Page 7 of Monster's Claim
“I’ll know if you lie to me.”
A little laugh rattled out of her tremblingbody.“What are you, a priest?”
“No.I’m just someone who’s been doing thisa very long time.”
She shuddered at those words.“Why?Do youlike it?”
“Because this,” Matthias waved towards therest of the basement.“Is the only thing I’m good for.I don’tnecessarily enjoy it, but I sleep well enough at night.”
She swallowed, probably at the last bit ofhis confession.
He had no idea why he told her that, why hebroke off-script the moment he lowered his hood.Lara beheld himand didn’t flinch away.His physical scars didn’t just make him amonster, the darkness in him did.
“That sounds a little sad.”Lara eyed him upand down.
So bold.He wanted to chuckle but kept hisexpression neutral.Then again, he didn’t correct her behavior.Hewanted to see what else she’d do.Let her believe she was slowlywhittling away at his defenses, convince herself that she couldsomehow convince him to let her go.
“How did you get those scars?”
No prisoner ever asked Matthias thatquestion.None dared.
“Changing the topic now, little bird?”
A distant expression crossed her face.“Other kids always laughed when my mom called me that.I hated it.Little.I was never that.I’d always been a chubby kid growingup.”
Matthias risked a touch.He lifted her chinwith his fingers, thumbed her bottom lip.“Kids can be cruel andstupid.You’re fine the way you are.Perfect even.”
Lara darted her tongue out, licking at hisfingers when he traced the shape of her lip.He smiled.His dickthickened in his jeans.It would be so easy to kiss her now.Makeher think she was slowly gaining control of the situation.Twocan play at this game.
Matthias stole his first kiss from her,quick, wet, and fleeting.Fuck.Matthias always felt like abeast shared his skin, and he let it out when he killed, when hewrung answers out of his prisoners.It surged to the surface now,hungry, possessive, and impatient to corrupt Lara.Mark her.Makeher his.
His cock pressed up against the zipper ofhis jeans.So sweet.So much better than he imagined.He wanted somuch more, to have her bared for him, to explore every inch of her,to taste that honey between her legs.In the end, he’d make hercunt ache and crave his dick.
She clutched at his shoulder.He expectedher to curl her hands into fists, trying to hurt him again, but itnever happened.
Matthias pulled back, restraining himself.The shock that rippled across her features seemed genuine.Shetouched her mouth with two fingers.
“Trying to seduce me won’t work, littlebird,” he simply said.
She drew away, and he smiled and rose to hisfeet.Color rose to her cheeks and neck.That, she definitelycouldn’t fake.Fucking adorable.
“We’ll be spending some quality time heretogether.I’m getting you something to drink.Will you eat?”
She glared at him, stubborn look on herface.“I know how this works.”
He raised one scarred eyebrow.“You do?”
Lara took a deep breath.“I’m not stupid.Iwatched a couple of crime documentaries.There’ll be poison ordrugs in the food and water.”
“Crime shows, huh?”he smirked.She refusedto look at him.
Matthias laughed, unable to help himself.“I’ll be right back, little bird.”
Chapter Five
What just happened?Lara kept touching herlip, wondering if that kiss had been real.She didn’t know whatpossessed him to do that.Worse, she’d kissed him back, respondingto him in a way she never did to any other man.
Growing up, she devoured romances in herfree time.Lara had loved to read since she was a little kid.Whileher mom worked late shifts at the diner, she’d curled up in her owncorner of their trailer, always with a book in hand.She could loseherself in those different worlds for hours, imagining herself inthe position of the heroine, swept away by some handsome prince.Part of her always knew it was nothing but fiction.Real lifedidn’t work like that.
