The Monster I Once Loved

said smoothly, her eyes warning Maya to play along. "She

ing Alex's gaze. "

brief, satisfied

you two to chat.

t out of

awkwardly b

... are

ged wrist, the bruise

thing – guilt? –

light. It happened so f

justify shieldi

at him, he

w. It'

n her voice, no anger. Ju

seemed frustrated by

owards her, his

ya.

hed, pull

I'm tired. I ju

r eyes, a cle

moment, his hand dr

left, closing the do

ootsteps recedi

r her, so profoun

her Alex had been by earl

antly, the nurse added, a

urse

city. Tori was already in

etter!" Tori chirped, her concern r

with every bump in the

yes on the road, a mus

Tori's presence.

e her back to

her high-society event –

, as if that expl

, a public display of

s she limped slightly, her

who was with him

tep down,

some sort of

hing Tori drinks, draping his jacket over he

it fell on To

t, haunting the edges

a alone, linked he

et my friends. They're d

e was pr

a pack of exquisit

, their questions li

French, then giggled wh

ing to flawless English. "We just assumed any

. "They're just being sill

r shoes, her lack of know

ment store?" one asked, h

t her ch

ir casual cruelty, her nails d

ike swallowing