by Eden Bradley
Book Three of the Monsters in Hollywood series.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Gone with the Monster:
Margo woke with an aching head, stuffy nose and sore throat. She scrubbed her hands over her face and groaned. She was coming down with a cold, or was she massively hung over. Last night was a bit fuzzy. She remembered leaving the office late and then…nothing.
She must have gone over to Cali’s and tied one on, making this a hangover. In desperate want of aspirin Margo sat up. Chain clanked.
Wait, what?
Margo cautiously opened one eye. Rather than her tastefully decorated bedroom in the cute little guesthouse she called home, Margo was looking at stone walls.
“This is bad.”
Margo stared down at the heavy metal cuff around her left ankle. It took a minute to process. Margo touched the cuff. Yep, it was there.
“Oh hell no.”
Margo looked around. The cave had curving walls, a slightly uneven floor, and huge metal oil-filled bowls from which fire flared.
She looked at the cuff again. The memory of a massive shape, darker than shadows, filled her mind.
“Runako,” she whispered.
“Yes?”
He came around a corner, appearing from the hidden inner depths of the cave. A million sharp comments died on her lips. All she could think was…yum.
Runako was dressed in a pair of dark grey slacks and a white button-down shirt. The shirt was open, the tails dangling and the gap showed off his truly incredible pecs and six-pack abs. The shirt looked startlingly white against his dark skin. His short hair was tight to his head, revealing the perfect curve of his skull.
“How do you feel?” he asked, walking across the cave towards her. His stride was unhurried, more of a stalk than a walk.
“You kidnapped me.”
“I did.”
“You can’t do that.”
Runako raised one brow, James Bond style. “I just did.”
“Point taken.” Margo crossed her arms. “I thought you were trying to fit in with the humans? Humans don’t usually kidnap each other.”
“Luke, Michael and Henry want to fit in.”
“What do you want?”
“I want to be safe. I want my people to be safe.” Runako looked away, his fingers curling into fists. Margo’s heart lurched in sympathy. “I’ll deal with the humans. Whatever happens.”
Well that sounded ominous. Margo, who had felt mostly annoyed and not truly afraid, started to worry. Of all the Monsters she knew—a whopping total of four—Runako was the most dangerous.
“And kidnapping me means what?”
“You…you’re just for pleasure.” Runako rested his hip on the stone slab where she sat. He reached for her, and Margo slapped his hand away.
“I’m not some blow-up doll.” Her fear disappeared under a swell of righteous anger. “And you’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to sleep with you.”
“Who said sleep?”
“I’m not going to have sex with you.”
“Why not? You want me. I can tell.” Runako looked directly at her, all of his attention focused on her. It was as if she were the most intriguing person in the world.
Margo looked away so she wouldn’t fall under the spell of his eyes. She looked down at her ankle and her ire flared. “You’re a…a…”
“Monster?”
Margo narrowed her eyes at him. “No, you’re not a monster. Monsters are delightful, thoughtful creatures. You’re a jerk. A bully.”
“You are truly angry,” he said, leaning back in surprise.
“You think?”
“But you want me, I know it. I can feel it.” He reached for her again, and this time when she tried to knock his hand away he caught her wrist.
“I want lots of things, doesn’t mean I always get them,” Margo said.
“You should, you deserve the things you want.” He lifted her captive hand to his lips and kissed it.
Margo’s heart (traitor!) fluttered. “You…you. I. Um. Oh fuck it.”
Margo grabbed Runako’s head and kissed him.
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