Page 108 of The Monster and the Masochist

“See you out there?” Cass asked, shooting me a quick smile, and I nodded, grunting an awkward yeah before she strode off to get everything set up.

Ryan and I both watched her leave, but once she was gone, he turned his attention to me. Much like I was, he was wearing the same suit he wore to manage funerals. The only difference was the bright boutonniere he’d fastened to the front lapel.

Giving me a warm but cautious smile, he slid his hands into his pockets, and I did the same.

“Well. It’s your big day. How you feeling?” he asked, and I shrugged, my cheeks getting warmer by the second.

“Fine, I guess. It’s not like it’s real or anything,” I mumbled half heartedly, and Ryan frowned. He glanced back out the way Cass had gone before taking a step toward me.

“Hey… Listen, so… I know we’ve never exactly been much for talking about each other’s feelings and whatever… but, you were a big part of why I was able to see how much of an idiot I was being when Cal first started coming around, so, I’m… I want to return the favor.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise and glanced back at him, cocking my head to the side.

“What do you mean?” I asked, and my brother gave me a warm, soft smile that he’d never given me before. He slid one of his hands out of his pockets and cuffed me gently on the shoulder.

“Whatever was happening when I came in here wasn’t fake, Theodora,” he said plainly. His tone was soft, but his expression was firm, like there was no room for argument.

“That woman is fucking in love with you. Maybe she doesn’t know it yet, but it’s obvious to everyone here… Well… It’s obvious to everyone except maybe you two.”

My mouth parted slightly in surprise as a rush of warmth flooded through my body at his words.

What?

No fucking way.

There was no way Cassandra Walker was in love with me.

I could never be that lucky… Could I?

Ryan squeezed my shoulder and gave me another one of those weird, warm smiles.

“I’m really happy for you, Theo. You always fought so hard for us as kids. I wouldn’t have made it through those early years without you. You deserve to have someone look at you the way Cassandra does. You deserve to be happy. You deserve this.”

Suddenly, my throat felt thick, and there was a lump in it that I couldn’t seem to swallow down.

“Uhm, wow. Thanks, Ryan. I don’t know what to say… but… yeah, I hope you’re right, I guess…”

Ryan chuckled softly at how awkward I was clearly feeling about his blatant display of affection, and he let go of my shoulder.

He gave me a shrug and tilted his head toward the door that would lead us to the backyard, where I knew Cassandra would be waiting for me to walk down the aisle.

“Let’s get out there. Your future wife is waiting.” He gave me a wink, and to my horror, I felt my cheeks flush again as I followed him out into the hallway.

Ugh. Fuck.

I was so down bad…

This was the stupidest thing I’d ever done…

I was absolutely FUCKED.

Alexa Play: I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab For Cutie

‘She lies to us,’ my monster growled as I skillfully walked down the stone path that led to the temporary arch Alyssa had brought in for the ceremony.

‘I know… But why?’

‘There were many of those small cotton sticks on the floor of her bathroom when she hid from us.’