Page 51 of Beast

Glancing at the other side of the bed, I find him lying beside me, his features softened in sleep. My feelings toward him are ever evolving. From hatred, to lust to something far more complex.

Shifting onto my side, I study him. The strong line of his jaw, the dark sweep of his lashes against his cheeks. Even asleep, there’s this dominant, hard air about him. It’s both intriguing and terrifying.

I have this horrible desire to trace the contours of his face with my fingers but resist. Instead, I drink in the sight of him. So beautiful and yet so dark and dominant.

Suddenly, his eyes flutter open and he catches me gazing at him. Those unique gray eyes instantly on mine. “Good morning, mi reina,” he murmurs.

“Morning,” I breathe.

He reaches out and trails a finger along my cheek gently. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes,” I admit, cursing my honesty. I should be putting up more of a fight. And yet, in this quiet moment, I find myself wanting nothing more than to bask in his attention.

Gaston’s lips curve into a beautiful smile.“I’m glad.” His hand slides down, cupping the back of my neck, and he pulls me close to give me a quick kiss. “There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding. “What is it?”

“It’s about our future.” His gaze is intense, burning into me. “I think it’s time we had a conversation about where this is going.”

Where this is going? He’s my captor. It’s going wherever the fuck he wants it to.

I stare at Gaston, my heart hammering in my chest. What if he’s fed up with me now and wants a new woman? And why the hell does that make me feel so fucking jealous.

“Our future? Are you fed up with me now? Do you want to buy a new girl?”

He growls like an animal, grabbing my throat. “Never.”

God. That declaration makes my heart flutter.

“I want to discuss what you want,” he says.

“What I want? Since when does it matter? You’ve made it very clear that you own me since the day we met.”

He sighs, releasing my throat. “Indeed, but I don’t want it to be that way. I want you to choose this life with me because you want it.”

“You’re giving me a choice?” I ask hesitantly.

Gaston nods. “I want you to want this. I want you to want...me.”

It’s clear what he’s saying even if he’s not saying the words. He cares. He has feelings for me.

After a long moment, I find my voice again. “Gaston, I don’t know if that’s possible.”

His eyes darken, lips pressing into a thin line.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’re offering. But as long as I’m your captive, I’ll never be able to make that choice freely.” I meet his intense gaze unflinchingly. “If you really want me to want this, to want you, then you’ve got to let me go. You’ve got to set me free.”

Gaston is silent, his expression unreadable. “If I were to free you, would you want me then?”

Freedom is the only thing I need right now. My feelings for this man are too mixed up, and I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. Space would let me sort through everything that has happened. I’d probably need to see a shrink too.

“I don’t know,” I answer. “Too much has happened between us. My feelings are so complicated.” I sigh, sitting up in bed. “But if you freed me, at least I could try to move forward. I could try to figure out what I really want, without being under your control.”

Gaston nods, considering my words. For a wild moment, I think he might actually agree to let me go. But then his expression hardens. “We’ll discuss this more when we return to the city.”

“But—”

Gaston silences me with a finger against my lips. “No more talk of this on our trip, okay? At least let me have that.”

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