Page 24 of Beast

“Answer me, you son of a bitch. What the fuck are you going to do to me?”

“You talk a lot.”

I glare up at him. “Gee… I guess that’s what I do when I get kidnapped by a giant man-beast who holds me captive in a castle to be babysat by a goddamnclub girl,”I yell.

His eyebrows lift. “I haven’t kidnapped you. In case you didn’t notice, I saved your ass.”

“And brought me here and kept me locked up.” My eyes hold his. “And now you have me tied to your bed.”

“This is notmybed. This is a guest room, and it is where you’ll stay until I say otherwise.”

“I will do no such thing.”

“Why do you fight me when you know you can’t win?”

“Because you’re making me do something I don’t want to do. And don’t get me started on how you manhandle me like a brute.”

“Because you refuse to listen to reason.”

“Reason? You consider this reasonable behavior?”

“When it’s saving your life…yes.” He brings his face closer. “And just so we’re clear, when you talk about the club girls, you will speak with respect, just as everyone in our clubhouse is expected to.”

For a second, I see a hint of gentleness in his eyes. But one blink and it’s gone.

“Let me go,” I plead.

“This is how it is going to be, Belle. You need to make peace with it now.”

I swallow thickly. “Are you going to hurt me?”

He tilts his head as his eyes roam my face, and I’m so acutely aware of his warmth engulfing me.

“You’re afraid of me,” he says.

“Yes.” I can barely breathe because of the way he is looking at me. The full lips. The dark eyes. The menacing attractiveness of his scars.

“You don’t need to be if you do as you’re told.”

“Says the serial killer right before he makes a lampshade out of your skin,” I say without blinking.

He looks confused. I confuse him. And it’s about the only thing I have going for me right now.

He straightens. “Now, have you calmed down?”

I glare at him. I want to tell him to go to hell but I know it won’t win me any favors. Nor will it get me anywhere with this asshole.

I grit my teeth. “Yes.”

“Thank God for small mercies,” he grumbles.

I narrow my eyes and study the man who is keeping me prisoner.

If you gave me two words to describe him, they would beruggedly hot.Oh wait, let’s make it three words.Ruggedly hot asshole.

And he’s big.

I know I’ve mentioned it before. But he’s so massive it warrants mentioning it again.

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