Page 40 of Monstrosity

By evening, we're settled into one of the family rooms at the clubhouse.

It's not home, but it's safe—steel doors, armed brothers, and the kind of security Bembe's crew can't breach.

The room is bigger than I expected, with a queen bed and bunk beds for the girls.

Someone's put fresh flowers on the dresser and stocked the mini-fridge with juice boxes and snacks.

The girls are in the common room, playing with some of the other club kids, their laughter drifting down the hall.

It's good for them to be around other children who understand this life, who won't ask questions about why they're suddenly living at daddy's clubhouse.

Dasha stands at the window, watching the sun set over the compound.

She's changed into one of my shirts and leggings, her hair loose around her shoulders. She looks beautiful and brave and everything I never knew I needed.

"You okay?" I wrap my arms around her from behind.

"I'm good." She leans back into me. "This is temporary. We'll get through it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She turns in my arms to face me. "But Rio? Next time you come home with blood on you, maybe clean up better. Cali notices everything."

"Noted." I kiss her forehead. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

"I'm not." Her voice is fierce. "I'm sorry those assholes think they can threaten our family. I'm sorry you have to become a monster to protect us. But I'm not sorry for choosing this life with you."

"Even knowing what I did today?"

"Especially knowing what you did today." She frames my face with her hands. "You're not just a monster, Rio. You'reourmonster. And I love every part of you."

I kiss her then, deep and claiming, pouring everything I feel into the connection. When we break apart, we're both breathing hard.

"I love you too," I tell her. "More than you know."

"I know exactly how much," she corrects. "It's written in blood on the walls of some shitty apartment. It's in the way you look at me and the girls. It's in every choice you make to keep us safe."

A knock on the door interrupts us. Tor's voice carries through: "Family dinner in twenty. Runes wants everyone there."

"Guess we better get the girls," Dasha says.

"Wait." I catch her hand. "I need you to know something. What I am, what I do—it's not going to change. When this is over, there'll be another threat. Another enemy. Another reason to become the monster."

"I know."

"And you're okay with that?"

She pulls me down for another kiss. "Rio, I fell in love with all of you. The father, the protector, and yes, the monster. I'm not asking you to change. I'm asking you to let me stand beside you through it all."

"Always," I promise.

"Good. Now let's go eat dinner with our weird, violent, wonderful family."

As we walk toward the common room, hand in hand, I think about the duality of this life.

In a few hours, I tortured a man to death with my bare hands.

Now I'm about to eat dinner with my daughters and help with homework.