Page 182 of The Monster and the Masochist

Theo smiled easily at the shouting mob of reporters, leaning in close to the ones she deemed worthy of engagement.

I stood, dazzled, as she answered questions with short, pithy answers that had reporters literally laughing out loud.

Every time she winked at someone, I watched stars shoot from their eyes, and a twinge of jealousy nipped through my chest at how quickly she had everyone eating out of her palm.

She didn’t just look like a movie star, she was acting like one too… and it was so fucking hot.

The problem was, I wasn’t the only one who thought so, and it was pissing me the fuck off.

It was so clear to me as I watched her that almost every person behind the barricade wanted her, and if they didn’t, they wanted to be her.

Irritation stirred in my gut, and I forgot for a moment that I was surrounded by dozens of cameras, and I needed to fix my face.

‘No need to be jealous, little killer. She is ours. And after this, the whole world will know if they didn’t already.’

Forcing myself to outwardly smile, I told my monster to shut up as I stalked over to take my place next to Theo. Shamelessly, I tucked my arm around her elbow and flashed a bright, confident smile for the cameras.

“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” I crooned, and the reporters all chattered in agreement, barking more questions at us as we posed so they could take their pictures.

“Yes. She’s amazing, and all mine.” I shot them all a lethal grin before turning to Theo and kissing her firmly on the lips.

Theo’s eyes widened in surprise before she smiled against me and melted into it, making it clear to everyone watching who it was she belonged to.

The crowd went wild, and there was a flurry of clicks and flashes as they all tried to capture the moment before it was over.

Mine.

All. Fucking. Mine.

As Edmund was a member of Silent Hollow’s version of a country club, he’d been able to pull some strings, and they’d agreed to let the firm host the event at their clubhouse on short notice.

The ‘clubhouse’ was more of a hall located on the top floor of The Antoinette–one of Silent Hollow’s more luxurious hotels.

It was a wide open space with floor-to-ceiling windows, antique chandeliers, and marble floors. As we made our way into the venue, a server came by with a tray full of champagne, and my heart swelled with pride as Theo politely declined.

To my surprise, she plucked one up for me, though.

“I don’t need–”

“Have a glass of champagne, Cass. I’ll be fine.” She smiled at me warmly, and I accepted the drink, feeling unsure about how I felt indulging when I’d asked her not to.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, baby girl. I’m sure. I’ll grab a soda or something at some point.”

“Alright.” I grinned at her, and she winked at me playfully before taking my free hand in hers and tugging me forward so we could make our way deeper into the brightly lit hall.

“So this is how the other half lives,” she murmured to me, her dark eyes twinkling with excitement as she took in all the elegantly dressed people mingling in the ostentatious space.

There were several high-profile guests outside of the members of our firm. I clocked a few senators and one or two CEOs of mega corporations. There were even a few B-list celebrities helping themselves to some hors d’oeuvres at the catering tables set up on the far side of the room.

My feet were pinching in my new shoes, but I ignored them as I tugged Theo over to where I saw Edmund and Vivian chatting with Nolan.

“Come on,” I said, trying not to wince as I felt a small blister begin to form on the back of my foot. “I want you to meet the partners.”

“Ah, Cassandra,” Edmund said, smiling as we approached. “I see you brought your wife. Vivian and I have been dying to meet the woman resilient enough to endure your sharp tongue.”

“Ha ha.” I fake-laughed, rolling my eyes. Theo frowned slightly, but reached out to shake Edmund’s hand.