Page 28 of Beauty and Her Beasts (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 1)

“You really didn’t have any idea about their plan?” I asked.

He stared at his feet as he shook his head. “None.”

“Doesn’t that make you angry?” I asked.

“Should it?” he asked, settling his eyes on mine.

“I’m angry,” I said.

He ran his hand through his hair and then used it to prop his head on the arm of the couch. “There are much, much worse things to happen, and have happened.”

“I can see that,” I said, pointedly taking in his missing arm.

“War comes at a high cost,” he mumbled.

I nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You weren’t responsible,” he said. “I was, but that is a story for another time.”

I twisted in my seat to face him better. Even by the candle light, his features were a beautiful piece of art. I shoved my arousal down. “Is that why you keep yourself so distant?”

He sat up, breathed in deep my scent, and squeezed his eyes closed. “Did you have to smell so good?”

I gaped at him. “Huh?”

He flinched. I blinked. He was on his knees on the couch, pressing his face close to mine. “Your scent is intoxicating.”

“Um…” I had no idea what changed or why, but I also didn’t mind either.

“I smell your arousal,” he said.

“You what?” I asked.

He pressed his lips against mine. At first, I was hesitant. But the heat in his kiss and the feel of his lips on mine drove my arousal higher and my brain lost all sense of up and down. His lips moved with mine, and I wrapped my arms around him.

His muscles were as hard as stone beneath his shirt and I wanted to feel more of him. He pulled away and hopped off the couch.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Oh great. You too.” I let out a deep sigh and stood from the couch. “This is too much. Goodbye.”

My arm was caught. “Where are you going, and what did you mean by me too?”

I sighed. “That’s what I came to talk to you about.”

“I only meant I should have first asked your permission before forcing you to kiss me,” he said. “I don’t deserve to kiss you in the first place. The least I could have done was ask.”

I blinked at him. A smile stretched my lips as his words sank in. “Thank you.”

“Please, explain,” he said and coaxed me closer to him.

I told him about my encounters with Declan and Gunnar. King listened intently. His jaws clenched and his hand formed a tight fist by the time I got to the end. He narrowed his eyes on the wall in front of us. “I’ll handle them.”

I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, but I think I covered it all.”

He looked at me. “Don’t do that again.”

“Why?” I asked.

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