The Beast

Chapter 16

I rubbed my eyes sleepily, slipping out of my warm bed yawning before stuffing my feet into my fuzzy slippers, making my way into the washroom.

I brushed my teeth sleepily, before getting into the shower the quick spurt of cold water that came out upon starting the water making me wide awake. I took a shower longer than I expected and hurriedly dried my hair getting out before yanking on a soft white knit sweater and jeans.

Grabbing my phone and keys off the counter I rushed out the door. I was almost late for my shift at the cafe, Jay was going to kill me ever since that night he had been extremely protective over me, even going as far to pick me up from my classes and had taken to studying in the cafe, in order to ensure I stayed as far away from Xavier Night as possible or as he called him like the gossip he was, The Beast.

It was extremely annoying Jay would be standing outside my classes almost falling over himself trying to peak in as soon as my class ended, and was everywhere I went but in a way it was heart warming. Jay and I had a type of brother and sisterly connection that I had never even known I was missing until I found it.

Lost in my thoughts I had reached the cafe to see Jay glaring at me his arms crossed through the glass doors. I gulped nervously his anger was not only because I was late, but because he was having trouble with his homework, and according to him the only way he could get his brain to work was when I made him a caramel cappuccino, with extra cinnamon.

I walked in going straight behind the counter to make him his drink, all the while I could hear him muttering to Maggie. I presented it to him in our clean little white mugs, putting extra effort into the cinnamon, and set it in front of Jay with a sorry and he gave me a flat look before breaking into a soft childish grin when he saw the smiley face cinnamon. Jay was like a child easily frustrated but very easy to pacify.

I wanted to sit down with him but customers came in asking for specific books, and I went to help them, spending the rest of my morning helping Maggie bake.

We worked together silently, that was the great thing about Maggie unlike most people she didn't feel the need to fill every silence.

I was soon sent back out to help the afternoon customers, and spent the rest of my day listening to all the new gossip Jay had to share while making drinks. We spent the day together but while I was going to stay for the evening Jay being the social one, was going to a party. Even though him and Maggie pestered me for the whole afternoon to join him, I refused to change my decision. Jay even tried bribing me into going by promising the juiciest piece of gossip he had ever known, or doing my homework for the rest of my life which was completely irrational since Jay barely even did his own, but I stayed persistent.

After my hour break Jay had left, telling me he needed to go home and start getting ready and walked out right after ruffling my hair forcing me to take it out of the pony I had threw it up into.

Around dinner time the cafe became deserted as it always seemed to, and I slipped in the back to Maggie to see her writing records and I sat down next to her and she looked up giving me a small warm smile.

"Maggie, how's Cyrus?" I asked honestly worried about him.

Maggie sighed setting the papers down before turning to me.

"He's getting better, it's slow but he's showing signs of improvement." She said, her voice steady but the sorrow in it was detectable. I watched her silently, not wanting to rush her as she spoke.

"I only hope he recovers quickly he misses and you so much, you know he really thinks of you as a granddaughter. Not a day goes by when he doesn't ask about you." She said and I smiled at her.

"I miss him too." I said, and Maggie nodded smiling.

"I know, he should be back soon honey." She said, and opened her mouth to say something else but the bell on the door chimed signaling another customer and I made my way out, to see an adorable little boy standing there fiddling with his hands nervously.

He had extremely curly hair, chocolate colored skin and dark coffee eyes framed with long lashes that had my heart melting as he looked up at me. The little munchkin had the shiniest eyes I'd ever seen filled with an awe inspiring innocence how I hoped that would never change. He was dressed adorably, dark jeans covered his little legs a cute little sweater adorning his upper half, his little hands still covered in baby fat.

"C-can I get a strawberry frappucino for my mommy?" He asked softly in his childish voice and I almost awed out loud, little kids never liked that though. Understandably it was slightly patronizing and completely contradicted their wishes to be considered an equal.

"Of course, anything else?" I asked, and he shook his head offering me up the exact change for the frappucino.

I turned around making the frappe for him but when I turned to hand it to him only to see his little face pressed against the glass of the display as he looked at the chocolate chip cookies. His big innocent coffee coloured eyes gleaming and my heart melted, I reached into the bowl offering him one.

He shook his head looking down, and I went out the side of the counter, crouching down pressing the warm cookie into his hand handing him the drink, and he smiled brightly leaning up to kiss my cheek and I let out a giggle, as he ran out. Children were my absolute favourite, the innocence, the curiosity, everything seemed so trivial to them, no worries plagued their minds, sadness never seemed to last, the cruelties of the world were hidden from them.

I hummed to myself cleaning the counters before going to arrange the books, and the doorbell chimed again, but this time it wasn't an adorable little boy it was actually quite the opposite, it was the man most people referred to as the beast.

Mr.Night stood in the doorway looking as intimidating as ever in fitted black slacks, and a black dress shirt covering the broad expanse of his chest. The first three buttons popped open exposing smooth tan skin, his strong collar bone lay atop the muscles of his chest which peeked out slightly over the top of his shirt. The sleeves folded neatly to the elbow, something I could never myself acquire, folding wasn't my strongest suit usually when I tried to fold my sleeves those around me took pity and did it for me. Perhaps it was too painful to watch a person fail at something so simple. His strong forearms on display, the veins popping out slightly unlike my own that just creepily hovered under the pale surface providing a near sickly blue hue. His grey eyes seemed so alive in contrast with the dark shirt, as if they were supposed to exist in a separate dimension, they were devastatingly beautiful. His face though usually expressionless very unlike his eyes that seemed to scream with a storm of unfathomable emotions. His flawless tan skin making him even more intimidating, there was no flaw, no wrong in sight, the man seemed inhumane.

He walked over to me as I stood there beside the shelf of books, he stopped right in front of me, leaving very little space between us, as he stared down at me, my head level with his chest.

"Hello Raine." His voice rang out and I slowly lifted my gaze from his chest, to meet his eyes and said a soft hello back.

"W-would you like a d-drink Mr.Night?" I asked softly, remembering his last visit and he shook his head slowly licking his lips. The predator look in his eyes had me stepping away, but noticing the distance he frowned lightly closing the distance with a large step of his own.

"A-a pastry perhaps." I asked and he stared down at me silently.

"A book?" I asked now out of ideas as to why he would be here, and he shook his head again. I bit my lip in confusion, what ever could this man want.

"What do you want Mr.Night?" I asked.

"Go on a date with me." He spoke out in his deep velvety voice.