Beast's Castle

by Ella Goode

  Me: What’s summers cell phone no?

  Tina: you aren’t going to fire her bc she went on a date

  A what?

  Me: what?!

  Tina: oh you didn’t know? She’s on a dinner date at Len’s with Colten her old boss I guess bc she’s not an employee of his she thinks it’s ok. Maybe that’s why she came to work for you

  I didn’t know I could become so angry so fast. I close the forge and pull off my fireproof gloves, tossing them onto table. Usually, I like the privacy of it, but right now I think it’s too fucking far from the garage. In the time that it takes me to cross the lawn and reach my car, Summer could have her clothes off.

  I’m halfway down the drive when I remember Colby. I can’t leave the fucking kid alone. I slam the car into reverse and back up the drive, dust kicking up the entire way. I leave the car running and the door open as I leap up the front stairs.

  “Colby!” I shout. Where is that kid? “Colby!”

  “Yeah?” A small head pops out of the library. What do those two people like so much about that room? That’s a mystery I’ll have to solve later.

  “Come on. We’re going to get your sister.”

  I turn on my heel but realize he’s not following me. I spin around and bark, “Let’s go.”

  “Uh, what happened to your face?” the kid asks.

  In my rush to get to Summer, I forgot about my face. “None of your damn business. Move it.”

  My sharp tone prods him into gear. He runs to catch up. He has to jog to match my long strides, but that doesn’t stop his mouth from moving. “You look like a Marvel villain,” he informs me.

  It’s not that he’s wrong, it’s just that I don’t wanna hear it. I send a searing glare in his direction.

  “You don’t have to say everything that comes into your head.”

  “You don’t like that? I think it would be awesome to look like a Marvel villain. The superheroes are boring.”

  “I’m not gonna kick you out because you insulted me.” I hold the door open for him and push him inside. “Buckle up.”

  “Summer makes me sit in a booster. It’s because I’m short. I don’t really like being short. Do you think villains are short? If I had a superpower, I would make myself taller. Like you. What would you do if you had a superpower?”

  Make you shut up?

  “I don’t have a booster and I don’t have a super power. Just put the seatbelt on. We aren't going to get in an accident.”

  “I don’t want to sit in a booster anyway. Summer makes me do that because my dad died in a car accident and I didn’t get hurt because I was in a car seat. At least that’s what the doctor says. I kind of think Summer wants me to sit in a little seat 'til I’m 40. Like your age.”

  I grind the back of my teeth together. “I’m not forty. Or old.”

  “Yeah, I guess I thought you would be older because you live in the castle, and you like all the dark stuff. Like I thought your eyes were bad and that’s why you don’t like light. But it’s because of your face, right? You don’t want anyone seeing your face? You should wear a mask. Batman has a cool mask. Masks are cool. By the way, where are we going?”

  I haven’t heard more than two peeps out of this kid since he moved in, but now he can’t stop talking. “We’re going to get your sister. Where is she, anyway?”

  He shrugs. “Dinner with Eden. I went and played with Eden’s sister’s kids. She has five of them.”

  Did Summer lie to her brother about her dinner date or was Tina wrong?

  “What about Colten?” I ask roughly.

  “What about him?”

  “He’s not at dinner with Summer?”

  “Why would he be?”

  “I’m asking you.”

  “I already told you. She’s at dinner with Eden.” Colby’s voice goes from confusion to annoyance in a hot second.

  I guess we’ll know soon enough. Colby falls silent as we speed into town. Len’s is packed. I pull into the parking lot and spot Summer right away. “You’re half right,” I grunt.

  There’s a woman sitting across from Summer, but there’s another person at their table and it’s got to be this asshole Colten. He says something that causes Summer to laugh and duck her head in a cute movement. I want to rip the steering wheel off and beat Colten’s head in. Wonder how many nights that would get me in Chief Dane’s jail cell. How could she be on her knees ready to hoover my cock one night and be flirting with this chud the next?

  I open the car door.

  “Where are you going?” Colby asks.

  I’d forgotten he was here. “To get your sister.”

  14

  Summer

  I give Eden another kick under the table. Colten keeps moving closer and closer to me. I can feel the heat of his body against mine. I’m trying to be nice. He sat down next to me when he came back after the call. He’s always been so nice to me that I didn’t want to be rude, so I moved over into the booth to make room for him.

  I freeze when I feel his hand come down on my thigh. “I know you have to get back home to meet up with Colby, but I was thinking maybe—”

  “And I was thinking you need to get your fucking hand off her thigh.” My head jerks up at the deep familiar voice. There standing next to the table is Kale. He’s here. Holy crap. And he doesn't look too happy about it.

  My eyes run over every inch of him. There’s a lot to cover with the size of him. I take in every inch until my eyes lock with his.

  “Kale?” Colten says.

  “Hand.” Kale growls this time.

  “Sorry, man, I had no idea. It’s nice to see you. It’s been—”

  “Let her out of the booth. We’re leaving.” I shouldn’t be turned on by this, but I am.

  “What’s happening here?” Eden whispers, but it’s one of those whispers that isn't one really at all. I shrug because I have no freaking clue what Kale is doing here. Did he come here for me?

  Broken every one of his ridiculous rules because he couldn’t stand the thought of me being out. Is he jealous? None of those things make sense. Why would he be jealous? He turned me down. How did he even know I was here with Colten? I know news travels fast around here but that would be crazy fast.

  Colten actually gets up from out of the booth. I look back up at Kale. Every line in his body is tense. He’s here, but it’s the last place he wants to be.

  The whole diner has gone quiet, and I know without looking that everyone is staring, but I can’t bring myself to pull my eyes back away from Kale’s face. He’s here. In the light. Faded scars line the right side of his face. My fingers itch to trace them. To touch him. What has he been through?

  Right now with the determined angry look on his face he looks like a warrior ready to go into battle. What I don’t understand is why?

  “Up,” he barks at me. I jump from the booth. Colten grabs my arm, causing me to tense up. What the hell?

  “Kale. I think you might need to calm down.” Oh great. Now Colten gets a set. I look between the two of them, but mostly at the tick in Kale’s jaw as he stares at Colten’s hand that’s on me.

  “I don’t need to do shit. Stop touching her. She doesn't like it.” I don’t appreciate him holding me, but how does Kale know that? When Colten’s hand drops, I feel myself relax.

  “It’s fine, guys,” I tell everyone. I should head home anyways. Colby will be home soon.

  “I’ll get this.” Colten motions to the table that he’ll cover the bill. Kale pulls out his wallet, dropping a couple hundreds on the table. He’s acting like a crazy person. I think I might be crazy too because I’m enjoying it more than I should.

  Knowing that I got him to come out of the house does something to me. He snatches my hand. I hear Eden shout from behind us to call her later. I wave with my other hand as I practically run to keep up with Kale.

  When we get outside I feel a few drops of rain hit my face. Kale doesn’t let my hand go. “You came for me?” I ask. He stops suddenl
y and I almost run into him. He turns to look down at me.

  I don't understand why he hides his face. Scars or not, he’s still handsome. If anything, his scars make him more interesting. It’s harder to notice them when he has the most piercing blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life.

  More rain starts to fall as we stand looking at one another. The urge to get on my tippy toes and kiss him is almost unbearable.

  “You’re not running.” I lift my hand he’s holding.

  “Not sure I could.” He looks at his hand holding mine and drops it quickly, as if he just remembered he was doing it. I don’t move.

  “I’ve got the kid.”

  “The kid?” What is he talking about?

  “Colby.”

  “No, Colby is with—” A loud knock cuts me off. I turn my head to see Colby sitting in the backseat of a very fancy car. He waves at me. “What are you doing?” I run over to the car. I hear the lock unclick. I pull open the door. “What are you doing here?” I look him over, making sure that he’s okay.

  “Someone dropped him at the house.” I look over my shoulder at Kale, who is looking at my ass.

  “What? You weren’t supposed to be home until ten.”

  “Nine,” Colby says. “Look how cool this car is. Kale has the best villain car.”

  “Come.” I hold my hand out for Colby to take.

  “I’ll take you home.” Kale starts to go around the car to get in.

  “I’m really sorry. I thought we agreed to ten. I must have misheard her or something.” I can’t believe he was alone. What if Kale hadn’t been there? He would have really been all by himself.

  “Get in the car,” Kale orders, clearly irritated. He didn’t come because of Colten or to find me. It was because of Colby. It’s a good reason, but still not what I hoped for. I should have known better. Disappointment fills me anyway.

  “I have my car. Thank you for bringing him to me. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  “Get in the car,” he grits out. My eyes start to sting. He’s pissed because I made him come here. No, he’s more than pissed about it. He might even fire me.

  I look down at Colby, who is not the least bit fazed by Kale. I messed up. What if he had an attack and no one was around? It was selfish of me, and guilt settles deep inside.

  “I’m fine,” he huffs at me, reading my mind. He taps his pocket where his inhaler is.

  “Colby.” Kale only says his name and he hops back in the car, no questions asked, smiling. Kale looks back over toward me. “I’ll put you in the car.” My mouth falls open. He wouldn't dare.

  “No, I have my car and his booster seat is in there.” Colby groans at the mention of his booster seat. Kale comes back around the car. Is he really going to put me in the car? I stand there but he walks right past me to my car where he opens the door and pulls out the booster seat.

  “Oh, man, I thought you were on my side, Kale.” Even as he complains about it, Colby moves over for him to put the seat in before he shuts the door.

  “In. The. Car.” He stares down at me as he opens the passenger side door. The rain is coming down heavier now. My dress is starting to cling to me. “Please.” That one word breaks me.

  I get in. He shuts the door behind me, coming around the car and getting in before starting the car and taking off. The whole encounter only confuses me more about who Kale really is.

  That might be my problem. I was too focused on things I shouldn’t be. Colby is my priority and tonight I failed. The drive home feels longer than ever.

  15

  Kale

  “Don’t be mad, Summer,“ the boy says from the backseat.

  “Why did you leave? I thought you loved Cana and the kids?” Summer sounds genuinely distressed about this, but I don’t really know why. So the kid wanted to go home. What was the big deal?

  “I do, but I just got bored there. And I thought the place would be empty...” He trails off, not wanting to admit that he had hoped that I would not be there so he could explore the place by himself. Summer sends me a guilty glance which I ignore because it wasn’t something I was going to get mad about even if it did break the rules. Colby is seven. He’s a quarter of my size. Stomping on him would be like hurting that little fluff ball. I’m an asshole, but I’m not hurting kids. “Besides,“ he starts again, “Kale was there so it’s no big deal.”

  “There are places in the house that could be dangerous.“

  “I stayed away from the studio. I don’t even know where it is.“

  “The basement.” I tell them.

  Colby jumps on that. “See, the dangerous part of the house isn’t even attached the house.”

  A thought occurs to me. “Do you know how to swim?”

  “Swim? No,” he answers.

  It’s my turn to feel guilty. “I’ll teach you,” I offer gruffly. “When we get home, you’ll need to put on some trunks. Do you have a pair?“

  “No, he doesn’t have a pair of swim trunks,” Summer answers for him. “Why? Do you have a pool in the back by your studio?”

  “I have one in the basement.”

  “You do?”

  “We do?”

  Both respond at the same time but with very different tones. Colby is excited and Summer sounds upset.

  She twists in her seat to stare at her brother. “If you had stumbled down there, you could’ve drowned.”

  In the rearview mirror, I can see Colby scowl. He crosses his thin arms across his chest and glares at his sister. “I didn’t. I just went into the library because I forgot one of my cars there.”

  “But you could have and that’s what’s important here,” Summer insists. She turns to me. “And you! How are you suddenly so calm? Back in the restaurant, you were almost ready to punch Colten out.”

  My brows furrow together. “You want me to punch your brother?”

  “No, of course not.” She lets out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t get it, though. You’re upset one minute and then talking about helping my brother learn to swim.”

  “That’s easy. You’re here and Colten’s in the restaurant. Colby’s safe and he’s going to learn to swim. Problems are solved.” I rub a hand over the scars. “I didn’t even have to wear a mask.”

  I wink at Colby in the rearview mirror. He grins. “Masks are cool though. You should make one since you’re an artist.”

  “Colby John,” Summer exclaims. “Kale does not need a mask. He looks fine the way he is.”

  I can’t get Summer’s comment out of my head. Her words replay themselves as if they’re on an endless loop so that even while Colby is splashing enough water out of the pool to flood the entire basement, her “fine the way he is” is all I can think about. Neither the kid nor Summer have swimsuits, and nothing I have fits the munchkin so he’s swimming in some Iron Man underoos while Summer dangles her bare legs in the water. It’s a good thing the kid is here or I’d have dragged her into the pool, pretty dress and all.

  I should’ve made her wear the maid’s uniform because when she makes her own clothing decisions, it’s always something revealing—either tight as fuck yoga pants or those filmy dresses that cling to her curves.

  I had to move Colby to the waist-high water so no one could see my erection. Swim trunks aren’t great for hiding hard-ons and the heated pool is causing zero shrinkage. If anything, the warm water pulsing around my dick is giving me all kinds of filthy ideas. There are jets in the other end. I could hold her right in front of them and let the pulsing stream batter her cunt while I fuck her tight anus.

  “Ouch!” Colby yells. “You’re holding me too tight.”

  I look down to see my hand wrapped around the boy’s upper arm. Shit. What kind of degenerate am I for thinking about pounding this kid’s sister in the ass while trying to teach the kid how to swim?

  I grab the floating noodle and hand it over. “Use this and kick your feet around.” I move away to give Colby room and find myself by Summer, making sure my damaged sid
e is away from her view. She might say I look fine, but there’s no need to push my luck. Extended viewing of my scars always made my mother upset.

  “Do you know how to swim?” I ask, wondering if I could survive a lesson with her. Probably not. The moment I saw her in a swimsuit would be the end of it. Her hot little body encased in Lycra with the tips of her nipples turning into needle points begging for a mouth to suck on them? I’d have to lay her out on the tile and fuck her about fifty times before we could get into the pool. My cock twitches in excitement, and I have to fight the urge to reach down and take hold of myself. Wonder what it would feel like to have her watch me as I jacked off? Would it turn her on? Watching her finger herself would make me so hard my dick would probably break off when I touched it. The image itself makes me lightheaded. She could lean back right here at the edge of the pool, push her skirt up to her waist and expose what I know is a pretty pink pussy.

  “You okay, Kale?”

  “Huh?”

  “You made a sound just then. Like you were in pain,” she says.

  I laugh humorlessly. “Yeah. I am in pain. Watch your kid while I do some laps, will you?”

  I push away from the edge and dive under the water, hoping to drown my fantasies and my stupid foolish thoughts. This woman isn’t for me, and the sooner I understand that, the happier my existence will be.

  16

  Summer

  I shouldn't be doing this. I tell myself that as I slip from my wing of the house heading toward the kitchen. Swimming knocked Colby out. His head barely hit the bed and he was out like a light. Out with a giant smile on his face. One that Kale helped put there.

  I haven't seen him have this much fun in a long time. Kale is good for him. He gives him something I can’t. It’s been a long time since he’s had a male figure in his life. While Kale might have mood swings when it comes to me, with Colby he’s nothing but kind. I need to make sure I don’t mess this up for him either.