Beast's Demands (Crude Hill High 3)

I’d gotten out.

Holding the bag open, I pulled out the square box and lifted the lid. We’d passed several stalls and designer shops. While Earl had been taking a call, I’d stared into the window and I’d seen this watch. It was silver. The face had a few diamonds, or crystals, I wasn’t sure which. Small. Delicate. I’d wanted it.

Earl had finished his call, joined me, and within ten minutes, it was boxed up. I took it out and slid it on my wrist.

I’d never been given anything so pretty. Of course, this came with a price. Everything Earl wanted from me had a price. I’d been with him two days, and my hatred of him had changed. Seven years ago, I despised the very sound of his name.

Emily was terrified of ending up with him, especially as she had four of her own men she wanted.

The man I’d spent time with, who was paying me for the pleasure of my company, was not the man I imagined. First, I did think of him as an old man with a sick, twisted mind. Earl was old, but he wasn’t old old.

Resting my hands in my lap, I felt the weight of the watch on my wrist. I can get through all of this. I can.

Time ticked by, and still, I sat in the same place. What the hell was I doing?

Just as I was about to get up, Earl cleared his throat. He’d changed, and there was a frown on his face. “What are you doing in here?”

“This is my room.”

He sighed. “No, Ashley, you agreed to share my room. All of your things have been moved to my room.” He held out his hand. “Come and see.”

I stared at his hand, worried at first that it would bite me. I had issues.

Standing up, I placed my hand within his and followed him out. Again, I didn’t take in any of the views as we made our way past several doors. People moved out of our way, but I kept my gaze on the floor. The truth was I was so close to tears, and I didn’t get it. I didn’t have any reason to cry.

We stopped outside of a door, and he pushed it open, waiting for me to go inside.

See, a monster could be a perfect gentleman, and that was exactly what I was getting. I stepped into his bedroom, and the sheer scent of him assailed my senses. I liked how he smelled, how it was musky and sweet at the same time. Catching sight of the bed first, I stayed still and tense, not wanting to think about everything that was going to go down on that very bed. Ugh, the thought of losing my virginity out at sea was enough to make me feel sick. Knowing my luck, the moment it happened, we’d have world domination by sharks.

Weird.

I was about to turn toward him when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye.

“Is that … my notebook?” In fact, as I looked closely at the room, I noticed several of my things. On the vanity table were my makeup box and the clips I used to pull my hair back. Without waiting for permission, I went straight to my notebook, and there it was. My food notes. I didn’t keep a journal. Talking about my feelings on the pages never appealed, but here, I had everything I’d ever cooked. Well, just a volume of part of what I’d been doing with my life. “How did you get this?”

“The same way I got you. Easily. I emptied yours and Emily’s apartment.”

“All of my stuff is here?”

“Some of your stuff is here. The rest I’ve had sent to one of my residences.”

I looked at him, rubbing the back of my neck. “Your home?”

“I have several all around the world. My mood depends on where I go as to what I do.”

I licked my lips. “You’re not just going to be done with me in a couple of days?”

Earl moved across the bedroom and picked up a picture frame. It was one of Emily and me, taken a few months ago. In a rare circumstance where I got Emily to smile. It had been hard to do, but she’d tried for me. “You two are really close?”

“Of course.”

“One day, you’ll get to talk to her.”

“I will?”

“I’m not a complete beast.”

“You never refer to yourself as a monster,” I said.

“That title is claimed, and I’m nothing like the Crude Hill lot.”

“You make them sound like children.”

“They are.”

“It’s rather insulting, don’t you think?”

“I’m not here to win any games with them. I’m not looking for a competition. Do you like your new room?”

“This is your room?”

“Yes.” He leaned back on his hands.

My gaze fell to his crotch, to the obvious outline of his erection. He was hard and looking right at me.