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Will you be watching over me even when I walk down the aisle and pledge myself to a nice and educated man?
A continuous high-pitched tone rings inside my ears, mixing with Nera’s voice. It began as a faint buzzing when I forced myself to tell her that she should be with someone else, but now, the frequency has shot up, bouncing inside my skull like a vengeful drill.
Will you hide in some corner while I give myself to him the way I gave myself to you?
Images fill my mind, scenes of her kissing a faceless man while he has her pinned against the wall. Then, the vision shifts and rearranges to Nera sprawled on the kitchen island, her face flustered and bathed in sweat. Not a bittersweet memory but a haunting, because it’s not me pounding into her. That shrilling sound in my head skyrockets, and white dots appear before my eyes.
. . . let me belong to someone else, demon?
“Over my dead body,” I growl.
Grabbing her around the waist, I roll us until I’m lying on top of her. “I don’t care how much better than me the motherfucker is, or if he’s more worthy of you. I will fucking gut any man who comes within fifteen feet of what is mine.”
“Good.” Her mouth ascends, pressing to my lips. “Because there is no one better than you. Not for me.”
I take her face between my palms, raining kisses on her lips, nose, eyes . . . everywhere I’ve imagined kissing her but haven’t dared. Monsters like me are not allowed to dream, and I never have. Not until I met her. For the first time in my life, I see the possibility of having something of my own. Her. My tiger cub.
“I’m going to buy us a house,” I mumble as I trail my lips down her neck. “And a few dozen acres of land around it so you can have your animals. No other people nearby. I hate neighbors and I don’t want any.”
“That sounds expensive.” She giggles as I kiss her earlobe.
“I have money.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t spend it all on a house.”
“Unless you want me to buy the whole damn state, I’m good.” I return to her neck. The spot under her ear is my favorite, I think.
Another fit of giggling. “How good?”
“Five hundred. Maybe six. I haven’t checked my account balance in the last year or so.”
“There are certainly some nice houses for five hundred grand around here, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to downsize on the property.”