Chapter 82: Monroe

Mastering the intricacies of rope was much like mastering the nuances of Angel. And tonight, he discovered that no rope on earth compared to the touch of her lips against his skin.

His nose rested in her hair, his arms held her close while she slept. For the first time in years, he sank into memories of his past.

His parents had little time for the odd child that shied away from a mother's embrace. The best doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists made little headway past the walls that kept the world out of the workings of his mind. Medical professionals bandied diagnoses and tried different therapies, but Nathanial, from his earliest memories, felt he stood on the outside looking in.

His nannies and tutors bragged about his brilliance in every subject, but his parents wanted a normal child. Nathanial Jason Monroe would never be normal.

When he was ten years old, a stodgy British bodyguard by the name of Stephens put a length of rope in his hand. The braid, perfectly woven from small f