Page 58 of The Monster I Am
Our heavy breathing takes over the silence, filling the void from the absence of the piano. Hunter turns his head to look at me, little beads of sweat clinging to his forehead and eyes still heavy with need.
“You have your answer now, Bexley. There’s no going back because from this moment on, you’re mine.”
Chapter eighteen
Bexley
“We’ve had a steady number of signups again this week,” Arch informs me, handing over his phone. “It’s getting harder to schedule the fights.”
I scan the screen, taking note of all the familiar names with a nod. “Maybe we need to up the fight nights to twice a week.”
Arch pulls a look of concentration. “Friday and Saturday?”
“It’s our best bet,” I reply. “The last thing we need is for people to get antsy. With exams kicking off soon, everyone needs to be level-headed.”
He takes his phone back, punching out some notes. “Did you want to chat to your boy toys about it or would you like me to arrange with them?”
“Boy toys?” I mumble in amusement. “Shit, Arch. Don’t let them hear you say that.”
“I’m not taking the blame for any lovers’ spats,” he jokes. “Besides, I’ve heard what they call me. I’m still pissed that you’re apparently Batman and I’m Robin. I’d make a much better Batgirl.”
I snort. “I bet Abby would love to see you in leather.”
Arch pauses his steps, pondering. “Oddly enough, you’ve just given me a good idea…”
“Nope,” I groan. “Don’t tell me. I don’t want the trauma of picturing you in leather or latex. I’m already a hot messy expressy.”
We resume our pace as he shoots me a wicked grin. “Still can’t believe you managed to break Lannister.”
My cheeks flush a nice shade of peach—living up to the cherished nickname. There’s no secrets between us, but even I can admit that when I filled him in the other day about Hunter—only minor details, of course—I was nervous about doing so. Not because I was worried he’d judge me or anything. It just seems so surreal to think that I’m nowhere.
Or we. I feel like if I’m going down, I should drag Arch with me because misery loves company.
But jokes aside, it feels as though a weight has been lifted. Part of me expected and prepared for Hunter to give me the cold shoulder after he screwed me on top of his piano. But to my astonishment, he’s been…normal.
Well, by normal I mean he’s not cranky, sending me death glares, or stomping around like a toddler. So… I guessnot normalby Hunter standards?
“I guess near-death experiences will do that to you,” I answer with a dry laugh. “Life has a weird sense of humor.”
“Arson is the new cupid. Duly noted,” Arch smirks. “Thank fuck I have Abby because, no offence, it’s not particularly a method I’d be keen to try if I was single.”
I shrug nonchalantly. “Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. It’s a proven stress reliever.”
“Are you less stressed?”
“Not even a little bit. But it’s refreshing not having to worry about them murdering me.”
I should have known that putting things out into the universe is bad luck. Abby has been training us well with her microwave sentiments, so it’s entirely on me when I’m suddenly shoved hard into a locker.
My body collides with Arch’s, the pair of us stumbling to catch our footing.
“Get out of the fucking way,” a gruff voice snaps.
I follow the sound, immediately recognizing the brooding idiot.
“Perkins, right?” I ask coldly, straightening up. “Has no one taught you directions or spatial awareness because I’m fairly certainyouran into me.”
He snickers to the growing crowd behind him, and I quickly notice that Arch and I are surrounded by nothing but Willowbrook students. No teachers, no Cedar Heights allies. Just tall, broad-shouldered jocks.
