Beast of Mine (Completed)

Chapter XXI

He could not stop thinking about what happened that afternoon. She was nowhere near safe around him at all when she was in that state. And the kiss they shared . . . oh the kiss.

Ray brushed his lips, remembering once again that her lips were real. He had wanted to claim her, needed to. Every fiber in his body wanted her skin to touch his, to feel his heated desire for her. Yes he was a beast but, he knew his place very well.

Reality struck him all in an instant. Never again will he ever feel such intimacies with a woman. Not with his abhorrent face and ill manner and horrid temper. Yet, it was he himself who caused this upon himself. But, she was neither afraid. No, she was terrified but, she always held eye contact, more so than anyone else who was afraid of him.

He needed to do something about this. The girl has been with him for months now and he could not understand his attachment to this woman. She was different, this he knew. Not matter how much he'd tried to catch her in a wrong doing, she has protected and defended herself well enough.

She was strong but, she was also lonely. On two occasions had he now heard her speak of her sorrows. She longed for what he did; companionship. Ray Lorenzo scoffed and glared at the wall before him. At the girl sleeping in his bed. He did not need this! He did not need 'companionship'! He drank down his liquor and once again became enraged.

The Lord stood up, ready to retrieve the sleeping woman from his bed and to throw her out. He took the covers violently and threw them aside. The scene before him made him stop. He clenched his jaw and cursed this woman. This . . . angel. This beauty. The beauty that lay tranquil in his bed, this beauty that knows not how she makes him feel whenever she's near. This beauty that is now encaged with the beast. His pet. His prisoner.

He had forgotten he had put his shirt on her. How she felt in his arms, how she molded perfectly with him. How easily it would have been to take her; how easy. When he slid the fabric from her perfect dark skin, how she lay naked before him. It took everything not to do anything to her in her state. Ray Lorenzo watched her sleep peacefully, untouched by his harshness. His shirt reached her mid-thigh and his desired boiled in him. His arousal was evident and he thanked the Lord that she was asleep so that she may not see this.

Mindlessly, his arm extended; his hand wanting to touch her. His finger tips lingered on her cheek and then he let his finger touch the softness of her cheek. He sat on the bed and the mattress sunk beneath him. Her hand was nicely wrapped as she curled it beside her face, her lips slightly parted and her long hair was tousled around her. He groaned inwardly at the sight and at her confession. Yes, her confession. Though she won't remember it when she awakes. She won't remember anything at all. Good. It was not like she meant it at all.

It was not.

He knew this all too well. He was smarter than this. He knew very well he'd never be allowed and yet, there was always one woman he could call upon. One. And he only did need one. This was to end today. Now!

Lord Lorenzo knows how Idelle felt about her, she would have most likely burned all the letters from that woman.

He gave a frustrated sigh. Life was complicated, the cruel world hated him and he hated every single thing. He did not need anyone else. Just the people in his manor, no one else. Though, he did need something to appease his desires and he knew just the woman.

Oh, he knew very well what she was after, that social climber. He knew her all too well but, with no actual say that she does want everything he has, he will not judge. Women that he did not know were all exactly like her. He did not care what woman he happened to meet, they were all the same. As long as Ms. Stella Baines did not press her luck, he'd gladly use her to appease his desires.