Page 48 of Beautiful Beast

Normally, I’m asleep, and I’m usually grateful for that because then I don’t have to think about Erik sleeping right next to me. For the past week, when I’ve woken up, he’s already been gone.

But now, I have to think about it. His body next to mine. The heat from it seeping into mine. The power he exudes, even in sleep.

I scoot farther away from him.

“Awake?” His deep voice rumbles. It does something strange to my body, but I would never admit it.

“Obviously.”

He laughs more to himself. “Always a pleasure talking to you, Anya. Are you still angry about what happened today?”

“Meaning how you sold my sister off to marry that man? Then yes, I’m still angry.”

“She wasn’t sold. And she won’t have to marry Viktor for at least another year, if not longer. He doesn’t want a child bride,don’t worry. This is just a promise to work together. You know, Anya, you can’t protect Nadia forever. Your need to protect her this much is going to kill you.”

“Why do you care? You don’t care about anyone.” I keep my back to him so I can’t see his expression, but I would give anything to know what’s written on his face.

His voice becomes cold. “You’re right. I don’t care. Everything I do is for my business. The sooner you learn that, the better.”

“And yet you told my father not to hit me. You cared enough about that.”

“That was just because I didn’t want your pretty face getting bruised.”

I grip the sheets tightly between my hands. “Is that all? Nothing else?”

“How could there be anything else? I’m not a man with a heart, remember? I’m the boogeyman, and I always will be.”

With a huff, I roll onto my back and force myself to look at him. “You don’t always have to be.”

“I can’t change who I am, Anya.”

“Maybe not. But I’m your wife, Erik. You could learn to care about me. We don’t have to hate each other.”

“I didn’t realize I hated you.”

“Don’t you?”

He places his hand on my cheek and just holds it there. “I don’t hate you at all. You’re not my enemy. I’m just not capable of love. I don’t have it within me.”

“Well, I hate you,” I whisper.

“Do you? Why do you hate me, Anya? What have I done exactly that has made you hate me?”

“You spanked me.”

“True.”

“You kept me from seeing my sister.”

“I took you to see her the next day as I promised.”

I blink. He’s not wrong … “You do bad things to people. I never wanted to marry you.”

“All true things as well. But, Anya, your father made the decision for you. He came to me with an offer.”

“That didn’t mean you had to take me.”

“Why not?” He removes his hand from my cheek. “Arranged marriages are common in the Bratva. You know this. I haven’t beat you like your father. How am I a monster to you?”

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