got a death wish talking to me like that!”
My words were angry, my tone was terrifying, but inside I was dying.
She shook her head and backed away laughing. “What are you going to do, Beast? Slap me with that useless dick of yours?” She laughed again, tottering over to the door. “The only thing frightening about you anymore is that crusty old beat-up body of yours. I need to go shower after touching it.”
And then she left.
I stared after her, fury and shame and revulsion washing over me in waves. I pushed myself to get out of bed, grabbing the first thing I could, and threw it across the room. It felt good as the water jug smashed against the wall and water and glass cascaded down the walls. I spun and grabbed the hateful fucking cart that Belle had all her supplies on and started to grab everything off it, throwing them across the room too; one after another, the creams and the ointments and the pills bounced off the walls. And when it was empty I used the last of my strength to grab the cart and throw that too. But this time I threw it against the window.
Didn’t expect it to break.
But it did; it smashed right through the window in a shower of glass.
Somewhere behind me I was aware that the door had opened and the prospect had come in, but I couldn’t hear a damn word he was saying over the rampant beating of my own heart.
Chapter Eleven
~ Belle ~
I loved Della Roma. The people, the food, even the smell was wonderful, but tonight all I could think about was Beast and that woman. My stomach turned every time I thought of it—of them, doing it on his bed.
I wasn’t a prude—far from it. I’d had sex before—I’d even done it outside once—but seeing that woman on top of Beast, his fingers gripping her waist and the hard look on his face… I don’t know what it was, but it made me feel sick to my teeth.
“You’re awfully quite tonight, Belle,” Gregory said, taking a sip of his wine.
He was in insurance, or something serious and important, and he was much the same. He pretty much lived in a suit or khaki pants and polo top and was always well groomed. But he was nice, polite, kind, and he was really good for Jenna. He made her smile, he looked after her, he cooked for her, and when he wasn’t cooking for her he took her out to dinner. And he never, not once, made me feel like I was imposing on them. He was a good guy, he was just a little—straight, I guess. He lived in a gorgeous apartment in the center of Atlanta and had asked Jenna to move in…oh, I’d lost count of how many times, but she always said no. She liked her independence and wasn’t about to give it up for anyone.
“I’m just tired. It’s been a really long day at work,” I sighed, but smiled. It had been a long couple of weeks in work, if I was being honest, and I was seriously wondering whether this nursing thing was right for me.
Up until recently, I’d never really given it any thought. It was what I’d been brought up on because Jenna was a nurse, and I’d always assumed that I would follow in her footsteps, but doing it and learning about it where two very different things and I’d begun to wonder whether it was me, or if I’d just assumed it was me because I loved Jenna so much.
“Maybe you need to take some time off,” Gregory suggested kindly. “I’ve been saying the same thing to Jenna for a while now. All she does is work.”
“That’s just who she is.” I smiled, because it was the truth. That was all I’d ever known her to do: work.
Jenna sat back down after coming back from the bathroom. “Who are we talking about?” She picked up her wine glass and took a sip from it.
“You, my dear. I was just saying to Belle that you work too hard and need to take a break.” Gregory leaned in and kissed the side of her face.
Jenna pouted at him and then me. “I like to work,” she said defensively. “I like to be kept busy.”
“That’s what I was saying,” I said. “But he is right on the taking a break thing. I don’t think you’ve had any time off in