Page 5 of Bound to a Monster

“Give me a saber and I could cut you to little itty-bitty pieces.”

“That’s what it’s called? The sword thing is a saber?”

“Yep, depending on the fencing style, and there’s a whole uniform that goes with it.”

“Come on, show me.” He pushes off the fence and squares up with me, but there’s nothing menacing in him. Even though he’s big and fit, and he just admitted that he threatened to physically violate a man for me, I don’t feel like this is a bad situation. “Stab me in the face.”

“You really want me to?” I turn my body and fall into en garde, knees bent, off-arm held back, foil-arm forward. I bounce on my toes very lightly, keeping loose. “I’m warning you, I’m pretty good.”

“I want to see,” he says, and that edge is back.

But this time, it’s a playful edge.

It’s inviting.

And I feel it. The spark. The deep, pulsingwantroiling in the air between us, and suddenly I know.

Thisis how it happens.

The weird alchemical magic everyone but me seems to be able to find.

This is how two strangers meet and decide they want to fuck each other.

Excitement burns into my core. I reach into my clutch again and grab for the lipstick tube.

I’m very distracted by the way he’s looking at me. His cocky smile, his handsome lips. His mouth slightly parted with anticipation. His body held loosely, like he’s prepared to react to whatever I’m about to do, but not overly primed for it.

He knows how to handle himself.

And he’s glorious, my god. He’s absolutely stunning.

My mouth pulls back into an elated grin. This is weird and crazy, but I feel alive in a way I haven’t felt in years.

And I lunge at him.

I go in fast. My favorite fencing style is saber, which rewards speed and aggression, and I don’t hold back. He seems surprised and takes a step, trying to put distance between us.

He’s too slow.

My touch lands right on his chest an inch above his heart.

“Got you,” I say, feeling breathless and wild. It’s glorious, this feeling. I love to win more than anything in the world, but for so long I’ve caged that emotion.

Now it’s back. At least for a little bit. This night was a disaster until this moment. I’m elated, my cheeks flushed with the thrill of a fight and the tension between the two of us.

He looks down, and his face changes.

At first, I don’t understand why. He seems surprised and amused, and he slowly reaches up to gently take my hand.

“What’s this?” he asks.

I stare at my weapon.

And immediately a tidal wave of embarrassment pours down over my head.

I didn’t get my lipstick this time.

No, I ended up with something about the same size, a little bit larger, and very pink. Neon pink. And made from a soft, rubber foam material designed to be gentle on a lady’s private area.

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