Page 231 of Beast and Remedy
I recoil from his outburst, frustrated by his stubbornness. Will he ever accept it?
He scratches his beard, resentment still pushing to the surface. “He… he—”
“Hewhat?”
He sighs. “He dotes on you.”
My eyes bulge, and bile swims up my throat.
Does… does Papa know? Has he known this entire time? No, he couldn’t.
He continues. “And he almost refused to let me see you when he came to heal you.”
“But he did let you, though, or else you wouldn’t be here right now.”
He glares before replying through a clenched jaw. “Yes.”
“Papa, don’t you remember Beau and I being friends?” I play off our closeness as friendship rather than affection, but the words are dry and brittle, painful to get out. I don’t even know if we could be friends after this.
“What I remember isyoudotted on him when you were young, always dragging him with you to play games, read you stories, and write ridiculous letters. But I guess I never paid attention to seeing it the other way around.”
My lips lift at the memory, knowing all too well the countless occasions Beau and I spent time together. “We dote on one another because we grew and became so close. It’s just like how I grew close to Jules.”
“Oh, Jules,” he remarks with fondness. “That girl is something.”
“She really is.” I laugh. “And so is Beau.” I try to cushion the potential for more with Beau.
“I… I know he is. And he… he did heal you, for the most part. But I still can’t believe he openly wrote out what his abilities were to me. I can’t believe he used them so openly in front of everyone.”
“He did thatbecausehe cares,” I explain, trying to ease him into deepening this conversation. “He did that because he has always been close with me. He’s always been an ally to us. He even helped even after you banished him from our lands.”
Papa drags a hand over his face. “I know, I know. And that’s something I’m grateful for and trying to be at peace with as I grapple with everything coming down to Marian. I hear everything you’re saying. And… I want to thank him. I plan to. It’s just… I’m still processing therealtruth, still coming to terms with everything—”
The door bursts open, startling me and Papa.
Leo and Marcel fill the doorway, their smiles broad as Beau yanks them back. His golden eyes, more beautiful than life itself, take me in.
My breath catches at him whole andalive. I assess Beau’s crooked posture, his weight more on his left, and the bandage on his arm. Pieces of my heart and soul mend back together as he crosses the room, grabbing my cheeks without any regard for anyone but me.
“Rosebud.”
My heart stops completely as Beau kisses me.
Kisses me like he never would have had the chance to again.
Kisses me like he never would have seen me again.
Kisses me like there is no one else in the world but me and him.
Kisses me in front of—Papa.
I immediately break away, stunned at Beau’s carelessness in my father’s very presence. Not to mention Leo and Marcel, gawking with open mouths before sharing a toothy grin with each other.
Beau does not share my sentiments because he smiles, still clasping my cheeks. “You’re here,” he breathes.
My mind scatters from his relief and the pure fear crawling up my spine. I blink twice, words failing to form anything cohesive, and my mouth only gapes.
“B-B-B,” I stutter after a long moment, trying to get him to realize what he did.
