Page 18 of Beast

“Thank you for the meal,” she said like it took everything in her not to throw the plate she was putting into the dishwasher at me.

I grunted. “Least I could do. You’ve been cooped up here for a week and I haven’t been a very good host.”

She turned her dazzling smile on me and something in my heart twisted. “How about we take a walk out on the beach?”

“At night?” Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

“Sure. We can hunt for clams.” She made a face and I laughed. “Fine, we don’t have to eat them.”

“Okay.” I followed her out the door unsure of what her motive was, but enjoying this side of her even if it was pretending. The warm breeze tossed her dark hair in her face and she brushed it out of the way. Her flawless alabaster skin made me think of the stories of mermaids I’d heard as a child. Even hiking along the beach, she had a seductive walk. There was something about her, a smooth way of moving like she was gliding.

“Shit, I forgot I missed a major test this week.” Her shoulders sagged slightly.

“Can’t you just have your daddy buy you a degree?” I pushed my hands into my pockets.

“No way.” She glared at me. “I got a scholarship all on my own without any help from my father. Told them I was self-employed and an orphan. And what that doesn’t cover, I work my ass off when I can cleaning houses. I want to earn my education and not have it handed to me.”

I bowed my head slightly. “Admirable of you. But I highly doubt any professor would fail you, and if they did, I’m sure they’d change their minds real quick.” Because she and I both knew that her father would pay for her grades or have her teacher killed to get one who would let his daughter pass.

She made a noise of protest in the back of her throat. “Why can’t I have a life outside of my father?” She stared down at her feet. “I’ve always hated being in his shadow. Even now, it’s because of him that I’m here.”

I wanted to tell her at least her father didn’t beat her, but I held my tongue instead. She was a pampered princess by my standards. But I didn’t feel like arguing with her.

Leaving her to her thoughts for the moment, I did a quick check of the moon. It would be full in another week, but she should be back at college and in her life by then. She’d probably never give me another thought unless it was to curse what I’d done to her. How I’d brought her here without her permission and refused to allow her to leave. Something about having this power over her excited me more than I thought it would.

She kicked off her shoes and stopped at the edge of the ocean, allowing the waves to foam around her ankles. The moonlight bathed her in a soft glow. I thrust away thoughts of telling her she was beautiful. She’d probably heard that a thousand times from everyone around her.

Bending down, she picked up a shell from the water. “Look at the size of this thing. Is it from a clam?”

She held up the broken shell.

“Looks like it.”

“Funny how something can live out here like this. All the predators and storms and such.”

“Throw it back, there are better shells,” I said.

She studied the shell and rubbed her thumb across the surface. “No, I think I’ll keep it. Shows that something damaged can still be unique.”

Was that a sucker punch to me and my scars? I raked my hand through my hair, refusing to give in to her bait.

“You’re quiet.” Natalia trailed through the sand.

“Don’t believe in talking just to make someone feel better.”

She faced me with a huff. “Is there anything when you were pretending online to be someone else that was the real you?”

“Guess I’m a good actor online.” I shrugged. I couldn’t tell her the truth, that I’d enjoyed our texts and messages. But I was dangerous and she was better off in her college world where she could meet a nice guy and have a family. A muscle twitched in my jaw.

She gave me a sidelong glance. “I don’t understand you.”

“What do you mean?” I tensed, my shoulders rounding, preparing for a fight.

“One moment you’re drugging and kidnapping me, the next you’re making my favorite dessert.” She shook her head, looking away from me and out to the waves crashing against the surf. “It’s like you’re two different people.”

I barked a laugh. More like a human and a wolf, but I wasn’t going to share that secret with her. How I’d found my confidence in taking my place in the Bratva and doing odd jobs for them. I didn’t ask questions, just did what they wanted and collected the cash.

Rather than fucking complain and be a wuss about it, I embraced my new abilities. I could see, hear, and smell better than any human. My healing was super-fast and running after prey was the best adrenaline rush I’d ever had.

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