Falling for the Beast (A Modern Fairy Tale Duet 2)

Silence. Then, “She was right. I don’t like it.”

“I’d like to set your mind at ease, if possible.”

“Well, I hope you don’t think you’re going to throw your money around and get what you want.” Dark eyes pierced him. “Or that you can hurt her because you’re rich.”

The only thing he wanted, he already had in the form of her daughter. Did twenty bucks in the cafeteria line count as throwing it around?

“No.” He bit his tongue to keep ma’am from coming out. It wasn’t a slight to her age, just a sign of respect that had been drilled into him in the military. “I would never hurt Erin.”

“Or making demands on her—”

“Of course not,” he cut in.

“Trying to control her. Make her wear what you want and put her hair up. Parade her in front of your rich friends and then cheat on her behind her back.”

“Absolutely not,” he said, his voice hard. He wanted to reassure this woman, but he would not be responsible for the sins of a thousand men before him.

“Well.”

“Well,” he repeated. “I assured her that I’d win you over with my charm. Since I don’t have any charm, we’ll have to come to an understanding instead.”

She paused. “Are you threatening me?”

“I would never presume to.” At least partly because he had nothing to threaten her with. In fact, he wanted to get along with her, he hoped to. But he wasn’t going to let anyone get between him and Erin, not even the woman who’d raised her.

Her expression was mildly pissed off. And amused. He’d seen that exact smile on Erin, and it meant he was off the hook. Of course, that didn’t prove anything.

Erin liked him a lot better than this woman did.

She managed to look intimidating from her supine position. “It’s no business of mine what’s in your bank account, but if you hurt her, I will find you.”

He let the threat hang in the air. She was short and slight. At a disadvantage financially and socially. There was nothing she could do to him, and they both knew it, but the intensity, the worry in her eyes squeezed a fist around his heart. He understood how much she cared for her daughter. He appreciated that she’d raised her to be strong, and smart, and confident.

Now that was his job. His responsibility, his privilege.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, because she’d given him an order and he swore to follow it. He would have done it anyway. Nothing was more important to him than Erin’s safety and happiness. But if it set her mind at ease, he let his resolve show in his eyes. She studied him—his direct gaze, his disfigured skin. She didn’t flinch, but then he already knew Erin had come from tough stock. They had seen the darker side of life.

“You’ll do,” she finally said.

It was faint praise, but it would have to be enough.

Now they needed to make sure she was discharged and healthy. He also needed to speak privately with Erin, to somehow make it up to her that he hadn’t been around when she needed him. He had a full day ahead of him, basically.

Turning to the plastic bags, he began to pull out options. “We have Jello. Yogurt with granola topping. Tapioca pudding. What’s your poison?”

She stared at him, unimpressed. Wordlessly, he found the container with his own loaded cheeseburger and flipped it open. The aroma of fries filled the hospital room.

With a relieved sigh, she accepted it. “You and I just might get along after all.”

Erin

The county hospital was an old building that, if Erin were honest, was better suited to a prison than a hospital. Its rectangular shape bled inward with concentric rectangular hallways. She stood on the outmost ring, where thin, barred windows drew afternoon light onto the grey rubber floors.

“Ms. Rodriguez.”

Dr. Parkins had grey hair, an ever-present clipboard, and a kind smile. What the building lacked in charm, the people made up for with their thoughtful care for her mother.

“Is my mom okay?”