Page 102 of Beautiful Beast

“My face will be fixed, but I’ll always be scarred physically and emotionally. I’m possessive as fuck when it comes to what’s mine. And you’re asking to be mine, truly mine. That means the ante would go way the fuck up.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” Belle interjects. “It’s actually pretty sexy.”

I shake my head. “Women think they want the bad boy, but they don’t want all the fucked-up pieces. They just want the tight jeans and motorcycles. I’m not going to fit in at PTA meetings. I’m never going to give you the suburbs. I’m not going to fuck you in missionary three times a year and call that a sex life.”

My tone is harsh and rough, and she looks a bit shell-shocked, but I carry on pushing.

“My work hours suck. So do my manners. Kids aren’t in my future. We can’t even sleep in the same bed for fuck’s sake. You haven’t had a glimpse of what being on my arm at fundraisers and events is like because a lot of my in-person work hasn’t ramped up yet.”

“I want to support you,” she whispers, and the earnestness in her eyes kills me.

She still doesn’t get it.

Going to fancy parties and hanging out with rich people isn’t nearly as fun as one would think. A lot of my time will be accounted for and filled with activities that I don’t necessarily want to do but that are required for good business.

And she would have to leave the books at home, get dressed up, and come with me to smile for the cameras. It’s not a lifestyle that she would enjoy long-term once the novelty wore off. I can’t let her sacrifice what makes her happy just for me.

“It’s not going to be like you’re probably imagining it is,” I say. “It’s not all luxuries and living an easy life. There’s a lot more involved to being rich and running a multinational company than just being able to buy fancy shit at will.”

Tears fill her eyes, and I curse myself. I don’t want to hurt her, but being with me will hurt her more and hold her back in the long run.

She’d be wasting her time.

“I don’t care about any of that stuff,” she whispers. “I just want to be with you, no matter what comes with it. When you love someone, it’s worth any sacrifice you have to make.”

There’s that word again, the one that clenches my heart in a fist and won’t let go.

I’m not a loveable person anymore.

“So that’s what you want to sign up for?” I demand. “Our personal lives would often come second to business. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t make time for you, but it’s going to be a lot busier and less flexible when I’m back in the office full time.”

“I know that, Adam. You’re a billionaire, and that didn’t happen by accident. You’re taking over for your Uncle Dennis and of course, I understand there is going to be work involved. Lots of work. But you’re making it sound impossible.”

“It will be pretty fucking close to impossible if you choose me. You have an idea in your head of what it will be like to be my girl and you’re such a goddamn idealist that you can’t seem to see the reality is much different.”

Her eyes are on the ground, and based on the heavy silence that follows, maybe my words have finally gotten through to her.

Chapter 23

Belle

IfAdamwasinsales, he wouldn’t make a dime unless there was an award for making an experience sound as terrible and unappealing as possible.

The part about him trying to push me away that hurts the most is that he actually believes the bullshit he’s trying to sell me.

Lots of rich people – even people as rich as him – have successful relationships. Every relationship, no matter the social class of the people involved, requires sacrifice. He thinks I’m a young, naïve idealist and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yes, I love books and fictional worlds. I also love happily ever afters, and I dream about having one for myself one day.

But that doesn’t mean that I don’t understand real life and hard work.

Adam truly believes that he doesn’t deserve to be happy or loved, and he couldn’t be more wrong.

And I’m still not ready to stop trying to prove him wrong. The faint light of hope in his eyes is what keeps me going when he makes things especially difficult.

He doesn’t want me to give up, even though his words don’t match his thoughts.

“Just answer one question for me honestly,” I say softly. “And if it’s not the answer I need from you, then I’ll walk away. But I want the truth. No disclaimers. No explanations. Just a simple yes or no response. Can you do that for me?”

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