The Butcher's Masquerade (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #5)

by Matt Dinniman

And how is that machine greased? The universe’s four lubricants. Blood, tears, taxes, and lawyers.”

Donut gasped and started hopping up and down. “A pet beauty contest? A pet beauty contest? Oh my god, oh my god. Mongo!” Mongo looked up from Britney’s lap. “You’re going to follow in mommy’s pawsteps!”

“Donut, I know I’m doing some dangerous stuff. That’s never going to change. But I’ll consult you from now on if I can. I promise. I’m not going to leave you.”

“You danced with me. You sang to me. You made me feel loved. I didn’t do anything wrong, and you were going to give me away.”

The silence in my mind roared, louder than it had ever been.

Trauma does that, I thought. It’s an explosion with your heart at the center. It changes everything all at once.

If Taylor Swift or Adele can profit off of heartache, I’m quite certain I can as well. It’ll make for a good song.”

The velociraptor moonwalked back across the platform. He goddamn moonwalked. As he passed Donut, she popped her sunglasses onto her face. Both bopped their heads to the music.