Page 9 of The Monster

“Carbon monoxide is also a thing. Remember, you have a fireplace in your bedroom,” Wilma chimes in.

I shake my head while Nina grins and gives the two women behind her a thumbs-up. What is going on here? Did I stepinside a different house? How the hell are they ganging up on me?

“Can you please pass me the dumpling?” Nina asks.

I hand her the small bowl, and as she takes it, her fingers brush my hand. It’s innocent, yet it’s not. It ignites the pulse of excitement in my veins, my skin burning hot through my shirt. But it’s not just me.

Nina’s pupils widen, flush crawling up her neck, eyes going a little hazy. It happens in a few seconds, but the front of my dress pants becomes uncomfortably tight, forcing me to adjust my position in my seat.

If I stand, Nina will know. The entire household will know. Even the fucking chandelier will know.

I can’t have that, so I steer our conversation in a different direction and chastise myself for acting like a hormonal teenager. “So, Biology, huh? What do you plan on doing with the degree?”

Nina relaxes and exhales a long, slow breath. “I want to be a doctor someday.” She starts to say something else, but she closes her mouth briefly and opens it again. “My father says men don’t like career-driven women.”

“I do.”

“Really?”

“I like my woman to follow whatever it is she wants.” Fucking slip of the tongue. I just referred to her as mine. Good thing it goes over her head.

“So let me get this straight. I’m allowed to have a career as a doctor?”

I put my fork down and lean back, intertwining my fingers over my stomach. “Allowed? Nina, you are my wife. I don’t know what kind of marriage you thought this was, but you and I are equals. I will not tell you what to do and not do, but you can do that to me.”

“I thought we’re equals?”

I smirk. “Maybe I like being ordered around. It’s boring being the boss 24/7.”

Nina cracks up, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she points the fork at me. “You are so going to regret that. I have never bossed anyone in my life, so yes, I will take you up on that offer.”

“Okay.”

“First order of business.” Nina folds her arms and rests them on the table. “You and I have dinner every night.”

“What time?”

“You have to be home at seven.”

“Done. What else?”

“I’ll think about them as I go. That’s it for now.”

“You hear that, Dario?” I don’t even have to raise my voice because I know those little shits are listening. “Dinner at seven every night with my wife. No ice cream.”

“Someday, I’m going to convince you to try them, and you’re going to love it.”

Little does she know she has the power to make me do whatever she wants.

7

NINA

Idon’t remember enjoying a meal this much. In fact, I don’t remember engaging with anyone at dinner.

Back home, dinners were quiet affairs. We ate, we finished everything on our plates, and we went back to our bedrooms. Father didn’t like talking over food. He said it was disrespectful. He always wanted to eat in peace.

“Thank you, Nina. I needed that.”

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