Monster
by Francette Phal
Accidental Gold digger.
Circumstance forced Eden Mercer to sell herself to Dominic Armstrong for half a million dollars and in return she is to play the dutiful wife in public and submit to him completely behind closed doors.
The Tyrant.
Dominic is Ruthless, manipulative and sadistic but Eden is determined not to break under his cruelty. But how does one persevere when in the clutches of a Monster?
It was on occasions like these that Eden realized how very little she mattered to her husband. He never failed to remind her of her status in their marriage whether it was with his remarks that have only grown nastier over the years or the reproachful looks that seemed to carve across her flesh like a whip. Like now for instance she could feel that piercing stare from across the room, the distinct bite of his scorn putting her instantly on alert. She hadn't really done anything in the last few minutes to warrant the reaction but then again Dominic Armstrong didn't need much to set him off these days. She sighed resignedly daring to look away fully knowing that he would take her to task for this unknown reason later. Eden grabbed a champagne flute from the tray of a passing waiter before escaping to the veranda for some much needed air. They were up in the Grafton Highlands at another dull event that he’d dragged her to because he wanted to flaunt her to his equally wealthy friends.
He’d made their roles distinctively clear at the beginning and she’d gone along with it because she’d needed the protection of his name and the money that went along with it. She had been one eviction notice away from homelessness and he’d done it to keep her from ruining his younger brother’s life as he’d put it. Lucas Armstrong had been a good customer of Eden’s; coming to Crazy-Pussy for a good year before he’d proposed marriage. But then his big, bad brother, the head of the Armstrong family had gotten wind of his errant brother’s ridiculous idea and had marched in to shut the whole thing down. Once he’d seen to bully his brother back to college where he belonged, threatening his inheritance if he refused to cooperate, Dominic had zeroed in on Eden. He’d stalked the club for a good month after that, sitting always in the front row in that wingback chair, his predatory gaze watching her every night she’d performed. He’d frightened her to the core, big and boorish as he’d been he’d waited patiently, artfully manipulating every aspect of Eden’s life until she’d come to him.
He’d wanted her badly enough that he’d grudgingly agreed to her one condition… marriage. Mistresses were expendable, wives were little harder to dispose of and Eden had been armed with at least that little knowledge. He’d given her a day before finally coming to her with his own terms. It’d been overwhelming; the legalese of the documents he’d presented with his attorney had all been a jumble to her. Logic had warned her not to sign the papers before having a lawyer look it over, but she’d been blinded by the seven carat diamond ring he’d presented her with. Their wedding had been a quiet affair with little frill and the honeymoon had been on a private island in the Mediterranean Sea. Twenty-three to his thirty-five, Dominic Armstrong, media mogul and Fortune 500’s top five wealthiest people had paid quite handsomely to possess her, to own every inch of her, a fact he rarely ever forgot to remind her. He was the bread winner; the Alpha dog with a type A personality and Eden was tasked to do simply two things, be the arm candy in public and the whore in bed.
He made sure he roused a response from her each and every time he fucked her and while he tended to be quite cruel when the mood stuck him, he received a sick fascination from hearing her beg for more. But Eden never protested, never complained in the face of his oftentimes sadistic streaks. She was the dutiful, biddable wife who lived a lavishly luxurious life and in exchange he could damn well treat her however he wanted. In comparison to the squalor she’d grown up in and the poverty she and her single mother had faced, Eden would say that her marriage to Dominic was a small price to pay.
She downed the champagne in one go and set the flute on the balustrade. She peered down just below into the nothingness and silently mused whether the darkness would catch her if she plummeted. Giving into a sudden bout of inanity, Eden slipped out of the four inch heels that had cost a small fortune and lifted herself up on the ledge. She bit her bottom lip to keep her smile at bay as she spread out her arms and closed her eyes. Fear was not an emotion she felt here, it was simply the darkness around her and the summer breeze caressing her skin. Exhilaration swept through her, the wind making her feel like she was flying. Freedom was in that moment, enveloping her on all sides and taking her away from everything. Up here she was nothing and everything all at once. She opened her eyes and looked down into the abyss, facing her mortality. Laughter burbled up from the pits of her stomach and escaped on the wind.
“Don’t jump.” the unexpected sound of that voice shattered through Eden’s introspection, startling her completely. She wavered, her body teetering towards the nothingness below and her heart began to race now for a completely different reason as real fear poured like ice water into her veins. She was going to fall, she thought inanely, but then… she wasn't. She was yanked forcefully backwards by an unyielding manacle of flesh around her waist. Eden landed unceremoniously on top of her rescuer in complete disarray, stunned at what had almost been her death.
“I do sincerely hope this isn't what it looks like, Eden?” Her senses returned just then, her husband’s drawl had Eden closing her own eyes for a brief second attempting to regroup herself before she had to face him. She unsteadily came to her feet unconsciously leaning on the guy who’d not only caused this mess, but had also rescued her from impending death. When she found her footing, Eden turned to him with a tentative smile before meeting her husband’s gaze. There was nothing on Dominic’s classically handsome features that indicated his fury, he looked unperturbed, bored even with this scene, but Eden knew the truth. She’d become a veteran in reading his moods and nothing foretold it more than those dark green eyes.
“Well I’m not sure what it looks like to you, sweetheart, but this man just saved my life.”
“Did he?” he retorted, sizing up the other man and quickly dismissing him as someone of no consequence. “And what exactly was it that he saved you from, pet?” caught once more beneath that cold green stare, Eden attempted another tactic knowing that she was only making it worse for herself.
“I was being silly,” she began with a small laugh, raking a hand through her hair to act every bit the airhead he believed her to be. “I was sitting on the ledge not realizing how much I've had to drink. This man…” she stopped suddenly looking at the man with the blue eyes.
“I’m sorry…I didn't catch your name.”
“Matt.”
“Matt came right along and pulled me just before I tipped over.”
“Well then, we should commend Bruce on hiring such agile employees.” He smoothly took off his dinner jacket and swept it over Eden’s shoulders. “And you, dear wife,” he tugged on the lapels of the jacket to bring her closer to him. “need to be a lot more careful.” The kiss was not only meant to exhibit ownership but it was precursor to the punishment that was to come. “Now, let’s go home.” When he made to lead them away, Eden set a gentle hand on his chest to halt his progress.
“What about the man who rescued the woman your wife?” Dominic looked down at her and Eden knew she’d pushed too far, but she wanted him to acknowledge the man—Matt for what he’d done. Eden wanted to watch her husband abase himself for a moment to the man he’d dismissed as nothing more than something he found under his shoe.
“Very well,” he disengaged himself from her and slipped a hand inside his pant pocket. “What’s the going rate for rescuing damsels these days? Two…three hundred?”
“A thousand dollars should do it, I think.” Eden said with a touch of spite meeting those blue eyes that peered at her a little curiously.
“A thousand dollars,” Dominic chuckled dryly, “I seem to recall paying a lot more for you, my sweet.”
Eden blanched, her heart slamming painfully against her breastbone at the backhanded comment. He was so much better at playing this game of malice than she was. To think that she’d set out to humiliate him just now, but he’d volleyed so effortlessly, hitting her exactly where he knew it would hurt the most. She felt so sick all of sudden and the air outside wasn't enough to ease the tightening in her chest.
“I’m good.” She heard Matt say. “I was just doing my job, Sir.”
“Then we’ll let you get back to it.” He turned away from James a sure dismissal as any before setting hand at the small of Eden’s back and leading her away.
***
He was brutal, completely without mercy as he took her. He burrowed his hands in her hair, cruelly yanking her head far back to meet his hard stare. “You’re such a fucking whore.” It was his favorite thing to call her when they were in bed. Debasing her this way, making her remember exactly who and what she was fulfilled his complete dominance over her. The diamond studded collar he’d purchased for her adorned her beautiful caramel neck, the leather chain attached to it was wound tightly around his other hand so that his every thrust coincided with the tugging of the chain. “I own you, Eden.” He whispered harshly, breathlessly along her ear. “Every inch of you belongs to me and I will brand my name on your delectable ass, my pet, so that you never forget it.” His thrusts grew erratic as he brutally rammed into her and then with a smack on her ass he was done.
When he eased out of her and rolled off the bed, Eden did not utter a word and remained completely still, trying to become one with the mattress he’d just viciously fucked her on. She even tried to keep her breathing minimal and simply listened to his movements around the bedroom. He would go to the bathroom first and rinse off his brutality like it was a coat of dirt that could be washed off with soap and water. Then he would return to the room, twenty or so minutes later, freshly clean and head downstairs to his home office where he would remain locked away for the duration of the morning. Eden anticipated that moment, waited patiently for it and when she heard the hushed click of the door closing behind him, she finally allowed her body to unfurl from its fetal position.
She didn't immediately slide off the bed knowing she had the next few hours all to herself, Eden sat on the edge of the large sleigh bed, her smooth caramel legs dangling from the edge, feet barely touching the cream carpet on the floor. She’d always been short, standing no taller than the woman who’d given her birth. A sad smile touched Eden’s lips as she thought about her mother. She wouldn't be happy if she knew this was how Eden had ended up.
A rich man’s blow up doll.
My review-
I started this book not quite sure what to expect. I had all these guesses on what was going to happen and turned out, I was completely wrong. Dominic was an ass. He only wanted arm candy and a sex toy but in all honesty, I never hated him. Eden entered into the marriage and basically was going to be his arm candy and his sex toy in exchange for money and being financially stable. A change of events makes Eden run far away and hide from her husband and for a while it works but eventually Dominic finds her. Instead of being angry and mad, he just wanted his wife back even if that means accepting a child that he never wanted. It takes Dominic one time to hold his son and he completely falls head over heels. Turns out he is a great daddy and you find out just why he was the way he was. I found his story completely heartbreaking. This book was a really good read. It had drama, lust, sex, and love and shows you how things aren't always what they seem. I give this book 4 stars!
Francette lives in Massachusetts with her amazingly supportive husband of ten years and her darling two year old son. Reading amazing books has led her to writing and she’s dabbled in fan-fiction before self-publishing her own works. She’s constantly thinking up new stories to write and does her best work when music is playing in the background. Romance is where she’s most comfortable but she hopes to one day venture in mystery novels. She has a weakness for coffee ice cream, tropical fruits and a good glass of wine.
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