Page 30 of Bella and Her Beast
CHAPTER NINE
ISABELLA
Iswear, I must be in the middle of a weird sci-fi show or something. I know I didn’t witness my new man transform into a big ass werewolf. It just didn’t happen. It’s all a giant clusterfuck if you ask me. After I left Greyson Manor, I made it to the library to get my car, then rushed home. Luckily, none of my co-workers were around to witness me looking like the frantic mess I am.
When I made it to my place, I ran to the shower and just sat on the floor, in an overflow of tears. It’s one of thoseit-feels-right-but-it-doesn’ttype things. Like, I want to believe he’s telling me the truth, but it could all be some sick ass scam. On top of that, I’m finally happy. In a relationship with a man who treats me well, and he loves to read to me. And he does it naked. To me, there is nothing sexier. But I don’t know if its real or a way to get out of a generational curse. It’s like once it’s over, will he still be mine? I’m so confused. My heart and head are not on the same page. There’s only one person who can make me feel better about this whole situation. My emergency go to. I dress, grab my keys, jump in my car, and hit the highway.
* * *
The tears have beennon-stop since I pulled out from the gas station after I gassed up for my quick road trip. As I get closer to my great-grandmother's house, the tears become more prevalent, and they keep coming. I shake my hands out to rid myself of the nerves building in my stomach. I can’t figure out why I feel this way. Am I afraid there’s some truth in what they were saying? My thoughts are so heavy that I veer off to the side of the road. I correct my course and get back on the road without incident.
A few more mile markers down and I exit the highway, putting me just two short turns from her front door. My eyes dry up, but remain puffy and red. I try to pull it together, but it is a fail. “Fuck it,” I say, throwing my hands in the air. Pulling into the drive, I park my car, exit, and sprint to the front door, opening it upon my arrival. “Hola bisabuela. Realmente necesito hablar contigo (Hello great grandmother. I really need to talk to you),” I say, upon my entrance. My great-grandmother always has a wise word of advice or just a gentle hug to make you feel better.
I continue to the kitchen where I hear her scrambling around with her pots. A deep manly voice, an all too familiar voice, echoes as I approach. When I enter the kitchen, I see Greyson sitting there having tea with mi bisabuela.
“Greyson? How the fuck, no, what the fuck are you doing here? You have no right or business to be at this place. You need to leave, now!”
“Bella, wait. Please let me talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to discuss. You need to leave now before I call the cops.”
“This is very important. I came here hoping that you would at least listen to your grandmother.”
“Bisabuela, no lo escuches. Está loco y es un hombre lobo (Great-grandmother, don't listen to him. He's crazy and he's a werewolf).”
“Bella, you know that I am not crazy, you saw everything last night.”
“No, you kidnapped me last night. I’m calling the cops.” I take my phone from my pocket and press the number nine before she knocks it from my hand.
“Isa, siéntate y escúchame (sit down and listen to me), now,” she demands. For a little woman, she has a big voice even at this age and she still moves rather quickly.
I do as she commands, parking my butt in the seat.
Zelda saunters into the living room and returns with the big book we could never touch. It’s laden with gold embellishment and has a locked clasp holding it together. She removes a key from a drawer and unlocks it, opening it to the first page.
“I never thought this day would come. It didn’t for Genevieve, or your mother Trinity. But the day you called me and told me you were having some feelings about a man, I knew it was time.”
I look to Greyson, monitoring his reaction. He lowers his head in relief when he hears her explanation. “Time for what, Zelda?”
Greyson’s gaze returns to her as she turns the book page by page until she reaches her destination.
“Ah, there she is. Isa DeLaCruz, mi tatara-tatara-abuela. She was one of the most beautiful women in Florida. She was the handmaid to Princess Abigail Conners, one of the wealthiest families in the land.”
“That still doesn’t explain what this has to do with our family.”
“Hush child and listen,” she says and turns the page. She looks to Greyson. “Now, this handsome man is—”
“Maxim Greyson, my great, times five, grandfather. The one who the curse is to blame.”
“That’s right. He was a highly sought-after man. So much, that the Princess wanted him. It didn’t matter that he was in love with Isa.”
“So, they caught him with Isa and the Princess had a curse put on us?” Greyson asks.
This is getting more interesting as she goes on. I lean in to listen more intently.
“Not exactly, mijo. See, all the messages that Abigail was sending by her handmaid to Max ignited their affair. They would meet in secret and declare their love for one another. They even agreed to run off together and start a life somewhere else. He didn’t have any intention of marrying the Princess. That is until the day she told him she was pregnant with his child. The night they were to leave, he left Isa waiting by the river in the rain and he never showed up. She went back to the house of her misses to find him kissing her belly and them lying together in bed.”
“Oh no,” I express in shock.
