Page 29 of Monster

I walked my ass back toward the house.

After slipping inside, I brushed the sand off the bottoms of my feet. I padded silently through the kitchen, keeping my head on a swivel and my ears peeled for any sounds. I eased around every corner softly and checked behind every door to see if I could find an office or a library of some sort.

Men who thought they were powerful always kept their shit in an office or a library.

“Idiots,” I murmured to myself.

After about fifteen minutes of exploring, I came upon a massive set of double doors that I just knew was Teo’s office. However, the fucking doors were locked. I searched around for a key before backtracking into the kitchen, trying to find something slender and sharp. If I could pick the lock on his office, I’d be able to sift through whatever the hell I wanted to.

And after coming across a random bobby pin, I made my way back to the set of doors.

“Come on,” I hissed.

It took me several tries to pick that fucking lock, but once I did? The doors popped open without a second thought. I smiled triumphantly as I stepped into the room, ready to turn on the lights and expose all of the things I’d lord over his head until he let me go.

But, I didn’t even reach for the lights before they turned on themselves.

And his voice sounded behind me.

“You’re a very resourceful woman, you know that?” Teo asked.

I would have whipped around at the sound of his voice, but I was much too shocked at what I saw in front of me. I blinked a few times to try and see if I was hallucinating. Or, somehow seeing things.

“So,” Teo asked as he stepped up beside me, “what do you think?”

I blinked even still. “It’s an art room.”

He chuckled. “You’re just now noticing that?”

I shook my head. “It’s a fucking art room?”

“What? Can’t a man paint every once in a while?”

I turned in his direction and looked up into his eyes. “You paint!?”

He grinned. “You don’t?”

I licked my lips and watched as his eyes dropped to my mouth. He took a step toward me, invading whatever personal space I had been afforded up until this point. His cologne smelled of oak and honey. His body heat comforted me in ways that were dangerous. His fingertips came up to my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

Then, he cupped my cheek.

“Very resourceful, you are,” he murmured.

I didn’t dare move as his fingertips trickled down my neck, causing goosebumps to flee across my skin. I held my breath as his hand slid along my shoulder and down my arm, quickly approaching my hand. He ran across my wrist and I jumped at the searing pain that rushed through my veins.

Then, he picked up my wrist and started inspecting my injury.

“You’re lucky,” he said.

He started leading me out of the not-office-but-art-room space and back into the kitchen.

“What?” I whispered.

He led me over to the sink. “Two more centimeters to the left and you would’ve ripped open your vein and bled out. You’re lucky to still be alive.”

My eyes fell to the running water he had turned on before he eased my wrist beneath it. The warm water relaxed me as I leaned against the kitchen counter, allowing my eyes to fall closed.

This is your chance. Don’t let it get away. Do what you do best.

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