now.
Walking into the kitchen, she pulled open the freezer. Living alone meant she was a regular consumer of frozen meals for one, and her freezer didn’t disappoint. She pulled out a single serve lasagna and tore off the lid before shoving it into her microwave.
The journey she had ahead of her was overwhelming, and she had plans she needed to make, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to focus if she didn’t eat something and get some sleep. She would make mistakes, and in the world of hardened criminals, mistakes would get her killed.
The microwave pinged to let her know her meal was ready. She ate straight from the package, standing up at the kitchen counter, barely even tasting what she forked into her mouth. She took no pleasure in eating. Just like everything else at the moment, she was simply doing what she needed to survive.
Lily dumped the dirty fork into the sink and threw away the empty carton.
Pulling the gun from the waistband of her pants, she headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the toilet, then, fully clothed, she lay down on her bed. The gun was under the pillow beneath her head, her hand rested on the butt. It was right at her fingertips if she needed it.
Within seconds, she was asleep.
Monster (Present Day)
Unable to concentrate on anything to do with work, Monster found himself pacing around his property, chewing at his knuckles and worrying himself crazy about what Flower might be doing. He’d never imagined he’d have been this anxious when he’d visualized her being back in America. In his mind, he’d thought it would bring him a peace of some sort, believing she was safe at home, but in the end it had only brought him more worry.
The phone rang and he snatched it up. He’d been waiting for news.
“I’m sorry, sir,” said the male voice on the end of the line, which he recognized as belonging to Sean Hamilton, “but things aren’t looking any better. She’s been to a rough neighborhood now.”
“What was she doing there?”
“I’m not sure, but …” he hesitated over his words … “she went with another man, and they stayed for about an hour. She’s going to get herself noticed by the wrong people if she’s not careful.”
“Dammit.”
“What do you want me to do? I can detain her for you.”
“No, don’t do that. Just keep an eye on her, follow her wherever you need to, and try to see she doesn’t get herself in any trouble.”
“I understand. What do I do about this other man? Do you want me to remove him from the picture?”
Instantly, Monster’s hackles raised. “Is he trying to harm her?”
A cleared throat came down the end of the line. “Not exactly. I’m afraid I saw him kissing her, sir.”
Something ice cold and hard lodged in his chest. “What son of a bitch put his hands on her?”
“I told you, sir.” He sounded flustered. “It was a neighbor.”
“Did he force himself on her?”
“No, not exactly, though she did push him away, eventually.”
Eventually. That word cut through him. How had his Flower allowed another man to touch her? His Flower who had been afraid of another person’s touch. How had she gotten over her fear so quickly and allowed another man to kiss her? His anger roiled deep inside of him. He’d sent her back to protect her from the dangers of his life, not so she could go out chasing other men the moment she’d returned. He’d thought there had been something special, something precious between them, but Lily appeared to have forgotten him within a couple of days.
He’d managed to convince himself that was what he’d wanted—for her to go back to her old life and be happy, to continue as though she’d never gotten involved with him. Yet now the stark reality of her getting over him stared him in the face. Lily was his. She was his Flower, and he wasn’t going to stand by and do nothing while some other creep picked her.
“I’m coming over,” he told the man
Walking into the kitchen, she pulled open the freezer. Living alone meant she was a regular consumer of frozen meals for one, and her freezer didn’t disappoint. She pulled out a single serve lasagna and tore off the lid before shoving it into her microwave.
The journey she had ahead of her was overwhelming, and she had plans she needed to make, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to focus if she didn’t eat something and get some sleep. She would make mistakes, and in the world of hardened criminals, mistakes would get her killed.
The microwave pinged to let her know her meal was ready. She ate straight from the package, standing up at the kitchen counter, barely even tasting what she forked into her mouth. She took no pleasure in eating. Just like everything else at the moment, she was simply doing what she needed to survive.
Lily dumped the dirty fork into the sink and threw away the empty carton.
Pulling the gun from the waistband of her pants, she headed into the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the toilet, then, fully clothed, she lay down on her bed. The gun was under the pillow beneath her head, her hand rested on the butt. It was right at her fingertips if she needed it.
Within seconds, she was asleep.
Monster (Present Day)
Unable to concentrate on anything to do with work, Monster found himself pacing around his property, chewing at his knuckles and worrying himself crazy about what Flower might be doing. He’d never imagined he’d have been this anxious when he’d visualized her being back in America. In his mind, he’d thought it would bring him a peace of some sort, believing she was safe at home, but in the end it had only brought him more worry.
The phone rang and he snatched it up. He’d been waiting for news.
“I’m sorry, sir,” said the male voice on the end of the line, which he recognized as belonging to Sean Hamilton, “but things aren’t looking any better. She’s been to a rough neighborhood now.”
“What was she doing there?”
“I’m not sure, but …” he hesitated over his words … “she went with another man, and they stayed for about an hour. She’s going to get herself noticed by the wrong people if she’s not careful.”
“Dammit.”
“What do you want me to do? I can detain her for you.”
“No, don’t do that. Just keep an eye on her, follow her wherever you need to, and try to see she doesn’t get herself in any trouble.”
“I understand. What do I do about this other man? Do you want me to remove him from the picture?”
Instantly, Monster’s hackles raised. “Is he trying to harm her?”
A cleared throat came down the end of the line. “Not exactly. I’m afraid I saw him kissing her, sir.”
Something ice cold and hard lodged in his chest. “What son of a bitch put his hands on her?”
“I told you, sir.” He sounded flustered. “It was a neighbor.”
“Did he force himself on her?”
“No, not exactly, though she did push him away, eventually.”
Eventually. That word cut through him. How had his Flower allowed another man to touch her? His Flower who had been afraid of another person’s touch. How had she gotten over her fear so quickly and allowed another man to kiss her? His anger roiled deep inside of him. He’d sent her back to protect her from the dangers of his life, not so she could go out chasing other men the moment she’d returned. He’d thought there had been something special, something precious between them, but Lily appeared to have forgotten him within a couple of days.
He’d managed to convince himself that was what he’d wanted—for her to go back to her old life and be happy, to continue as though she’d never gotten involved with him. Yet now the stark reality of her getting over him stared him in the face. Lily was his. She was his Flower, and he wasn’t going to stand by and do nothing while some other creep picked her.
“I’m coming over,” he told the man
Similar Books
