Beauty and The Beast

Twenty Four

We had changed and reached the marina. Simon and Rick already waited for us. James ushered me into the white Alphard. Once inside i sunk in the chair.

"Tired ?" James asked as he got in the car.

"Very. But i had so much fun today, thank you." He smiled and brought my hand to his lips.

"I assume you don't have any left energy, so we'll just order room service for dinner."

"Thank you."

I showered as soon as we got in the villa. I put on a little night gown. The meals arrived when James finished his shower. I was too tired to move to the dining room, so we decided to eat in bed. He ordered pasta for me.

"Thank you for today." I spoke.

"How many times do you want to thank me ?"

"As much as possible." I chuckled.

I looked at his wrist, he never let go of the bracelet from me.

"I don't deserve this. I should be your slave or anything in an exchange of my father's debt." I stated softly.

"Why are you talking like that ?" He was tensed suddenly.

"I . .i'm just saying the fact. I'm here to pay my father's debt. Please don't get mad."

I touched his hand tried to soothe him. He tried to suppressed his anger, and he succeed.

"You will never be my slave. I told you my aim was your stepsister, not you."

"So my father's debt is still on ?"

"No, of course not. He took what is mine, and i take what is his now."

Somehow i felt a knife slaughtered my chest. I was just a thing to him, a barter. A price that worth two millions dollar.

"Will i ever see my father again ?" I asked with teary eyes.

He was just sat there looking at me, not answering my question. I already knew the answer then.

"Never mind." I said placing the plate on the bedside table and slipped into the duvet.

He said nothing and did nothing. Just sat there watching my back. I let tears falling down my cheeks, the pillow was wet from them. I felt strong arms lifted me and hugged me, i straddled on his lap. I sobbed to his neck and gripped his robe. He pulled me away and shed my tears.

"Will you walk away from me if i let you meet your father ?" He asked worried all over his face.

"You want me to stay ?"

"Of course i do. I can't risk losing you if i let you meet your father."

"I won't, I promised."

"Fine. You can meet him, but Costner go with you. And if i ever found out you meet that weak boy, i will kill him for sure."

I gasped but he recovered soon.

"I mean beat him up or banished him to the arctic." He said awkwardly.

"You need to sleep now, you're tired." He ordered.

"Why do you want to keep me ?" I asked.

It took long seconds before he answered.

"Because i'm in peace whenever you're around. In my havoc life, i found peace in you."

"How ?"

"You're the gentlest person i've ever met. You never complained, you never argued, you always have a patience to handle me."

He pulled me closer and tugged my hair behind my ear.

"You are the most beautiful girl i've ever met, but your kindness that tamed me." He added.

"Believe me, you are far from the word tame." I snapped and he laughed.

"Please, stay with me always."

Always ! He said always ! He wanted me forever ?

"But when you get bored, you will release me back to my father right ?" Suddenly i regret to pop that question because he was clenching his jaw now.

"I told you you're stuck with me forever, Cassandra. Like hell i will release you." He hissed. "I told you that i love you, i meant every word."

"But you can't possibly love me. I'm just your mistress."

"You were never been my mistress, and you'll never be. You are my woman."

"What is that supposed to mean ?"

"It means, i'd give the world to you if you're willing to stay by my side."

I held my breath but felt something bloomed inside of me. Why did i feel this way ?

"Then i require a date." I said.

He looked confused and searched for a clue.

"Weren't all the things we did is a date to you ?"

"That's not what i meant. I mean a real date, you know like a common people."

"Date like common people . ." He whispered to himself thinking.

"You know, no guards, no fancy places. Just us two walking on the streets like other pedestrians."

"We'll do common people date tomorrow." He smiled.

I wore a white tennis dress and a flat shoes. He wore a white t-shirts and khaki pants with sandals. I smiled to his casualness. We drove to the Legian street and parked his Maserati. We got out of the car and walked hand in hand on the sidewalks. We wore our sunglasses, i didn't miss how girls and women staring at him longingly. He looked so domestic and out of place in this crowd. I chuckled and earning his confused face.

"Is this your idea of a date ?" He asked smiling.

"Yes. Now i feel like a normal couple." He chuckled.

"Anything for you, Doll." He kissed my head.

We strode the streets, visit every store, and bought ice creams. He seemed enjoying this as much as i was. We bought some souvenirs and crafts, even we went to the fortune teller who told me that there was an evil inside James. We both laughed out loud as soon as we left the fortune teller. I had the urge to tell the fortune teller, there was also a beast and a monster inside James.

We had lunch at a small beach bar who served seafoods. We talked about ourselves,  our likes and our dislikes. Even though he wasn't opened about himself, but at least i've known a little about him. He told me the meaning of his big wings tattoo on his back. I just found out that the tattoo on his right arm was a symbol with a mix of lions, eagles, and snakes.

He bought me the biggest cotton candy. I was enjoying my cotton candy when a man with photos in his hand came towards us. He handed me a photo, it was a picture of us walking hand in hand. The second picture was me feeding James a cotton candy. He sold the pictures for 10$, so cheap. James gave him 50$ for all the pictures. It was already 5 pm, so we decided to go back to the resort.

"Thank you for doing this in our last day in Bali." I said to him whilst we walked to the car.

"This is the best week i've ever had." He said.

"Really ?" I stopped walking and he turned to face me.

"Yes." He cupped my cheek.

"Thank you for taking me here."

"Thank you for coming to my life."

He kissed me deeply, on the sidewalks, where lots of people gazing at us. They murmured something but i didn't care. I circled my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He tighten his hugged on my waist.

Right this moment i chose to ignore other people, i chose to forget who he was, i chose to forget how we met, and i chose to stop holding back. I just wanted to kiss back this beautiful man, in this beautiful island. For all i knew, right this moment there were only Cassandra and James.