Page 14 of Beastly Mr. Buchanan
My new roommate found me.Or worse, the guy in the lobby followed me upstairs.
God, I’m such an idiot for walking around unaware of my surroundings.I’m stupid for letting down my guard for even a second.
As though trapped in slow motion, I turn.
Larger than life, Declan Buchanan leans his shoulder against my fully opened door.His massive frame blocks my entire view of the hallway.My instincts scream for me to escape, but there’s nowhere for me to go.
Darkness narrows my vision.All the oxygen leaves the room.I can’t breathe.
Slate-grey eyes capture mine.He moves.I flinch.
It’s a stupid reaction.He’s on the far side of the room, way out of even his long reach, but I can’t stop it any more than I can erase the cloud of misery hanging over my head.
He freezes with his arms partially crossed in front of his chest.He hasn’t moved from out of the doorway, so he hasn’t stepped deeper into the room, but that also means he hasn’t given me room to escape.
“I need a name, Karey,” he demands.
Every inch of me trembles, but I firm my spine and lift my chin.I slip on my theoretical mask, but it doesn’t fit as well as it normally does.After stretching it to its maximum yesterday and maintaining strict control over it all day today, it feels brittle and weak.
I force my lips into a smile anyway.
“You have a name.It’s Declan Buchanan, and what you’re doing now is harassment.Step out into the hall and shut the door, please.”
Despite my polite words and respectful tone, the hard edge of steel in my voice warns of my seriousness.
The bastard doesn’t heed it.
Chapter 6
Declan Buchanan
She lifts her phone.
“Are you callinghim?The man who did that to you?”I snarl.
After only dialing three digits, she aims for the send button.
I lunge across the room and snatch her phone out of her hand.She screams, kicks my shin, and rushes toward the door.Despite the blinding pain shooting up my leg, I reach it first and slam it closed with my momentum, trapping her between my bulk and the solid surface.
For a horrible moment, I bask in predatory glee as my prey frantically yanks at the door handle, but then reality settles in and I hang my head in defeat.
This is not at all how this meeting was supposed to go.The vision of her beautiful face twisted in terror as she looked at me will haunt me until the day I die.
I’m no better than the asshole who left her covered in bruises.
In fact, I’m worse.Way worse.The violence simmering in my veins is too dangerous for someone as delicate and precious as her, but I can’t push her away.
I need her.
When I stand motionless for several seconds, she calms enough to grit her teeth and pull harder on the handle.
“Open the door.Let me out,” she demands.
“I want to, but I can’t,” I murmur, barely resisting the urge to lean down and bury my face in her hair.
She smells divine.I don’t know what scents she blends to make such a delicious aroma, but I want to eat her alive.
“Get off the fucking door, Declan,” she hisses.
