Chapter 7

BEAST.

After one large helping of the brownie and ice cream, I sat back watching Natalia eat every last crumb from the pan and polish off half the ice cream. I admired a woman who wasn’t afraid to eat what she liked. Savor her favorite dessert.

“This so good,” she mumbled, swirling her spoon through the last dregs of vanilla in her bowl. She was beautiful and sensual.

I pushed aside thoughts of her licking ice cream and chocolate off me.

“See something you like?” Natalia smiled as she worked her spoon into the bowl.

I gulped hard. I was a pervert, but I didn’t care. “And here I thought you were a prude.”

A flash of an emotion I didn’t catch had her mouth pinching at the corners and she stood, carrying her bowl and spoon to the sink. “I’ve had enough.”

Her shoulders were tense as she washed the dishes. I let her get over whatever she was mad about on the dishes, only adding mine when her frantic scrubbing of the brownie pan subsided.

“Thank you for the meal,” she said like it took everything in her not to throw the plate she was putting into the dishwasher at me.

I grunted. “Least I could do. You’ve been cooped up here for a week and I haven’t been a very good host.”

She turned her dazzling smile on me and something in my heart twisted. “How about we take a walk out on the beach?”

“At night?” Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline.

“Sure. We can hunt for clams.” She made a face and I laughed. “Fine, we don’t have to eat them.”

“Okay.” I followed her out the door unsure of what her motive was, but enjoying this side of her even if it was pretending. The warm breeze tossed her dark hair in her face and she brushed it out of the way. Her flawless alabaster skin made me think of the stories of mermaids I’d heard as a child. Even hiking along the beach, she had a seductive walk. There was something about her, a smooth way of moving like she was gliding.

“Shit, I forgot I missed a major test this week.” Her shoulders sagged slightly.

“Can’t you just have your daddy buy you a degree?” I pushed my hands into my pockets.

“No way.” She glared at me. “I got a scholarship all on my own without any help from my father. Told them I was self-employed and an orphan. And what that doesn’t cover, I work my ass off when I can cleaning houses. I want to earn my education and not have it handed to me.”

I bowed my head slightly. “Admirable of you. But I highly doubt any professor would fail you, and if they did, I’m sure they’d change their minds real quick.” Because she and I both knew that her father would pay for her grades or have her teacher killed to get one who would let his daughter pass.

She made a noise of protest in the back of her throat. “Why can’t I have a life outside of my father?” She stared down at her feet. “I’ve always hated being in his shadow. Even now, it’s because of him that I’m here.”

I wanted to tell her at least her father didn’t beat her, but I held my tongue instead. She was a pampered princess by my standards. But I didn’t feel like arguing with her.

Leaving her to her thoughts for the moment, I did a quick check of the moon. It would be full in another week, but she should be back at college and in her life by then. She’d probably never give me another thought unless it was to curse what I’d done to her. How I’d brought her here without her permission and refused to allow her to leave. Something about having this power over her excited me more than I thought it would.

She kicked off her shoes and stopped at the edge of the ocean, allowing the waves to foam around her ankles. The moonlight bathed her in a soft glow. I thrust away thoughts of telling her she was beautiful. She’d probably heard that a thousand times from everyone around her.

Bending down, she picked up a shell from the water. “Look at the size of this thing. Is it from a clam?”

She held up the broken shell.

“Looks like it.”

“Funny how something can live out here like this. All the predators and storms and such.”

“Throw it back, there are better shells,” I said.

She studied the shell and rubbed her thumb across the surface. “No, I think I’ll keep it. Shows that something damaged can still be unique.”

Was that a sucker punch to me and my scars? I raked my hand through my hair, refusing to give in to her bait.

“You’re quiet.” Natalia trailed through the sand.

“Don’t believe in talking just to make someone feel better.”

She faced me with a huff. “Is there anything when you were pretending online to be someone else that was the real you?”

“Guess I’m a good actor online.” I shrugged. I couldn’t tell her the truth, that I’d enjoyed our texts and messages. But I was dangerous and she was better off in her college world where she could meet a nice guy and have a family. A muscle twitched in my jaw.

She gave me a sidelong glance. “I don’t understand you.”

“What do you mean?” I tensed, my shoulders rounding, preparing for a fight.

“One moment you’re drugging and kidnapping me, the next you’re making my favorite dessert.” She shook her head, looking away from me and out to the waves crashing against the surf. “It’s like you’re two different people.”

I barked a laugh. More like a human and a wolf, but I wasn’t going to share that secret with her. How I’d found my confidence in taking my place in the Bratva and doing odd jobs for them. I didn’t ask questions, just did what they wanted and collected the cash.

Rather than fucking complain and be a wuss about it, I embraced my new abilities. I could see, hear, and smell better than any human. My healing was super-fast and running after prey was the best adrenaline rush I’d ever had.

“Two people, like Jekyll and Hyde?” I teased. “Nah, I think you’ve been watching too many serial killer shows.”

She made a face and stuck her tongue out at me. “You know you liked our discussions, admit it. When you weren’t in person with me and were trying to be someone else, I think a little bit of the real you showed through.”

“Believe whatever you want.” I glanced out to sea where my yacht was floating a few miles offshore. Soon I would need to get my guys to bring more supplies, but I hoped I’d have my full payment and her gone in the next few weeks.

She cradled the shell in her hand. “You’re not the only one who has to hide who they are.” She let out a soft breath. “You think I’d have any friends in the states if they knew my dad was part of the Russian mafia?” She let out a dry chuckle. “Or they’d try to use me just like you’re doing to get to my father.”

“Not me, milashka. My employers.”

“Don’t call me that.” She straightened her spine, her fist curling around the shell. “I’m not your sweetie or anything else to you. I’m your captive.” Her eyes flashed in anger, which I could see clearly in the light of the moon and with my wolf eyes.

“Yet you’re free to move about this island as you please.” I held out my arms wide.

“And you’re a big, intimidating guy with a dark sense of humor and a shitty attitude.” When I didn’t react in rage, a smile flirted across her lips and she skirted past me to bend over and pick up another shell. “Don’t you have a flashlight? How can you see anything out here in the dark to find clams?”

Fuck! I’d forgotten her human sight out here in the dark would make it difficult to see anything once the sun dipped below the horizon.

“I forgot to grab one from the kitchen.” I held out my hand. “We’ll try again tomorrow night.”

“Are you sure?” She bit her lower lip. “I kinda want to see them now.”

“Alright.” I kept my hand out. “Use your toes and I’ll help lead you to a few, then we’ll head back.”

She nodded and clutched my hand. Her soft skin was the opposite of mine. I had calluses and crushed things with my hands.

“There.” I led her a few feet away. “Dig down. When they feel the vibration, they’ll bury themselves deeper and spit out sand as they go.”

She kept ahold of my hand, then dug into the sand with her toes. A laugh bubbled up from her. “Yes, wow. I can feel them. That’s so weird. How many do you think there are?”

“Tons.” I smiled. “There’s another one three steps from you.”

“How can you tell?”

I led her over to the area. “They make small holes or indents in the sand.”

“And you can see that?” She frowned up at me. “It’s nearly pitch dark.”

I let go of her hand and bent down, digging into the sand, and pulled out a clam twice the size of my palm. “Guess I’m used to spotting them.”

“Wow, that thing is huge.” Her eyes widened. “Okay, put him back.”

“I could make a meal out of this one.”

She shuddered. “No, thanks. You can get me to eat fish with your amazing cooking skills, but I draw the line at clams.”

“Oysters, then?” I cocked an eyebrow.

“You know the belief oysters are an aphrodisiac is a myth, right?”

I return the clam to the sand and brush off my hand on my pants. “Doesn’t matter if they are or not. If you believe they are, then they work.”

Her lips pursed. “Never thought you’d be a philosopher.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Though I was beginning to think there was more to Natalia than I knew as well. Like the fact I actually enjoyed her company. Or how her eyes lit up when she enjoyed what she was eating. How she didn’t cower and back down from a fight or me. Silly woman wouldn’t know danger if it bit her on the ass.

“Ready to head back?” I asked, and she nodded.

“Yeah. I can’t see a thing out here.”

“We’ll go slow.” I took her hand and guided her back to the house. Next time I’d bring a damn flashlight and leave the lights on.

“Watch your step,” I cautioned.

She made a noise of protest but kept her hand in mine, and I resisted the temptation to pull her in my arms and kiss her. It would be so easy to lay her down on the sand, make love to her under the moonlight and stars. My dick hardened and I debated ripping her clothes off right here. But I had to keep her at arm’s length. She was my job... nothing more.

We were a few feet from the house when her foot caught in a divot and she tripped. I grabbed her, keeping her from falling.

Her breath stuttered and her nails dug into my shoulders. All I had to do was lean forward an inch and I’d crush my lips over hers. Claim her. Make her moan my name and ruin her for any other man.

I was a fucking bastard because I fought the urge to give in to my passion. To do whatever I wanted with her and fuck the consequences.

“You okay?” I asked, knowing she wanted me too. The scent of her arousal tempted me, but I also knew my breaking the spell would piss her off more. So I set her on her feet. She was a job, and I needed to keep my head on straight.

“Yeah, fine. Thanks.” She pushed off me and headed inside.

I clenched my fists, counting to fifty. All of me wanted to take her right here and now.

My blood pumped hot and hard through my body. I needed her. Badly. More than just someone to fuck. I wanted her because she evaded me. I hated not being in control. But she had me off balance.

Instead of going inside the house, I spun around and headed back to the beach, taking off my clothes as I did. I needed to run. To clear my mind. To get my thoughts off her.

When I was far enough from the house that I was certain she couldn’t see me, I shifted into my wolf and raced across the sand.

She had been right when I first brought her here. I was a bastard and I needed to remind myself that I had a job to do.