Page 27 of Beautiful Beast

Slowly, I take it. If I can make Erik happy, then maybe my life will be easier. Maybe I’ll be able to save Nadia that way. But the thought of touching Erik when I know he’s killed and tortured people with these very hands causes a shiver to run through me.

“It’s beautiful,” I tell him.

The driver backs out of the large circular driveway, leaving Erik and me alone. It’s the first time I’ve been alone with him since I met him a few hours ago.

This is it—I’m truly married to him. I’m truly his.

I tamper down my panic at the thought.

“So, why do you look so … disgusted?”

“I’m not disgusted.”

“Your nose scrunched up when you saw the house.”

“It’s not because it’s ugly. It’s not. It’s …”

He gives me a knowing look. “It’s because you’re afraid to be alone with me. I told you in the car, Anya, I’m not going to make you have sex with me tonight. Not when you’re so afraid.”

“You also told me I couldn’t trust you.”

“I did, didn’t I?” He glances at the house and back to me, looking more handsome than he should in the golden glow of the sunset. “I told you not to trust me with your secrets. I have a tendency to use anything to my own gain. Know that. I won’t sugarcoat this for you. But I also have no desire to hurt you physically. What do I get out of it? You’re beautiful. I like looking at you. Why would I hurt your face?”

“There are other places you can hurt,” I whisper.

He runs the backs of his fingers down my cheek, and I manage not to flinch this time. “There are. Do you want me to hurt them?”

I rip away from him. “No!”

“I didn’t think so.” He drops his hand and turns away from me. “There’s a limit to my madness. Get in my way, and I’ll cut you down. But if you stay in your lane, Anya, I’ll have no reason to hurt you.”

“Stay in my lane?”

“Be a good wife to me. And I’ll have no reason to hurt you.”

“What does a good wife look like?”

He sets his hard eyes back onto me. “You’ll learn in time. Now, come on. Let’s head inside.” Taking my hand again, he tugs me along.

I hate how cryptic he can be sometimes. I swear, he does it to keep me on my toes. How will I keep up with him if I can’t predict his next move?

With my father, I knew what would make him angry or set him off, but with Erik, it’s all a mystery.

The inside of the house is just as beautiful as the outside. Everything is cream and off-white with soft golden touches. It’s also huge. Every room, from the living room to the kitchen to the front foyer, which has a large spiral staircase leading to the second floor, is spacious.

Erik shows me to the upstairs bedrooms.

“This one is ours.” He opens a door, revealing a large master bedroom decorated in the same soft off-whites and creams and light browns. The bed seems larger than a king somehow. I didn’t even know that was possible.

I came from money, so glitz and glam doesn’t shock me, and yet Erik’s home shocks me. It shocks me because I never expected him to have such a warm house. I sort of expected a dark torture dungeon for décor.

My body tenses when I set my gaze on the bed.

Erik places his hand on my low back, and the weight of it rocks me to my core. “What are you thinking?”

“Do you actually care?”

“Why do you fight me on everything?”

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