The Beast (Wicked Villains 4)

For a second, I think he’s talking about the bar, but then his true meaning penetrates. “You mean leave Carver City?”

“I don’t have to talk to Beast to know he’s with me in this. We’ll follow you wherever you need to be. Whether that’s Carver City or somewhere else.”

As if it’s just that easy.

Looking up at him, I realize that for Gaeton it is that easy. He would walk away from Carver City without a backward glance if I asked it of him. The knowledge leaves me dizzy. “I—” I take a breath and stop. He’s making a serious offer. I have to do it the honor of actually considering it.

The freedom of leaving the city tempts me. I’d have to be dead for it not to tempt me.

But walking away means leaving my sisters behind. Worse, it means leaving them vulnerable because I’d be taking Beast and Gaeton with me. If I stay, though, I can no longer look to the stars and hope for something different. If I choose to stay, I have to choose to be part of it.

I’ve already made my choice. I made it the second I took Ursa’s deal.

It might take some time to come fully to terms with what that means, with what it will cost, but my choice is made. I go on my tiptoes and kiss him. “Take me home. Our Beast is waiting for us.”

He studies me for a long moment and then nods. “Let’s go.”

We slip out of Olympus as smoothly as we slipped in. After all, no one is looking for us. I don’t know how long it will take for the guilt to fade. Maybe it never will. Maybe that’s just a burden I’ll have to bear, the knowledge that my family and my men will always outweigh any allegiance I have for others. They come first. They will always come first. My father’s voice seems to whisper to me in the back of my mind.

Family first. Always.

Chapter 30

Gaeton

I’ve never had a homecoming. Over the years, missions and errands might take me away from Carver City, but I’d return with as little fanfare as when I left. When Isabelle and I were together before, I didn’t want to worry her, so most of the time I didn’t tell her what my orders were.

We take the back door into the house, and I follow Isabelle down the hall and up the stairs to the family wing. She steps through a door to a small living room and that’s where we find Beast. He’s pacing, his phone in his hand, and the look on his face when he turns around and sees us …

Fuck.

Yeah, I love this guy.

I can’t doubt that he loves us, too. Not anymore.

He crosses to us and pulls Isabelle into his arms and then snags the back of my neck and tows me down for a quick, thorough kiss. “Problems?”

“No. It went off without a hitch.”

He exhales and some of the tension leaves his body. “Good.” Beast leans back and looks down at Isabelle. “You okay?”

Her smile wobbles a little. “I will be.”

“Hard call to make.”

“I didn’t think it’d be that hard.” She gives him a hard hug. “Let’s go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

No question that we’re joining her. We follow her though the halls to her room. The family suites are situated in such a way that each has their own hall to give an illusion of privacy. Walking into Isabelle’s room after so long apart from her is a trip. It looks exactly the same.

That stops me short.

It’s not the huge bed that she bought when we started spending the night together. Or even the complete lack of change in the other furniture. It’s the photos that are scattered across every available surface. Those photographs used to aggravate the hell out of me. There were pictures of me and her next to ones of her and Beast, a mixture that never failed to remind me that I wasn’t enough for her.

Now? Now, they feel right as fuck.

I would have thought they’d change after we broke up, that she’d put away any evidence of us. I glance at her. “You didn’t take the photos down.”

“I did.” She tugs at her dress, staring at the pictures. “I put them back up this afternoon while I was waiting for dinner.” She lifts her hands and lets them drop. “I missed you two so much when I put them away. But even without the pictures serving as a constant reminder, I still had the memories.”

“You have more than memories now,” I say

Her smile is still a little wobbly. “It’s going to take some time for that to really sink it. It still feels too good to be true.”

Beast sits on the edge of the bed, his blue eyes watchful. “We should probably iron out some logistics before moving forward.”