The Monster I Once Loved

idn't

ris was booked f

was F

ekend of th

ad to get

her face car

rom the ill-fitting shoes the

n the Hamptons was pr

ouse that looked mor

, of course, practical

a warm embrace, then turned to Tori

arling, you

ickered over Maya

offer a perfun

as inv

ed Maya fo

her composure, her la

cted tears, or

er. Just a quiet,

ious hostess-in-tra

e, let me find you a comf

s bright, he

oice cut through the

elf this weekend. We wouldn't

ng was un

ation, business talk, and veiled re

te circle, spoke of polo matches and European ski

e, feeling like an

"certain people" not understanding their

her defense, his vo

d his conversation with the man beside

was a dull, c

accompany him and Tori to a dayt

nces," he'd said, his tone

ori in the passenger seat

se of the backseat fel

x's head, the way his hair

ooklyn apartment, "One day, Maya, I'll buy you

, forgott

udden, a jarring im

tires, the shat

wn forward, t

nd of chaos, instinctively turn

Tori, pulling her cl

ead hard again

rough her wrist as she

dark

consciousness, one thought sea

death moment,

t

ak. It shattered into a m

plush guest roo

s examining

hairline fracture. And a c

e didn't

into the room, her face

st you're fe

't a qu

s a little shaken, but unharmed,

as clear. Maya wa

take you back to the city to

nd then, as we discussed, yo

ed, her v

aving." Far away

Alex walked in, his

you talking abou