Page 51 of Monster

That was what he was.

That was what I had concluded when the terrible beast took me back to his house and held me against my will.

It was only confirmed this morning when I woke to his arms still around me.

I knew he was awake.

He had been awake for a while, and he was still lying in bed, holding me as if I were hisloverrather than his captive.

When I turned around and met bright blue eyes free of sleepiness or fatigue, the man had the nerve to smile at me as if everything was fine between us.

He placed a swift kiss on my forehead and got out of bed, heading into the bathroom.

I could have attempted to leave the room, but what was the point?

It was locked. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left me alone.

I confirmed my suspicions when I looked at the door and found the inside lock in place.

I could hear water running from the bathroom, and the little movements Dominic made as he got ready for his day, ready to rule it like the king that he was.

I wondered what that felt like.

To walk around the world as if you owned it, because he did—at least, a small but very significant portion of it.

The shower turned on and I could hear Dominic opening the glass door and climbing in.

Intrusive thoughts entered, and for the life of me, I couldn’t rid myself of the image of Dominic naked, lathering his skin with soap.

I shook my head.

I should not be attracted to the man.

He was, by far, the most good-looking man I had ever encountered in my life, but that didn’t mean his insides weren’t pitch black.

And it didn’t mean he could do whatever the hell he wanted, like keep me trapped in his room.

Why the hell was I even in his bedroom in the first place? Didn’t he have a dungeon for all his prisoners?

I took a deep breath, trying to shake out the thoughts.

I should not be thinking of a possible dungeon he might have in his house—or wish to be placed in it.

Dominic might be beautiful, but I knew better than to trust a man just because he was good-looking. I was sure Lucifer was depicted as beautiful in some stories.

I stared up at the ceiling. I had spent the entire day within these four walls. Even so, it felt like I was looking at it with new eyes now.

I closed my eyes when I heard the shower turn off, resisting the urge to yank the blanket over my head. I wasn’t seven. Hiding wouldn’t make the monster disappear. But how great would it be if that were the case?

The bathroom door opened, and I didn’t move when I heard him walk over to me, his bare feet padding across the carpeted floor. He stood at the edge of the bed, just in front of me.

“Aren’t you going to look at me, wildcat?”

I let out a small sigh. “Stop calling me that.”

I could hear the smile in his voice when he asked, “Why?”

“Because I have a name.”

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