Page 6 of Awakening the Beast
His expression tightens, irritation flashing briefly across his face before he inhales deeply, dropping his head in defeat as if trying to calm himself.
“How can I trust someone who makes up some bullshit excuse or far-fetched story about why he faked his own death for six fucking months?”
His dark, stormy eyes snap back to mine with a force that almost startles me. His jaw clenches hard, muscles tensing beneath his skin.
“Is that what you think?” he growls, his teeth gritted as he leans in, his face dangerously close to mine. I feel the heat of his fury like a hovering storm. “That I’d leave everyone I fucking love to fake my own fucking death?”
I stare at him with coldness, shrugging my shoulders casually as if none of this affects me, as if my heart isn’t tearing apart inside.
“Who knows?” I reply, raising an eyebrow.
I know I’ve struck a nerve, but I don’t back down—I'm done with being the one who fucking bends. His teeth grind audibly, and he pulls his hands from his pockets, laying them carefully on the door beside my head once more. The deliberate, almost chilling movement makes my entire body stiffen. I avert my gaze, feeling his eyes trying to pin mine down, following them, but they don’t connect.
“Remember who the fuck I am, Wren,” he says darkly. “I've never been a little fucking pussy, and there's no way in hell I would fake my own death.”
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. “I feel like I’ve completely forgotten who you are. But let’s be honest,” I pause, “I didn’t really know you anyway.”
“Oh, you knew me,” he breathes. “You knew me in the best and worst ways imaginable, and you still fucking remember. I can sense and see it all over your little body every time I’m close to you.”
My wet eyes flash to his, glaring, but his gaze stays steady, burning through me. “Your stubborn ass just doesn’t want to remember who the fuck we are together.”
I feel my chin lift in defiance, “Stubborn ass?” I ask.
He dips his head, his nose slowly grazing up my jawline in a way that makes my eyes flutter shut despite the anger burning in my chest. A familiar tingle shoots up my spine, awakening something buried deep inside me.
“In time, beautiful,” he whispers in a taunting manner. “When all of this is said and done, I’m going to remind you exactly who the fuck I am,” his lips hover close, a growl rumbling from deep within his chest. “We have a lot of catching up to do and I can’t wait to be balls deep inside that tight pussy again, showing you just how much I’ve fucking missed you.”
I can feel the heat of his words seep into my skin, threatening to dissolve the walls I've built around myself. I try to shake theoverpowering effect he still has over my body as greedy desire pours into every inch of it.
“Is that all I am to you? A fuck?” I say coldly.
He pauses before lifting his head and brings his hand to my jaw, dragging my bottom lip down with his thumb, his eyes scanning my features.
“The day I told you I loved you,” he begins, “was the day I realized you are so much more than just your body I used to block out what I had been through.” He shakes his head, as though he's trying to shake away the torment of his own past.
Slowly, he leans in, his lips brushing the air near mine.
“You’re so much more than that, Wren. So much more than just a body, more than a fuck. I shouldn’t have to explain that to you. I love everything about you,” he whispers fiercely, as if the truth burns him from the inside out. “Your body, yeah—God, fucking yeah—but also your mind and soul.”
He pauses, his thumb tracing the edge of my jaw. “You’ve consumed me in ways I can’t even begin to explain, and you know it.”
His eyes darken with the desire I know all too well, dropping to my mouth, and his lips twitch into a dangerous smile. “But do I want to fuck the brat attitude out of that slut mouth of yours? Yeah, I do. It’s in my nature to control the fuck out of you and make you do as you’re told.”
His expression falls flat, his hand moving down the side of my neck, his gaze gliding down to my heaving breasts, “But I’m trying. Shit, I’m trying so fucking hard for your sake, not mine.”
I stare at him blankly, warring within myself. Part of me wants to demand that he get on his knees and devour my pussy like he’s starving for it; the other part, the one that has felt nothing but abandonment, wants to tell him to leave and never come back. Which is a strange feeling considering I wanted nothing more than to see him again.
Taking a shaky breath, I lay my head back against the door, changing the subject again so I don’t do anything stupid because after all, sex is the last thing we both need to be doing right now.
“So tell me, Arlo, how the hell did you get back all the way from Brazil with no passport or a way to contact anyone?”
He pushes himself away from the door with a growl, turning his back to me as his fingers rub roughly against the stubble on his chin.
“My mom,” he admits. “I was able to contact her. She arranged for my return.”
My mouth drops open as I push myself away from the door. I purse my lips tightly, trying to keep myself in check, but the anger demands release.
“And she didn’t even have the decency to tell me?”
