Owning the Beast(13)

I looked up and saw tears in her eyes. It touched my heart to know that she cared so much for a stranger she didn’t know.

“I apologize for how I treated you and how things have turned out between us.”

She rubbed her thumb across my hand, keeping silent.

“I want you to know I asked for your file. I wanted to know more about you, to understand your want to be here.”

She stiffened but didn’t respond to my confession.

“I want you to trust me. I want to show you that I’m a man worthy of you. Will you spend the day with me? Will you let me show you the grounds and keep you company today?”

I nearly choked on my words trying to get them out. I sat there, tense, waiting on her words of rejection. I needed to remind myself that she still thought that I was her husband-to-be. I had this driving need to hold on to her. To please her, and to own her. This dilemma weighed down on me and I wasn’t sure how I should handle it. To Bella, I was her life now. I didn’t want to deceive her, but maybe if she could fall for me like how I was falling for her right now, she might not want to leave.

“I would really like that, Griffin.” She flashed me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Out here, in our own perfect world, with the sun shining down on her perfect face, I could pretend that she was truly mine. And in that moment, I felt my heart bound to hers.





CHAPTER 5 *Annabella*





Something had changed. Most of the anger I’d seen every time I looked into Griffin’s eyes had faded. He half-smiled at me, making the scars on the side of his face scrunch up slightly. Catching me looking at his scars, he turned his face away so that all I could see was his good side.

“Please don’t do that,” I pleaded softly.

Shifting to face me, he asked, “Do what?”

“Turning away from me so that I can’t see your scars.”

He remained silent, as if contemplating my words. I reached up, slowly and gently caressing his cheek. Closing his eyes, he leaned further into my touch despite the pained expression on his face. Leaning forward, I scattered butterfly kisses onto the most puckered scar and I felt his body tense up and his eyes clench shut. I wish I could ease away some of his self-consciousness. Bringing my lips up to his ear, I whispered, “They don’t bother me, Griffin. And if they bother other people, then that’s their problem, not yours.”

I leaned back to try and look him in the eye, to let him see that I had meant what I said. Opening his eyes, he flashed me an even wider smile that made my heart race and I wondered what it would be like for him to kiss me. Despite having shared such an intimate and physical moment this morning and the night before, he has yet to kiss me. For a moment before he had entered me last night, I thought he would. I want to taste myself on his lips. Heat crept up my neck and my gaze dropped to his lips.

“Can I kiss you?” I rushed out breathily. Despite my bold behavior earlier, I still felt shy asking such a question. A kiss seemed so much more intimate, as if it would bring us even closer than before. I could see the shock of my question on his face. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him at this very moment. There was just something special about him that was pulling me towards him, pulling us together. I might not have been around many men in my life but I felt it. The connection, the sparks. I wonder if he felt it too. Many people had fallen in love at first sight before. Why couldn’t it be that way for us?

“Annabella, I—” Afraid of his rejection, I lunged towards Griffin and pressed my lips to his. He let out a soft growl and hauled me onto his lap, taking control of the kiss. He pushed his tongue deep inside my mouth, devouring me, clashing our teeth together and dominating the kiss. Pressing into his warmth, molding my body to his, he slowed down the kiss, as if he finally realized that I wouldn’t be pulling away. His tongue slowed down to a soft gentle exploration. I’m not sure which I liked more, his rough, dominating kiss or his gentle, possessive kiss. Pulling back, I dropped a kiss on the scar that catches the corner of his lip, trailing kisses all the way up to his ear.

“I think you’re beautiful, Griffin. You hide behind your anger and keep people away. Please let me in. We can make this work. We could be happy. If you let us be.”

No sooner had the words left my mouth did I feel Griffin pick me up and carry me out of the gazebo. Startled, I let out a squeal of shock, immediately wrapping my arms and legs around him tightly. I probably resembled a monkey right now. He laughed lightly and lowered his lips over mine once again. Lost in his lips and his taste, I felt him lowering me and soon enough, my back touched the grass. Laying me down, Griffin maneuvered himself between my legs all the while keeping our lips locked. Pulling back to catch his breath, he looked down at me.