Page 21 of Monster
“No.”
“We both know you’re gonna give in, Keeley.” Cyber chuckled. “You always do, can we just skip to that part so I can go in and eat some pie before my pregnant woman gets here and eats it all?”
“If Iris hears you talking about her like that she’s going to kill you,” I warned with a laugh of my own.
Cyber shrugged. “She knows that I like her with some meat on her bones, more to hold on to. Curves, man.” He eyed Keeley. “I’m surprised no one has snapped you up yet with that body of yours. Now tell Monster his new woman can move in with you and let’s get this party started.”
“One, stop talking about her body. None of you fucks are good enough for Keeley and you know it and two,” I turned my attention back to her, “please?”
Shock rippled across Keeley’s face for a second. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say please before. Fine.” Her shoulders sagged. “She can have the spare room for a while until you get something else sorted, but don’t make me regret saying yes, Monster.”
17
ANGELA
He couldn't be serious?Could he? I glanced around the cramped, drab room and I couldn't help the frown that crinkled my forehead. There were boxes everywhere overflowing with God knows what and a musty smell in the air. Like the windows had not been opened in a very long time. Apart from the boxes, there was a bed pressed up against the wall and a dresser - that was it.
And Monster expected me to stay there?
“You can't be serious?”
Monster shot me a look. His face mirrored the frown on mine. “What's wrong with it?” There was a note of defensiveness in his voice. I fought back the urge to ask him what was right with it. He seriously couldn't be asking me to stay there. Even his boxy room back at the clubhouse was better than where we were standing. Cleaner, more specious. The room he had shown me to was more like a cell than anything else. I half expected to find a sink and a metal toilet in the corner once I started moving all the boxes.
“Once we move out the boxes and you give everything a good clean it will be fine.”
Ignoring him totally, I moved to one of the boxes, yanking out a bright pink stuffed animal. I held it between us like it was something filthy. “I'm not moving anything, this is your cousin's shit, not mine. I mean, what grown woman still has boxes and boxes of stuffed animals? Seriously.” I blew out a breath, and the hair that had fallen from my ponytail and into my face floated upwards. “I think your cousin needs to grow the fuck up. I don't know how she can live like this, it's pathetic.” In my ranting, I didn't see Monster’s face change until it was too late.
“They aren’t her toys, Angela,” he gritted out. “When she came here she had nothing but the clothes on her back. She arranges toy drives for the Sons, for kids who don't have anything. You know, so they have things to open on their birthdays and at Christmas. The whole community gets behind her.” Monster’s voice was ice smooth.
I blinked at him in shock. “Oh.” I couldn't think of anything else to say. Of course saintly Keeley collected toys and donations for the underprivileged. I didn't know why I was so surprised. She was so sweet it made my teeth hurt. “Of course she does.” I rolled my eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”
Monster’s face darkened even more. “What do you mean by that?”
It took everything in my power not to shout it in his face. Keeley had him and the rest of them wrapped around her little finger. It was clear she was using him, sponging off him and he couldn't see it because she had mastered the sweet girl act.
Keeley was no different to me. And yet everyone thought I was a bitch, whereas they thought she was as sweet as the pie she served. How was that fair? Just because she had that butter wouldn't melt face and chubby body, or was it classed as curvy? I didn't know, I didn't care. She was different to me.
“Nothing.” Telling Monster what I really thought when things were going so well between us would be a disaster. It didn't matter how much I screamed and shouted at him, he wouldn't believe that his precious cousin was using him. All I would do was push him away and that was the one thing I couldn't do.
I needed Monster for my plan to work.
“Angela.” His words were a warning, growled out between gritted teeth. “If you have something to say, then just spit it out.”
I opened my mouth without thinking, whirling on him. “Fine, you want to know what I really think Monster? This place is a dump, your cousin is using you for your money and…” I didn't get to say anything else.
His hand curled around my throat, pushing me backwards. I hit a pile of stacked up boxes against the wall, sending the top one tumbling down. A squeak left my lips before I could help myself. I half expected him to let go, and more than half of me was so turned on that I could feel my panties getting wet.
“Do not speak about my cousin like that, Angel, not ever.” Monster’s face hovered over mine. His eyes were bottomless pits of rage. His breath flowed over my face, minty and fresh from the gum he was chewing.
I clenched my legs together. This was more like it. The anger, the violence. All the things I had seen shining out of his eyes from across the club in Las Vegas. All the things that had attracted me to him in the first place. I was so turned on, I could barely breathe.
“Or what?”
For a second he just stared at me. His eyes burned with the same desire I was feeling. It was the reason we were so good together. The heat, the passion, the toe-curling darkness. Monster cocked his head to the side as if he was pondering his options.
One hand firm around my throat, he brought the other one up between my legs, cupping my mound against his palm. My breath hitched as he lifted me onto my tiptoes. His fingers worked to press the seam of my jeans into my core. It was deliciously painful. I wiggled against his palm, my breath coming out in pants.
“Or what?” I managed to repeat myself again.
