Page 103 of The Monster and the Masochist

“Like he’s stalking you?” I snapped.

Vox nodded, but Naomi shook her head.

“I don’t think it’s like that. He’s just been checking in on me a lot. I don’t mind… I mean, I did at first, but there have been a few instances where–”

“Okay, I have a few more options for you! I think you’re going to love the Valentino…” Stella sang, sweeping into the room with armfuls of new dresses for me to try on. I was pleased to see there was a lot less tulle and much more silk in this pile.

“Come, dear, let me help you get out of that dress, and we’ll try something less ballroom…”

Still frowning, I allowed Stella to usher me out of the viewing room and back into the changing area.

What the hell was going on between Vox and my sister?

‘You have your hands full with your street fighter. Let the vampire take care of the gnome.’

‘It’s not like you to trust someone else to protect one of our people. I don’t like him touching her like that.’

My monster shrugged and examined one of its talons in my mind’s eye.

‘There are few more dangerous than the vampire. He’s a better friend than foe. I don’t know if even we could kill him.’

I rolled my eyes in irritation as Stella helped me step into a beautiful, silk dress that felt like pure luxury on my skin.

‘Of course, the one time I might actually want to kill someone, you disagree.’ I sniffed, though I was being facetious. I had no interest in killing Vox. Annoying as he was, he was too useful to dispose of.

My monster let out a rumbly laugh and curled up in its cage, settling in for one of its naps.

‘My role is to protect you, Cassandra. Not encourage you to try to hunt those that will likely kill you first.’

‘You’re insufferable,’ I snapped, but my monster didn’t reply.

It went to sleep, and I didn’t hear from it again for the rest of the day.

It was my wedding day.

Fake wedding day.

I reminded myself half-heartedly, as I stood in the living room of my mother’s house. Well, I guess it was technically Ryan and Cal’s house now, since Ryan was the primary business owner, but the main house still screamed Iris.

With its excessive hand-sewn doilies, antique furniture, and vintage wallpaper… It was still giving granny-core, and neither my mother nor Ryan seemed interested in updating or modernizing the space.

I was strangely grateful for that.

This had been my home long before I moved into the guesthouse, and standing here now was making me feel safe and maybe a little nostalgic.

It felt like my dad might walk in at any moment as I nervously adjusted the cuffs on the only suit I owned, waiting for Cassandra to show up and tell me what I was supposed to do.

I hadn’t even bothered trying to help with the planning.

Cass and Alyssa had pulled the entire thing together in less than five days, and I felt like if I had an opinion on anything, it would just slow them down, so I’d stayed out of the way.

It’s not like I cared about the wedding itself.

I only cared about the bride.

Cass could have told me to show up in a clown suit, and I would have done it with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.

But now that it was actually happening, I was so nervous I was literally shaking.