Page 32 of Monstrous Truths


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He blinks and looks down at me before smiling. “One of us, why?”

I can’t help the smile that covers my face. “No reason.” I lean my head against his chest, and before I know it, I’m succumbing to sleep as I’m carried in my monster’s arms.

EIGHTEEN

CATO

Looking down at Talia in my arms, I can’t help but think it’s all worth it. Despite the agony in my chest over the fight with my brother, I don’t regret saving her or bringing her here. Leaning down, I kiss her head softly, grinning when she makes an adorable little noise and scrunches her nose.

Kicking open the door to the lab, I step through, then lock it behind me before hurrying to my room, where I lay her on the furs like she did the child. After taking off her shoes, I tuck her in, staring down at her. When I found her in the middle of my people, I was worried, but she had been laughing. The way she brought the story to life for them won them over. They were assuaged by her kindness and pure soul, which was easy to see.

No wonder they called her one of them.

Unable to help it, I kick off my own coverings and slip into the furs, lying next to her. I want to pull her into my arms, but I won’t take advantage of her when she is asleep. Instead, I settle for smelling her in my furs and feeling her warmth close by. I close my eyes and settle in, but something heavy lands on me. My eyes open to see her arm across my chest as she slowly inches closer. I barely breathe as she curls into my side. She throws her leg over me, nuzzles her head into my side, and then climbs over me and sprawls onto my chest, her legs and arms wrapped around me.

My heart races as I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, unable to stop the heavy feeling she creates in my chest. She was so scared of me when she first woke up, and now she’s curled around me like a kitten, so trusting and beautiful.

When her foot brushes my hard-on, I groan, nudging her so she’s not lying directly on it. All it takes is a sniff of her to arouse me, but like this, with her warmth and curves pressed against every inch of me? Yeah, I throb painfully, but it’s more than just for her body. It’s for her mind, her soul. Watching her with my people made me think of things I shouldn’t want, especially with a human, but I can’t seem to stop my feelings for her from growing.

She can’t stay, can she? She’s human, and she belongs with her people like I belong with mine.

The idea of her leaving actually causes a physical pain, but she can’t ever be mine.

The lie burns in my chest, as does the fact that I did not tell her that her friend is alive and okay just to keep her with me.

NINETEEN

TALIA

When I wake up, I’m curled around Cato, and he’s asleep. I just blink, confused how I got here and why I’m wrapped around him like a koala, but he doesn’t seem to care. One of his hands grips my ass, and the other is in my hair, holding me to him.

Shit.

I try to slide off him, and his eyes fly open, searching for a threat. When he realises I’m awake and moving, he relaxes and lets me go. “Morning,” he mumbles around a yawn. He’s so sleepy and cute, I have to look away, ignoring the burning in my cheeks. I must have climbed all over him in my sleep.

My ex did always say I was a hugger.

“Morning,” I reply, and I rack my brain for something, anything, to say. As the silence stretches on, he arches his eyebrow, and I panic until I finally blurt, “Did you hear anything about Aria?”

His face shuts down as he rolls from the bed and gets to his feet. “Not yet,” he answers, but his voice is strange.

Sitting up, I pull my knees to my chest as I watch him. “Okay,” I whisper softly, but he’s stiff. Was it the cuddling? No, if it had been, he would have woken up feeling awkward.

Is he lying to me?

No, Cato wouldn’t. I let it go and head to the bathroom. After showering and using the toilet, I find him hard at work, and I join in. Usually, he’s chatty and fluttering around me, but today he barely looks at me, and I find myself missing his gaze and touch. I easily got used to working side by side with him and much prefer it over working alone again.

Following his lead, I stay quiet as I collect the research. They wanted this research for a reason, we just need to find out why.

After a while, there is a knock at the door, and once Cato gets it, he comes back with trays of food. We eat in silence again until I finally can’t take it anymore. “Okay, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he mutters, but he won’t meet my eyes.

“Cato, you won’t even look at me. Is this about…about me sleeping on you? I can sleep in a different room if it makes you uncomfortable.”

His head shoots up. “No,” he snarls, making me blink before he softens with a sigh. “Sorry, I was just worried about my people. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. No, you’ll sleep in my nest with me, where you are safe.” He smiles tenderly then. “Finish eating, and we will have some fun. We both need it.”

“Fun?” I repeat.

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