Damaged by Indigo Sin Page B

Monica, stop, wait,” he pleaded behind her as she bolted through the door, half dressed. She couldn’t stop. The tears streamed down her face as she ran, desperate for the solace of the bedroom she was staying in. Pushing through the door, she slammed it shut before flipping the lock on the knob and backing away from it.
    Seth’s heavy knock came moments later. “Monica…open the door. Please.”
    Monica shook her head. Her chest ached with the force of her sobs. “Leave me alone.”
    “This is my house, Monica,” he said quietly. “I have a key, so either you unlock it, or I’ll do it myse lf, but either way, I’m coming in.”
    She remained silent, holding her face in her hands, too upset to even respond. Not surprisingly, the sound of keys drifted through the door, announcing that Seth had indeed made his decision. When he stepped into the room she moved to the far side needing to distance herself from him. From the things he made her feel.
    He had pulled his jeans back on, but left them unbuttoned, and he was shirtless. She thought she’d hardened herself against her emotions, but the man who was steadily prowling across the room toward her shattered the walls she’d built effortlessly, and it scared the shit out of her.
    “Please go away,” she whispered, holding her hands up while she backed away. “I can’t do this, I’m sorry.”
    He stopped a few feet away, propping his hands on his hips. “Do what? What the hell did I do?”
    Monica wiped her face with the back of her arm. Her eyes stung from the tears, but she held her head high. “I should have known this wouldn’t come without strings attached. I appreciate you offering to help us, but I refuse to use my body to thank you for your kindness.”
    Seth’s arms dropped to his sides, a look of pure rage flashing across his features. “What? You think I offered to let you stay here in exchange for sex? Is that seriously what you believe?” His stare burned into hers, his jaw clenched tight.
    Monica shrugged , unable to make eye contact. He was furious, and it made her uneasy. “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” she whispered.
    Seth began to pace. She could feel the anger vibrating off his big body. “Look, I don’t know what the fuck happened to you that closed you off from affection,” he growled, his voice low. “But I can assure you, what just happened didn’t come with any strings attached.” Stopping near the bookshelf by the window, he turned back to face her slowly. “I like you, Monica. More than you know, and I’d die before I would do anything to hurt you. I don’t understand why that’s so hard for you to accept.”
    She felt faint, overwhelmed by the entire situation. Why was he so insistent on expressing his feelings for her? It would last for a month or two, and then just like everyone else in her life, he’d be gone when he realized she had nothing to offer. “Because!” she yelled, quickly losing her patience. “It would never work, dammit!”
    Seth went still. Very still. “Why not, Monica? Because you’ve got some secret past? I assure you, nothing you could ever tell me would scare me away.”
    “That’s doubtful. Besides, you’re not just getting me, you’d be getting two teenagers,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around her midsection.
    Throwing his hands up, Seth began to pace again. “You push me away every time I get anywhere close to getting to know you. You can’t tell me that you don’t feel it too, Monica. When you were shaking in my arms just minutes ago, you were relaxed, free. What the hell happened that keeps you at arm’s length?”
    Monica cringed. “I don’t talk about it.”
    “Well , maybe you should!” he shouted. Apparently even he was shocked by the way he let his voice rise, judging by the way he cursed under his breath as he turned back toward her. “Shit, look, I’m sorry. I just want to help you, and you won’t fucking let me in.” Seth held up his hand,