Beast's Demands (Crude Hill High 3)

I was still tense as they shook hands. The officer nodded at me, and then we were alone.

I let Earl go and looked toward the officer. This wasn’t … why weren’t they arresting Earl?

“I think you’ve seen enough.” Earl took my hand and led me back to the car. I sat inside, staring out at the chaos before me.

All this time, a little taken aback.

Was this real?

They weren’t going to arrest Earl.

He pulled out of the docks, and we drove for a short time, coming to a stop near a rundown side-road café.

He didn’t turn the engine off.

The sounds of the engine filled the air.

What had I just witnessed?

I licked my dry lips and glanced toward Earl.

He stared right at me.

“Do you want to tell me what is going on?” I asked. “They didn’t arrest you. Those girls were yours.”

“No, they weren’t mine. In fact…” He reached into his pocket. “I don’t deal in women anymore. I’ve removed all parts of human trafficking from my life, and I’ve got a lot to make up for.” He held out a file.

I took it and flicked through it, not understanding any of it. “What is this?”

“This is a document. A legally binding agreement that I signed. I’m going to help stop human trafficking. I don’t imagine we’ll ever truly stop it, but with my contacts, I’m going to be working undercover as a buyer to expose the men responsible.”

“This is crazy. What about all of your other businesses? Your way of life?”

“I’ve been working to get out of it, Ashley.”

“I don’t believe you.” This was a lot to take in.

“You will be the last woman I ever take. I hope in time you can learn to forgive me. I love you so damn much, and it wasn’t just your virginity I wanted. Seven years ago, I saw you at a party. You stood out. So sweet. You had an easy smile. No matter that people were avoiding you or ignoring you. You gave them all a smile. I watched you. Not Emily. She was a business agreement, but you, you were like a fucking beacon calling to me. I had to have you.”

“You did?”

“Yes, I did. Then of course there was a great deal of unsavory business. Work needed to be handled, and I had to make sure you were safe. The threat on Emily’s and your life, it wasn’t one I couldn’t handle. I had to keep you all safe. First, I needed to guarantee a plan that would make you mine.”

“You planned all of this?” I asked.

“I didn’t plan everything. I wanted you, Ashley. I never thought I’d fall so deeply in love with you that I’d change my entire existence. My goal had always been for me to prove to my grandfather that I was better. To take his business into the next level, and I did that, with ease.” He ran a hand down his face. “I was crueler than he was, but I changed the way he did business. You already knew that there were … he didn’t believe in an age restriction when taking and selling people.”

I remembered him telling me.

“You deserve a man you can love. A man you can look at every single day and be so fucking proud to have known him. I can’t promise you I’m going to always be a good man. I will still kill people who get in my way, but I’m changing to be the man you deserve. I love you, Ashley.”

I reached across the car, put my hand to his cheek, and kissed him. I couldn’t not.

He loved me.

The words didn’t matter at this point, but what he’d done couldn’t be questioned. A lifetime of hurting others, and he’d turned it all around for me. The tears on my cheeks were those of happiness.

“Earl, I loved you even before tonight. It’s why I had to leave Crude Hill. I was so in love with you, and everywhere I looked, you were there. It hurt too much to have fallen for you. You didn’t need to change who you were. I was learning to accept that part of you.”

“I’m not going back. I will make amends for all the women I’ve hurt.” He stroked my cheek. “And I’ll do it for you and our baby.”

I laughed.

“Ask me again,” I said.

He smiled at me and ran his thumb across my lip. “Marry me.”

No hesitation. No wondering.

“Yes,” I said.

How could I turn down a man who’d changed his entire life for me? He loved me and I loved him. We were going to make this work.

He kissed me, and I submitted to him.

“Just so you know, I consider your yes a legally binding contract, and if you so much as try to back out, I’ll keep Emily and all the Monsters.”