Page 50 of Beast

What the fuck? “Don’t have to ask me twice, sweetheart. I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing, but I’d be happy to tie you up and lick your pussy until you can’t stop coming.”

Her mouth widened into a cautious smile and a nervous laugh escaped her lips. “Maybe later, Hulk. But for now I need you to blindfold me and lead me around the room. When we’re dancing, we can’t speak. We can only communicate through movement. And we need to build trust. Though I may be your teacher, on the floor you are always in charge. Make me submit to you.”

Heat rose through my body. I couldn’t tell if she was fucking with me, but if she was, I didn’t care. I didn’t hesitate but pulled her to me and secured the scarf around her eyes. Without saying a word, she swiveled her hips into mine and laid her head on my chest.

“Dance with me. Don’t think, just connect,” she whispered, breathy, sexy.

I wrapped my arms around this beautiful woman and just moved to the music. When I stepped, she followed, mirroring my every movement, even though she couldn’t see. Her fingers brushed my neck, her chest heaved with mine, our legs moved in sync. Our bodies became one unit. I’d always seen dancing as pointless, but I’d never been this physically close to a woman without having sex. It was hot as hell.

Then she looked up and smiled at me. A genuine smile, accepting loving. Her face didn’t wince in horror at my face; instead she looked at me the way I prayed that someone would one day look at me like that again. She loved me.

And I knew one truth in that moment.

“Isa.” I cupped her face and looked into her beautiful green eyes. “I love you.”

31

Grady

The next morning, we both sat on the sofa, catching up on our phones.

Then I saw it.

A text from Beau containing a web link.

Beau: Bro, did u c this?

I clicked on the link which led to a gossip article.

“Bella Applebaum’s Deal with the Devil Dog: Why the desperate former reality star agreed to pretend to be the girlfriend of maimed Medal of Honor recipient Grady Williams.”

What the fuck?

Rage swept through me as I skimmed the article. “According to a source, Bella told her friend that she was repulsed by Grady but agreed to attend the Marine Corps Ball with him as long as her father would write Grady’s war memoir.”

I’d never been under any delusion that my face was anything but grotesque. But reading this article, knowing that she told her someone I disgusted her singed my already scorched skin with humiliation.

I could show her the article, listen to her false apologies, her protests that she never said it, but there was no point. I wanted her gone—out of my life.

Forever.

In all honesty I should never have allowed myself to get close to her—from the second I saw her, I knew she was out of my league. She was too beautiful, too sexy. Who could ever love a beast?

I stood up from the sofa and looked toward the ground. I refused to give her the satisfaction of staring at me again.

“I’ve made a mistake. This, whatever this was, isn’t going to work out. I’ll pay for you to change your ticket so you can go home early.”

“What? Are you serious? After telling me last night that you love me you want me to go?”

“Yup.”

My back was turned to her but I could hear her stand up. She placed her hand on my shoulder, I pushed it off.

“Don’t make this harder than it is. It would never work out between us. And I’ve decided that I don’t want to write a book. Meeting Pasha made me realize that once I start up with celebrity shit, I’ll become a fucking puppet.”

“No.” She wasn’t giving up. “I don’t care about the book, I’ll find another way to pay for my tuition, even if I have to take a year off. I can get a loan. I can get a few jobs. Don’t do this, Grady. I’m in love with you! Just because you’re scared—”

“Scared? Scared of what? You? Love? You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. You don’t know the meaning of the word scared. Get the fuck out of my face. If you want to talk about our relationship, I’m sure your friend would love to hear more stories about how repulsive I am.”