Page 69 of Guarded By a Monster

The smile on my lips made his eyes widen ever so slightly.

“I’ve already explained why I can’t.”

His eyes flicked from me to Sophia and then to our clasped hands. “Not even to save the girl?”

Sophia’s mother whimpered.

“You wouldn’t,” I snarled.

His laugh was bitter. “You have no idea what I would or wouldn’t do.”

I looked at Briggs, ready to plead, and caught a damn near imperceptible shake of his head. I straightened my spine and stood, putting Sophia behind me. “The depth of your depravity makes no difference in this case, but I will fight tooth and nail before I let you hurt a single hair on her head.”

Mrs. Calder’s hand covered her mouth as silent tears tracked down her cheeks.

“Very brave, Miss Massey, but neither your teeth nor nails are any match against Briggs.”

“Maybe not, but I’ll do my best to damage you before he gets to me.” The tiny motes of light shivered around me and another howl rang from outside, closer this time.

Thurl was coming, and I couldn’t stop my grin.

Vale strode to the door and craned his neck to see as much of the outside as possible through the dirty window in the door.

I mouthed, “It’s going to be all right,” to Mrs. Calder, but judging by her shell-shocked expression, she wasn’t processing anything around her.

Adrian stepped back from the door, his movements controlled, but I could see the tension coiling in his shoulders. The second howl had rattled him, even if he tried to hide it.

“Briggs,” he said sharply, “go check it out.”

Briggs hesitated. It was brief—a fraction of a second—but I caught it. He turned toward the door, his steps heavy, the floor creaking like it would give up at any moment.

“I wouldn’t,” I said, my voice steady.

Briggs paused mid-step, his bulk casting a shadow across the room. He glanced at me, the faintest flicker of curiosity—or doubt—crossing his face. Vale turned slowly, his eyes narrowing.

“And why is that, Miss Massey?”

I shrugged and kept my tone neutral. “Just saying it might not be a good idea to wander outside without knowing what’s out there.”

Vale’s lips curved into a thin, humorless smile. “How thoughtful of you to care about Briggs’ well-being.”

“More like my own,” I stated with false concern. “Having him here makes me a smaller target.”

Vale’s smile didn’t falter, but his eyes darkened, sharp with calculation. He gestured toward the door again. “Check it.”

A tic appeared in Briggs’s jaw. A few tense seconds passed before he gave a curt nod, but when he opened the door, another man shouldered his way inside.

“Boss, something’s out there.”

“What?”

The man shook, an all over body tremble. His eyes darted around the room like he needed to escape—or a place to hide. “Didn’t get a look at it, but it took out Brick and Niko.”

A growl shattered the silence that followed, low, close, and angry.

Vale’s composure faltered. His fingers twitched as his gaze flicked toward the door. Vale turned back to me, his mask back in place. His movements were too smooth, too rehearsed, as he approached. “Do you know what I find fascinating, Miss Massey?” he asked, his tone light but edged with menace. “You don’t seem alarmed.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I have a good poker face. Believe me, I’m scared.” I added a dramatic shiver to my performance.

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