A Monster's Beauty (In the Arms of Monsters 3)

“I’m not getting any. I know Elijah would but, gross. I don’t even know if he bags his dick anymore. Believe me, I have no interest in sleeping with my husband. Not that he lasted all that long.” Anne laughed. “How stupid does that sound? You’ve got to help a girl out here. I bet Preacher’s a monster in the sack.”

Flashes of Preacher’s hands, his mouth, his dick, all of him wrapped around her, consuming her, filling her with all parts of him.

“He’s … amazing.”

“And Reaper?”

Thinking about Reaper made her feel guilty. She didn’t want to think about her time with him, or even what it felt like.

“You know, I think we both know who you need to pick,” Anne said.

“I’m sorry. I … I’m confused.”

“Robin, honey, that excuse isn’t going to be able to last much longer. You love Preacher and you think about him all the time. You came back to him.”

“But what if I wasn’t running to him?” she asked. Her memories had returned. She knew what happened to her when she was taken from Reaper, before she was hit by a car, but what she couldn’t seem to access was what was going on through her mind the moment the car hit her.

What was she thinking? Feeling? Did any of it matter?

“And what if you were because deep down, you’d resigned yourself to a life with a man you didn’t love but you knew there was no other chance for you? I get it, you know. Staying with a guy for the kids, and I guess I should be telling you Reaper is the guy for you. He’s Bethany’s dad, and it’s only right to have her father in her life. I’ve got experience with this. It’s not … it’s not easy, Robin. You want to know what it’s like, it’s lonely for the most part. My kids are going to be moving away to college, have families of their own, and I’m going to end up alone with a guy I can’t stand.”

Tears filled her eyes, and she felt so sick all of a sudden. “I’m going to throw up.”

She ran out of the room, toward the downstairs bathroom, and threw up the wine she’d just consumed. Anne was there, holding her hair, and it reminded her of the time she’d been ill with Reaper.

This wasn’t the same, though.

What if she didn’t love Reaper but she was only staying with h

im so Preacher didn’t kill him?

Was it obligation?

Or love?

For Bethany?

Why wasn’t she pushing Reaper aside?

None of her feelings made any kind of sense, and that scared her even more.

Chapter Five

A couple of days later

Preacher made his way to the library where Robin and Bethany were waiting for him. Reaper had finally moved out of his house and was staying at some rented home on the outskirts on the opposite side of town.

He’d never been so relieved in all of his life to finally be rid of the man. It would have been a lot easier if he’d shot and killed him, but he couldn’t have everything in life. So he’d settled for just accepting his living and breathing state for now. There was nothing else he could do.

Reaper would be living for some time, and he would have to keep his killing tendencies under wrap. He had moments like this to look forward to. Being with Robin and Bethany, spending time with them. It was why Reaper was still breathing.

Robin walked out of the library, pushing Bethany, and he smiled at her.

“Hey,” she said.

“How’s the head?” he asked.

Late Sunday night, Robin had called him. She’d been completely and totally drunk and told him about the conversation she had with Anne. He’d never experienced a drunk Robin before, and it had been a revelation. With a few drinks, she was chattier and opened up about a lot of things that were bothering her.