The Monster I Once Loved

He ran a hand through

It was a party, things got a little o

d again, a strange e

work with your hands, haven't you? In the diner,

were lik

her potential loss, linkin

e they were used to lab

ow," he continued, his voic

eport, a scandal... it would be terrible fo

fort, her family's image, over Maya's

so profound, it l

n," Maya said, her voice trembling w

sound of pure

jacket, pulled out a

t take to make this go

atched acro

silence, to put a price

isbelief warring with

tand. He would n

as hesitation, as a

ugh? For your medical bil

mber, his expre

ent, her gaze fi

everything. You can go to Paris, study

heck out, holdi

could she

something. A small, almost c

w abou

ously, then held

sold that first big tech stock, back in Brooklyn. I said I'

s soft, almo

a promise made in love, n

was a bi

raw, broken sound that

, landing on the pristine wh

ching for the check with h

y, the paper crin

rooklyn had pro

s paying her

m, but the meaning

e. Only the tran

d visiting

t, a brisk, efficient

sive chocolates, magazine

regards. He's very busy

u

ough her phone, Maya saw Tor

Alex on a yacht, some

ound Alex's neck. Alex was sm

caping the city for a

u

stung. She c

r, she received

was approved. Her

to relief, sharp and bitt

as o

d finall

d, the tears blurring

ore society parties. No

ee

terrible price,

l, her arm in a heavy cast, he

o the airport, but

pent

ve the keys. A fi

t hers

rtment was s

voices from the

And

vers who were carryin

loset, please. And be ca

s movi

rse sh

of the bedro

prised, then

I didn't e

ds Tori. "Tori's just...

Maya thought. It was

, a cat-that-got-th

celebration tonight, Maya. Just a f

Tori, I don't think Ma

Tori insisted. "It's

Alex, at the li

f power, of cold, c

re she had

, a small,

Tori. I have a f

enthouse keys on

her and the Brooklyn Alex, the

turned it

thouse, out of Alex Sterling's

s, had faded lik

me for a