Monster In The Shadows: A stand-alone dark romance, page 5
Why isn’t she down here?
I glance at my watch; I left her an hour ago. The single glass of water I left her isn’t near enough to get her feeling better. And she should eat. It’s been about twenty-four hours since she last put any food in her mouth.
I stomp up the stairs, frustrated. I’m used to people doing what I say when I say it.
I wish I had never met her. Why did she have to consume my thoughts? No woman has ever invaded my mind like this. The only person I ever thought about this much in the past was my sister, but this is different.
I throw the door open, ready to go head-to-head again, but I find her asleep by the window, dried tears covering her face.
Her nose is red, and every once in a while, a small whimper leaves her lips.
I walk over and pick her up to move her to her bed.
“Just kill me and get it over with. I don’t want to live as a hostage,” she whispers, but isn’t fully awake.
I don’t respond, unsure of how to exactly.
I lay her down gently on the bed and stare at her sleeping form. She tosses and turns, and I can tell she won’t be getting a deep sleep tonight.
As much as I want to keep her here, she’ll hate me and never become mine willingly if I do. If I force her to be with me, I would be just like the fuckers I’m trying to kill.
I shouldn’t want her; it’s dangerous. But it’s too late now. She’s mine. I have her body now, and I want to have her heart. She can never have mine, because I don’t have one. But I’m a possessive man, and I want her. Every single part of her.
I’m a dominant man. I want to fuck women I can control.
That isn’t Paige, though. I can tell she isn’t one who easily gives up control. On some levels, I’m okay with that. I enjoy the way she pushes me. It’s new and exciting.
I don’t want to just fuck her and leave her, but that thought is terrifying. I don’t do anything long-term. This is the last thing I should want, but I can’t give her up either.
I need control in my life, though. Will Paige ever be the woman I really need?
I’ll never be able to give her any form of a real relationship, but I can consume her, control her, and make her want me as much as I want her.
It won’t be healthy and it won’t be right, but it will be fucking amazing.
“Wake up, princess,” I say, setting a glass of water on the nightstand.
I know she didn’t sleep well. I heard her crying all night long. She’s broken now, but I don’t think it will be like that for long. She has a fire inside her, and it’s going to light up again.
I want her to live her life. I want her to finish her schooling. That could actually come in handy to me one day. But I still want her to be mine. To belong to me. To come when called. That will take time, but I’m a patient man.
“I don’t want your kindness,” she sobs, throwing a pillow at me. “I never should have fucking saved you. Why am I even still alive?”
She screams so loud that her voice goes hoarse.
“Just drink the water,” I sigh, sitting in the chair that I left in her room. “I’m not going to kill you, and you are free to leave whenever you want.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Why would you let me go? I saw you blow someone’s head off. I could go to the cops.”
I shrug. “You could. But you saved my life. Now I saved yours. We’re even. Go and be free. Do what you want.”
“Just that easy?” she asks.
I nod. “Just that easy, princess, but I have a question before you go. They tried to kill you once. What’s going to stop them the next time? And what about Leanne? If they wanted you, don’t you think they’ll use her to get to you?”
“How do I even know they really want to kill me and you’re not just a psycho?” she spits out.
I knew this would be coming, so I throw the printed text messages on the bed.
Joel—or, as she knows him, Leo—and his boss, Connor, have a bunch of texts back and forth discussing killing Paige. I’m certain they wanted me to know, or they would have used better code.
“What does this even mean?” she asks as she reads the texts.
I guess to someone who isn’t in the business, this wouldn’t make sense. It’s code, but it’s lazy code.
“They wanted to take me to a meadow?”
“No, they wanted to kill you. It’s code. Meadow means grave. Kind of like sleeping with the fishes.”
She covers her mouth. “Why me?”
“I don’t know why they want you,” I lie. “I can offer you and Leanne both protection. But I can’t protect you if I’m in jail, so I would be grateful if you didn’t go to the cops. That man deserved to die. He was going to rape you in the alley before he killed you.”
A tear streaks down her face. “I just want a normal life. Why is this happening to me?”
“Life is mysterious,” I tell her.
She stares at me, her expression blank. “You said we’re even, so why would you protect me and Leanne? There must be a catch. A fee. Something. Men like you don’t do good deeds.”
I smile. “You’re right. There is a fee.”
“Well?” she asks, looking impatient. “What is it? I don’t have money.”
“You,” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “Nope, I’m not fucking you. My vagina is not for sale.”
I laugh, loving her audacity. “You don’t have to sleep with me. But you will want to one day, and I will be happy to rock your world. I’m not asking for your vagina, as you put it. I’m just asking for you. You become mine. You come when I call, you date no one, you fuck no one, you obey whatever I say. I’m just as new to this as you are, but I know what I want.”
She bites her lip, mulling over my words.
“No sex?” she clarifies.
I nod.
“What would you want with me, then? Isn’t that all men want?”
“No, that is all boys want. Men want more. I want to protect you because I can tell you’re special, but I need to know you’re going to listen, or you will just be a liability. I can offer you the world if you want, but you must give me your word that you will do as you’re told. This isn’t just about me claiming you. You can get more than protection if you want. Are you in? Or are you walking out that door, wondering how long you will survive and if your best friend’s blood will be on your hands?”
“How do you know about her, anyway?” she asks, and I fight back my smile.
“I have my ways. It’s how I knew Leo—whose real name is Joel, by the way—was planning on killing you. In my line of work, you need to know information or you wind up dead.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Kind of like the night I found you?”
I smile, because I love that her fire is back.
“Yes. I didn’t have all the information, and they got the jump on me. By the way, it was your date who stabbed me.”
She shakes her head. “This is all so confusing.”
“I know, but you have to make your mind up today, or I can’t protect you. I need to know you are mine.”
“Why is that so important to you? I already told you I won’t be having sex with you.”
I give her my smirk that works on all the women. “Oh, but you will one day.”
I decide now is a good time to leave her. She’ll come down when she’s ready, and hopefully with the right decision.
I pause at the door and turn to her. “By the way, my name is Donovan.”
What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
I wish I could call Leanne and figure this out with her, but I don’t want to put her in more danger.
Donovan is right, although I will never admit it. Someone wants me dead, and I have no idea why. Is it because I saved him?
I throw a pillow at the wall and scream at the top of my lungs.
What choice do I have? I can’t put Leanne’s life in danger because of a decision I made. I’m the one who chose to save Donovan. I’m the one who was stupid, so now I have to live with those decisions.
I walk down the stairs very slowly, trying to find the words I need. When I come to the bottom, I see the front door.
I could leave. I could call the cops, but could they protect me from the dark men that lurk in the shadows? Am I willing to take that risk and watch my best friend die?
No, I’m not.
I turn toward an entry, which turns out to be the kitchen, and throw my shoulders back.
“So, how is this going to work? I won’t be your fucking slave, and sex is absolutely off the table,” I state loudly when my eyes land on Donovan.
He looks up from his phone and smiles.
His smile isn’t exactly like I thought it would be. It isn’t menacing, and it doesn’t scare me. It almost feels genuine, and I feel drawn to him. I want to see that smile more often.
Wait. Where the fuck did that come from? I’m definitely fucked in the head.
“Like I said, you are mine. You do as I say, wear what I give you, eat what I feed you, and come when called. If you don’t listen, there will be consequences, which will vary depending on what you have done wrong. When you do as you are told, I will reward you. Ask for whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you. I would like it if you lived here, but I’m willing to let you live on your own as long as you are not in danger and you listen to what I say.”
I feel my blood boil. I’m not a fucking dog. I’m not someone’s property, either.
Think of Leanne, my inner voice tells me.
“Fine,” I bite out. “But you have to promise Leanne’s safety. I can’t have her blood on my hands because of a stupid decision I made.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “And what decision was that?”
“Helping you,” I spit out. “I made my bed, so I guess I have to lie in it. But if Leanne is ever in danger, the deal is off and I call the cops. Got it?”
He smiles again and nods. “Very well. Are you staying here, or should I take you home today?”
“There is no way in hell I’m staying here. Take me home now, please.”
He stands and stalks over to me.
“I’m glad you know manners,” he says into my ear, his breath hot on my neck. “You will learn quickly that they are necessary, unless you like to get punished.”
“Punished how?” I breathe shakily.
“We’ll have that conversation another day,” he says with a wink.
He walks to the door, and I’m frozen in my tracks. What the fuck did I actually agree to?
“You are seriously the nicest man alive,” Leanne gushes as I drive her to Sway’s shop.
I nod, and I can’t help but let my thoughts drift to Paige. She didn’t seem upset when I left her. She was probably relieved that she was finally alone. I honestly expected her to call Leanne by now and spill her guts, but I know she hasn’t. While she was out from the drug, I installed an app on her phone so I can track all her calls and text messages, and so far, she has been completely quiet.
“It’s going to be so nice to have my own wheels again. I think I’m going to surprise my bestie with a visit. She had the flu all weekend, so we didn’t hang out, but I know she misses me. We hang out almost every day,” Leanne rambles on.
Why do women talk so much? It’s annoying. Thankfully, at least this is information I can use.
“You sound like a good friend,” I reply, turning into the shop parking lot.
Leanne blushes and gently shoves my arm. “I try. She’s honestly the best person I’ve ever met. Hey, maybe you two should meet. She isn’t really into dating, but you’re such a great guy. Who knows? Maybe you could be the guy for her.”
She is literally bouncing in her seat with excitement. I never realized how much she acts like a kid who has eaten way too much sugar. I knew she was loud and a little crazy, but she’s still good for Paige.
“I’m not one for being set up. But maybe the universe will set me and your friend up,” I tell her with a wink, which makes her giggle.
Women are far too easy. The ones everyone call “guarded” are the smart ones. More women should be like that. Why do you think so many women go missing every year?
Like the women I can’t seem to find. It’s pissing me off that I’m no closer to finding the head of this operation now than I was when I first started this a couple of months ago. I want to grind my teeth, but I don’t want to make Leanne uneasy.
“Your car was an easy fix,” Sway tells Leanne when she gets out of my car.
“Thank you so much, but please let me pay for it.” She tries to pull out her wallet, but he places his hand on hers.
“Go out for dinner with me,” he tells her, not really asking.
I glare at him, but he pays me no attention. I don’t know if Sway hooking up with Leanne is a good idea or not, but I do know that I have no choice in the matter. Sway doesn’t take orders from me.
Leanne giggles and twirls her hair. “What do you have in mind?”
He wags his eyebrows at her, and I think I’m going to throw up. This is way too sweet for my taste.
“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he says.
She giggles and gives him her phone number.
This seems like a bad idea, but maybe it isn’t. If Leanne can hold Sway’s attention, this could actually work in my favor. If he likes her, he’ll want to keep her safe, and it’s one less thing I have to worry about.
My focus needs to be on shutting down these assholes who think they can use and abuse children and women, not on keeping track of Paige’s best friend to make sure I’m holding up my end of the bargain.
“I’ll see you later,” I say to Sway, who is still talking to Leanne.
“Yeah, man. We have a lot to talk about later.” He looks over Leanne’s head at me, and his look tells all.
I nod, knowing he is going to want more information about what’s going on. I just don’t know how much I want to tell him.
I’m going to officially claim Paige as mine, and I know there is going to be a clusterfuck of shit to deal with when I do.
Maybe it was all a bad dream. Maybe nothing happened. Maybe my life isn’t completely fucked upside-down.
Climbing out of bed, I stretch, and a big yawn slips past my lips. I’ve been sleeping all day, hoping and praying that when I woke, everything would go back to how it was.
Slowly, I make my way to my kitchen, where a dozen roses are sitting on the counter. My heart starts racing, and I stop dead in my tracks. Those flowers weren’t there when I went to bed.
Forcing my feet to move, I walk to my kitchen and grab the card attached to the flowers.
Thank you for agreeing to be mine.
You won’t regret it.
Be a good girl and you will get rewarded.
A bad girl gets punished.
-Donovan
Setting the card down, I grip the counter. So, I guess it wasn’t a dream. This really is my life, and I don’t know what to do about it.
How did he get in my house? Fuck, this is all so confusing.
I honestly don’t even know how I feel about all of this yet. I don’t normally like to be controlled. All I know is that I agreed to be his, whatever that means.
I pick up my phone and see I missed a couple of text messages from Leanne.
Leanne: Got my car back
Leanne: I don’t care if you’re still sick. I’m coming over tonight.
Leanne: Take a shower. I don’t want to smell your gross ass.
Leanne: Are you ignoring me?
Leanne: GET BACK HERE AND LOVE ME!!!
I laugh at the last message.
Me: Sorry, I was napping.
Me: Calm your tits.
Leanne: Did you shower?
Me: Not yet.
Leanne: Do it. I’m on my way.
I roll my eyes and make my way to the shower. I definitely do need one. It’s been a few days. My stomach rumbles and I also realize I’ve barely eaten. I move back to the counter and pick my phone back up.
Me: Bring me food. I’m starving!
Leanne: Already done!
I giggle and put the phone back down.
It’s going to be great to hang out with my bestie, but also awkward. I’ve never kept anything from her before, and now I have a huge secret. If I don’t keep it, we could both wind up dead.
Stepping out of the shower, I reach for a towel, and a hand lands on my shoulder. I scream at the top of my lungs.
Donovan wasn’t able to protect me. I’m fucked.
“Holy shit. Calm down,” Leanne says, giving me a weird look.
I grab my chest, fighting for air to fill my lungs.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?!” I screech.
She shrugs. “Wanted to see for myself that you weren’t dead.”
“And why would I be dead?” I ask, wondering what she knows.
“Because you’ve been fucking sick all weekend. And then you don’t text me all day. I was convinced you’d been kidnapped, and I was actually bringing food to your kidnapper and about to meet my own death.”
I stare at her for a minute before she starts laughing, and I force myself to laugh with her.
“Hilarious. Well, I’m alive and wasn’t kidnapped,” I lie, hopefully convincingly.
“I know. That stupid flu is going around. I’m just glad you’re doing okay. I came in to try not to scare you, but I guess I did the exact opposite.”
I nod. We’ve never had boundaries. She’s seen me naked more times than I can count. I should have known it was her, but I’m not in that great of a mindset right now.
“What did you bring me to eat?” I ask, changing the subject while wrapping a towel around myself.
“Everything,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows before leaving my bathroom.
After changing, I come out to find my kitchen full of food.
“Are we having a party? Why did you bring so much food?” I ask, grabbing a plate and starting to fill it with all my favorites.
“After I got over my flu, I couldn’t stop eating, so I figured you might feel the same way.”
I nod at her, but don’t respond. I feel so fucking guilty for lying to her, but it’s for her protection. The less she knows, the safer she is.
