Finding Beauty (Rewrite)

Chapter 46

~The Hunter~

Grayson dialed her phone again. He was pacing the length of their apartment and because of its bite-sized square nature he could only take about eight strides before he had to turn around. If anyone looked up and through the windows in their living room, they'd draw a comparison to a caged tiger. When her voicemail answered him yet again he flung the device at the floor and pressed his forehead into the wall. He forced himself to take a breath.

The jingle of keys lifted his head up and he watched as Bethany walked through the door. She tossed her backpack onto the kitchen counter along with her keys. "Crazy day, man."

He rushed over to her. "Where were you?"

She unbuttoned her coat, taking too long to respond for his liking. He picked up her bag and unzipped it. He ignored Bethany's protest to put it down until he found her phone.

"Take it down a notch! I went to register for classes and to visit Elizabeth and Tony. I haven't gotten a chance to see them since I got back so I wanted to talk to their parents about babysitting again."

He held out her phone to her. "You know how to use a phone, right?"

She took it out of his hands, giving him a scowl. "No, maybe you can teach me."

He let out a dry chuckle. It was astonishing that Bethany - who he thought of as considerate - could make jokes when she so blatantly owed him an apology. She had always been too sarcastic for his liking but this sent his blood boiling.

"Do you know how many times I called you? I was worried sick! I woke up and you weren't here. You were gone without a single word."

"You called me thirty-seven times?!" Bethany's eyes were as wide as the hole he had punched in the wall an hour prior. "I was busy and it was on silent. Are you insane?"

"Do you not remember you were kidnapped? That monster is still out there! Can you blame me for thinking something happened to you?! You can't do this to me!"

She wove her fingers into her hair and walked over to the couch. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Fine. Fine, I'm sorry."

"I thought I lost you so many times! I grieved over you so many times . . ." He went over to her and took her hands in his. "All I'm asking is that you work with me, Bethany. Let me know where you are. Let me drop you off places. Please."

Beth gently recoiled her hands. The guilt in her eyes was enough to put out the rest of the anger in him but a part of him wondered if there was more she felt guilty for than just her recent actions. "I guess I just forget sometimes, you know? I forget you went through a hard time when I was gone. I'm sorry."

"Sometimes it seems you've forgotten you've gone through a hard time." He narrowed his eyes at her. Beth shifted her weight from side to side, her head almost tucked into her chest. "You still haven't told me what happened. I've been patient with you. Don't I deserve an answer?"

"Eventually. I'm not ready to talk about it yet." She bit her lip, eyeing the doorway to her room. "I'm going to go -"

"These walls are thin." He spat out the words like venom. The fire in his chest was set ablaze again. It was noteworthy that lately it was taking less and less for it to start. "I hear you crying at night. In the beginning, I thought it was from trauma but with the way you've been acting . . ."

There were a handful of nights he laid awake, his mind refusing to cease reviewing the gaping holes in Bethany's story of the Beast. He lost sleep trying to put together pieces when the girl who held the answer was in the room next to him, withholding it from him. Why was she in the forest with Ryan Daniels and the Beast? How was she able to call him over video chat? Why was she at the masquerade? What about the magic roses? She was tormenting him, playing mind games with him, after he had gone through hell and back for her.

He circled around her, making sure she couldn't shrug him off this time. "You've been so detached from your life that sometimes I think you might be crying because you miss it. You miss being held prisoner by a sick killer!"

Bethany crossed her arms. He noted that she didn't meet his gaze. Instead, she frowned at the purple and blue blanket draping itself onto the sky.

"That's a crazy thought, isn't it? But it's the one you've driven me to."

"I didn't drive you towards anything."

Grayson stopped circling the girl.

"I'll let you know where I am and let you drop me off at places if it gives you some peace of mind but don't you ever blame me for your mental state! I have done nothing to you. I was the one taken and I will share my story if and when I want to." Though she spoke with a cool tone, Grayson was set on fire once more. This time, he kept it to himself.

"I'll see you in the morning." She stalked off, grabbing her bag, and letting her door shut loudly behind her.

She could get her rest. He, however, clearly had much to do. This interaction was enlightening for him. Bethany was in desperate need of help and he was the only one who was close enough to see it. She could put a mask over all the hurt and confusion she was feeling to everyone else but not to him. She was hurting and he understood why. Besides, the sooner he helped Bethany settle into life, the sooner they could settle into a future together.