by Susan Bliler
“Crow, if you need me to…”
Monroe raised a hand. “No. She’s my Angel, I’ll see to her needs.”
“Maybe you should take her to Apex, Crow. This place isn’t…”
“This place is all she knows,” Monroe snarled. “I’m not fucking leaving. This is our home. This is where she became mine, where she brought our children for safety. If there’s any hope of triggering her memory, then it’s going to happen here, which means this is where we’ll stay.”
King nodded, but offered, “If you need me for anything…”
Monroe cut him off again. “I appreciate it, but I need you here.” He pointed to the floor. “She’s my first concern. You help Tyce, give him what he needs.” He eyed the room. “Where is he anyway?”
“Touring the Estate, taking stock.”
Monroe nodded. “I expect you and Tyce to handle things for now. Contact me only in the event of a pending catastrophe.”
King stood to his full height as Monroe exited the office. As Monroe left, his phone vibrated once in the pocket of his suit coat, and he knew his life was about to become exponentially more difficult. Finn-fucking-tastic!
***
Six hours later, Monroe was pacing the foyer of StoneCrow manor. He’d checked on Eden, but there was no improvement. In fact, things had gotten worse. His Angel was more confused and scared than ever. She’d begun crying for a familiar face, for Finn, and had become nearly inconsolable. He’d had to listen to her cry from the hallway as she begged Jenny to find her boyfriend, Finn, and get him to come retrieve her. Now, Monroe paced in front of the doors, waiting. Against every fiber of his being he’d decided to give Eden what she needed. He’d contacted Finn, and the man had agreed to come. Fucker had even sounded hopeful. The memory had Monroe tightening his fists, and they tightened even further, his knuckles creaking from the strain, when a blacked-out SUV pulled up and a team of Walkers exited, escorting Tyce Steele toward the manor.
Tyce. The man was a dominant Walker just like Monroe. Two dominants could never share space, so Tyce had his own domain, Apex, located in Northern Montana. Apex wasn’t like StoneCrow, it housed mainly Walker mercenaries and Spec Op teams. Several Walkers called the place home, and were afforded a more lax existence. The absence of numerous Walker children and mates meant there wasn’t much to protect at Apex, save for Commander Conn Drago’s Angel, Aries, and their daughter, Wynter. It afforded them the luxury to come and go as they pleased. No guarded walls surrounded Apex, no extensive security measures were in place to ensure only Walkers made their way onto the property. Monroe thought Tyce an absolute idiot for not taking better care with his facility and his Walkers.
“Monroe.” The blond Dominant’s greeting was surprisingly void of his typical mockery. As well it should be, Monroe was in no mood.
“Tyce,” Monroe ground out, his skin itching with agitation. A fellow Dominant was on his territory, and not only that, he was being asked to temporarily take the helm while Monroe dealt with his injured Angel. An Angel whose ex-lover was mere moments from arriving, in order to pretend he was still in a relationship with her.
Monroe couldn’t help his clipped tone when he spoke. “I appreciate you and your teams coming to lend a hand.”
Tyce nodded, “It’s the least we could do.” He looked over his shoulder. “We’ve just surveyed the grounds.” He turned back to Monroe. “Damage is extensive.”
Monroe’s lips thinned into a grim line.
“Bragg is working with Mateo and three teams on securing the fence and gates around the perimeter,” Tyce offered. “Shane and Conn are getting your females and children moved to Apex. Most are already there.” He looked over his shoulder at York and Baymac, motioning for the two Walkers to go inside. When the two Dominants were alone, Tyce grinned. “Funny though, Bellis StCroix is missing. Any idea where my assassin might be?”
Monroe’s jaw ticked. “Funny thing about assassins for hire. They tend to go where the money is.”
Tyce snorted, furrowing a hand through his hair. “I’ve gotta go deal with this Fatal fuck! Thanks for that, by the way.” Sandy-blond brows speared down. “I told you not to welcome them here.”
“They aided us in defending the Estate.”
“Still.” Tyce huffed out a breath. “He’s quite difficult. Not sure the aid is worth the misery.”
“It was,” Monroe answered simply, pulling his eyes from Tyce to scowl at the approaching truck. One man, and he didn’t recognize the vehicle. Had to be Finn. Beside him, Tyce looked toward the vehicle, inhaled, then turned sharply to look at Monroe. He didn’t pull his eyes from him as the truck eased to a halt behind Tyce’s vehicle.
A man climbed out, striding determinedly toward them. Stopping a few feet away, he looked between them. “Monroe StoneCrow?”
Tyce finally pulled his curious gaze from Monroe to stare at the male who had StoneCrow’s Dominant on a razor’s edge. Tyce tilted his head toward Monroe, and the man thrust his hand out. “Finn Emmit. I’m here for Eden. I’ve come to take her home.”
Too much! Everything had just been too. Damn. Much. Finn’s declaration was the final straw. Monroe moved so quickly that both Tyce and Finn flinched. One second Finn was attempting to shake Monroe’s hand, and the next Monroe held him off the ground, his nose pressed to Finn’s as he snarled, “You are not here for Eden! You are here to fucking help, if you can. And this…” Monroe shook him hard, once. “Is her home. Understood?”
To his credit, or utter foolishness, Finn’s eyes narrowed to thin slits. “Got it. Now get your fucking hands off me.”
Tyce stepped forward, lifting a hand to grab Monroe’s forearm. “Crow. Put the man down. He’s here to help.” Tyce looked from Monroe to Finn. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Emmit?”
“Yeah,” Finn muttered, still glaring at Monroe. “I’m here to help.”
“MONROE!” Jenny snapped from somewhere behind Monroe, and he slowly lowered Finn back to his feet.
“Finn, thank you for coming.” Jenny waved him to her. “This way, please.”
Tyce watched Monroe as the Dominant’s gaze tracked Finn entering the manor. Tyce snorted and shook his head. “I’ve warned you for years that Angels would be our downfall.”
Monroe’s angry gaze cut to his. “You all avoid Angels because you fear them. Fear what they’d mean to you.”
Tyce’s eyes hardened. “Wrong. We avoid Angels because they are a weakness. A weakness we are smart enough to avoid.”
For long moments Monroe stood silently, staring at Tyce before he finally spoke. “Thank you for filling in here. Remind me when this is all finished that I’ve got a gift for you.”
“Keep it.”
“No,” the corner of Monroe’s mouth tweaked, as if he was enjoying a private joke. “You’re going to want this gift. Trust me.” Then he turned, hurrying to follow after Jenny and Finn.
Chapter 8
Monroe stood in the doorway, once more dressed in scrubs. Arms crossed, hands fisted, jaw clenching, his eyes narrowed as he watched Finn console Eden. She was sobbing and clinging to him like a damn lifeline, and it made Monroe want to retch.
Finn had his eyes closed, looking as if the moment was equally as meaningful to him as he crooned at Eden’s ear, “Easy, princess.”
Princess! Monroe snorted derisively. His Eden was no princess, she was a fucking queen. His snort earned him a hard look from Jenny.
Finn’s eyes snapped open, landing on Monroe before darkening, and Monroe could sense the man’s desire to disobey. Finn was told of Eden’s injury and memory loss of course, but he had also been informed of Monroe and Eden’s relationship and children, and threatened with his life if he even hinted at trying to convince Eden to let him take her from her home. It was in his eyes, that hint of defiance, the obvious desire to taken Eden away, to try to convince her she was still his. Luckily, Finn was smart enough to refrain from saying anything as he pulled back and caressed Eden’s cheek.
“Eden, y
ou remember Finn?” Jenny prodded gently.
Swiping at her leaky eyes and sniffling, Eden chuffed a watery laugh. “Yes. Obviously. He’s my…my… He’s just mine.”
Well, that felt like a kick to the balls. Monroe uncrossed his arms. “He can stay another twenty minutes.” He looked at Jenny, then pointedly at Finn. “We don’t want to overexert Eden.”
“But…”
He didn’t look at Eden. He couldn’t. If he saw the need in her eyes for another male’s comfort, a need that was mirrored in her voice, then he was going to explode. “Twenty minutes,” he ground out. “Jenny, you stay as well.” Turning on a heel he exited the room, stopping in the hall to suck in a deep breath. His lungs felt starved. It had been nearly impossible to breathe in Eden’s room, watching her body crushed up against Finn’s as she sought his warmth and protection. Reliving the moment made Monroe’s mouth go dry and his gut clench. He hadn’t thrown up since he was a boy, but as he doubled over and dry-heaved, he felt rage course through him. By the Gods he wanted to kill someone! He wanted to smash something, and keep right on smashing until it felt as bad, as hollow, as he did in this moment.
“Monroe?” Jenny’s tone was laced with concern, but she knew better than to approach. “Are you alright?”
He used a palm to swipe at his sweaty forehead, then stood to his full height before turning to face Jenny, his eyes flashing angrily to the door then back to her. “I don’t want him alone with her!”
Jenny pointed over her shoulder, muttering quietly, “I can hear everything they’re saying.”
Monroe took a threatening step closer, repeating, “I Don’t. Want. Him. Alone. With Her!”
Drawing in deep breath through her nose, and with a disapproving frown, Jenny laced her fingers and bit out a clipped, “Fine. But she wants more than twenty minutes.”
“Too fucking bad,” he snarled.
“You’re being unreasonable,” Jenny accused.
“Another man is in there, holding my Angel. In case you missed it, his fucking head is still attached. I’d say I’m being highly generous.” He punched a finger toward the room. “Twenty minutes, Jenny. No more. And they aren’t to be left unsupervised again.” He didn’t wait for Jenny to respond as he turned and strode angrily down the hall, ripping the blue scrub shirt from his body and throwing it against the wall.
Bodi, who’d been waiting at the end of the corridor, shoved off the wall to follow Monroe, but was halted when the Dominant raised his hand.
“Stay here and make sure Finn isn’t left alone with Eden. Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes, then I want him gone. You’re her guard now.” Then Monroe was gone, leaving Jenny to scowl at Bodi as he stalked toward Eden’s room.
***
And that’s how it went. For days, Monroe was forced to stalk down the infirmary corridor as it filled with the sound of his Angel’s giggling delight. Delight induced by that fucking Finn. The very Finn who seemed to grow more and more confident each day, like he actually had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning Eden back. It was sickening. What kind of piece of shit would take advantage of a woman’s head injury to try and insinuate himself back into her life?
Dressed in his scrubs, Monroe jerked his head in a nod to Bodi who stood outside Eden’s open door. As Monroe entered the room, he slammed to a halt.
Eden was sitting in her bed, looking bright-eyed, cheeks flushed. Finn sat on the edge of her bed, a leg hiked up as he faced her, one hand caressing her chin as he leaned into her like he was going in for a kiss.
Monroe couldn’t hold back. “Get your hands off her!”
Eden startled hard as Finn dropped his hand and quickly spun. Standing, his eyes narrowed on Monroe in challenge as he asked, “Doctor, is there a problem?”
Fuck yes there was a problem! “I thought I asked you to keep your distance,” his words came out smooth and dark, holding the promise of pain.
Eden swallowed hard as she looked from Monroe to Finn. “Is…is everything okay, doctor?”
When he looked at her, he let his eyes soften. “Yes, but we can’t have civilians touching you.” His eyes snapped back to Finn. “Gods only know what kind of germs they carry.”
Finn snorted a derisive laugh. “Seriously?”
Monroe lowered his chin, leveling his eyes on Finn. “Do I look serious to you?”
The two men stood scowling at each other until Eden cleared her throat. “Umm, he didn’t mean anything by it. Did you Finn?”
“BODI!” Monroe barked, and the Sentry stepped into the room, an excited grin lifting his lips like he knew he was about to get to do something fun.
“Take Finn,” Monroe began. “See if Stoney will draw his blood. We’ll test him for any ailments. See if we can’t eliminate some of the measures preventing him from his end game.”
Finn cocked his head, suddenly looking worried. “I assure you, I’m healthy.”
Monroe lifted his chin in challenge. “Best not to risk Eden’s health on the matter. Right?”
Finn looked from Monroe to Eden, who suddenly looked worried as well.
“It’s okay,” she shrugged. “I don’t mind if he…”
“I mind!” Monroe cut in, his eyes flashing to her again. He was unable to stop himself from pacing to her, ghosting a finger across her cheek. She pulled back, looking to Finn.
“Maybe you shouldn’t touch her either,” Finn challenged, earning a hard laugh from Monroe that managed to sound condescending in its brevity.
Monroe pinned Finn with hard eyes. “I touch her every day. She’s in no danger from me.”
“Well she’s in no danger from me!” Finn countered, planting his hands on his hips.
“Oh, there is danger. Believe that.”
Monroe and Finn were nose-to-nose, and Monroe picked up on the sound of Eden hitting the nurse call button.
Seconds later, Jenny entered with an exaggerated sigh. “Gentlemen! Both of you, out. Now!”
Finn pulled back, but Monroe didn’t move. “I’m not leaving if he’s not leaving,” Finn practically pouted.
“Yes,” Monroe grinned. “You are.” He nodded and Bodi was there, gripping Finn’s arm and leading him from the room.
“Finn?” Eden’s voice sounded distressed, and Jenny shot a scathing look at Monroe.
Monroe simply gazed at Eden for long moments, not moving, not saying a word. Even when she blushed under his scrutiny, even when she squirmed and broke eye contact to look down at her lap, he continued to stare. He couldn’t help it. He missed her, a soul deep ache that yawned wider for the very fact that she was in his presence. Sitting in front of him, enticing him, teasing him with her existence. Eden was torturing his soul.
“Hey,” Jenny cautioned quietly, and he growled and spun, leaving the room to take care of the Finn problem. It had been a mistake bringing him here. For Eden he wouldn’t bleed the fucker, but his hands on her, the attempted kiss, had been the last straw.
Chapter 9
There he was again. Eden eyed the doctor, Monroe StoneCrow, as he entered the makeshift cafeteria set up in the library. Watching him, her mind traveled back to the last day she’d seen Finn, before he’d called to tell her he’d been sent out of state on an emergency. Apparently, he was fighting forest fires now, and had to go help with a crew out of state. Funny though, that he’d left that day without even saying goodbye. It was the same day Finn and Monroe had argued over her like two dogs over a delicious bone. She hadn’t slept that night, reliving the way Monroe had stroked her cheek so tenderly. It had been an oddly intimate gesture, and had seemed out of character for a man she’d only ever seen be hard as steel. Even now, his jaw was bunched as if in anger, his hard muscles tense. She could’ve sworn his body had gone more rigid the moment she’d entered the room.
Since she had woken from her injury, Monroe seemed to be everywhere she looked. Part of her wondered if he was stalking her, which was only heightened by the way he’d touched her. She didn’t have the heart to bring it up to J
enny. While Monroe was always in her periphery, he never seemed out of place. No, every time she’d seen him, he was engaged in a conversation or working on some task. Still, it felt odd that he was always around, mostly because everyone else seemed to avoid her like she had the plague. Both oddities were beginning to worry her. Even now, strolling through to get dinner, she was met with false smiles before people scurried away from her. Even the gals behind the tables lined with various foods kept casting her sympathetic glances she only just caught before they turned their heads away.
Monroe was different though. Every time she looked at him, no matter where they were, he was watching her, and he never jerked his gaze away whenever her eyes collided with his. No, he held strong. He was strong, that much she could tell. Yet, something about him didn’t ring true. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she filled her tray.
She was dressed in a hospital gown and robe with white slippers on her feet. The hospital staff had been escorting her to the makeshift cafeteria to get her up and moving. When she’d asked why food was being served in the library, she’d been told that the Estate’s cafeteria was undergoing a remodel. The Estate seemed huge, but she hadn’t gotten a tour because of all the remodeling. She was just grateful because Jenny had told her how lucky she was to have been near the Estate when her car had hit a deer and she’d been injured. They had a state of the art medical facility and aside from Dr. StoneCrow’s odd antics, Dr. Jenny and the rest of the medical staff were actually really great.
Today though, she was most grateful to be able to get out of the infirmary for a while. It was a nice change of pace, but had her feeling out of place and wishing for real clothes.
His clothes! Her hand stilled halfway to a walnut brownie in the dessert section, and she turned to look straight at Dr. StoneCrow as it finally registered. It was the clothes. They didn’t suit him.