Pretty Monsters (Pretty Monsters Trilogy, #1)

by Kimberly Carrillo

Tomorrow is something I'd given up on before time had meaning to me. Tomorrow is for people who have hope; I barely have morals.

"I hate you," she says under her breath. Grabbing her chin I turn her face back towards mine. "Good. Hold on to that feeling. I'm not someone to love, princess. I'm the one who will haunt your dreams and torment your days, but right now I'm the only thing standing between you and something much worse. Sometimes you need a monster to fight one." Jerking her chin out of my hold she raises it indignantly. "Are you my monster?" "Only if you are my princess," I toss back at her.

"There is only one person you can trust in this world completely, and that's yourself." "What a lovely world you live in." I shake my head. "It's the world we live in, princess." "I refuse to accept that." "What are you going to do about it?" I rush after her since she's decided to head toward the room. "I'm going to burn this one down and build another one in its place.

The more people around you, the less people actually look at each other."

"You could never be invisible," I speak, turning to look out the window. "That's all I've ever been, Raven." I see you, I think to myself. I don't think he'd appreciate hearing it.

"Princesses need to be saved. They wait around for a man to get them from a tower, or wake them up with a kiss. That's not going to be me." "And who are you going to be?" he asks. "I'm going to be the one who burns the world down.

"Am I dreaming?" he asks himself. The tip of his nose trails up my neck. His lips make the same path. "I must be dreaming." I guess he's not as awake as I thought. I should do something to wake him up the rest of the way, but my brain fogs as he kisses a trail up my neck. The hand that has rested on my stomach moves north and starts to massage my breast. His other hand joins the fun and slips into my panties.

"You're mine." "Only if you are mine," I toss back at him. "I am. I'm so fucking sorry, princess. I can't promise I won't screw up, but I'll never hurt you like that again."

An awareness creeps over me. His need to protect me isn't because he thinks I'm weak, it's because I make him weak. Sin is telling me I'm precious to him, in the only way he knows how.

Emotions make you vulnerable, but I wouldn't say that my feelings for Raven make me weak. I'd burn down the world to protect her. If anything I'm more dangerous now than I ever have been, because now I have a reason to live.

He isn't going to give up his future to save mine. I'm not the damsel in some fairytale. I'm a warrior, and it's time he learn I can fight my own damn battles.