Chapter 10 - The Beast and His 'Fiancee'

Hiccuping, sobbing cries wailed into Prisana's ears. The first thing Aunt Florence did when she heard her voice spill over the phone, was to break down into a hundred little tears.

Those hundred little tears carried on for a thousand as Prisana tried to calm her down and reassure her that her life was not miserable.

Not miserable from raging storms imploring her to the cold waters. Not miserable from washing ashore to a masked brooding beast. And, not miserable for feeling like she didn't belong anywhere. Not home, his cabin, or this cozy Cranbury town.

"Oh my little Prisana! Is everything really okay? Let me contact your father to let him know—"

"Don't," Prisana interrupted her. "Tell father or I swear I will disappear and none of you will know where I am. Please aunt Florenc...I beg of you to please spare me this one wish. I never once wished for anything in my entire life but for the first time, I am wishing for a new start."

"Just tell me where you are. I'll send someone to come fetch you. I promise that if you tell me, you can come stay with me and I won't say a word. You can believe in your aunt Florence."

Prisana told Aunt Florence where she was. Apart from Erica, she was someone precious Prisana could never replace. Aunt Florence gave her many firsts a parent should have. Prisana's father was too busy being a politician so Aunt Florence raised Prisana as her own.

Aunt Florence taught her how to ride a bike. How to solve those wretched math problems. How to be kind, always forgiving, and never to overstep one's boundaries.

But Prisana was failing her already. Being kind to the beast didn't mean he would be kind in return. Forgiving Erica was a hopeless cause. Prisana's boundaries were stepped over when she ran away from her vows. These failures of hers, fall so rapid and without remorse which force her to quickly grow.

Grow and stop relying on him. Deep down Prisana wanted to tell Aunt Florence to call her father. She missed the high end clothing, jewelry, and shoes. Expensive food. Expensive daily outings across the borders or over the continent. That lavish carefree lifestyle, was all she ever knew from birth. But she knew she was only conditioned to that lifestyle. It was comfort.

She felt comfortable being supported and was used to having things handed over to her on a silver platter. As much as Prisana despised that caged lifestyle, she despised herself so much more for missing each moment because life was easy.

Never difficult.

Only suffocating.

When Prisana finished soothing Aunt Florence's worries, she returned back to the tavern. By now she suspected the beast would be gone. She suspected he would relish in the fact he could finally rid of her.

But, she was wrong.

There Dane was, still seated next to the bar but he was not alone. A provocative, very alluring, and total opposite woman of Prisana as described by the elderly woman from earlier enters the picture sooner than she could even begin to imagine her.

"...alone for the night? I haven't seen you here in awhile," the woman smiles as she says this, leaning over so her breasts are on full display.

Dane doesn't say anything. Not due to hesitation. His silence was due to his wandering eyes which explored what she had to offer. Long wavy crimson hair fell to the sides of her curvy hips like. Pretty dark eyes fluttered into his. Perhaps he would accept her offer but Prisana didn't want to stand around to find out.

"Excuse me," Prisana interrupted them happily. "What business do you have with my fiance?"

Her features fell down in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know he was taken by another."

She smiles and even dares to wink at Dane as she scurries off into a crowd of her friends. Dane's irritated gaze from the alluring woman flicked over to me.

"To what do I owe you for your persistent badgering?"

There was no way Dane was going to accompany a woman and have a good time while she was wallowing away in an uncertain future. Prisana smiled with all innocent white teeth, motioning toward the door.

"You're still here. Why haven't you left? I was hoping you'd be gone when I was done on the phone but here I found you flirting not even an hour into our grand announcement."

Finally, she made the beast bare his fangs. His lips couldn't help but break out into a smile. Not a genuine kind of smile. The kind of smile that gives you shivers thinking about what could be on his mind.

"Unfortunately, I need a new car battery. It'll be sent here by the morning. Luckily for you, your dear fiance will be staying with you all night long. That way, we can do all sorts of things in bed."

Prisana looked at him in horror. "Surely you're lying? I know I've made a complete fool of you but this is stretching it a bit far."

Dane shook his head. "Prisana, I don't lie."

"You lied when you said I was your fiancée."

"That was your lie that you started. If you want to play games with me then I'll indulge in them with you but just know, you might not like where it is heading. When I play a game like this silly engagement game of yours, I play it hard and I don't stop until I win."

Prisana did not doubt him. Every word he said, she knew he meant them. From the very beginning, he has made it clear that he doesn't beat around the bush and play games. Yet he's playing this game with her and she wondered why he even bothered to. Perhaps it was his pride that wouldn't allow him to back down when presented with a challenge.

The old woman came around the counter after fixing up another customer's drink. She poured Dane another drink. He devoured the glass in one fell gulp. Prisana itched to tell him it was bad for his health but he would probably dismiss her warnings.

"Will you two be needing a place to stay for the night? You can rest in my little old cottage down by the river."

"No."

"Yes."

Dane and Prisana leveled their gazes at one another. Her eyes bore into his without restraint. Water clouded her vision until she couldn't keep them open any longer. She shut her eyes close. The beast won this round but there wouldn't be a next time.

He tossed her the truck keys and craned his head toward the door. Prisana narrowed her eyes at him and the old woman. It was code for get the hell out of the tavern so they could speak behind her back.

Wasn't he worried she would drive off without him? Prisana walked out of the tavern and back inside the monster truck so she could mull again and again before the morning light came.