The Butcher of the Bay Part II - J. Bree Page 0,46

get the paint off of my body then once I'm dressed in mon Monstre's sweatpants and one of his workout shirts, I brush my teeth and comb out my hair so I'm ready for bed.

There's no way I can possibly fall asleep right now without mon Monstre here, so I pull the blanket off of our bed and set up a cocoon for myself on the couch. My concussion has made TV difficult for me to watch but I get ready to give it a go anyway.

Then I text Illi, tell him I miss him but I'm okay.

He answers back straight away.

I love you, baby girl. Sleep tight, I'll be home soon.

I make some snacks and then get situated, flicking through the channels on the TV but finding nothing worth watching. It's impossible to get comfortable like this and I feel as though I might scream in frustration.

I enjoy being alone so why am I now lonely?

There's a quiet knock at the door and then it swings open, Roxas walking in grinning at me.

"You look comfy. I was coming up to pass out on the couch but I don't want to move you."

I smile and hold up the remote. "You can join me, if you want? I can't find anything worth watching so you can pick. Or I can go to bed if you're tired."

I really don't want to do that but he closes and locks the door behind himself with a chuckle. "Movie night sounds great! I'm sure we can find something that isn't shit."

He kicks his boots off by the door and stalks in, slinging the leather vest over one of the dining chairs and then pulling the hoodie over his head. I see at least five guns strapped to his body. It’s clear he’s taking this babysitting duty seriously.

“Would you like some popcorn? I’ve just made a bowl.”

He grins at me and takes a handful from where I’ve moved it, right in the center of the couch where we can both reach it. We're still as far away from each other as the couch will allow but it works perfectly.

The movie starts out violent but now I’ve been in worse situations… it doesn’t look quite so scary.

“This isn’t going to give you nightmares, is it? I don’t need Illi carving me up because he gets back to you all scared and shit.”

I shake my head. “I don’t dream anymore. Not of monsters or killers.”

He grunts softly under his breath. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. You know, we're going to kill anyone who's so much as side-eyed you, right? There's a list and everything. No need to stay cooped up in here, everyone in the Bay knows who you are and what the consequences of touching you are."

I shrug, nibbling on the popcorn. "I like it here. I like painting and watching the sun rise from these windows. I go out with mon Monstre when I need to."

He nods and then says, "What does that mean? That name you call him? Sounds awful pretty and he's not exactly that kind of guy."

I giggle, barely containing a snort. Mon Monstre is a handsome man but he definitely isn't pretty. Pretty is soft and feminine. Delicate. He's fierce and brutal and so strong.

"It means my monster. He might be the monster in the shadows for everyone else in this city but he's mine, and I know he'll keep me safe."

Roxas nods and shoves another fist of popcorn into his mouth. "That makes more sense. I gotta tell you, he's definitely a fucking monster out there. One that's going to bleed everyone out who ever thought about hurting you."

That sounds perfect to me. I smile and nod, focussing back on the car chase happening on the screen in front of me. I fall asleep there, tucked up in the cocoon safely and when I wake up again, I find Roxas asleep with his bed against the front door, physically blocking it from anyone attempting to get in.

He is definitely a good man and a loyal friend.

Chapter Thirteen

Illi

I need to get the job for Tank out of the way so I can get to the Mecedo cartel, so I head up to North California to grab his kid and get her delivered, not expecting much trouble out of this. In and out, it’s a simple pick up.

Boy, was I fucking wrong.

I roll up into the tiny coastal town of Monterey, a surfing paradise during summer but it’s a quiet little art