Beauty and the Bear (Werebear Shifter Billionaire Paranormal Romance Standalone) Read Online Free Page A

apart? How had
everything gone so wrong so quickly?
     
    She still didn't understand what had happened. Bella
and the Baron had finally come together, been close, and he had given her the
best orgasm she had ever known. But what she couldn't understand was the pain
in his eyes afterwards. He had ordered her to leave, but she couldn't help
feeling as though it was a punishment for him as well as her.
     
    Then why make her go?
     
    With a sigh, Bella let herself into her father's room.
He was sitting by the window, staring out, but he looked up when she entered.
     
    “Bella? What's wrong?”
     
    “Oh, Daddy.” She knelt by him, putting her head in his
lap. “I'm so confused.”
     
    He stroked her hair, and Bella finally let herself cry
the tears of hurt and confusion that she had been holding back since she left
the castle.
     
    ~
     
    The next morning Bella woke, determined. Somewhere in
the night she had come to a conclusion: the Baron hadn't truly wanted her to
leave. And she didn't want to leave him.
     
    She deserved an explanation.
     
    Steeling her courage, Bella went up to the castle as
usual that morning. It was almost the time she usually arrived for work, and
for a moment she was able to pretend that it was all a bad dream, that she
would be welcomed inside as always.
     
    But when her knock fell, the door didn't open for
several long minutes. She hadn't been expected. For a moment, Bella worried
that the Baron might not even open the door for her at all.
     
    He did.
     
    They stood for long moments, looking at each other.
Bella thought the Baron looked as though he'd had a rough night. There were
dark circles under his eyes, and his normally immaculate suit was wrinkled and
looked as though it might still be the one he wore yesterday.
     
    “Ms. Peters.”
     
    Her heart pounding wildly, Bella held her ground
against the coolness in his voice. “We need to talk.”
     
    The Baron looked away. “I don't think that's wise.”
     
    “Please.”
     
    Slowly, the Baron opened the door further. Still
refusing to meet her eyes, he sighed. “Just a few minutes.”
     
    That's all I need , Bella thought.
Allowing herself to feel hope, she stepped inside.
     
    To her surprise, returning to the castle felt like
coming home. The great tapestries, the wooden banisters, the silver
candlesticks she had cleaned... everything felt familiar to her as the back of
her hand.
     
    Taking charge, she led him back to his study. Her eyes
flicked at first to the bear rug before the first, and she hoped his did too.
     
    The Baron hovered by the door, but Bella sat expectantly
in one of the great wing-back chairs.
     
    “I know I shouldn't be here saying this.” She
hesitated, not sure how to continue. There were so many things she wanted to
say, and so many questions, she wanted to ask. Finally, she chose the most
important one.
     
    “Are you the beast that haunts this castle?”
     
    The Baron's eyes widened, their dark depths frightened
and vulnerable for the briefest of seconds. “How did you know that?”
     
    Taking a deep breath, Bella answered the question with
another question. “Do you love me?”
     
    “God!” The Baron turned away. “How can you ask me
that?”
     
    Bella held her ground. “I have to know.”
     
    “I'm a monster, Bella.” His voice was harsh. “You can't
ask me that.”
     
    “Do you love me?”
     
    He scowled. “It doesn't matter what I feel.”
     
    Bella felt as though her heart was breaking. “Of course
it does.” She took a step closer to him. “Don't say that.”
     
    “LOOK AT ME!”
     
    With a roar, the Baron lunged towards her – and began
to change.
     
    As Bella watched in horror, the man before her shifted,
his form lengthening and thickening, his shoulders growing even more broad. His
hair shagged out and became fur, his suit ripping as he exploded from himself.
     
    And then before her stood a bear, snarling lightly.
     
    Bella could see each of his great white