Page 18 of The Monster's Desire

I patiently wait my turn by checking out the old decor. The mom from earlier is counting out quarters, and it makes my heart ache. Shoving as much shit as I can into my free arm, I grab a twenty from my back pocket and wave it at the man behind the counter. I try to covertly nod to the woman, but she catches my movement and spins around.

Fuck my life. This day just keeps getting better and better.

“Oh, I’m sorry, is my misfortune holding you up?” the woman hisses.

I take a giant step back, because she looks really pissed that I was trying to be kind.

“Nope, take your time. My food isn’t even done yet.” I give an awkward head bobble while rolling my lips together to keep from saying anything else that might set her off.

“Food’s up,” the older woman in the deli calls out.

“I didn’t plan that,” I say with wide eyes. I mean, come on, I couldn’t have planned that if I tried.

The woman does not seem as impressed as I am by that clutch timing.

“We don’t need your charity,” she says.

I nod my agreement again. “Not charity. I was trying to put some good energy back into the world. That’s all. No harm intended.”

The woman rips the twenty out of my hand and drops it onto the counter. The little girl eyes my armful of snacks, and I feel like a righteous asshole. I nod to the cashier and hand the girl the popcorn on top.

“You’re not allergic or anything, right?”

“Nope.” She grins, grabbing the bag before following her mom out.

I drop my armful of shit on the counter. “I need to pay for that.”

The mountain of a man stands, glaring daggers at me from near the exit. “Add two waters to my tab,” he growls, spinning and pushing out the door.

I again do an awkward little nod at how bizarre this place is. Yeah, I never should have agreed to come here.

I pay for my snacks and run back to grab my sandwich before heading out to my car. I drop everything into the passenger seat and prepare to pump gas.

Turning around to grab the nozzle, I face plant into the beast man’s bare chest.

“Oh shit,” I mumble against his pec. My eyes fly up and up some more before making eye contact.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he growls.

My face must show my confusion because he scoffs.

It’s not like I really want to be here. I have a job to do, and then I’m out.

“You’re literally in my personal space. I’m going to go withyoushouldn’t be here.” I try to sidestep him to grab the gas nozzle, but he’s so huge, I have to keep sidestepping until it just becomes a whole ordeal. “Excuse me.”

The dick smirks, shaking his head.

“Your kind never lasts long here,” he says before taking off for the woods.

“Thanks for the friendly advice,” I call out to the jerk’s back as he disappears around the building. “Or the dickheaded warning, depending on how you look at it,” I grumble to myself.

They sayno good deed goes unpunished.

I flipping hate that saying.

ChapterSeven

Nadia

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