Page 70 of Bound to a Monster

“I win,” she whispers.

“Going to scream in my face?”

“I don’t need to. You’re going to listen.”

My jaw flexes. But I say nothing.

She takes a deep breath, and then she explains.

About her trip to the fencing gym, about signing up for classes even though she was nervous and scared, and about my father giving her a ride home. She explains his offer and why she has the card.

“I was never going to do it,” she says, eyes on mine. She’s softening now and my grip on her isn’t as firm. “I honestly forgot it happened until you threw that card at me. Lev, you’re my husband. You’re the father of my child. Even if this is all freaking weird, I’m yours.”

Those words.I’m yours. I don’t think she means it, but they break me.

Fuck, they shatter me.

I slump forward and pull her against me. The sword is still between us, but she lets it go and it falls to the floor. I pull her into a hug and she hugs me back, her soft, warm body like heaven.

“Why do you hate him so much?” she whispers, her cheek against my chest. “What happened between you?”

I let out a long breath and feel myself relax a fraction of an inch. “You’re not going to like it.”

“I didn’t think I would.”

“No, you don’t understand. It’ll upset you, and I’ve done enough of that already.”

“Lev—”

“Tomorrow night. I’ll tell you tomorrow night when I have the mask on again.”

“You don’t need it.”

“I know. But it helps.”

She looks up at me. Her big, dark eyes stare into mine. Her full lips are parted.

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

I bury her mouth with mine. I can’t help myself. I kiss her and hold it there, letting it linger, letting it glow. Fuck, it tastes good, and it feels even better. Her tongue silky and sweet, and the little whimper she makes drives me wild.

But I break it off before I let myself go too far.

“Come on then,” I whisper, pulling away but taking her hand with me. “It’s late and you’re pregnant. You need rest.”

“Yeah, rest,” she says, sounding a bit dazed. “That’swhat I need right now.”

Chapter 28

Lev

My father’s house looks different.

Smaller. Older. Like somehow, he’s letting it go, even though it’s still the old stately row home in a great neighborhood it’s always been.

I grew up here. I learned everything I know about business here. I became the man I am today, for better and for worse, right in these halls.

It feels wrong when I walk through the door.

---