Page 81 of Monster's Obsession
I knew that from experience.
I was not a fan of the fact my monsters had been treated so poorly in life.
“It’s the past, and I don’t want your pity.”
“And you won’t get any from me,” I said gently. “I know what it feels like to be fucked up by family. It burns…like acid.” A sharp sensation deepened in my throat, then drifted to my chest. “Have you seen your parents since?”
“Only once. I was young and desperate to leave the castle after the queen wrongly accused me of theft, and whipped me publicly. When she found the real culprit, she laughed in my face. My parents weren’t any better though. I had snuck back, desperate for them to take me from the Queen. I spied on them through the window, not sure how they were going to react. And then, I found my fucker of a father drunk and beating my mother to death. Just as he’d done to me growing up.”
He paused, shadows darkening his features, a pained, dead expression in his eyes. My chest was tight, and moisture pooled in my eyes picturing his story.
“What did you do?” I finally asked, when he hadn’t continued.
“I attacked him…but it was too late for my mother. I left my father gasping for air in a pool of his own blood. I never went back to find out if he survived. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead.”
“I’m sorry we both have such shitty parents,” I whispered, knowing nothing I said would be enough.
He shrugged, like it was nothing. “It may not seem like it most of the time, but I like having you in Wyld.”
“Thanks,” I gasped, surprise bubbling in my chest at his words. I would have never expected that to fall from his lips.
We rode the rest of the trip to the club in a comfortable silence, while I reeled the whole time that Tempest gave me a compliment that wasn’t sexually related.
It also left me thinking that if Tempest let me in more, we could…get along. With his sarcastic attitude, it could be fun. Maybe it wasn’t too late for us. I studied him from the corner of my eye, my heart fluttering. Despite all the crap he’d pulled…I definitely wasn’t repelled by him–quite the opposite.
I was starting to slowly understand some of the reasons for his behavior. Steele was a good example of it too. They always behaved like strong, protective monsters around me, always trying to be more. But maybe they needed someone to remind them they were perfect just as they were.
We finally reached Pariah, the club that resembled a gothic, Greek cathedral, shrouded in darkness.
Tempest climbed off his beast, then he came and lifted me off mine, setting me gently on my feet. Except, my legs had become like jelly on the ride over, so I crashed into Tempest.
He laughed, grabbing hold of me, that ache from his eyes gone, replaced by the usual dark mask he wore.
“You can’t go in with that dress,” he told me.
“Yep, I know.”
He was staring down at me, but I wasn’t going to feel intimidated to change into something more revealing. I was trying to remember that nudity in this realm was normal.
Without another thought, I stepped away from the building where I was alone and pulled my dress up and over my head. I was left standing in a leather, teddy lingerie, and my skin rippled with goosebumps at how much I was exposing.
The bra cups were non-existent, completely exposing my breasts. I had covered my nipples with a small patch of fabric I’d had the seamstress create, held in place mostly by moisture, so I hoped they didn’t fall off. The bottom half was a high bikini which was crotchless…well, at least when I spread my legs; otherwise, the leather was just enough to hide all the essential bits.
I unlatched the thin choker I had tucked into the bodysuit and wrapped it around my neck for a full effect. It even had a metal ring on it should one of the men want to lead me around on a leash. Something I knew my monsters would love.
But standing out in public dressed like this was something else. And just like my first visit to the club, I felt nauseous with nerves.
My cheeks blushed when I glanced up to Tempest's gaze. He stood near a pole where he’d tied up the buffalo creatures, already in his huge shadowy monster form--clawed hands, long fangs--wearing a black leather loincloth. And I hated to admit it, but he was hot as fuck.
I wasn’t the only one impressed, because his mouth hung half open at the sight of me, eyes wide and drowning with lust. The dead giveaway he was a slave to his lust as much as me…the huge bulge behind his loincloth, which did little to cover all of him.
I flicked a lock of pink hair over my shoulder, then tossed him my balled-up dress. “I thought you said you were taking a rain check on fucking me,” I teased. “Your eyes are telling a different story.”
He rapidly tucked my dress into a compartment on the saddle, then practically threw himself at my side. His clawed hands grasped my hips, and he studied me up and down, his nostrils flaring, a long, forked tongue licking his lips.
“We’re going to have fun tonight,” he growled.
“You bet we will,” I replied saucily, slapping his ass, and then winking at him as he raised an eyebrow.