Page 1 of Monster

Prologue

Vincent—Present

It’sfive thirty in the evening and I’ve been sitting in my car for the last two hours simply watching her. The car is off and the windows are up, causing them to fog over slightly. For February, the weather isn’t bad, hence why they’ve been walking aimlessly around the park—not doing a damn thing other than talking and holding hands.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel as my anger comes barreling forth again. I take a few deep breaths in an effort to calm myself down as I repeat the same words in my head I always do.Control it for just a little bit longer. She’ll get what’s coming to her soon enough. She’s always been yours.

After repeating my—now—mantra a few times, I calm myself enough to release my grip on the wheel before I rip the fucker off. I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and turn toward it. I observe as Essa takes a seat on the park bench and he remains standing. He says something to her, and she laughs lightly which makes him beam before he spins around and begins jogging towards the bakery across the street—the very bakery I happen to be parked right in front of.

At least I’m in a nondescript car I happened to borrow from Leo knowing if Essa caught sight of mine, she would automatically know who it was. I watch as he walks right in front of my car and comes back out with two sandwiches and two coffees, then gives one of each to Essa as he takes a seat next to her.

I glare as they eat in silence, Essa staring out at nothing in the distance, while he steals glances her way. I swear to fucking God, every two damn seconds his gaze is back on her.

Everything becomes too much and before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m starting the car and peeling the fuck away from the curb, leaving skid marks on the road in my wake.

Apparently, she thinks she can leave me for dead and then move on. Especially with a man like him—a fuckingaddict.But it’s okay. Soon enough she’ll be in my arms again and we can pretend this never happened.

Just kidding.

She’s a dead woman walking.

I tap my fingers along to the beat of the song, “Animals” by Architects as I weave around the few cars that are on the road while I make my way to the hotel. Images of what I’m going to do to her once I have her in my arms again flood my mind.

Tick tock, baby doll.

Your time without me is running out.

You can pretend all you want, but you’ll never escape me.