of her nose.

Her eyes fluttered, and I straightened.

I waited for her to open her eyes, finding softness in them from whatever dreamland she was leaving.

Time seemed to come to a standstill for a moment, and it was just her in this room, breathing the same air as me.

Then awareness seeped in. Emmy’s eyes widened in surprise, and she sat up so suddenly that she almost fell off the bed.

I grasped her elbow gently to keep her from falling, and she looked over at me, her hazel eyes light this morning.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

I didn’t answer her. I watched her face.

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