Page 52 of The Monsters Within

“Why the fuck are you so excited my old lady cut her fucking leg again? You’re glad you pushed her to breaking point?”

“You didn’t see it, did you?” he said calmly despite my arm against this throat.

“See what?”

“She hesitated.”

I stepped back, releasing him from my hold. “What?”

“She. Fucking. Hesitated. That was what I was looking for. Yes, I knew she would still cut into her skin. But I needed to know what progress she was making, if any.”

“Cash,” Nav called. That was when I heard it. Her screams. I looked back at the monitor. She had cut herself three fucking times. And now she was screaming.

“Go,” Torment said.

I didn’t need to be told twice; my feet were already moving as I raced through the clubhouse and out the back door. I didn’t stop running until I made it to the shed that held the kiln. Her screams pushed me forward as my lungs burned. I had never run so fucking fast in my life. As if the Devil himself were chasing me.

I found her crying, slumped against the building. Lifting her in my arms, I whispered, “I love you, Rosie,” over and over. They were the only words she needed to hear, and the only words I wanted to say.

I carried her back to our room and stripped us both before walking into the shower. When she was clean, I bandaged her cuts and placed her on the bed before I crawled in beside her. Covering us both, I wrapped her in my arms and said, “Rest, baby. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

By the time she woke up the sun was setting. We had missed dinner, but it didn’t matter. I knew I could call Hash and have him whip something up for us.

I kissed her shoulder as she stirred, and I knew the moment she was fully awake because her whole body stiffened in my arms.

“Rosie,” I whispered.

Her eyes stayed closed, but her breathing picked up.

“I know you’re awake, baby. We need to talk.”

“I-I’m sorry,” her soft voice stuttered.

“Don’t apologize, baby. You’re doing so good. Torment said setbacks are normal.”

Her eyes scrunched tight, and I kissed her shoulder again. I rubbed her arm and gave her a minute before I rolled her onto her back. “Look at me, Rosie.”

She shook her head, trying to turn away from me.

“Look at me, Rose,” I said more firmly. My hands trailed down her side. My fingertips caressing the new cuts on her legs. Tears slipped from the corners of her closed eyes to run down her temples. I kissed the side of her head, catching her tears.

“I love you, Rosie.”

“I don’t deserve it.”

My hand gripped her chin, and I turned her head to face me. “Kytten, open your goddamn eyes and look at me.”

I felt her throat swallow against my hand and her eyes slowly opened.

“I don’t ever want to hear that shit come out of your mouth again.”

“Cash, I’m—”

“Shut the fuck up and listen to me.” I took a deep breath. Torment told me to be easy with her, but she was pissing me off. Not because she hurt herself. Though I didn’t love that. But because of the way she saw herself. “Do you remember when you asked me why I loved you?” She nodded, and I continued, “And what did I tell you?”

“Cash,” she cried, trying to pull away from me. I wasn’t having any of it.

“What did I tell you, Kytten?” She turned her head and glared at me. There she was. “What did I tell you?”