Page 12 of Monster's Claim
Somehow, seeing Sky interact with Matthiasfelt a little surreal, peeling away her initial impression ofMatthias as some kind of loner.Lara spotted another man byMatthias’s shoulder, also massive, inked, and he didn’t look alltoo happy with her.
“Wife,” the other man called.“We’releaving.”
“Wait a moment.Matthias,” Sky said, risingto her feet.
Watching the tiny pregnant woman waddle upto such a big man like Matthias and poking a threatening fingerinto his chest, Lara had to admit, was a little amusing.
Matthias blinked down at her.“What?”
“Don’t bring her back downstairs.She didn’tlike it,” Sky stated.“Hell, no woman would.”
Matthias huffed.Their gazes met.Laradidn’t know what she felt about him.His actions confused the hellout of her.Why would he unlock her ankle cuff?He could have lether fall, but he caught her.Sky also mentioned a doctor.Thebandage on her ankle looked professionally tended to.
And that kiss they shared.She didn’t knowwhy she couldn’t erase that image from her head, or how easily hemade her forget where she was.If he went any further, she wouldn’tstop him, might encourage him even.Dangerous man.
Nothing made sense.Wouldn’t a hobbledcaptive be easier to manage?Why would Matthias bring her out ofthe basement and to this bedroom?
Lara remembered seeing the hurt inMatthias’s black eyes as she clambered up those stairs.Thatglimpse of weakness, of vulnerability caused her to fall.
“That won’t be necessary,” Matthias finallysaid.
His answer seemed to satisfy Sky.
“Don’t leave,” Lara blurted withoutthinking.
Sky paused.“Lara, you might not see it now,but he’s a good man.Do you understand why Matthias can’t let yougo yet?”
“I think so.You want to find Skip,” shesaid.Lara had been down there, knew their faces.It was childishto think they’d ever let her go.
“I’ll come visit again.Treat her right,”Sky told Matthias.Her footsteps, along with her husband’s, fadedaway, leaving her alone with her captor.
Chapter Seven
“How are you feeling?”Matthias asked,concerned.Sitting by the bedside might be too intimate, too muchfor Lara right now, so he chose to stand.She probably hadquestions for him.Might as well have it all out.
“I—I don’t know.Why did you unlock me?”shedemanded.“Is this some sort of game to you?”
“No more games between us.Justhonesty.”
Besides, he got all the answers he neededfrom her.Lara had no valuable information, and had merely happenedto possess the bad luck to be Skip’s ex-girlfriend.No oneimportant, Marco would say, but he wasn’t Marco.
Lara was everything to him.Matthias woulddefy the Familia for her.They owed him, especially Marco.He’dnever asked for anything for himself until now.Lara would be theone payment he’d demand for all his years of faithful service.
“Then why?”she demanded, crossing herarms.
They both knew she wasn’t going anywhere,not with that bandaged ankle.Even if she did try to run, he’deasily catch her, but Lara didn’t look like she wanted to leave.She wanted answers?He’d give them to her.
“I thought I could let you go.Turns out Ican’t.”
“When you say stuff like that, you do knowit scares me, right?”
“No lies, remember?”Matthias walked over tothe tray next to her, handing her another water bottle.“Drinkfirst.”
She grabbed the bottle and took a couple ofsips.
“You hungry?”Matthias asked mildly, liftingthe tray and settling in over her lap.“It’s carbonara fromPaolo’s.”
Her stomach rumbled.Lara’s cheeks and neckturned pink.Fucking cute,Matthias thought.Lara stared atthe plate for a few seconds, but it seemed hunger won overeverything else.
