Page 40 of Pretty Monsters

"My brother said my father was right to have me locked up," I mumble.

"You were locked up?" His voice is soft and calm, which makes it sound more threatening.

"Boarding school." I shrug and it sends searing pain through my head. "I never visited home. I didn't see my family at all for the last six years. All girls' schools. I didn't realize there was a motive behind my isolation."

"And your brother said your father was right to treat you like that?"

"Yeah," I admit. My confession is foolish, and likely pissing Sin off right now, but confiding in a friend feels good.

"You're coming home with me," he assures me.

At that moment, I want nothing more than that.

"Does Teddy have more cake?"

Gently, he brushes my hair back, careful of my now bandaged wound. "For you, pretty girl, we'll make a cake if we have to."

14

Revelations

Sin

Carmen slipsout of the room to grab some painkillers for Raven, and I take the chance to pull Ford aside. Begrudgingly, I admit to myself he isn't a bad guy. I don't like the way he looks at Raven, but that's jealousy talking not some medieval notion to preserve her chastity.

I've never doubted Lucien's loyalty before. Sure, I have always known that in a life or death situation, Luce would do what he needed to do to survive, but never did I think his loyalty might align with Damien. Not that I really think he wants the same things his father does, but that doesn't mean being a Blackthorne isn't part of his essential make up. The way he disregarded Raven when she was hurt, and the words he threw at her reduced her to no more than a pawn in his overall end game. And that makes him more like his father than I ever wanted to admit.

"Look, I know you don't like me, but I swore to protect her."

"And you're doing a bang up job. You came to me, and I think it's for more than my access to the team trainer," he argues.

He's right. "I'm not comfortable having her stay with you, but I'm less comfortable bringing her around her brother right now."

"So you agree, she should stay with us."

I shove my hand through my hair. There aren't any good options here. "You have no idea what you are putting yourself and your friends in the middle of. I need some time to figure out where to go. Until then, yeah, she should stay with you. That means you can't post about her or her picture on social media. No electronic trail she exists at all. He'll have people scanning for that."

He shakes his head. "I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around all of this, but I can do that."

"No mistakes, Ford. He needs this marriage to happen, and he isn't used to not getting his way. The rest of his soldiers won't hesitate to torture for information or kill to get to her."

"Like you, huh?"

"No, nothing like me. Yeah, I'm a killer. I've been trained to kill since I was a child. But, I'm not as good at following directions. Up until today, her brother has been my partner, best friend, and my savior. He's refused all jobs where the target was innocent. I've taken lives, dozens of them. All of them child molesters, abusers, and killers. I won't let her be used to further his empire."

"So you're a good murderer?"

"No, I'm a monster, like she said. But I'm the one standing between her and the psycho he wants to send her off to."

"That bad, huh?"

I shrug. "He says he's marrying her to the son, but if he's anything like his father she'll pray for death long before it comes. His father's wives don't live long."

"Fuck. I'm out of my depth here."

"You are, and I'm sorry. Her brother was the one working while I protect Ra– Alice."

He holds up his hand. "Stop, I've already figured out her name isn't Alice. She's too alert, but seems to not know her own name."

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