Page 48 of Beast

“In the bed next to you,” he says as easily as if he were telling me he takes one sugar in his coffee.

I look at him, horrified, and gasp. “No.”

His brows shoot up. “The last person who told me no lost his tongue.”

Alarm slams into me as I picture the gruesome image. I try to swallow, but my throat is dry. I’d like to say it’s because of the fear. But I’m not sure that’s fear tingling between my legs. Because the way Beast towers over me and looks down at me with that expression on his face has me feeling warm all over.

Still, his warning is received loud and clear.

Although, I still need to stand my ground.

“I’m not having sex with you,” I blurt out.

He tilts his head slightly.

“I wasn’t offering,” he says coldly.

At least there’s the silver lining in all of this. Although he could force me, I suppose. He’s certainly big enough to do whatever he wants to me. But he’s not like that. In fact, after seeing what he did to Gaston the night he attacked me, he’s not the kind who’d tolerate anyone doing that. A little voice inside tells me I can trust him. Almost as if I already know him. Which doesn’t make any sense and is clearly a result of the earlier knock on my head.

This man is dangerous, and I need to remember that.

Again our gazes lock. His shoulders tense.

“I don’t take from women, Belle. But I’ll certainly punish you if you tell me no again.”

Relief and excitement collide in my chest because of the way he says it and the heat in his expression as he looks down at me.

But they’re quickly followed by an unease in my gut because I don’t doubt him.

I lift my chin and harden my eyes. “Keep your distance, bike gangster, and we’ll be fine.”

His eyes narrow but not with malice. I see a hint of amusement in them. The same with his beautiful lips. They tug briefly with mirth before resuming his scowl.

“So what happens tomorrow? Are you going to keep me locked away in this room like Rapunzel?”

“You can go anywhere in the clubhouse. Everywhere except the west tower. It is forbidden.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

“I mean, why is it forbidden?”

“Again, because I said so.”

I shrug. “Whatever.”

He gives me a growlyhmmand indicates for me to sit on the bed. I hesitate long enough to consider my choices. I can either be comfortable on the bed or sit uncomfortably on the cold stone floor.

“If we’re to pull this fake relationship off then we need to get our stories straight,” I say, choosing comfort over principle as I climb onto the bed.

“Finally, something we agree on,” he mutters as he sits on the edge and begins to remove his motorcycle boots.

“Okay, so far we’ve managed to sell the fact that I’m Mya’s cousin. I moved to town and you and I met one night when Mya brought me to the clubhouse. We didn’t speak other than to say hello but then one night you saw me in town?—”

“Where?”

I think for a moment. “Walking out of a restaurant?—”

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