Page 30 of Beauty and Her Beasts (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 1)

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KING

Lying next to Allana as she drifted off to sleep was like watching heaven unfold before me. The earth shifted. My focus changed. Everything I had ever thought I wanted suddenly laid before me. The view was so much more than I deserved. More than I could have ever wanted or asked for.

I brushed away a strand of brown hair that had fallen in her face, tucking it behind her ear. She grinned and curled into me a little more.

I was damned the second my eyes first laid on her. I couldn’t resist the urge to taste her and feel her. There was no turning back for me, now. Not anymore. I realized she had wanted to leave before I lost all control over myself, and I knew there would be no stopping her if that was what she truly wanted. I would be forced to let her go.

Not that I deserved someone like her in my life.

But maybe I could convince her to have mercy on a pitiful soul like mine, on someone who didn’t deserve an ounce of love, to stay with something lavish. I might not be a whole man, but I could show her what she means to me. That having her in my life made me whole, gave me purpose, and I would spend every day of my life showing her how much she meant to me.

Growing up, my parents would throw massive balls in honor of the holidays. My father always said it made my mother happy. I could do that for Allana too.

It would be expensive, and difficult to keep hidden, but maybe with a little bit of help, I could pull this off and it would convince her to stay for just a little while longer.

I would spend the rest of my life proving myself and convincing her to stay.

I gently pulled myself away from her sleeping form and got dressed. She should be asleep for a couple of hours at the very least. That would give me enough time to confront Declan and Gunnar as well as get started on the plans for the ball. I might even have enough time to bring her some food before she woke up. But If I wanted to make sure she stayed asleep, she needed to be moved from the floor.

I knelt next to her and used my knee and my arm to hoist her up. As carefully as I could, I stumbled toward my bed and gently laid her on the mattress, covering her with the blankets before leaving a candle lit near her just in case she woke up.

She stirred a little. I held my breath. My plan relied on her staying asleep and remaining in the dark. I held my breath as I watched her features smooth out and her breathing evened once more. Once she was settled, I left the room.

No sooner than I left the wing and turned down the main hall did I find Gunnar and Declan heading straight for me. I narrowed my eyes on them. A burning need to shove my fists into their faces ignited in my diaphragm.

“Don’t even think about turning around and hiding in your little cave, King,” Gunnar said.

“We need to talk. It’s important,” Declan said.

“And before you ask,” Gunnar added. “No, it can’t wait.”

“I had no intention of turning around and hiding anywhere, Gunnar. As a matter of fact, I was coming to speak to you as well,” I said, switching my focus between the two men standing in front of me.

They blinked at me. Their lack of response and shock filling their expressions told me they weren’t expecting me to say such things. When they didn’t say anything, I added, “Not here, though.”

Both men nodded.

Gunnar said, “Kitchen. No one would bother us there.”

I rolled my eyes but gestured for them to lead the way. The walk was silent and that gave me the time to get my thoughts together. First, I needed to let them know there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell they could have Allana. Second, the ball.

Once inside the kitchen, Declan and Gunnar took a stand on one counter and I stood in front of another. I stared at them, waiting for them to say what they needed. “You two better go first. You’re not going to like what I have to say.”

“We want to talk about Allana,” Gunnar said. “My guess is you want to do the same.”

“Not to mention his brilliant idea,” Declan said, but his tone came across as sarcastic.

“I already know about the scheme you two had going. Allana told me. Your point?” I said.

Gunnar stood straighter. “I want her too.”

“As do I,” Declan said.

“Well, I have her, so it sucks to be either one of you.” I stood straighter. “You’re too late.”

Declan shook his head. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

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