For better or worse, I wasn’t the type to go home with a random. I leaned forward to answer him, even though I knew there was no way Chris and I were going home together. We danced around each other for a while before he yelled in my ear, “I’m Chris.” College-aged and blond, his face pink from the bite of the Boston cold. Ten minutes later, a guy in a Ghostbuster uniform began dancing in my vicinity, drawing closer to me as he did. I signaled the bartender to get me another gin and tonic, downed it, and got back on the dance floor, dancing by myself. I’d be going back to a pointless and excessively large manor to dwell in my own thoughts, dark memories, and regrets. My brothers were with their respective wives and children. I entertained the idea of calling an Uber and going home, but then what was the point? My parents were still out, attending one of their charity dinners, which was the reason I was here in the first place normally, when my mother was home, she insisted we spend time together. Make sure you don’t leave here alone and text me if you need anything, yeah?” Luckily, I’m spending one night with him, not a lifetime.” Belle winked, smacking a kiss on my forehead. “Definitely, but the costume’s a bit cheesy, no?” I leaned my forearms against the bar, smiling.

Doesn’t he give Antonio Banderas a run for his money?” Belle sank her teeth into her lower lip, watching him from across the room as he retrieved both their coats from the cloakroom, sending her nervous glances to make sure she didn’t run away or change her mind. He’s got a friend in management who can hook us up with a presidential suite. She reappeared by my side ten minutes later. They met halfway, striking up a conversation while I self-consciously danced by myself before retreating back to the bar. Her victim tonight was a tall, dark, and handsome type dressed as Zorro. Which was probably why she broke more hearts than she could count. But in the rare times she’d picked a lover, be it a woman or a man, she was fiercely devoted to them and made them feel like the center of the world. She was aware it was something other people enjoyed, but was never tempted to try it out herself. Monogamous relationships were a foreign concept to her, like a bidet or brown sauce.

While she wasn’t predatory, she was definitely not looking for a serious relationship and loved nothing more than indulging in one-night stands. At some point, Belle zeroed in on a man as she always did.Įmmabelle Penrose was a self-proclaimed non-monogamous woman.

The Monster by L.J. Shen