Hey Blu!

Ooh, nice twist here. This kind of story often ends with the people being the real monsters. Those with power and wealth being the real things to fear and such. So it's refreshing to get a story that doesn't do that and takes a more literal meaning of the word monster.

I quite liked your opening here too. You set the backstory up really well, and tell us from the start that this won't end well. And that does wonders for the tension.

I do just have a few bits and bobs for you though,

> I spent far more time chasing stories than I did making our own. My biggest regret.

So I did just feel like there was a bit of a contradiction here. Before this, our character openly admits that they'd give into the rush of the biggest story of their lives even if they knew how badly it would end.

But then here, they openly admit that they wished they hadn't let their family go. So maybe just removing the "My biggest regret." could fix it? But up to you.

> warming my core in a way the alcohol hadn’t.

A minor change here, but "couldn't" may work better over "hadn't" here. Insinuating that she made him feel a way that the alcohol couldn't achieve. Because as it stands, one could maybe take it as 'if he'd just drink some more, he could perhaps reach that same level of warmth.' Which I don't think is what you were intending.

> Grinning back, I offered her a drink, surprised she accepted.

The commas here make it seem like this is all simultaneous. He grins at her whilst offering a drink for instance. There's no chronological order of events. But then the last bit snagged me. She'd only be able to accept the drink after he offered, right? So maybe a period followed by "I was surprised she accepted." maybe?

I may be way overthinking this, haha.

> Her hot breath sending shivers down my spine and waking up parts I hadn’t paid any mind to for the better part of a year.

Just a tense change here I think. You go from past to present a few times in this piece I think. Nothing too big though.

I hope this helps.

Good Words!