Chapter 15 – Beast
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BEAST
I have never held back with a woman, ever. It’s always been there for me to take, and while I want to take what Belle is offering, I want more than what she is willing to offer me right now.
As I get to my feet, her face is flushed and her eyes are heavy. I lean down and take her mouth, letting her taste herself before I break the kiss, much to hers and my disappointment.
“Anders.” She smiles, saying my name softly. I have to say, I’ve never liked my name until it came from her lips. “Means brave, right?” she adds.
I raise my brow. “How do you know that?” I ask.
“I’m a teacher, and when I was covering another class, we did a project on Vikings,” she adds. I tuck her hair back behind her ear. She kisses my palm, and her eyes flick down to my very obvious erection. “You want a hand with that?” she asks.
I shake my head no. “I don’t think I could trust myself to hold back if you went anywhere near my dick right now.”
She smiles. “Maybe I want you to lose control.”
I lean my head back and sigh. It’s taking every ounce of restraint to do the right thing. “You’re not there yet, darlin’. Do not fucking tempt me,” I warn, giving her a stern look. Her eyes spark. Fuck, she likes that. “You like me being firm with you, darlin’? You like me telling you what to do?” I ask.
Her cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink and she nods, biting down on her bottom lip.
I cup her face with my hand, placing my thumb on her bottom lip, pulling it from her teeth. “You were fucking made for me beautiful, you know that?” I confess before placing a soft kiss on her lips. “Come on, no doubt Pres will be ringing for an update,” I say before I lift her off the table.
“How in the fuck can you afford a place like this?” Star asks as she walks through the front door. I wasn’t expecting them to just show up.
“Oh, it’s easy. It’s called none of your fucking business,” I answer sarcastically.
“Hey,” Pres warns.
Star laughs. “Touché.” She places Enzo into this baby bouncer thing, and he makes gargling noises as he bounces up and down. I shrug. The kid seems happy enough.
Belle comes down the stairs, freshly showered, her wet hair over one shoulder, wearing another one of my T-shirts partly tucked in, and a pair of denim cut off shorts. Forgetting that we have an audience, I grab her waist and pull her to me, kissing her.
“Oh my god,” Star whispers loudly. I feel Belle smile against my lips.
I break the kiss and turn to face Ghost and Star. “Coffee?” I offer.
Ghost smirks and nods, while Star walks straight to Belle and takes her hand. “Yes, but I need to talk to Belle while you make it,” she says before dragging her through the kitchen to the dining table. “Oh my god, this house is fucking incredible!” she yells.
Ghost picks up Enzo in his bouncer thing and brings him with us into the kitchen area while I make the coffee. He places him down next to him. “Beast,” Ghost says my name with a tone that I know means something serious.
I look up at him and nod. I make the coffees and place them on the table for Star and Belle, and Ghost places Enzo next to Star. “I’m just going to show Ghost the new gym equipment,” I lie. They both nod and Star shoos us away.
Once down in the gym, I turn around and face Ghost, crossing my arms over my chest, bracing myself for whatever bad news he has to tell me.
“What is it?” I ask.
He sighs, pausing to take a swig of his coffee. “It’s bad,” he states.
“When is it not?” I counter.
He sighs and takes a seat on the weights bench. “I went to Bobby, on my own. Late last night.”
“How in the fuck did you manage to get away with that? I mean, I know he has power in that place, but fucking out of visiting hours?” I question.
Ghost looks up at me. “He’s in the ICU,” he adds.
I uncross my arms and immediately look up the stairs to make sure Belle isn’t coming. “What the fuck? I thought he was okay. He had just been roughed up,” I hiss.
“Yeah well, he was, but Charlie’s men got to him while he was in the medical ward at the prison. They injected some shit into his drip, and the only saving grace was that one of the nurses caught them just as they were doing it. So, they only managed to give him a small amount, but it was still enough to give him a fucking heart attack. It took them 25 minutes to get his heart beating again. They don’t know what the damage may be to his brain when he comes around. He’s hooked up to every fucking machine right now. It ain’t looking fucking good, brother.” He sighs.
I pace the room. “What the fuck? It’s literally been 2 days. Jesus, we’ve got to tell Belle. She will want to be with him,” I state.
Ghost shakes his head. “Can’t do that, brother.”
I look at him and frown. “What the fuck do you mean, we can’t do that?” I snap.
“It’s what they want. They want her to visit him so they can take her out, too,” he states.
I run my fingers through my hair. “I can’t fucking lie about this to her. I can’t,” I state. “Before, her father was just beat up, and he would recover. It was her father’s wish. But shit man, what if he doesn’t make it?”
“We ain’t got much choice. As soon as she steps foot into that hospital, they will be made aware, and then by the time she walks out, she will be dead,” he adds.
“Fuck,” I grit out. I sigh and close my eyes. “Then she can’t stay here,” I state.
“Beast, brother. You think that’s fucking wise?” Ghost counters.
I look at him. “She’s a fucking virgin, brother. She is mine, and I will be claiming her, but fuck, I can’t do that while lying to her. No fucking way,” I grit out. “If she stays here with me, then I will tell her about her father. I can’t keep fucking lying to her.”
Ghost nods. “I get it. I would feel the same about Star, but if it’s to protect her life,” he adds.
“She won’t see it that way. No matter how you try and explain it,” I point out.
Ghost sighs, knowing I’m right. “Then she either comes back to ours, or we go on full lockdown,” he suggests.
“Don’t lock everyone down, not yet. If they are acting this quickly, then they ain’t going to sit on their hands for long before they strike again. Let her stay at yours, and then see what happens,” I suggest.
Ghost nods. “Fair enough, but we get even a threatening text, I’m locking everyone down,” he warns.
I nod, hating this entire fucking situation. I was just starting to get somewhere with her, and now I am risking it all by keeping fucking secrets.
“So, she’s a virgin,” Ghost says, smirking. “She realise you’re hung like fucking King Kong?” He smirks.
“Fuck you. Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but she’s seen my dick, so no need for your concern,” I point out.
“Well, at least she didn’t run off screaming in terror. It wouldn’t be the first time,” he teases.
“That only happened the once, and that was because she asked for anal,” I argue.
Ghost laughs. “Come on. For all we know, Star has your fucking marriage arranged by now.”
We start walking back up the steps. “How come you ain’t proposed to her yet?” I ask, looking over my shoulder.
“I don’t need a bit of paper that tells me Star is mine. I know she fucking is,” he points out.
Star and Belle look over in our direction as we walk toward them. “Casper, fancy a game of hangman when we get home?” she asks.
Ghost frowns, confused. I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You told her,” I sigh, looking at Belle. She shrugs, looking a little sheepish.
“Girls talk, and it’s not a bad thing. We share experiences and tips,” Star says, winking at me.
“Fuck sake,” I mutter. “Listen Belle, you’re going to have to stay with Ghost and Star for a while,” I say, changing the subject.
Belle frowns. “What? Why?”
“Because Beast has some work that I need him to do, and it will take a while. It’s safer for you to be at ours,” Ghost states.
Belle frowns, looking between us. “Why can’t I just stay here? I thought no one knew about this place?” she questions.
“Because it’s not safe for you to be here on your own,” I argue.
“I don’t get what the big deal is. She can stay here, and the prospects can come by and check in on her,” Star suggests.
“It ain’t fucking happening. She has to go,” I snap.
Belle blanches, swallowing harshly. “Okay, well um, if it’s what I have to do, then okay,” she answers softly.
“It is, just until it’s safe,” Ghost adds.
“I will go and pack,” Belle says quietly before walking past me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Star hisses.
I look at her, refusing to answer. I just turn and walk upstairs to Belle and see her chucking her toiletries in a bag.
“I won’t be long, as all my stuff is still packed,” she mutters.
I close the space between us and stand behind her. I sweep her hair from her neck, and she freezes. “I’m sorry darlin’, but this is out of my control,” I tell her. Leaning down, I inhale her scent. “It’s for the best,” I add.
She spins around to face me, her eyes searching mine. “What is it you’re not telling me?” she presses.
“I told you darlin’, I’ve just got to work. Club business,” I tell her.
She sighs. “If there was more, you would tell me, right?”
I grip my jaw tight, hating that I am lying to her, but I know her. I know if she found out about her father, she would want to be there with him. “That’s all there is, darlin’. Nothing else,” I lie.
She smiles and nods. “Okay.” She grabs her bags, but I take them from her and carry them downstairs. Ghost and Star are already by the truck, but Star has her arms crossed, looking pissed.
Belle turns suddenly and leans up on her toes. She places her mouth on mine, kissing me, still holding her bags. I wrap my arms around her, keeping her body pressed against mine, kissing her back. She breaks the kiss, her eyes still closed, a smile on her lips.
“I was going to tell you this later, but now I can’t. So...” She pauses, her hand cupping my face, her breath across my lips. She looks up at me, her warm hazel eyes shining with affection. “I think I’m there, Anders,” she whispers.
My jaw grits tight as I stare back at her. “Goodbye Belle,” I say through gritted teeth. I step back and she looks at me with confusion and hurt. I take her bags from her and walk past her, placing them in the car, when all I wanted to do was carry her back inside and finally claim her as mine.