The Glass Mask

by E L DuBois

  Beauty had devised a plan to see Mr. Knight while he was away. She arranged for the Queen to watch the Princess and told the Beast she had to go out of town for work. Without getting into specifics, she said she had to attend training for her new position. This was a believable lie because Beauty had months of training ahead of her. The job required her to be gone for weeks at a time until training was finished. The Beast did not question Beauty. He rarely questioned Beauty anymore. He did his thing and she did hers. This lack of care for what she did led Beauty to believe the Beast trusted her, which was a mistake on her part.

  The trip allowed Beauty to spend time with Mr. Knight, away from all the worries she had daily. But she was still nervous the entire time. She feared the Beast would find out, but Beauty had made up her mind. Mr. Knight was the man she wanted to be with. The trip only solidified that fact.

  When Beauty arrived, she rushed into Mr. Knight’s arms and leapt into his embrace. She had become accustomed to this greeting. He would lift her up and kiss her passionately. The heat and longing grew to a point where it threatened to bubble over. Beauty knew what this trip meant. They would be staying together in the same bed and would not resist each other any longer. They would be taking the next step.

  Beauty was nervous because she had not been with anyone but the Beast in years, and only knew his version of sex... which was brutal. There was no passionate love making or gentle caresses for Beauty. She should have shied away from a man’s touch after all the trauma she had endured, but not with Mr. Knight. His touch made her feel safe, beautiful, and loved. With every caress or look, she could see that this man cherished her.

  Mr. Knight was staying on base in a studio apartment room. There was a small living area, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Beauty was nervous when they first entered, and she took in her surroundings. This would be the place where her life would forever change. Once she took this step, there would be no going back.

  Mr. Knight set her bags down and gave her one of his gorgeous smiles.

  “Would you like anything to eat or drink?”

  Beauty shook her head and peered up at him through her dark lashes. He was so sexy it was taking her breath away. Mr. Knight responded with one of his own looks. He was like a predator ready to devour his prey. Beauty felt her heart skip a beat. With one swift movement, Mr. Knight had scooped her up. Beauty wrapped her legs around his waist as they kissed each other as if their lives depended on it. The emotions and passion were so intense Beauty could feel herself growing more aroused than she had ever been. Mr. Knight moved them through the small apartment and into the bedroom, kissing Beauty, the entire way. Her head was spinning with the delicious arousal and scent of him. His mouth was warm on her skin as he kissed a trail across her cheek to her ear lobe and down her neck. She let out a tiny gasp and moaned as he moved his way back to her mouth. He was such a strong, powerful man that he made Beauty feel tiny in comparison. His large hand cupped and kneaded her ass as she pulled him in for a deeper kiss. His dark hair was soft under Beauty’s fingers. With a boldness she never though was in her, she tugged his head back. This man made her feel confident and powerful as a woman. She desperately tried to tug his shirt off while still in his muscled arms, and when the shirt would not budge, she let out a frustrated groan.

  Between kisses, she demanded, “This... off... now.” Her brain hummed, “Whoa, where had that inner vixen come from?”

  Mr. Knight gave her a sly smile against her lips and finally placed her on her feet.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Beauty watched in fascination as he kicked off his shoes and slipped off his socks. Damn, he even had pretty feet for a man. His nimble fingers clasped the hem of the threadbare t-shirt he was wearing, and with confident ease, he pulled it over his head. Her mouth gaped open. The man was a God. Standing there, shirtless, with low slung jeans and bare feet, he looked like something out of a modeling campaign.

  Beauty took a moment to drink in the tanned and toned skin. He had a large and beautiful Phoenix tattoo along one side of his ribcage, and a mural of St. Michael along the other. Both broad shoulders and biceps were adorned with dark ink one tattoo, drifting over and covering his pectoral muscle. Beauty studied one of his tattoos and realized it was the Grim Reaper. As her eyes drifted lower to the v-cuts he sported, her breath hitched. The man had v’s for fuck’s sake. She was such a goner.

  Beauty forced her embarrassment to the back of her mind and looked below the yummy abs and v’s. There was a very large, very noticeable bulge, barely being contained by the low-slung jeans and her body gave an inner shake. Grim Reaper indeed. This man might be the death of her. His eyes heated the longer she stared. His hands moved toward the fly of his jeans and he raised his eyebrows with a sly smile as if asking her silently, “Should I continue?” Beauty gulped and nodded, her mouthwatering at the sight of him.

  Mr. Knight made slow and deliberate movements as he started to unbutton his jeans. Beauty’s eyes were transfixed. The jeans slid down his powerful thighs and lean calves to pool at his feet. He hooked a thumb on either side of his boxer briefs and winked at Beauty. She could feel the flush all over her body and motioned for him to continue. With that sly smile still in place, he shimmied out of the briefs and jeans. What sprang forth was almost overwhelming. Mr. Knight was big everywhere!

  Her gaze started at his handsome face and roamed all the way down to his feet. With a bold move, she did a twirling motion with one finger as if to say, “Spin for me, darlin!” Mr. Knight chuckled a little and spun around with his back facing her. His back was corded and toned, the tattoo’s covering his shoulder blades and sides. Her gaze roamed down and good God, she saw the best ass she had ever seen on a man. It was better than any she had ever seen in the movies. The damn man was perfect, and Beauty began to feel self-conscious about her own body. She was not skinny, but she wasn’t flabby either – she was curvy. She had given birth to a baby, so her stomach would never be as toned as it had once been. He breasts were a small B-cup, but she knew she had a great ass, so she at least had that going for her. Beauty’s gaze was still on his ass when Mr. Knight turned around. Her eyes were instantly drawn to his huge erection. Beauty had never been with a man that size and worried he wouldn’t fit. Mr. Knights eyes were hungry.

  “My turn.”

  Beauty stilled even more as he approached and motioned for her to lift her arms. He gently pulled her shirt over her head and unclasped her bra. Out of pure instinct, she lowered her eyes and crossed her arms over her breasts. Mr. Knight placed a finger under her chin and brought her eyes up to his.

  “You are so beautiful.” Then, he gently kissed her lips. It was a soft kiss, merely a brush, and Beauty relaxed a little. He grazed warm fingertips down her abdomen, to her belly button. Beauty shivered from his touch. He knelt before her in all his naked glory and brushed light kisses just below her belly button.

  Beauty dropped her arms from her breast to run her fingers through that soft hair of his. With nimble fingers, he unclasped her jeans and slid them off her. He placed a hand on either side of her hips and sat back to gaze at her. Beauty felt a rush of self-consciousness and moved to cover her breasts again. Mr. Knight stopped her with gentle hands and shook his head from side to side.

  “No, you are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. Never cover yourself around me.”

  Beauty blushed. “You don’t have to say that.”

  Mr. Knight locked eyes with her and said, “If it wasn’t the truth, I would not say it. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes.”

  Beauty felt her heart pounding with pride at his words and look. His eyes were filled with such sincerity that Beauty felt overwhelmed with emotions. She was standing almost completely naked in front of a God of a man and he found her beautiful. She had not felt this loved or beautiful in her entire life.

  Mr. Knight ran a fingertip along the lace of her panties and began to push them down her hips. When she had kicked them off, he buried his f
ace in her center and took long, deep breaths. A growl or moan escaped him.

  “You smell so good. I need to taste you.”

  Before Beauty could answer, he had scooped her up and had her legs spread wide as he began to hungrily lick and suck at her most intimate of places. Beauty’s back arched with the pleasure. He was the kind of guy who excelled at everything he did, and this was no exception. The tingle started in her spine and spread throughout her whole body. With an explosion of sensation, she felt the orgasm to her toes and her whole body quaked. She yelled out his name and moaned with the force of it. Mr. Knight brought his long, muscled arms up and began to play with her nipples. Beauty was a ball of nerve-endings and sensation. She had never felt anything so good in her life. His warm hot tongue continued to lap at her core between sensual sucks at her bud and kisses. It all felt good. Too good... so good it almost hurt.

  She tried to crawl away, but he was having none of it. He held her in place as he treated her like an all-you-can-eat buffet, and before Beauty could catch her breath, she was gripping the sheets and crying out as another orgasm overtook her. She felt like he did this for hours.

  By the time he finally lifted his head, Beauty’s legs were quivering, and she had lost count of the orgasms. He crawled up her body and placed a strong arm on either side of her head. Her legs were spread wide as he nestled his large cock into her. The head probed her entrance. It felt hot and pulsed against her slick folds. He held her eyes, lips glistening with her many releases. He licked them, and Beauty moaned. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers and entered her at the same time. The kiss was passionate and gentle, and she began to feel a fullness and pressure as he inched into her so slowly it almost felt like torture. Beauty could not handle it and with one swift move, gripped his ass and plunged him deep into her core. The head immediately hit her sensitive sweet spot and Beauty’s insides clenched around him as she orgasmed again, and then he started to move. His voice was guttural and feral.

  Through clenched teeth, he gritted out, “God, you are so tight.”

  Beauty couldn’t speak at this point, she was all moans and on the verge of speaking in tongues. With each thrust and slide, she could feel her orgasm building again. Was it possible to die from this many orgasms? She did not know, but God, it felt heavenly. He moved his powerful arms under her and the move widened her legs. As he gripped her ass, her hips and back arched into a position that allowed him even deeper access. His pace and thrusts quickened. She could feel him getting closer to his own release as he grew impossibly bigger inside her. Beauty could feel herself about to tumble over the edge of bliss again, when he let out the sexiest moan she had ever heard. Pushing her right over the edge, he emptied his hot seed inside her. This only intensified her release and his whole body trembled as his orgasm went on and on until he was twitching and unhurriedly thrusting into her. The room was quiet... the only sound their breaths.

  They laid like that with him inside her and her holding him close for what could have been minutes or hours. When both of their breaths had steadied and the sweat on their bodies began to cool, Mr. Knight looked at Beauty with eyes full of emotion.

  “I love you.”

  Beauty’s answer was immediate and without thought.

  “I love you too.”

  Mr. Knight grinned so widely it made Beauty smile in return. He leaned in and kissed her with all the love he felt. Soon, they were making love again and Beauty was lost in the bliss of their passion.

  It was not until many hours later, as she lay exhausted and content, wrapped in his warm strong arms, that the magnitude of their lovemaking hit her. It had been the most mind-blowing experience of her life and she would forever be changed by it. She could not go the rest of her life without this man in it. At that moment, she wished time would stop if only for a little while, so she could feel that happiness for just a bit longer. Mr. Knight’s soft, steady breaths started to lull her to sleep, and for the first time in a very long time, Beauty fell into a deep and nightmare-free sleep.

  Chapter 33

  It’s not all smooth sailing from here...

  THAT TRIP TO see Mr. Knight had changed Beauty. Colors seemed brighter. Happiness more possible. A few weeks after he returned from his trip, Beauty decided to let him meet the Princess. He had been asking about the little girl for months, but Beauty did not want to go there until she was sure Mr. Knight was their future.

  So, one weekend, while the Beast was supposed to be off at his vile sister’s, Beauty invited Mr. Knight to the park for a play date with her and the Princess. Beauty told the Princess they would be going to the park with her friend from work. Mr. Knight and Beauty had already agreed that in front of the Princess, everything would be strictly platonic. Neither of them wanted to confuse or cause the Princess issues.

  When the day finally came, Beauty and the Princess were playing at the park when they heard the rumble of an engine. Like the Knight in Shining Armor he was, Mr. Knight rolled up on a slick, shiny motorcycle in all his gear. The Princess was in awe as she watched Mr. Knight dismount and remove his helmet, jacket, and gloves. She tugged at Beauty’s sleeve and whispered.

  “Is that our friend, Mommy?”

  Beauty grinned at her daughter’s use of ours, not hers. She could tell that Mr. Knight had already made an impression on the Princess, just like the first time Beauty saw him.

  Mr. Knight walked toward them with an easy step, his eyes zeroing in on the little girl. She had his full attention and he was as enamored with her as she was with him. The Princess craned her head up and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. A wide grin spread across his face and the Princess giggled.

  “Hi.” Her little smile and wave was adorable.

  “Hi, you must be the little Princess I’ve heard so much about. Nice to meet you!” He held out a hand, but just like her mommy, she jumped into his strong arms.

  “Wanna go swing?”

  Mr. Knight nodded and off the two went.

  Beauty marveled at their instant bond. The Princess had never responded to the Beast like she did to Mr. Knight. The two were like peas in a pod.

  Beauty sat back and watched as the two played.

  When Mr. Knight approached her, and the Princess was out of hearing distance, he said, “I love her.”

  Beauty smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. I love her too. She’s an awesome kid, my little mini-me.”

  Mr. Knight looked at Beauty and with a very serious tone, he said, “No, I mean I love her. Not like, ‘oh I love her, she’s a great kid.’ I mean like the instant I saw her, everything that had been missing in my life clicked into place. I have always felt like I was searching for something and pieces of me were missing. When I met you, a piece clicked into place. Now that I’ve met her, there was another click and suddenly that ‘missing’ feeling was gone. My puzzle is complete. You two are it for me. Y’all are my family. Y’all are the future I want. I love you. Both of you. I want to be a father to that little girl because she needs one. A real one. That is what she deserves and what you deserve.”

  Beauty was taken aback and speechless at his declaration. No one had ever been so sincere or said such things to her. Not even the Beast when he was playing at manipulation. She was overwhelmed but needed time to process what he said. She gazed past him and smiled at the Princess as she played. Then, she looked back at Mr. Knight and met his eyes. She had not thought it out. She did not over-analyze it. She just spoke from the heart with the words that felt right.

  “Ok, if that is what you really want, and you are all in. I will be all in to. I love you, I have been waiting for you all my life. But, you must understand, I will always put her first. I want what is best for my daughter, and I can see no one else being a better male role model than you. I trust you with her and I cannot even trust her biological father with her. So, that says a lot about how I feel about you.”

  That day proved to be another milestone for Beauty, the Princess, and Mr. Knight. However, it was not all meant
to be hearts and flowers. Their situations were very complicated, and Mr. Knight had his own living hell at home with the Troll, and Beauty could tell it was starting to take its toll on him. She wished the woman would just have some dignity and leave, but she also felt guilty for wanting that. Beauty had never intended to break up his marriage and knew it had been on the downswing, headed toward divorce, even before she came along. But still, she felt guilt.

  The Troll would text Mr. Knight several times a day and call Beauty the “hoebag” or “homewrecker.” This hurt, but how was she to deny it. She had not meant to fall in love with Mr. Knight. It had happened and felt like the hand of fate. Beauty knew of the concept of soulmates, but she had never truly believed in it until Mr. Knight came along. The connection had been instant and very real, like they had known each other all their lives.

  Beauty started to really worry for Mr. Knight when the Troll became increasingly unstable with each passing day. She was refusing to leave his house. It was his, but the Troll was determined to punish Mr. Knight for daring to divorce her and force him into staying with her or lose his childhood home and land. Mr. Knight would never lay a hand on a woman in violence, and the Troll knew this, so she herself started becoming violent.

  In one incident, she cornered Mr. Knight with a knife and tried to stab him. Another time, she tried to run him over with the truck. She started monitoring all his texts, emails, and phone calls. She even followed him on a few occasions. Beauty understood living with madness, but she also knew that if Mr. Knight abandoned the property, the Troll would get it, and she knew how his family home was important to him.

  She tried to be there for him and eventually, their bond grew as they shared stories of the troubles at home. Beauty divulged some of the Beast’s past actions and Mr. Knight immediately wanted to get Beauty and the Princess out of his presence. They decided that the only truly safe place for Beauty and the Princess to flee to was to his home. Mr. Knight did not care anymore about trying to appease the Troll out of guilt. He wanted her gone and finally consulted a lawyer.