Page 20 of Monster. Me.

Wilhelm hesitates, a vein twitching at his temple, and from the way he’s breathing, it’s obvious he’s still winded from trying and failing to get his baton back.

"Fine, jerk." He steps back and folds his arms across his chest, then starts counting down in an intentionally irritating tone:

"Twenty-nine, twenty-eight, twenty-seven…"

Marlow slowly moves closer to my bed.

"I’ve heard about you. I think everyone here has. You’re basically a legend around this place, and also the main subject of half the experiments they’re running. I’ve been curious about how they treat you, and after what I just saw, I think I have my answer."

There’s something about his concern that’s disarming. As he leans in, a long strand of auburn hair slips forward and brushes my forearm, giving me this completely ridiculous urge to grab it and rub my face against it, which is obviously impossible with my hands chained like this.

Well, yeah, I could break it easily, but I don't want Lomax going ballistic about my insubordination.

"I’m not gonna lie, it’s pretty awful," I mutter. "But I’ve only got three months left. After that I’m walking out of here free and rich, so I just have to deal with it."

Marlow opens his mouth like he wants to ask something else, then thinks better of it and instead steps closer again.

"You’re hurt. Your chest… and your eyebrow are bleeding, and so is your cheek. You need someone to patch that up."

His hand lifts toward my face and, without warning, he touches me, and the second our skin makes contact, something like the strongest shiver I’ve ever felt rips through my entire body! It's similar to an electric current, and for a moment the pain just disappears.

Everything turns warm and weightless, like I’m suspended in soft gold and pink light, floating somewhere above everything.

"Oh…" it slips out of both of us at the same time, and for a second I just think, did he feel that too?

"Your touch," I blurt out, "dear Fate, it’s almost…" I struggle to get the words out because my thoughts are scattering in every direction. "That shiver… it felt almost like…" I swallow hard. "Like fated mates’ First Touch."

The glorious moment breaks immediately as Wilhelm stops counting and lets out a mocking snort.

"What shiver? Mutants don’t have fated mates, you dumbass. They’re not people!" Then he leans in slightly, a mischievous grimace on his face, and adds, "And you’re a purple alpha. They can only find their True Mates among rose omegas. Did you forget?"

But I don’t care what he mumbles; I just want more of Marlow.

"Please," I whisper, even though I don’t even know what I’m asking for.

The touch comes back. Marlow’s hand moves slowly across my face, and I swear I feel like I’m gliding high on something narcotic while he runs his fingers through my hair in a careful, soothing way that feels unreal.

For a few seconds we’re both just stuck in it, sharing the same moment without interrupting it, and I can tell from his face that he’s a little dazed too.

"Alright, enough petting," Wilhelm cuts in, his voice brimming with irritation. "We’re leaving before I get chewed out by management."

He shoves the gurney so abruptly that Marlow’s hand slips away from my face. Marlow blinks, steps back, then turns on Wilhelm with his brows drawn together.

"You’re gonna get chewed out if management finds out how you treat him."

Wilhelm snorts. "He’s just a fucking mutant. A monster, not a person. Nobody cares what happens to him."

Marlow goes pale at that.

Then Wilhelm starts pushing again, not caring about getting his baton back, and we move off while Marlow stays behind watching me, and I twist my neck so far it feels like I might snap it just to keep his mint-silver eyes in view.

"Marlow…" I whisper. "That’s the most beautiful name I’ve ever heard."

Then I close my eyes because losing sight of him hurts in a very physical way, like something dragging a blade across my chest.

The wheels rattle as Wilhelm pushes me down another corridor, neon lights flashing overhead as we take two more turns, and I can hear him breathing hard beside me, still pissed off. Somewhere ahead a door slams, a keypad beeps, and then we roll into a room.

"I’ve got good news for you, mutant," Wilhelm growls, still riding that anger and whatever embarrassment he’s got left from earlier.