Beautiful Beast - Page 114

Like a predator.

Even without the whiskey bottle in his hand, it’s evident he’s drunk by the swagger.

Only Adam can make drunk look sexy.

I can’t speak and he advances on me. It takes everything in me not to take a step back when he leans down so he can get right in my face.

“I asked what the fuck you’re doing here.”

“I… I was worried about you.”

“You should have just left me the fuck alone. That’s what I said, wasn’t it? Over and over. And yet… Look what happened.”

His words are sharp, branded by a level of anger I’ve never experienced from him – from anyone.

“But Adam, we fell in love and…”

He laughs, but it’s a bitter, angry sound. “You need to grow up. Life isn’t a goddamn fairy tale, Belle. You don’t just fall in love and live happily ever after. You’ve read too many fucking books and are completely naïve about how real life works.”

His words sting because it’s what I’ve been told my entire life.

My favorite things in the world – books – aren’t real life and thus aren’t good enough. People judge me because I’d rather be home reading than out drinking and grinding my ass on strangers like so many other people my age do.

I’m a loner.

A girl who can’t make friends.

A loser.

A girl who just wants everyone to be kind.

An outcast.

A girl who doesn’t fit in anywhere.

Beautiful, but broken.

A girl no one wants.

Not even the man she loves.

He walks away from me, taking another swig from the bottle. And then he drives the knife into my back.

“You don’t love me,princess. You love the idea of me. You’re the poor girl who wanted to fuck the billionaire. Well, now you did. And it’s time to leave me the fuck alone.”

Rage that matches his inflates my chest, and it’s my turn to chase him. I grab the bottle from his hands and throw it against the wall, leaving a huge dent and spilling amber liquid all over the hardwood floor.

“I know life isn’t a fucking fairy tale, Adam!” I shout. “It’s hard. It’s work. It’s painful. You’re an asshole on a good day, but when you’re drunk, you’re a monster. But even that doesn’t change anything for me.” I poke his chest, hard. “It’s not a fairy tale. But do you know what it is? It’s worth it. It’s fuckingworth it. You’re worth it.”

He’s blinking rapidly, and the drunken haze is clearing from his eyes. For a second, I can actually see him.

“I’m broken and I need to be alone,” Adam says. “It’s not just my face. War changed me, and it made me hurt you. I’m not your Prince Charming.”

He’s said this to me before, and it just fuels my anger.

“I never asked you to be! You physically hurt me when you didn’t mean to, and it’s so much worse that you’re intentionally choosing to destroy me emotionally. I shouldn’t have snuck into your room. I’m sorry. Now let’s move past it.”

“No. Don’t you dare apologize to me. I’m the one who hurt you. And I can’t fucking stand myself anymore.”