She tightened her hold around his neck, laying her head on his chest. “Thank you. For coming for me.”
He didn’t answer. He picked up his pace, glancing back over his shoulder.
“What?”
“One of them is coming after us.”
She closed her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. Gavin and his stupid friends were rude, but she’d never thought them capable of doing something so horrible. She didn’t want to think about what might have happened if Thaddeus hadn’t gotten her away from Gavin.
They reached the clearing and he gently slid her onto the motorcycle seat. A man burst forth from the forest, running toward them.
Thaddeus picked him up and threw him. He flew into the air towards the parking lot. When he came down, his head smacked a log, making a sickening cracking sound. Thaddeus cursed and ran toward the man.
“What are you doing?”
“I didn’t mean for him to hit his head.” Thaddeus knelt down and placed a hand on the man’s forehead. Pain flooded Thaddeus’s face for a second before he jumped up. “We have to leave. Now. Someone else is coming.”
He swung his leg over the motorcycle and she grabbed his abdomen. He started the engine and the bike jerked forward. Before they turned down the road, she glanced back to see Gavin running out into the clearing. His eyes were wild with rage.
She shuddered and pressed up against Thaddeus’s back. Gavin was not going to let this go. Thaddeus was in danger, and it was because of her.
Thaddeus sped down the highway, his head throbbing, his broken ribs stabbing pain through his chest. He had to move Aribelle out of her apartment. She wasn’t safe there. He needed to keep her away from those men. Not only did they want to beat him within an inch of his life, their plans for Aribelle were probably worse.
He had lost Gavin back at the last turn, he was sure of it. For now, they were safe to go back to his house. But he wasn’t sure if he could convince Aribelle to stay away from her apartment.
He slowed to take another turn and then sped up again. How could he have been so careless? In all the years he’d been doing this, he’d never let his guard down like this before. He’d never let anyone track him. He should have heard the car following them.
He’d allowed himself to become distracted. And Aribelle had gotten hurt.
Stupid. He was going to have to get her away from those men and then cut her out of his life.
Aribelle sucked in a breath as Thaddeus slipped her boot off her foot. Pain shot up her ankle, and Thaddeus frowned. “Why won’t you let me heal you?”
“Because then you’ll have a broken ankle.” He was in enough pain already, she could tell. She leaned back on his couch, allowing him to look at her swollen foot.
“I heal faster than you.”
“But you don’t deserve to take on any more.”
He glared at her but did as she wished. “I’ll get some ice.”
“Thank you.”
He came back with a towel wrapped around a bag of frozen peas. She grinned at him. “Maybe after the swelling goes down, we can have a snack.”
“You making fun of me?” He tried to keep a glare on his face but failed.
She laughed. “Kind of.”
“Well stop it. I’m supposed to be angry with you.”
“Please don’t be.” She motioned for him to sit beside her. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”
He sighed and joined her on the couch. “All right.”
They sat silent for a moment before he spoke again. “You can’t go back to your apartment. You know that, right?”
She stared at him. “What if I get a restraining order?”
He raised an eyebrow. “A piece of paper? You think that’s going to stop him?”
“If he comes near me, I’ll have him arrested.”
“And what if he comes near me?” Thaddeus asked, his voice quiet.
She blinked. He was right. They couldn’t get him involved with the police. And Gavin would probably kill him if they showed up at the apartment. She rubbed her forehead. “Okay. We can’t go back there.”
He gently took her hand. “You’ll be safe here until we can figure out something.”
She looked into his eyes. Her heart raced, but not from the fear of Gavin. The warmth from his hand sent electric zaps through her. It warmed her whole body. She wanted to reach up and touch his face but knew he would back away from her if she did. “I know.”
She suddenly felt sleepy.
“You rest. I’ll go make us some lunch.” He let go of her hand and stood. She watched as he left the room. Was he limping? She looked down at her foot, no longer swollen. She wiggled it. No more pain.
“Hey!” She jumped up and followed him into the kitchen. “What did you do?”
He turned, a guilty look on his face.
“I told you not to heal me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. It just sort of happened.”
She shifted her weight, unable to be mad at him for it. He was a healer. How could she be upset? Before she could stop herself, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have the words, but he seemed to understand what wasn’t said because he hugged her close.
The moment didn’t last long before he pulled away. “I’ll make lunch.”
“Shouldn’t I do that? Since I’m on your payroll?”
“Actually, you’re not. I had Accelerated Employment fire you.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Yeah, about that. Kind of a mean thing to do, wasn’t it?”
“Mean?” He gave her an incredulous look as he pulled out a saucepan.
“Yes. You fired me and didn’t even have the decency to tell me to my face.” She remembered the way she’d hollered at his door. “And you didn’t answer the door, even though with your super-hearing there was no way you didn’t hear me.”
More guilt flooded his face before he turned away from her. “I thought it was for the best.”
“Why?”
Thaddeus raked a hand through his hair and looked like he wasn’t sure what to say. He opened the refrigerator to pull out the milk. “I got frustrated.”
She nodded. He hadn’t wanted her to know what was going on with him. He’d been protecting his secret. “I understand.”
He gave her a sideways glance, his eyebrow raised, like he was questioning if she really did, but he didn’t voice his thought.
“I suppose I’ll start looking for work, then.”
He frowned, like he didn’t think that was a good idea, but didn’t voice it.
She pointed to the stove. “Why don’t you let me help with that? Especially since you’re now limping around on a broken ankle.”
“Actually, I think it’s only a sprain. And it’s healing.” He pulled out the cauliflower.
“Why are you being so pig-headed?”
The look he gave her made her regret her words. “Sorry,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “I just want to do something to help.”
“And I want to cook you something for lunch.” He gave her an apologetic look. “Do you want to set the table?”
“Sure.” She reached up and took down two plates. She didn’t mind leaving the cooking to him, but she felt bad he was limping around for her. And it had been her fault he was even mixed up with Gavin.
After the table was set, she peeked at the pan on the stove. “What are you making?”
“Creamed cauliflower.”
“Smells good.”
Her compliment seemed to please him. Her insides warmed. He was slowly sharing part of himself with her. It made her want to be near him.
When he was finished cooking they sat down to eat. He cringed when he lowered himself down onto the seat. She raised her eyebrow at him, bu
t he didn’t say anything.
She took a bite and smiled at him. “This is delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
After a moment, she decided to ask. “Did those men bruise your ribs?”
His gaze held hers, and he shook his head.
“Did they beat you up?”
He looked down and pushed his food around with his fork. “No.”
“I see.” He had healed the very men who had attacked him. They wanted to hurt him…or worse. And he had fought them off and then healed them of their injuries. Emotion swelled in her and she blinked to hide it from Thaddeus.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence.
Chapter 15
Thaddeus pulled the pillow from the top shelf in the closet and laid it on the bed. “I hope you’ll be comfortable in here. It’s a guest bedroom, but it hasn’t been used for many years.”
Aribelle looked around the room. “It will be fine. More than fine. I appreciate you doing this for me.”
He swallowed. It was hard enough having her in the house during the day. Having her staying here, in the bedroom next to his, was going to be torture. It was a good thing he wasn’t usually home at night. He wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway. “You can use the bathroom in the hall.”
“Okay.”
He rubbed his hands together, feeling awkward. “Do you need anything else?”
“I’ll need some clothes. Personal items.” She bit her bottom lip.
Right. “You can use my computer to order anything you need. It’ll go on my card.”
She smiled and put her hand on his arm. “Thanks.”
Her touch made his heart speed up, and he took a step back, breaking the contact. “It’s no problem.”
A flash of something crossed her face but disappeared before he could process it. “Okay.” She forced a tight smile. “Well, I’d better get ready for bed. Are you going to…?” She motioned toward the window.
He’d been planning on going out, but the fear he saw in her eyes made him reconsider. Was she afraid that Gavin would come here? He didn’t want her to feel unsafe. “Do you want me to stay home tonight?”
She put her hands behind her back, her gaze landing on the floor. “Yeah, I do. Is that terrible of me?”
“No. Of course not.” He couldn’t stand the thought of her being afraid. He stepped closer to her but stopped before he lost control and pulled her to him. “I’ll stay.”
Relief flooded her face. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” He stood in front of her for another moment before turning to leave. “Good night.”
He went into his bedroom and closed the door, taking in a deep breath. He needed to get his head on straight. It wouldn’t help the situation if he did something dumb, like kiss her.
His life was not his own. He couldn’t be like every other man. It wasn’t in his cards to have a girlfriend…or whatever he was thinking Aribelle could be. She deserved someone who could give her a real life, which was something he couldn’t do.
He clicked the lock on his door and got ready for bed. Tonight, he’d stay. He’d pretend his life was a little more normal. Tomorrow he’d have to go back to doing what he always did. He couldn’t deny what he was for too long, or things would get out of hand.
Aribelle slipped into one of Thaddeus’s large T-shirts and washed her face in the sink. She was relieved he would not be going out tonight and coming back bruised and bloodied. He needed to heal from today. And she had to admit, it did make her nervous that Gavin was probably looking for him. Preventing Thaddeus from going outside would keep him safe on both counts.
She flicked off the bathroom light and entered the guest bedroom. It was like all the rooms in the house, filled with antiques. The bedside table had a French design with a marble top. She could imagine expensive perfume bottles sitting on it. Her bed was ornamented with a scrolled headboard. But the best part of the room was the large armoire that stood against the back wall. The carved wood was magnificent.
Her curiosity got the best of her and she walked over to the armoire and pulled it open. A dozen ball gowns hung there in a beautiful array of bright colors and shiny fabrics. She sucked in a breath and touched the material. Silk. The layers of organza under the silk made the skirts full and bouncy. They weren’t antique, but they were a French provincial style, and she imagined one of Thaddeus’s relatives wearing them to fancy parties held in the ballroom downstairs.
She closed the doors. No parties would be held here again. The thought made her sad, and she sat down on the bed and turned off the lamp. Thaddeus didn’t think there was a way to break the curse. She wasn’t so sure. She vowed to find out more about the old woman tomorrow.
Aribelle awoke when sunlight streamed through the windows. Something smelled good, and she dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Thaddeus was leaning on the counter by the toaster and he turned when she entered. “Good morning.”
He wore a T-shirt that showed how sculpted his muscles were, and jeans that looked a little too good on him. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Morning.”
“Sleep well?” He grabbed a mug and poured her a cup of coffee.
She nodded, taking the mug from him. “And you?”
He shrugged and turned to pour the eggs into the frying pan. “You still nervous about Gavin finding us here?”
She made a face. Why did he think that? “No. Where did that come from?”
“You didn’t want me to leave last night. Weren’t you scared of Gavin?”
Oh. Yes, that sounded like a better reason than her selfish one of not wanting him to come home a bloody mess. “Right. That. Um, I’m okay. I feel better now.”
He looked like he wasn’t convinced, but he let it go.
She watched him cooking the eggs for a minute before deciding to come out with it. “Does the old woman still live around here?”
“Hmm?” he said, absentmindedly, as if he hadn’t really heard her.
“The woman who…cursed you. Does she live close?”
He scowled, but didn’t say anything, so she tried again. “Maybe we could find out if she’s still in the area.”
“She won’t help me.”
“You don’t know that. What was her name?”
He slammed his fist down on the counter, making her jump. He turned to her, fire in his eyes. “Leave it alone, Belle.”
She returned his fierce gaze with one of her own. “I’ll do as I please.”
The anger went out of his expression, and he chuckled and rubbed his forehead. “Yes. You probably will.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” He scooped the eggs onto plates. “Evelyn will be coming by today.”
“That’s good.” She did want to talk with Evelyn. And she didn’t even care if Thaddeus overheard. She wanted more information, and if he wasn’t willing to give it to her, she’d get it somewhere else.
After breakfast, she got on Thaddeus’s computer and ordered some clothes and a few necessities. She was surprised that she could get about anything she needed. She’d never ordered anything online before.
When that was done, she curled up in the library with one of the books she’d had her eye on. Thaddeus fussed in the kitchen putting dinner in a crock pot, and then came in a half-hour later. He stood in front of the shelf like he was looking for something. She set her book on her lap. “Need something?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “No, I’m only browsing.”
“Browsing?” She laughed. “Are you bored?”
He gave her a hint of a smile. “Sort of.”
“Well, grab a book and come join me.”
He stared at her, a puzzled look on his face. “Join you? On the chair?”
“Sure. There’s enough room. I’ll scoot over.” She demo
nstrated how much room there was.
His face was unreadable for a moment like he couldn’t decide if that was a good idea or not. Then he picked up a book and approached the chair. She wiggled over a little more and he sat down. “What did you decide to read?”
He showed her the cover. “Hard-boiled mystery novel.”
“Looks good.” He pointed to her book and she showed him the cover. “You’ve got a few paranormal novels I haven’t read yet.”
“Glad I could entertain you.”
She smirked and then opened the book back to where she’d left off. Their shoulders were a little cramped, and she wiggled to find a comfortable spot.
He lifted his arm and put it around her shoulders, albeit a little awkwardly, like he didn’t want to touch her. “Is this better?”
Her breath caught in her throat as warmth and tingles flowed through her. “Uh, yeah,” she managed to say.
They were silent for a while, and Aribelle tried to get back into her book, but the close proximity to him and the smell of his cologne were both wreaking havoc on her insides. She read the same page three times without understanding a single word.
“You too warm?” he asked, peering at her.
“No,” she said as embarrassment heated her cheeks at how quickly she’d responded. She stared at him. If she moved another two inches, their lips would touch. What would he do if she kissed him? She imagined him jumping out of the chair so fast it would knock her onto the floor. Huh. Yeah. Probably.
“Are you?” she asked.
“I’m fine.” He went back to reading his book, and she tried to do the same. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beating. His rhythmic breathing was calming, and soon she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
She hadn’t realized she’d drifted off to sleep until she became aware of the shift in sunlight, and the embarrassing way she was hugging Thaddeus. She stirred, and he lifted his arm, allowing her to sit up. She gave him a shy smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”
“It’s okay.” His voice was husky. Maybe he was sleepy too.
Falling for the Beast Page 9
