Page 10 of Isabelle and the Beast

Maybe that wasn’t the smartest thing to say. He’s Adam Stone, world-famous action star. Of course he can say whatever he wants. But I’m fired up now, and I’m not about to let anyone walk all over me.

If breaking into Hollywood means dealing with this jerkevery day, then I’m not doing it. My self-worth is too high to allow him to speak to me like this and walk all over me.

Adam’s mouth drops. Has no one ever called him out? Probably not. Well, he needs a reality check, so he’d better buckle up, because I’m not done.

“You think you’re better than everyone else, up here in your fancy family castle. But that doesn’t make you a good person. And I refuse to spend another minute here, being disrespected like this.” I throw my cloth napkin down on the table and turn to leave.

“Wait!” Adam calls, his voice slightly weakened. “So…the movie?”

I turn to face him, and for a moment, he actually seems worried. Good. Let this be a lesson for him. “There is no way I wouldeverbe in a movie with you.” I turn back to the dining room door and rush to the front entrance, which is thankfully just down the hallway and not through the twisting maze like the other parts of the castle. I make it to the front door, fling it open, and am nearly blown backward by freezing air.

I can’t believe my eyes.

It’s a full-on blizzard. White snow falls from the sky and has already covered at least three inches of the ground.

I’m still in shock. I step outside, feeling the cold seep into my high heels, but I don’t care. Crunching through the snow, I spy Philippe. My beloved Honda Civic is covered in snow.

I can’t move. I can’t breathe. There’s no way I can drive down the mountain now. Not with my street tires and snow covering the already perilous and winding road.

I have no other choice.

I’m trapped here.

Chapter

Five

ADAM

She said she won’t do the movie.

Of all the scenarios I envisioned, this was not one of them.

Looking down at the food in front of me, my head spins. What am I going to do now? Do I run after her? Try to convince her to stay, passionately claiming I’m not really as terrible as I seem?

But would that be the truth?

Probably not.

There’s nothing to prove. I’m just as much the monster she thinks I am. And I proved it by staying here in the dining room.

But a minute later, she reappears. Her eyes are wide, and there are white snowflakes in her hair.

“It’s snowing,” she says, her voice low.

And now I realize I’m back in the power position. I have the advantage. And I’m going to use it to the fullest.

I wait a moment. “Is it?” I reply.

She nods slowly. “And my car can’t handle the conditions.”

“Ah.” I stab a piece of broccoli and take a bite, biding my time.

She presses her lips together. I know what she needs. She needs to stay here for the night, and it’s killing her to have to ask. But I’m not going to make this easy for her, not when she said she didn’t want to do the movie with me.

That wasn’t supposed to be her decision. It wasmine. And now she’s ruined everything.

She finally clears her throat. “Since I’m unable to drive, do you think that I…would it be all right if I just…” Her voice trails off, and she gestures with her hand to fill in the blanks.

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