The monsters were everywhere tonight.
He stood quiet for a moment, uncaring that my body had turned rigid in his arms. “I see my name has inspired you to divine joy.” His shoulder shrugged under my frozen face. “But I did catch you. I could have let you fall since, by all appearances, you were running from friends of mine.”
Why does the monster feel so right against me?
Steeling my inner strength, I tipped my head back to face the beast. White hair cropped in a severe, older military style shone under the overhead lights. An olive-colored skin tone glowed with perfect health. Red lips made for sin were currently straight and serious. His regal jaw was clean-shaven, not a whisker showing. His black lashes were thick over a reserved gaze.
The white tiger had stunning blue eyes.
Monsters shouldn’t be so attractive.
Or feel so delicious…
Ingrained dignity kept my voice from shaking as I stated, “Let me go, sir. This is inappropriate, as you stated.”
With one more sniff in my direction, he released his hold on me. The beast did it so quickly, and without any tensing of his body to warn me, I was the one still clinging to him.
I straightened my cramped fingers, removing them from his impressive, muscled chest, and mumbled, “Thank you.”
Blue glacial eyes continued to stare.
I took a step back from him. Another one.
My eyes flicked up to the balcony, to the railing.
Cassander. Mr. King.
The two were watching us with intent expressions.
Silent predators waiting to strike.
I jerked my attention back down to the monster in front of me. My eyes widened in shock, the man only an inch away from me again. I grasped the skirt of my dress and dipped my head once as I whispered, “Thank you for catching me, Mr. Baker.”
His head tipped to the side, an animal watching his prey. “You’re welcome, Ms. Kramer.”
My heels squeaked on the tiling, and my shoulders cringed at the horrid show of fear as I sprinted across the atrium, fleeing Baker Corporation with hardly any poise intact. Father would be appalled at my actions. Mother would be clawing the monster’s face for daring to touch me.
It was only a blessing my parents hadn’t noticed my long absence yet. I knew Father wanted to introduce me to the corporate kings, show off his pride and joy who had finally grown up into a beautiful woman. Father had been patient, biding his time, and grooming me, always waiting for the opportune second to make the most advantageous business transaction. His daughter was at the ripe age to trade now, the thought whispered into his head by wayward words from Mother.
If he had witnessed Mr. Baker’s interactions with me, and my resulting dash from the building, I’d never leave our townhouse again. Not until a marriage contract had been struck with an elite New City citizen who didn’t mind a willful bride-to-be. Mother couldn’t help either since she was born a female.
Mr. King’s laws were set. Marriage by twenty-five signed off by a legal male guardian. No one argued, not even me. Marriage and babies would save our existence.
Stopping on the street in front of Baker Corporation, the stars twinkling in a sheet of the navy sky above, I pressed a button on the streetlight for a train cabin to take me home. One quickly stopped before me, the iron stairs lowering to the ground.
I lifted my right arm with my silver bracelet, stating, “Order: Call Odette Kramer.”
My bracelet buzzed.
“Mina?” Mother asked.
I began climbing the iron stairs. “I’m going home. Please let Father know I became tired.”
She paused for a moment, and then replied, “I’ll make your excuses. We’ll check on you when we get home.”
“Thank you,” I stated in comfort at her support.
“It’s okay. You came for as long as you could.”
