Additionally, no.

I press my thumb and finger into my closed eyes and attempt to management my rambling thoughts. A lot has occurred tonight that I can’t get a good maintain on all of the feelings and ideas bombarding me from all instructions.

I don’t know if my cope with the Beast was horrible or not. My father is alive. That issues to me.

I maintain that fact, and I wrap my coronary heart round it.

It doesn’t assist. I can’t appear to get the factor to cease attempting to beat a gap by way of my chest. I wince and want for the hundredth time since sliding into the again seat of De La Rosa’s Bentley I might flip again the clock. I take a deep breath. That doesn’t assist both. I steal one other look on the Beast by way of the curtain of my hair as he varieties out texts to somebody.

The little management I gained over my thundering coronary heart vanishes after I discover him staring again at me.

“Bella.”

My physique tenses.

He places his telephone apart and reaches throughout the seat and stretches his hand out for mine. I preserve my gaze forged down, however can’t discover it in me to slip my palm into his.

“Bella.” He says my identify once more, besides this time there’s a trace of fear wrapped across the syllables. I can’t think about why.

My mind stutters on how I ought to reply. Uncertainty threads by way of me and I can’t management the shaking of my arms.

“There isn’t any purpose to concern me.” De La Rosa finds my hand within the darkness and threads his fingers by way of mine. Calluses cowl the pads of his fingers. His hand is bigger than mine and but he takes care to not tighten his maintain to the purpose of ache. Tough pores and skin glides over my palm. I’m not an professional at relationships. However the sight of him slowly elevating my hand and inserting a fragile kiss over the backs of my knuckles has my thoughts whirling with curiosity.

Am I his prisoner, bride-to-be, or just his full-time visitor?

“What is going to you do with me?” I shift within the seat and switch my full gaze to his. Shadows drape over the expanse of his proper facet. Like this, I can faux the scars protecting the opposite facet don’t exist. To be honest, the burns don’t hassle me. Perfection isn’t one thing that pulls my consideration. The best way he strikes his physique when he walks. The deep baritone of his voice. The best way the pad of his thumb strokes over the again of my hand proper this second…that pulls my consideration. He’s the very definition of masculine energy. He might crush my hand with the slightest squeeze. And but, he’s light. As if he’s afraid of wounding me.

With a pissed off grumble he says, “Let’s go away the questions for tomorrow. Tonight has been sufficient to deal with with out attempting to determine the long run.”

“Does that imply I gained’t like the reply?”

“It means it’s late, Bella.”

I chew the within of my cheek to inform myself simply to sit down quietly and benefit from the journey beneath the complete moon. It doesn’t work. “Whereas I’m glad I’m not lifeless and also you didn’t kill my father, it might be good to know in the event you plan on throwing me in a tower or a dungeon.”

Or worse, will he power me right into a dainty little maid’s uniform and go me a rest room brush? I might somewhat he slice my throat and finish this complete recreation. I’ve nothing in opposition to the work, however I didn’t make my approach by way of two years of artwork lessons in London to finish up portray smiley faces with toilet disinfectant.

Warmth floods my cheeks. Not out of shyness or embarrassment, however pure irritation.

Gulping air in, I battle to regulate my phrases and my uneven respiratory. It really works.

We sit in silence for a number of moments. He strokes the again of my hand and I let him. Why is a query I’ll hassle answering after I’ve a couple of hours sleep and one thing to eat. I’ll additionally work out why I let him kiss me and why I favored the texture of his lips on mine.

The automobile slows and we pull off the street a second later. The home windows are tinted and throw a shadow over a big gate. A second later a guard steps out of a close-by cement home and greets us with a slight wave. Woven into the metallic rods is an exquisite rose in full bloom. The massive decoration breaks down the center when the massive wrought-iron gates swing broad. I can’t assist however suppose how true that’s for all times. What is gorgeous as an entire can simply break with a single push of a button. The brand new life dad had deliberate for us crumbled at our toes with one impulsive choice. Two if I need to be trustworthy—dad’s when he betrayed his boss and me after I supplied my life for his.

The motive force takes us up a protracted gravel street. On both facet are giant bushes that kind a closed cover of limbs and leaves overhead. It might seem virtually like a fairy story if I believed in that type of factor.

The automobile stops outdoors a big stone mansion and I take a couple of gulps of air to steal my nerves. I needed this, I remind myself. My father is alive and I’m not lifeless both. Two silver linings to remember.

“We’re right here.”

De La Rosa’s voice rumbles straight by way of me as he opens his automobile door and slides out. He hasn’t launched his maintain on my hand so I comply with him out the identical approach.

Our toes crunch within the gravel as he leads us across the automobile and up an expansive set of stone stairs. Massive pillars adorn the corners of the doorway. Overhead is a small extension resting on prime of the towering help columns. It speaks of energy and wealth. Deep wealth and energy. This man snaps his fingers and his will is finished. No surprise my father begged me to go residence.

“Do you want your new residence?”

My tongue doesn’t work for a number of seconds as I stand on the Beast’s facet wanting up at him. He’s an exquisite man made from anger and ache. I do not know what I’m doing or the way it will prove for me, however the sheer quantity of energy shimmering round him is palpable, and it attracts me to him. I didn’t suppose I may very well be inquisitive about a person I’ve simply met, however right here I’m. In his residence and questioning why I like the way in which my hand feels in his. Possibly this new state of affairs isn’t so unhealthy, I misinform myself.

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