Beyond

by Chantal Fernando

  Beyond

  New York Times Bestselling Author

  Chantal Fernando

  Beyond

  Copyright © 2014 CHANTAL FERNANDO

  All Rights Reserved.

  Published December 2014

  Cover design © Arijana Karčić, Cover It! Designs

  Edited by Vanessa Leret, PREMA Romance

  Formatted by Midnight Engel Press, LLC

  ISBN-13: 978-1505513417

  ISBN-10: 1505513413

  All rights reserved. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook is copyrighted material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any form without prior written permission from the publisher, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

  BEYOND is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events portrayed in this book either are from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, establishments, events, or location is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. Please do not take offense to the content, as it is FICTION.

  Trademarks: This book identifies product names and services known to be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders, The authors acknowledges the trademarked status in this work of fiction. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Dedication

  This book goes out to all the amazing ladies in Chantal’s Alpha Male Support Team.

  Thank you for believing in me.

  Chapter One

  I stand when I hear the sounds of the doors opening, and the men start walking inside. My eyes scan each of their faces, looking for him. I’ve heard the women talk about him. Dane, his name is.

  “No more procrastinating Olivia,” my father says from next to me. His eyes don’t turn to me, instead roam his soldiers. I’m twenty-one today, and I can no longer put it off. My father wants me to get married. I talked him out of choosing someone for me, instead he gave in and said I could choose who I want to marry. I have never even had a conversation with most of these men, so I guess it doesn’t really make a difference, except for the fact that there is one man I’ve seen around that catches my attention each time. I may as well choose someone I’m physically attracted to. I hold my breath when I see him walk through the door. Dressed in all black, tight black T-shirt, black cargo pants and combat boots, I can see his muscles flex as he walks. Powerful thighs that have caught my eye more than once, and the untameable vibes surrounding him make me want him even more. He runs a hand through his dark hair, his green eyes scanning the room. He’s always on alert. Ready for anything.

  He’s a warrior of our time.

  I stand up on my tip toes and speak into my father’s ear. “The one dressed in black that just walked through the door.”

  I know his name, but I don’t speak it.

  My father looks to the entrance and purses his lips when he sees the man I’m talking about.

  “Dane? He’s my best solider,” he says, not looking happy. His green eyes, just like my own, narrow slightly. “I have other plans for him.”

  “Then he will make a great future leader.”

  His lips tighten. “He is already a great leader, but he belongs on the field. He takes the most dangerous missions and makes sure everyone gets home safely. The soldiers need him more than you do.”

  “I won’t stop him from going beyond the walls,” I say.

  In fact, maybe he could take me with him.

  “You are okay with an absent husband?” he asks, studying me.

  I shrug. It didn’t matter. He was the only man who had ever caught my eye, and it went further than his good looks. He had something about him. An aura of danger. He was a man you want on your side, and I happen to want him standing next to mine.

  “Wouldn’t you want your only daughter to be well protected?” I ask him, looking back towards the man we are discussing.

  Going by my father’s strained face, I can see that he really doesn’t want to give his best soldier up. “Head to your room,” he says. I kiss him on the cheek, give Dane one last lingering look, then do as I’m told.

  The next evening, I still haven’t seen or heard from my father. I walk towards his room, but hide around the corner when I see two men walking my way. I’m not meant to be here, on this side of the building. It’s the men’s quarters.

  “I don’t want to marry some uptight princess,” a man growls in a deep voice. I immediately know it’s him. Even at his cruel words, the low timbre of his voice sends a shiver down my spine.

  “Did Evan say you have to?” another man asks. “I’m sure you can get out of it. You’re his favorite.”

  A pause. “He requested that I do. And I can’t turn him down after everything he’s done for me.”

  “You can but you won’t,” the man replies, pausing. “You don’t like blondes.”

  I hear Dane chuckle. “That’s the least of my problems right now.”

  “She’s beautiful though,” the man replies. “You could do worse.”

  Dane expels a deep sigh. “If you were told you had to marry someone you haven’t even spoken yet, how would you feel? Yes, she’s beautiful but so are many other women. Marriage isn’t something to be thrown around, even in this day and age. The woman I marry I will see as mine. I’d prefer it if it was one that I’d chosen and from my own free will.”

  “You don’t even know if you will be compatible in bed,” the other man adds with a taunting laugh.

  “I’m a good teacher,” Dane replies, sounding amused. “However I bet she’s cold as ice in bed. She looks so uptight and proper, I don’t know.”

  Dane’s friend laughs again. “Not like the women you’re used to then. We all know you like them stacked and easy.”

  I hear a slapping sound, followed by a groan. “Ouch you fucker.”

  “Don’t talk badly about my women,” Dane replies, no heat in his tone.

  “Women,” the man replies, grunting. “You’re a lucky bastard the way they all throw themselves at you.”

  I bite my lip and sink deeper into the shadows. He doesn’t want this. Why didn’t I even factor that into the equation? I don’t want someone who doesn’t want me. Maybe I should just tell my father to choose someone for me. Why did I have to marry at all? The whole thing was stupid. Women married as soon as they hit eighteen here, we needed to rebuild our population. As the leader’s daughter, I was to be married to someone who would one day help me lead our people. I was now twenty-one, given a little leniency because of my station.

  “It doesn’t have to change any
thing for you Dane,” the other man replies, and I instantly stiffen.

  I don’t hear his reply because they continue down the corridor. It doesn’t have to change anything for him? What does that mean? He’s going to continue taking the most dangerous trips, out of the safety of our home? I wouldn’t expect him to stop. He’s going to sleep with other women? That might be an issue. From the sounds of things, he’s no stranger to sex with different women. Would he expect me to be okay with that?

  I walk briskly to my father’s room, and knock twice.

  “What are you doing here?” he says angrily, opening the door for me to enter.

  “You never came to see me,” I say, placing my hands behind my back.

  “How am I supposed to command a group of men when my daughter won’t even listen to me,” he mutters, something he’s said many times before.

  “Is that why you want me to marry? So I’m not your problem anymore?” I ask, unable to keep the anger out of my tone.

  “It’s time for you Olivia,” is all he says. It’s been five years since we were attacked. We’ve restored what we can, but most of the population perished- that we know of, and most of the country was destroyed. I can step outside of the castle, because it is surrounded by high stone walls. I can’t go beyond those walls. They protect everyone inside, all one hundred of us, and keep unwanted people and things out. I know what my father is really telling me: We need to rebuild our population. Since I can’t fight, (that he knows of) and I’m not allowed out of these walls, I guess that’s all he thinks I’m good for. My father was a Sargent in the army, now, he’s a different kind of leader, but people look up to him all the same. If it wasn’t for his knowledge and ideas, who knows if we would have survived.

  “I think we should choose someone else,” I announce.

  My father turns to me, his expression unreadable. “It’s too late. All is settled, and you’re to be married in two weeks.”

  “But--” I object, but he cuts me off.

  “You wanted this, now you have it. Go and help the women,” he commands, turning away from me. So this is it then? I guess I made my bed and now I’m going to have to lie in it.

  Literally.

  “Okay,” I say, exiting the room and heading back to the women’s rooms. We have three separate living areas. Single males, single females, and a separate one for couples and or families. It’s not strict, or anything like that. You can stay wherever you feel comfortable. Except for me of course, my father banned me from going near the male living areas. Maybe once I’m married, I will have some freedom, especially since my soon-to-be husband doesn’t give one shit about me. Maybe this could be a good thing? Change is good, right? It has to beat living like this. The women act like I think I’m better than them. I don’t. I would give anything to be free, to do whatever I feel like doing.

  To be like them.

  “Hi Olivia,” Regan says, smiling up at me with his dimpled smile.

  “Hey buddy,” I say, leaning down and kissing him on his head. Regan is seven years old, and Tessa’s son. Tessa helps in the kitchens, getting the meals ready for everyone. Regan took a liking to me straight away, and hangs out with me while his mother is busy working.

  “You want to play a board game with me?” he asks, a hopeful look on his face.

  “Sure, I’d love to,” I tell him.

  Anything to get my mind off Dane.

  Chapter Two

  When I walk into the hall for dinner, I catch a glimpse of him. Jet black hair--up to his shoulders, sharp hazel eyes and broad shoulders, tapering into lean hips. He walks confidently, his presence commanding. I sit down at the table where I sit every day, next to my father. Dane doesn’t even look my way, like I don’t even warrant a thought in his mind. I sigh, and look down at my food. Not feeling hungry, but not wanting to take the food for granted because I know what it’s like to go without.

  “We’ll be going out on a hunt tomorrow, so be ready when we return, just in case,” my father says. A ‘hunt’ means they are going beyond the safety of these walls, in search of food, supplies and weapons. Some of the men will go fishing and catch as much as they can. The fish help us a lot, because we know they are safe and uncontaminated. There is also an endless supply, so we rely heavily on them for our diet.

  To be useful, I help out whenever Dr. James needs assistance, or if someone needs stitches or a dressing. The doctor and the nurse, Lona, are training me, so I can be of assistance when I can.

  “Yes, sir,” I reply quietly. I take a spoonful of canned corn and chew on it slowly. I look up to see Dane watching me. His stare makes me feel unnerved, and I shift on my seat. His expression gives away nothing, and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I’m the first to look away. I finish my meal, forcing myself to eat.

  “May I be excused?” I ask.

  “Olivia…”

  “Yes?”

  He sighs. “Goodnight love.”

  “Night,” I say, kissing him on the cheek, standing up and walking out the door. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I ignore them, walking with my shoulders back and my chin up.

  “Olivia!” someone calls and I jump.

  “Fuck!” I curse, my hand on my chest. I turn and come face-to-face with Dane himself.

  “Yes?” I ask, not knowing what else to say. I try to compose my expression to one of casual friendliness.

  He licks his lips and takes in my features. “Where are you going?”

  “To my room, why?” I reply, narrowing my gaze.

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “Okay,” I reply hesitantly. “What do you want to talk about?”

  “About you. Us.”

  “Okay,” I breathe, butterflies fluttering in my stomach. “I suppose that’s a good idea.”

  I didn’t know what to make of him. His words were softly spoken, contradicted by the hardened look in his eyes.

  “Any man would be happy to marry such a beautiful woman,” he says, tucking my hair back behind my ear.

  I inhale a sharp breath, a pang of hope forming in my chest.

  “But I’m not any man,” he says, and I grit my teeth, hope plummeting. “I don’t like being pressured into a marriage I don’t want.”

  I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “Then don’t, because you know the saying be careful what you wish for? Well I’m wishing to marry anyone other than you right now.”

  He looks amused. “She has fire, at least.”

  He has no idea.

  “Fuck you,” I snap.

  “That’s no way to talk to your future husband,” he says, grinning as though he finds something hilarious. Never go for the good looking ones, never.

  They’re always trouble.

  “No really. We need to get out of this arrangement. It was a mistake,” I say, my eyes pleading with his. I hate admitting that I was wrong, but if it gets me out of this…

  “You’re right about that. I’ve never once given you any indication that I was interested, so I have no idea why you chose me.”

  Well, ouch. Lucky for him I don’t have low self-esteem. Asshole.

  I shrug, pretending like his comments don’t shred me to pieces. “I chose the prettiest face.”

  He flinches. “I respect your father, and owe him a lot. We’ll get married—for his sake.”

  “Fine,” I say, looking down at the ground. I’m not exactly a romantic, but even I pictured something better than this. What woman wouldn’t? I deserve something better than this, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to get it. Life doesn’t work that way.

  “Come on,” he says, walking ahead of me. I stare at the back of his head for a second. The man is even sexy from behind.

  “Where are we going?” I ask, sounding resigned even to my own ears.

  He stops and turns. “I’m walking you to your room. That’s what a gentleman would do, right?”

  I shrug. “I guess.” I don’t know when he started caring about acting like a gentleman.

&n
bsp; “Then come. I don’t like when people waste my time,” he says, nodding with his head towards the direction of my room.

  “No one asked you to walk me to my room,” I snap, losing my patience with him. He ignores me and pauses, waiting for me to catch up to him. I close the few steps between us, my glare letting him know exactly how I feel about him and his bossiness. He ignores me, and we walk in silence to my door.

  “Don’t wander the halls at night, it’s not safe for someone like you,” he says, staring down at me.

  “What do you mean someone like me?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. By the twitch of his lips, he doesn’t miss my defiant position.

  “An innocent,” he says, raising an eyebrow.

  “An innocent?” I repeat, enunciating each word.

  Dane’s face takes on a thoughtful expression. “Your father mentioned you were,” he pauses, “untouched.”

  What? I’m going to kill my father.

  I gasp, open my mouth and then close it again. “Did you just pause for dramatic effect?” I ask, pursing my lips.

  Dane laughs then, and I can’t help but watch wide-eyed as he does so. God, he’s beautiful. Deadly, but beautiful. What an attractive mixture.

  “You should do that more often,” I mutter, unable to tear away my gaze.

  “Do what?” he asks, his eyes still crinkling.

  “Laugh.”

  “I laugh. You’ve only known me for about a minute, princess.”

  Sure, I’ve only known him for a little while, but I’ve been watching him for what feels like eternity.

  I open my room door and step inside. “And you me,” I say.

  I slam the door shut.

  I can hear his laughter echoing down the hall.

  Chapter Three

  “Where have you been all day?” my father asks as he barges into my room the following day.

  My forehead creases. “I’ve been right here.”

  He scowls. “We’re leaving in an hour, go and say bye to Dane.”