Page 24 of Echo (A Monster’s Prey #2)

I hadn’t seen hide nor hair from him the next day, but that was because I kept my headphones in and refused to look at things that moved in the corners of my eyes, trusting that Ranger would watch my back from anything that might sneak up on me.

The more I acknowledged him, the more he revealed himself. Maybe it was too late to go back, but if I reverted him back to a bark in the woods, he’d have a lot less power over me.

I wasn’t even sure if that would help, but acknowledging him wasn’t going to assist me in keeping distance between us. So either way, this was a solid plan.

Ranger barked over the rock music blaring in my ear, a common instance throughout the day. But this time he was excited.

Against my better judgement, I turned to look at the Feed boy walking up with a giant smile. I pulled my head phone from my ear, letting my eyes scan the forest. Ranger went up to him for pets.

“You do know that someone died here a few days ago, right?” I warned. I didn’t want this sweet soul to be hurt. I needed men like him to exist so I could keep moving forward.

“I know. I came to check on you.” He smiled.”But thank you for your concern.”

“You’re a brave soul.” I scanned the treeline again.

“I thought you might want to get out of here for a bit.”

I hadn’t seen any sign of Echo, but a soft growl came from behind me. The feed guy held eye contact with me, but I knew he heard it too. His body stiffened.

“Or maybe just some company,” he amended softly. “We could play card games. Must get lonely out here with just you and the pup.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea for you,” I answered bluntly.

“Don’t worry, I know the ways.” He winked. “I’ll leave before the sun goes down.”

“Can you teach me?” I chuckled.

“Absolutely.”

I led him towards the house, and the growling followed, growing louder and louder. Echo’s glare burned my back, setting it on fire.

I opened the door. “Don’t disturb the salt.”

“It’s come inside?” His eyes went wide.

“Yes.”

Echo appeared in front of the door, his chest heaving with rage. His eyes glowing menacingly. I returned his glare, as I shut the door in his face.

Thankfully, Feed Guy didn’t notice. “I apologize, I didn’t get your name before.”

“Madison,” I told him.

“That’s a beautiful name. Mine’s Van.” He put his hand out with his formal introduction. I hesitated to shake his hand, but ultimately decided it was innocent enough. His hands were rough and worn from his work, but warm.

We sat at the table, and I pulled out a deck of cards. “Name your game.”

“Have you ever played Books?”

I laughed, remembering how my grandmother would play that with me every night until the day she died. “Definitely.”

“I figured.” He shuffled. His smile was so cute on such a rugged man. Ranger sat at his feet for pets. Van was more than willing to give attention to the big baby.

We played a few rounds until the sun dipped beneath the treeline and cast a ray right over the table. Small talk amounted to nothing, and I didn’t realize how much I’d needed some friendly conversation. Even if I sensed Echo seething on the other side of the backdoor, hanging on every word.

“‘Tell me, what makes a beautiful, city woman, such as yourself decide to live out here?”

“Needed a change in pace. Got myself into some man troubles, and this house seemed like a good solution.”

“Ah.” He smiled. “That shit you need to get together.”

“Exactly.” Not that any of my plans had gone how I intended.

“Space helps with a lot of problems.” He nodded his understanding.

“I’m now convinced I need space from myself.”

“You have a healing energy about you.” He shook his head. “You need someone to protect you from the ones who will use that against you.”

It was a much nicer way to say that I adored broken bad boys that wanted to break me.

“You should get going,” I told him after I railroaded his ass on the last round. He nodded in agreement, but his eyes said he wasn’t really ready to go. “I’ll walk you out.”

I didn’t need anymore blood on my hands. Especially a friendly person like Van.

We walked out, and I placed myself between my monster and him.

He put his arms out as if he wanted a hug, but I put my finger to his chest. He backed away without hesitation.

“You seem like you’re a good man. Don’t flirt with things that can destroy you.” It was too late for me, but hopefully, it wasn’t for him.

“I’d gladly allow you to ruin me.”

“Don’t,” I whispered to him. “Thank you for your company this evening. I’ve really enjoyed it. But if you’re smart, you’ll never come back unless you are delivering feed.”

“Who said I’m smart?” He opened the door to his truck. “I’m a simple farmer boy.”

I smirked at that as he backed up his truck and left my property. I stayed in the driveway until I was certain that Van had made it past the salt line. Wanting to make sure Echo’s real target was available to hunt. So his attention wouldn’t redirect to Van.

I turned on my heel, and Echo stood less than an inch from my nose. His strong chest was tense, highlighting the well defined muscle. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I went around him, walking to the front door. He followed me step per step.

“Little Rabbit.” The growl in his chest grew. “You want him?”

I waited until I crossed the threshold to face him. “I like the idea of a good man dedicating his life to me. I like the idea of a gentleman who’ll come play card games with me, because he’s worried. I like the idea of a man who feels lucky to be in my presence.”

He rested his forearms on each side of the doorway and leaned forward so we were face to face.

“He’s a weak man who’ll never be able to protect you.

You think he can fight the demons, wraiths, and anything else that is going to hunt you every day of your life?

Why do you think Rinah women are always widowed so young? ”

“My dad is still alive.”

“Is he a simple farmer boy?” Echo asked with enough scathing resentment to tell me exactly what he thought of Van.

My lips pinched together, not wanting to give him more firepower. Because he was right, men didn’t live long on my mother’s side of the family. Family reunions were droves of women with some men sprinkled in, mostly those women’s children.

“I heard your father on the phone the other day. He’s a hunter, like me.”

“And I’m tired of it,” I confessed. “All I am is currency that you bartered for, and I’m lucky you accepted the trade.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Yes it is,” I cut him off. “That’s exactly what you meant.”

I slammed the door in his face and locked it. The door and walls rattled as he hit the door. A chill inducing growl ripped from the other side.

I put my headphones on once again, but it was hard not to notice the way the walls shook as I pressed labels on the jars of honey. I kept myself busy on tasks, but as the night fell his yelling grew louder and louder.

“Little Rabbit!” My nipples hardened.

Frames falling off the wall made it impossible to ignore. A crack slowly grew along the wall like a windshield after a rock hit it.

“Asshole.” I went to the locked door, pulling the headphones from my ears, but didn’t dare open it. “Knock it off. You’re destroying my house.”

“You’re mine!” His roar bellowed and sent a chill of fear down my spine. Somehow, someway, I’d pay for this.

“I’m perfectly aware of your ownership of me, and I haven’t left the land,” I reminded him. “You’re throwing a temper tantrum because you aren’t getting your way.”

“Let me in.” His words were punctuated with a slam against the door that resulted in more pictures falling.

“I said no!” I tried to yell over him, but there was no way I did. It was enough to make everything stop for a moment. “I refuse to let you bully me.”

“I want you by my side,” he snarled. “And I will do anything to make that happen.”

“Acting like this won’t make that happen.”

The door groaned under a sudden pressure. “Tell me, Pretty Rabbit, what would?”

Like a snap of his fingers, his voice came soft and gentle. His breath blew between the cracks between the door and the frame. So I knew he had his face plastered.

“Do you want me to be a sweet farmer boy?” His tone mocked me. “If he could swallow your screams and claim you as his in the forest, he would. But he’s too weak to take it, he’ll never make you feel how I do.”

“Maybe I want to try on how he’d make me feel.”

“Maybe I’d rip his eyes out of his skull.” He growled again. “If you’re going to play this game with me, at least find someone who stands a chance. Guess what, Little Rabbit? That’s another monster like me.”

Without permission my stomach fluttered, and the desire to have him fight for me made moisture gather between my thighs.

A loud inhale came from the other side, and a deep, dark chuckle made everything inside me beg for him. That chuckle promised so much, and my body hadn’t forgotten that.

“So I’ll be alone.” That was the best solution anyway. No matter what, my heart and body would long for men that were bad for me. I’d probably never escape the desire for monsters.

Maybe that was why women in my family never remarry after their first marriage fails.

Because the best solution was to go it alone.

“Come here, Little Rabbit.” His soft voice was back. “Let me help.”

I shut the living room light off and went up the stairs to go to bed. Before I let him talk me into doing something stupid.