Page 67 of Monster

But, all he did was take his bread and dip it into his mushroom sauce. Ignoring my question once again and reminding me exactly why I was here.

“What do you want from this dinner, Teo?”

His eyes shot up to mine. “Don’t get defensive now. We haven’t even touched dessert.”

I stood to my feet. “I want you to tell me the purpose of the dinner, or I’m excusing myself and heading back to my room.”

“You mean, the room I’m freely allowing you to utilize.”

My eye twitched. “What do you want?”

He pointed with his fork. “I want you to sit down and eat. I know you’re hungry.”

I was over this game of cat and mouse. I was done being in this man’s pompous presence. And I was definitely done with being a pawn in whatever growing scheme he had hashing out around us. I eased myself back into the seat and ate as quickly as possible. I didn’t bother with manners, or questions. I didn’t even bother looking at him as I shoveled it into my mouth.

And after drowning the food in four glasses of wine, I stood back to my feet. “There. Not hungry anymore. Now, if you’ll excuse—”

The world suddenly wobbled and I felt off kilter. I stumbled in my heels and felt myself crashing toward the ground until a pair of powerful arms wrapped around me. I groaned as I felt my body hovering in midair. All of a sudden, the alcohol rushed through my veins, causing me to go limp as the world spiraled around me.

“Shit,” I whispered.

“Come with me. I’ll get you back to your room,” Teo murmured.

My head lobbed back as he cradled me in his arms. I curled against his chest and closed my eyes, trying to stop the world from spinning viciously around me. I drew in deep breaths as the food I wolfed down threatened to come back up on me on sheer principle.

But, the second Teo settled me into bed, my attention turned to him.

My attention turned to the way his hands slid my feet out of my heels. The way he helped me out of my jewelry as I laid there, trying not to throw up on myself. It turned to the way he brushed my hair back from my forehead with his knuckles before blowing a soft stream of cool air against the crook of my neck.

“I don’t get you,” I murmured mindlessly.

He tucked me into bed. “Get some rest, Miss Pettigrew.”

And as I heard him backtracking towards the bedroom door, an odd feeling settled deep in my heart.

The feeling of wanting him against me as I fell asleep.

“I don’t get you at all,” I whispered tiredly.

Then, I caved and let sleep drag me under.

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