Page 2 of Monster Bully

“Everything is fixed.”

“That is awesome news. I’m so pleased I was able to help.” She reached out and patted his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world to her.

No one touched him, unless he gave them permission.

Staring at Eve, he couldn’t take his gaze away from her. She was so beautiful, like a light shining through the darkness.

Grim knew he should stay away, that there was no way he should allow his darkness, his cruelty, to swamp her, but he was drawn. Like a moth to a flame. He had absolutely no power over it. He wanted her, and turning back now was out of the question. This was totally selfish of him. Eve wasn’t suited to his world. He would end up destroying her, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“I was wondering if I could take you to dinner?” he asked.

“Dinner?”

“Yeah, as a thank you. You showed me kindness, and I want to pay you back.”

“You don’t owe me anything and I didn’t do that so you could pay me back.” She gave him a smile. “Don’t be silly.”

Again, this woman was like another species to him. She was totally out of his league, and he knew that from the start.

“I would like to. Please. You didn’t have to help me. I was a stranger.”

Eve smiled. “Okay, fine, but I get to pick the place.”

****

This was so surreal to Eve. Never in her life had she been asked out to dinner by a total stranger. She hadn’t even been on any kind of date in her life. Not that this qualified as a date. She didn’t know if he would be a date or friendly dinner companion, and she didn’t even know his name.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to be rude, but I just realized I don’t know your name,” she said, offering him a smile. She felt so bad.

Scrambling through her brain, she couldn’t be sure if he had ever said what his name was.

“It’s … Graham.”

“Graham.”

“Yeah, Graham.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Graham.” She held her hand out and he took it.

He kept looking around the diner. It was a small, cozy place that served the best home-cooked food. It was also quite cheap and had a friendly air. She didn’t know if Graham was wealthy or a struggling-to-get-by kind of guy, or even the comfortable kind of guy. Either way, he didn’t need to buy her dinner, and the food at Gran’s Place was always the bomb.

The diner was called Gran’s Place, and she had been going there for years. So much so, she even called the owners Granny and Grandpa. In fact, she believed all the customers did because the owners insisted on it. She didn’t want to appear rude or upset them, so Granny and Grandpa it was. They were good people, and she loved it there.

Her hips might not be so happy, but she didn’t care. Her mother always said that a real man and the right man, would love her for exactly who she was. Not a number on some kind of scale. So far, no man loved or wanted her for her fuller, much curvier body, but she didn’t mind. She was happy.

Her days were busy, filled with work, and she kept to herself. She cared for animals at the shelter, as well as at a care home for the elderly. She loved to be around people and animals, showing them love and friendship. Of course, some people felt it made her boring, but she didn’t care. This was her life, and she would live it the way she wanted.

Looking at Graham, she saw him frowning at the menu.

“Trust me, everything on it is so good.”

“You come here often?” he asked.

“As often as I can. Granny and Grandpa are great. They serve the best food.”

“They’re relations of yours?”

“Oh, no, it’s just a thing. It’s what they ask people to call them. It is kind of confusing, but it’s not.” She did her best to explain it.