Once Upon A Beast

by KB Winters

  “I guess not.”

  “I think you guess right.” A muffled yell sounded again. “I’ve got to go, babe. That damn Braden is going to pull that poor girl’s hair out of her head if I leave them much longer.”

  “You go pull them apart, spoilsport.”

  “Hey, you deal with her mom later, and I’ll let them go at it.”

  “I was joking. Go do your thing.”

  “Well, I wasn’t joking, go call that man!” she ordered, her phone clattering to a table without her clicking off.

  “Braden, I swear to god I’m going to call your mother...”

  I chuckled before I ended the call.

  I felt sorry for Braden, whoever the poor boy was. Tina was right about me getting a hold of Hudson’s number, though.

  I’d never get closure without it.

  Henry believed in an open-door policy, even though his door was always closed and the walls always opaque.

  “Ms. Doyle is here for you, Mr. Carson,” Jenny announced me and motioned for me to take a seat while I waited.

  My ass had barely hit the waiting room couch when Henry’s voice allowed Jenny to let me in.

  “Mia, how are you?” Henry shook my hand, but he looked like he hadn’t slept since we’d last spoken on Monday morning. There were dark circles around his eyes, and his hair was tousled like he’d spent hours running his hands through it.

  “I’m fine, how are you?” I asked cautiously.

  “Oh, I’m okay.” He smiled a tired smile and sank into Hudson’s chair. It dwarfed him like never before.

  “Are you sure?” He didn’t look it. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “I’m sure, my dear. You’re already taking on more responsibility than is fair.” He ran his hand through his hair in a path that was so worn, it almost stayed that way.

  “What can I do for you, Mia?” He exhaled.

  “I, uh, was hoping I could get Hudson’s number from you,” I stammered, fidgeting with my fingers.

  “Is there a reason why you want to get in touch with him? I’m here if there’s an emergency.” Henry seemed to be mildly alarmed.

  “There’s no emergency. I was just wanting to make sure he was okay.”

  Henry leaned back in Hudson’s chair and seemed to channel Hudson’s intensity from it as his eyes raked mine. “You want to check on your boss?”

  “Someone has to,” I argued.

  “Fine.” He buzzed Jenny. “Please send Mr. Blake’s new number to Ms. Doyle.”

  “Sir, are you—”

  His hand released the button connecting Jenny to us. “Don’t make me regret this, Mia.” He said sincerely.

  “I won’t, Henry.”

  I considered waiting until I got home to phone Hudson, but as soon as my phone buzzed with his number, it started burning a hole in my palm.

  Instead of heading back to my cubicle, I went straight back to the conference room I’d spoken to Tina in.

  Hudson answered on the first ring with his usual bark. “Blake.”

  “Hudson,” I said, my voice shaking.

  “Mia?” He sounded puzzled. “How did you get this number?”

  “It’s me. Henry gave it to me. Well no, it was Jenny really, but Henry said it was okay.” I stammered. “Please don’t be mad at them.”

  “I’m not mad, Mia. Hey, relax baby. It’s okay.” His voice soothed me.

  My breath caught in my lungs at the sound of his voice. I hated that I was that affected by him. “I’m okay, how are you?”

  He was quiet for so long I thought he’d hung up. I pulled the phone from my ear, only to hear him speak again. “I’m adjusting. You good?”

  “I’m okay.” I took a deep breath to control my nonsensical emotions.

  “How are things at the office?”

  “It’s okay, but it’s weird without you,” I answered honestly.

  “People are actually having fun, huh?” he joked, the sounds of horns blaring around him distracted me. I tried to imagine him running around the streets of Pepper Cove, dressed casually and laughing into his phone.

  A nervous laugh escaped me at the mental image, then I realized he was still waiting for an answer. “Not everyone.”

  “I bet people are loving Carson.” His tone was light, but I heard the curiosity there.

  “People are loving that he keeps your walls opaque and lets them talk shit,” I confessed.

  He cursed. “They doing what needs to be done?”

  “Yeah, I think so. I am, anyway.”

  “I never doubted you, Mia. It’s the others I’m worried about.” Agitation was clear in his voice, so intense it had me pacing the length of the conference room as an outlet.

  “Don’t,” I told him. “Don’t worry about anyone but yourself right now.”

  “I talked to Dakota,” he said after a moment of silence.

  “You did?” My heart leaped with joy for them, even if I’d been avoiding Ryan’s calls all week.

  “I did,” he said quietly. “I think we figured some things out.”

  “I’m really proud of you for doing that, Hudson.”

  His breath caught. “Are you really okay?” he asked after a beat.

  “I am. It took the rest of the weekend to calm Ryan and my father down, but they let me come back to Portland, so that’s a good sign, right?”

  “Maybe. They let you go with the driver I sent?” More horns blared.

  “Not lightly. They followed us all the way to the airfield. Where are you?”

  Hudson laughed. “That bad, huh? Nowhere really. Just getting some stuff set up.”

  “That bad,” I confirmed. “I meant to thank you, but your phone was already disconnected.”

  “Thank me for what?” he asked, sounding confused.

  “You know, for sending that driver. For your super over the top jet. You didn’t have to do that.” I sank into the seat in the conference room that he used to dominate meetings from. It helped to make me feel closer to him, but not close enough.

  A deep laugh rumbled from his chest, sending the butterflies in my stomach scattering and burying themselves in the lining of my stomach. “So, you finally noticed the jet?”

  “I did. I’m sorry I was so oblivious before. I didn’t mean to be. Owning that is a massive achievement.”

  “You weren’t oblivious, babe. You were out of your mind thinking about the fuck-up you were about to introduce to your parents.”

  “Shut up, you’re not a fuck up. The situation was just… different.”

  “I’d say.”

  “I want to come out and see you,” I said, finally gathering the confidence to ask. He kept quiet. “Would that be okay?”

  “Mia, I want to see you, too,” he paused. “But I’m not me here, do you understand?”

  “I do, but I’d like to come see you all the same. Would that be okay with you?” I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

  “I think it’s a great idea.” I could hear the grin spreading on his face.

  Chapter 20

  Hudson

  Mia didn’t waste any time. When I’d asked her when she wanted to fly out to see me, she answered without hesitation. “Tomorrow?”

  I did what any man would do when a beautiful woman insisted on seeing him so soon. I called my pilot and had him fuel up the jet for her.

  Thank God, I had a backup plan in place for the unlikely event of my deportation. I still had a lot to sort out with my accounts and assets in the U.S., but I had access to more than enough money to live comfortably until I could make it happen.

  I still hoped it wouldn’t be necessary in the long run, which was why I hadn’t started looking for alternative accommodation. Dakota had insisted I move back to our home for the time being, and I didn’t want to risk the fragile truce we’d called after our meal, so I’d accepted. Grudgingly.

  I pulled up to the private airstrip in Dakota’s beat up truck, drawing more than a few curious glances my way. I gripped t
he steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white.

  Assholes.

  Security checked my I.D. twice before letting me in.

  Motherfucker. I hated being treated like that. Back in Portland, my car didn’t even get stopped anymore. While in my own hometown, I got treated like a borderline criminal.

  Welcome home, Hudson Blake. I gritted my teeth and let the man search the truck before gunning it for my jet.

  The moment Mia’s golden curls appeared in my line of sight, I relaxed. Seeing her was like a shot of valium straight to my veins. My grip on the steering wheel loosened and a slow grin spread on my lips.

  God, she looked gorgeous. Her hair fell in loose waves to her shoulders, and she was dressed casually in jeans, ankle boots, and a loose-fitting top. I still thought she looked good enough to take command of any runway.

  Memories of how fucking amazing her curvy little body fit into mine flooded my mind, instantly making me hard as steel and aching to get back into her.

  I adjusted myself in my jeans and hopped out the truck to meet her. A shy smile spread on her face when she spotted me jogging towards her. She shifted on her feet as if she didn’t quite know what do with herself.

  It was fucking adorable.

  I didn’t hesitate to wrap my arms around her and to pull her hard against my chest, burying my face in her hair. She smelled amazing, like the vanilla scented body wash I’d seen in her shower back in California, combined with something that was uniquely her.

  “Hudson,” she murmured, returning my hug with equal force.

  “Welcome to Santo Via Island, babe.” I stepped back to give her a long, and very obvious, once over. Her cheeks turned rosy, her eyes still hidden by her sunglasses. I raised my hands to pull the sunglasses from her eyes. I needed to see them. I needed to know she was still as affected by me as I was by her.

  Her breathing caught when my fingers brushed her face. Her eyes were wide and her pupils slightly dilated when her eyes were finally revealed to me.

  Score one for the home team! It wasn’t just me.

  “Thanks,” she breathed.

  I fucking loved how responsive she was to me. I took her wheelie bag in one hand and caught hers with the other, lacing her fingers with mine.

  I was kind of embarrassed to lead her to Kota’s truck after the reception I’d gotten on my arrival at the airfield, but Mia didn’t even seem to notice it.

  “So, how have you been?” she asked, settling into the passenger seat.

  I ran a hand through my hair. “I’ve been okay, actually. You?”

  “Fine,” she paused, then added quietly. “Missing you.”

  “Yeah?” I grinned, not adding that I’d missed her, too. I wasn’t that big of a pussy.

  “Yeah.” She glanced at me, then fixed her eyes to the scenery as we neared the city.

  “Where are we going?” she asked abruptly, clearly trying to change the topic.

  “Dakota wanted to meet you.” Her eyes grew wide and she turned to face me. “So, we’re going to have lunch with him, if you’re up for it?”

  “He wants to meet me?” There was a nervous tremor in her voice.

  “Of course.” I was starting to understand some of her nerves about introducing me to her family. I wasn’t even close to Dakota, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to introduce Mia to him, but he’d insisted.

  Dakota was waiting for us outside a pizza place near his construction site. He didn’t have too long for lunch, so he’d chosen a place within walking distance from work. I would’ve chosen somewhere flashier to introduce the two of them, but neither Kota nor Mia seemed to have much use or respect for flashy.

  My brother’s face split into a wide grin when he saw Mia and I approaching, walking hand in hand. “You must be Mia. It’s nice to meet the girl who tamed the tiger.”

  He scooped her up in a big hug. A wave of fierce possessiveness swept over me as I watched Mia swept up in Kota’s arms, a surprised laugh falling from her full lips. My hands balled into fists at my sides.

  “Tamed the tiger?” she asked, slightly breathless when he set her down.

  I didn’t resist the urge to lace her fingers through mine and to pull her to my chest. Kota didn’t miss the gesture. The corners of his mouth pulled up in amusement.

  He inclined his head towards me. “Well, you did something to him that made him a better person.”

  Mia smiled, then arched a brow at him. “I had nothing to do with it. He was already a good person.”

  Dakota laughed good-naturedly, ruffling a hand through his hair. “Well, maybe you just convinced him that it was okay to show it.”

  “Asshole.” I grinned, flipping him the bird as he led us into the restaurant.

  “Just calling it like I see it, bro,” Dakota quipped, sliding into a red faux leather booth. The obligatory red checkered tablecloth covered our table.

  Mia seemed delighted with the place. “I love this. It’s so much like the place Tina and I always go to back home.” She gushed. “And it smells delicious.”

  I slid into the booth after her, pulling her close to my side and draping my arm across the back of the seat we shared. Dakota’s eyes lit up in amusement. He shook his head slightly and chuckled under his breath.

  “Who’s Tina?” he asked, turning his attention back to Mia.

  “My best friend from high school,” Mia answered, reaching for my hand and playing with my fingers under the table. My cock instantly jumped to attention at her touch.

  Dakota and Mia chatted easily over lunch. The conversation effortlessly flowed from one topic to the next.

  The hour flew by, and before I knew it, Kota glanced at his watch and cursed. “I have to go. I’ll see you both later.”

  He flew from the booth, dropped a few notes on the table despite my protests, and darted from the restaurant.

  Mia blinked. “He has quite a lot of energy, doesn’t he?”

  “Yeah, he’s always been that way,” I told her. I didn’t have many fond childhood memories, but each one I did have included Dakota’s boundless energy.

  “You two look so much alike,” she remarked.

  “Yeah,” I teased. “It’s almost like we’re brothers or something.”

  Mia laughed and bumped my shoulder with hers. “Wiseass. I guess some things didn’t change.”

  I smirked. “That never will.”

  I motioned for the check and spent the rest of the afternoon showing Mia around the city, avoiding the tourist attractions per her request and taking her instead to some of the few places around the city I’d frequented growing up.

  Mia listened to my stories with rapt attention, and by the time the sun started setting, her stomach growled.

  She blushed. I laughed. “Come on, let’s go find somewhere to feed you.”

  “How about there?” She pointed at a Mexican place on the corner. I’d never seen it before, so I had no idea if it was any good, but Mia pulled me into it anyway. “If it’s no good, we’ll just get takeout from somewhere else.”

  “Fine,” I agreed. “But no blaming me if you get sick.”

  “I won’t,” she promised.

  A waiter came by to take our order. We lapsed into silence as we studied the menus, eventually settling on sharing a sampler plate filled with what the menu described as “a variety of traditional Mexican dishes” and two Coronas.

  Once the waiter left, I cleared my throat. “I should have mentioned this before, but are you okay with staying at my parents’ old place? I’m crashing there with Kota for the time being. Otherwise, it’s early enough we can get you a hotel room.”

  “Don’t be silly. I came to see you. Why wouldn’t I stay with you?” Then she added quietly, “Unless you’d prefer it if I stayed at a hotel?”

  “No, I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it.”

  “That was thoughtful of you, but I’d be happy to stay at your place.”

  “It’s not anything like your parents’ place,” I war
ned her.

  “I know, you told me, remember?”

  Sure, I remembered. I just wasn’t sure how she was going to deal with the reality. “I remember.”

  “Well, then that’s settled,” she insisted. “So how are you really?”

  “How am I really?” I mused, momentarily saved from answering by the arrival of our food. “I’m okay. Going a little stir crazy being so far away from the office, though.”

  “I can’t imagine what you’re going through. The office is going stir crazy without you, too.” She fixed herself a plate and sipped on her beer.

  “Thanks, but I can’t imagine there are too many people missing me.” I bit into a taco that had more than a little bite.

  “I am,” she confessed again. “And so is Henry.”

  “How is he holding up?” I was worried about the old man, even if I tried not to think about it too much.

  “Truth?” she asked.

  “Always.”

  “I don’t know, but I honestly don’t think he’s doing great.”

  Shit. “I was afraid of that.”

  She finished off her plate, washing her food down with another sip of beer and seemed to be carefully considering her next words. “I want you to come back, Hudson. Is that ever going to happen?”

  “Truth?” I asked.

  “Always.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been speaking to Anderson, my lawyer, on a daily basis. For now, we seem to be out of options.” I hated to admit it, but she’d asked for the truth.

  I paid for our dinner and led her back to Kota’s truck. He’d assured me he was going out with friends after work and would catch a lift home with someone else.

  Mia was quiet on the way home, gnawing on her lower lip. It left me with plenty of time to become increasingly aware of the way the houses were becoming smaller, the nearer we came to mine. When we finally pulled up to the house, I was thoroughly embarrassed at how small it was.

  Mia didn’t seem to notice. She asked me for a tour and took in every nook and cranny. I flipped on the light to my bedroom and wanted to cringe at the sight, as I imagined seeing it for the first time through her eyes.

  As always, she surprised me. “I love it. It’s like a window into Hudson, pre- ‘I refuse to be seen in anything less than a three-piece suit.’”