Falling for the Beast

by Victorine E. Lieske

He joined her in the dining room, and they both began putting in the last of the pieces. They had maybe a hundred left to fit into place. He picked up a piece and checked on the picture on the box. This one had been bothering him.

  It was all green except for one spot of bright gold. He’d been sure he’d be able to find it on the photograph, the bright gold looked so out of place, but the exact spot on the photo had eluded him. It was too metallic looking to be a flower. But nothing else on the photo was metal either. He couldn’t figure it out.

  The timer went off in the kitchen, and he stood. Why was his stomach clenching? He’d known Aribelle had to leave from the first day. Why had he pretended it would ever work between them? He grabbed a hot pad and slid the cake out of the oven.

  After serving up two pieces, he went back into the dining room. He watched Aribelle eat as discreetly as he could. She was beautiful, but more than that, she had looked past his scars, and he hadn’t met anyone who was capable of doing that for a long time.

  She finished the cake and put down the puzzle piece she couldn’t place. “I’m sorry to leave this here, unfinished. I was hoping I’d get it done.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  “I’ll come back for it. You can show me how you rolled it up and moved it.” She wrung her hands and gazed up at him with her brown eyes.

  He wanted to pull her close, feel her heartbeat against his chest one last time, but he knew that wasn’t a good idea. It would only make it impossible for him not to taste her lips again. And then he wouldn’t be able to let her go. “That’s fine. I can work on it, if you don’t mind.”

  “That would be nice of you.” She glanced at the doorway. “Okay. Well, I’d better go.”

  “Drive safe,” he said, his throat tightening as he thought of her leaving.

  “I will.”

  She turned and headed toward the front door. He watched as she left, resisting the impulse to go after her and beg her not to leave. He stood at the window staring out as her car disappeared down the driveway. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. It was for the best.

  Ten minutes later when the sound of a car approached, he ran to the window, thrilled that she’d come back.

  Only it wasn’t Aribelle.

  Sarah got out of her car and came up to the house. He let her in. “You can wash the dishes,” he said before going upstairs and shutting himself up in his room.

  Aribelle wiped a tear with the back of her hand as she drove. She kept telling herself this was for the best. But then why did she feel like she’d left a piece of herself behind? Why did she have to grip the steering wheel so hard to keep from driving back to him?

  Steeling herself, she turned onto Peony Drive. The buildings in this neighborhood were nicer than she expected. She pulled into her complex and was surprised to find she had her own garage. No wonder the apartment was so expensive.

  She parked her car and grabbed her purse. The front door to the building was locked, so she buzzed the manager. Ten minutes later she had her key and was walking into her new apartment. The manager gave her a short tour. “Do you need anything else?”

  “No, thank you.” She ushered the manager out and closed her door.

  The apartment was gorgeous. Marble countertops and hardwood flooring. The furniture was nicer than anything she’d be able to pick out herself. Guilt wormed its way into her as she looked at her surroundings. She couldn’t afford this, and she couldn’t allow Thaddeus to pay for it. As soon as she had a job, she’d go looking for something more reasonable.

  She brought in the two boxes she’d packed. All she had were the clothes and things she’d ordered online. Thaddeus said he would pay the movers to bring the rest of her stuff from storage next week. He wanted to make sure Gavin wouldn’t follow the movers and get her new address.

  He was protecting her, still, even from afar. Her heart nearly broke again. She sat down on the leather love seat and buried her head in her hands. She’d never gotten to tell him how she felt about him. That she loved him.

  She gasped and tried to regain her composure. Boy, was she pathetic or what? Pining over a man who didn’t want her in the first place, who had told her multiple times that he wasn’t going to have a relationship with her — and whom she had fallen for anyway. She was such a loser.

  That night she dreamed she was in a fancy dress, and Thaddeus was holding her, dancing to an old 80’s ballad. The dream felt so real she could almost feel the stubble as she touched his face. Thaddeus smiled at her, and her heart soared.

  “I love you,” she told him.

  But he melted away and Gavin stood in his place, pulling her close, a nasty sneer on his face. “You love me,” he said.

  She fought to get away from him, but he held her tighter. Where had Thaddeus gone? Wouldn’t he come save her? But Thaddeus was nowhere to be found.

  She woke up with a start, her legs tangled in the sheets and sweat dripping down her back.

  Chapter 25

  Aribelle pulled into a parking stall and cut the engine. A gentle snowfall had blanketed the streets. She grabbed her purse and headed toward the big sliding doors. She tried not to slip on the slick concrete as she made her way to work. Being a cashier at Walmart wasn’t a glamorous job, but it paid the bills. At least, most of the bills. She still needed to find a new apartment.

  Christmas music played over the loudspeakers as she stuffed her things in the locker. A month and a half. That’s how long it had been since she’d seen Thaddeus. And still, she couldn’t go a full day without thinking about him, worrying about how he’d been doing.

  She clipped her nametag on her shirt and headed over to her station. Gaudy decorations hung from the ceiling, reminding her that tomorrow was Christmas. Her first Christmas completely alone.

  She sighed and flipped on her register’s ‘open’ light. What would Thaddeus do if she showed up at his house this evening? Would he be angry? Or would he take her in his arms and let her place her head on his chest, breathing in his sandalwood scent? Shivers went through her at the thought of seeing him again. But would it be a bad idea?

  Her feet hurt after three hours standing there bagging groceries and last minute Christmas gifts. Too bad she still had five hours left to go on her shift. She greeted people with a smile and tried to ignore her aching feet.

  The clock seemed to inch forward at a snail’s pace, but she finally got to sit down and eat some lunch. As she pulled out her sandwich and juice pouch, she smiled to herself. She was eating like a six-year-old again. And then a loss so substantial she could feel it in her bones settled in on her, and her eyes filled with moisture.

  She missed him. And nothing she did made the ache go away. She slowly ate her sandwich, waffling between going to see him tonight and trying to shove everything Thaddeus out of her head and mind. Did she really want to see him again, only to have to say goodbye another time?

  Unless there was a third option.

  What if he hired her back? What if, instead of waiting at home while he was out at night, she went with him? Could she help him after he healed someone? She could drive him home. Make sure he got in okay. She could be right there in case anything happened.

  What if he agreed to let her be part of a team?

  She let the thought sink into her mind as she finished her shift. She even allowed herself to become a little excited at the thought of being able to be with Thaddeus again. Would he take her back? She wasn’t sure, but by the time she walked out of Walmart, she was determined to go talk to him and make a case for her idea.

  The snow had stopped and the streets had been plowed, although she drove slower than usual because some spots still had patches of ice. She clung to the steering wheel and turned to go outside of town.

  As she neared Thaddeus’s house, her pulse raced, and she couldn’t get enough air in her lungs. Would he yell at he
r when he saw her? Maybe she should have texted him first. It was awkward, with her having left without any contact for over a month.

  She pulled into his driveway, which hadn’t been plowed or shoveled. Thank goodness they’d only gotten two inches of snow. No other cars were parked. In fact, there were no tire impressions in the snow. What had happened to his new housekeeper? Had she quit? Aribelle paused and looked over at his motorcycle before opening the car door and walking up to the house. Her feet crunched on the snow, and she figured he was listening to the sound of her approaching. She climbed the steps and knocked on the large wooden door.

  Memories flooded back of her first day working for Thaddeus. What a grump he’d been. He’d changed a lot in the last few months. She stood in the cold as she waited, not knowing how he would react to seeing her.

  The door opened and Thaddeus stood there, a guarded expression on his face. “Belle?” He seemed neither happy nor angry to see her. Simply measured, and a bit distant. He had a scab on his forehead, and his hand had a bandage on it, much like the one he’d had the first day they met.

  Her mind screamed at her that this was a bad idea. Maybe she shouldn’t have come. But it was too late to go back. She shifted her weight. “Can I talk to you?”

  He blinked, maybe trying to decide if he should let her in. “Okay.” He stepped back and she entered his home.

  “No Christmas decorations?” she asked, looking around the living room.

  “No.” He didn’t offer any explanations, and she didn’t probe any further.

  “Sarah?” she asked, almost hoping the housekeeping position was open.

  “I gave her a few days off. For Christmas.”

  Aribelle stepped toward him and he moved away from her like he needed a buffer. She tried not to take it personally. Now that she was standing before him, her tongue was all tied up. How could she propose what had sounded like a good idea in her head, but now seemed a bit silly? She didn’t know what else to do, so she decided to come out with it. “I came because—”

  “I know why you came.” He walked into the dining room and she followed him. Her father’s puzzle lay on the table, all complete except for one piece. “I thought you might want to do the honors.” He motioned to the last piece.

  Tears filled her eyes and she hugged her arms to her chest. How thoughtful of him. She nodded and took the last piece. It was the one Thaddeus had been complaining about, the one he couldn’t place in the grass, even though it was almost all green, with one spot of gold.

  She looked at the one last place left to put it. It didn’t belong in the grass at all. It was part of a potted plant on the front porch. The gold was a small part of the hinge on the front door that peeked through the leaves. “You should place this. This was your nemesis piece.” She handed it to him.

  He fingered the piece, his gaze on her. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “Yes. But I’m glad you waited for me to be here.”

  He fit the piece in place, and she wiped another stray tear from her cheek. “It’s done. Now Dad would have said to put it away and start a new one.”

  Thaddeus smiled. “I thought maybe we’d frame it instead.” He pulled out a picture frame that looked like it had been custom ordered for the puzzle.

  “I’d like that,” she said after she gathered in her emotions.

  He set the frame down on the table beside the puzzle. “I…uh…” He tugged at his collar. “I watched a couple of videos on how to frame a puzzle. If you’d like, I can help you do it right now.”

  “Yes.” She looked up at him. “Thank you.”

  The awkwardness between them evaporated as he pulled out all the supplies and showed her how to slide waxed paper under the puzzle, then use a rolling pin to smooth out the pieces. “Do you want to use puzzle glue to keep the pieces together? It’s optional and takes two hours to dry, so if you don’t want to that’s fine.”

  Knowing he’d gone to the trouble to purchase a custom frame and puzzle glue for her made her insides warm. Plus, it would give her an excuse to stay with him for a couple more hours. “Let’s use the glue.”

  He opened the container and handed her a foam brush. “Dip it in and brush it on, allowing it to get into the cracks — but be careful not to get it too thick.”

  He grabbed his own brush with his bandaged hand and together they covered the surface with the glue. “It gives it a nice shine, doesn’t it?” she said.

  “Yes. It looks good.” He gazed at her. “I think your dad would have liked it.”

  “Me, too,” she whispered, her throat too constricted to speak normally.

  He reached out as if he were going to touch her hair, but then pulled his hand back. “Should we make ourselves comfortable in the living room?”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  They settled themselves on the couch, and he turned to her. “What should we do for two hours?”

  “It’s Christmas eve. We should go out and look at Christmas lights or something.”

  “Sure. I’ve seen some nice displays while I’ve been…out.”

  She ignored the sudden tension that arose when he mentioned going out. “I’d love to see them. Do you want to drive Bugs?”

  He chuckled. “Might be warmer than my bike.”

  They slipped on their coats and got into her car. Thaddeus glanced at her before starting the car and driving it down the pavement. “I haven’t been out to look at Christmas lights since I was ten years old and my father decided he was going to do something festive with me on Christmas eve.”

  “I hope it’s a good memory,” Aribelle said.

  “It is.”

  She turned on the radio and found a station she liked. He drove into Carson, stopping along the way at a couple of farms that had large light displays. One of them blinked in time to the music on the radio.

  Aribelle’s stomach filled with knots as she thought about telling Thaddeus why she’d come to visit him. About her idea. She stewed about it as he drove, and as the time grew later. Eventually, he started back toward his house, and she figured she’d better start talking.

  Only she couldn’t get her voice to work. What if he said no? This would be the last time she’d see him. The thought made her tongue dry and her stomach churn.

  He pulled into the driveway and parked her car. “I bet the puzzle is ready now,” he said.

  “Probably.” She felt like crawling into the earth and burying herself.

  After they got inside, Thaddeus showed her how to press the puzzle to the backing and secure the frame. “Now it’s ready to hang,” he said, stepping away from her.

  “Thank you,” she said, her voice catching.

  “No problem.” He took another step back. “Drive safely. It’s a little slick out.”

  Panic arose in her, and she blurted, “There’s another reason I came tonight.”

  He looked startled, and he blinked at her. “What is it?”

  Now she was stuck. Didn’t matter if he rejected her, she had to say it now. “I was thinking…maybe if you hired me back—I mean I don’t want you to fire Sarah—but if you needed me back, I could maybe go with you when you go out at night.” She couldn’t read the expression on his face, so she kept going. “I know it sounds weird, but if I went with you, I could help you help other people, and then I wouldn’t worry so much about you, and it wouldn’t be such a strain between us, and I could make sure you got home safely, and—”

  “Belle,” he said, cutting her off. He walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I—”

  Thaddeus stopped and cocked his head. “Someone’s coming.”

  Chapter 26

  A loud crash sounded in the living room, and Thaddeus whipped around, shielding her. “Stay here!” he hissed, his voice low.

  Fear tore through her and she nodded to him. He rushed into
the other room. Aribelle held her breath until she heard Thaddeus speak.

  “Gavin? What are you doing here?”

  Terror replaced her fear and she gasped. She couldn’t leave Thaddeus alone to face him. Gavin was psycho. She ran into the other room.

  Gavin stood by the window, glass strewn about on the floor. His face filled with blind rage. “I knew you’d come here,” he screamed, pointing at Aribelle.

  “Have you been following me?” The words sounded small in the room.

  An evil grin slid onto his face. “You’re not that hard to track. And Walmart? Really? That’s so beneath you.”

  Thaddeus stepped closer to her. “Gavin. I’m calling the police. You need to leave.” His voice sounded calm, but Aribelle could see the way his muscles tensed.

  “Go ahead!” he shouted. “The police need to know what you really are.”

  Despite what he said, Aribelle knew Thaddeus wouldn’t call the police. He was too afraid of being found out.

  “Who do you think they’ll arrest?” Thaddeus asked. “Me, the homeowner, or you, the man who busted a window and climbed inside?”

  Gavin made a face and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at them. “Fine. Don’t call. I don’t mind dealing with this by myself.”

  Aribelle always thought she would scream if someone pointed a gun at her, but she was too terrified to take the necessary breath. She clenched her teeth together and tried not to let him see her knees shaking.

  “Put the gun down,” Thaddeus said, a slight growl to his words.

  Gavin motioned to Thaddeus with the gun. “Why don’t you show her what you really are? Come on, tough guy. Show her.”

  “Gavin, you need help. Put down the gun and we can help you,” Aribelle said, her heart in her throat.

  Gavin squinted, his face turning red. “I don’t want help. The only thing I want is for him to transform into the beast he is.”

  Thaddeus advanced slowly toward Gavin, his hands out to his sides in a protective way. “Give me the gun.” He reached toward Gavin.