Mistress to the Beast (10 page)

“When I was taking her home, she cried, yelled and begged for another chance, but it grew tedious very quickly. I was so agitated with her tears and protests of love that I didn’t notice that drunk fool driving down the wrong side of the road. Fortunately for her, she survived with a few minor abrasions, while I lay in a hospital bed for weeks in pain, bandaged like a mummy, not knowing how extensive the damage would be. Dawn came by to visit diligently and I was grateful for her company. I even began to think maybe she did love me as she’d claimed to. I’d certainly never given credence to that word before, but I started to depend on those visits. I even fantasized about a possible future with me and Dawn.” He closed his eyes briefly as if having difficulty getting the words out.

Lila’s heart ached for him. She wanted to wring this superficial woman’s neck for callously discarding Hunter at his most vulnerable. Lila most certainly could never have treated anyone so cruelly. “You don’t have to finish.”

He shook his head. “I want to. Besides, if you’re so eager to learn about my life, you might as well hear the bad. Where was I? Oh yes…then came the unraveling and I don’t think I need to go into detail, but, she couldn’t get out of the hospital fast enough. She, of course, said she’d be back, but it was the last time I saw her. I should have guessed right away, but I found out later she’d moved on to the next shlub—an heir to a toilet bowl company.”

“Then obviously she didn’t love you. She wouldn’t have been able to walk away so easily otherwise.”

“No shit.”

www.samhainpublishing.com 71

Eve Vaughn

“You can’t lump all women in the same category just because one woman did you wrong.”

“She wasn’t the only one, just the first in a line of many. When word spread I was single again, my exes appeared in droves thinking they would be my Florence Nightingale, until they got a look at my face. I may have been able to handle the rejection a little better if it wasn’t for how other people would treat me. It got to a point where I couldn’t go to my office or out in public without looks of fear and disgust. I might have gotten past that, but I couldn’t take the pity. I made a small child cry once.”

“That’s horrible.” Lila wanted to offer words of comfort, but she knew he’d probably take them as pity.

He laughed humorlessly. “For the child, I’m sure.”

“No. For you. I can’t imagine how you must have felt.”

“Of course, you can’t. Because a person like you has probably had it easy. Most beautiful people do. I took my looks for granted until I lost them.”

“I don’t spend time obsessing on how I look, Hunter. I have too much going on in my life to do that. Besides, with so much hatred in the world, doesn’t it stand to reason that I’ve been judged by the color of my skin? It doesn’t feel good, but the people who do that to me aren’t worth my time.”

“I concede there are small minded people in the world, but it’s not exactly the same.

I’m sure there are more people who admire the way you look than not.”

“Again, it’s way too trivial to dwell on.”

“Then you’re a rare human being if you don’t think looks matter.”

Lila shrugged. “I’m not so naive to think they don’t with most people and I acknowledge there has to be some degree of attraction between two people if they want some kind of relationship, but in the grand scheme of things, the surface doesn’t matter much. What counts is how a person is on the inside. One of my favorite quotes is ‘beauty fades, but dumb is forever’.”

Hunter’s lips turned up in a half smile. “Is that something your father taught you?”

72

www.samhainpublishing.com

Mistress to the Beast

She grinned. “No. Judge Judy. But she had a point. If I had to choose between the two, I’d much rather be smart than pretty.”

“Says the beautiful woman.” His voice dripped with scorn.

“You’re the one who’s got a hang up about my looks, not me. Anyway when it comes right down to it, once you get used to a person you want more than just a pretty face. You want a little substance. When I finally settle down, I’d rather be with a man who makes me laugh and is a good person rather than a Denzel Washington or Hugh Jackman look alike who’s a jerk.”

“You actually sound as though you believe that drivel you’re speaking.”

“It’s not drivel. And I do believe it.” She was beginning to get a little annoyed. Lila wasn’t used to anyone questioning her integrity or trying to find double meaning in her statements. “Anyway, you’re not completely innocent either.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen some old articles about you in the society pages. I’ve never seen you with anyone who didn’t look like a supermodel. So don’t sit there and pretend like you’ve never judged anyone based on their looks. I bet there are plenty of genuine women who wouldn’t care about your wealth or position, but you didn’t give them the time of day because they didn’t have perfect bodies, or they weren’t up to your standards of beauty. You reap what you sow and if you chose to date nothing but gold diggers, you can’t expect them to be around in your time of need.”

Blood rushed to Hunter’s face, turning it a deep shade of red. His nostrils flared and he flexed his fingers as if he was contemplating strangling her. But finally after a moment of tense silence, he relaxed. “Perhaps.” Hunter leaned forward. “Tell me, Lila of the noble heart, why did you cry last night? You sit there with your Pollyanna attitude of the world while you can’t stand to look directly at me. You’re no better than the other women I’ve come across. In fact you’re worse. You’re a hypocrite. The worst kind of woman.”

Lila slammed her hand on her the table. “Don’t compare me to the trash you used to date. They may wear expensive clothes and mingle in the highest of social circles, but www.samhainpublishing.com 73

Eve Vaughn

they lack the one thing you can’t buy and that’s class. And I don’t appreciate you calling me a hypocrite.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it. They at least were more upfront. Everyone has a price, Lila. Some women are just more expensive than others. If you were honest with yourself you’d realize you have one as well.”

She took the napkin off her lap and threw it on the table, her appetite gone. All resolve to make it through this dinner with little conflict flew out the window. This man had to be one of the most obstinate people she’d ever met. It was no wonder he’d been dubbed the Beast, although she could think of a few more titles that would suit him even more. “I don’t have to sit here and take this.”

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. And I see you’ve neatly skirted around my original question.”

Lila stiffened. “What question?” She knew exactly what he was referring to, but admitting her reasons why would be her final humiliation. She should have known she couldn’t get away with that fib. Hunter was much too shrewd not to guess.

His lips twisted and eyes flashed his disbelief. “You’re trying my patience, Lila. I don’t make a habit of repeating myself, but I’ll ask one more time: why did you cry last night? Were you so disgusted by me you couldn’t take it or is it a habit of yours to weep after sex? If it is, it’s not much of a turn on.”

“It’s not something I ordinarily do.”

“Then answer my question.” He spoke with such dead calm, it sent a chill down her spine.

“I-I can’t.” As much as he’d just angered her, telling him the truth would probably hurt him and it wasn’t in her to do that to him.

“That’s what I thought. You make pretty speeches, but they don’t mean jack squat.

You’re starting to sound tedious and I’m getting tired of it. When you speak to me, you’re looking everywhere but my face.” He pushed his hair behind his ears, revealing the full extent of his disfigurement.

74

www.samhainpublishing.com

Mistress to the Beast

Lila flinched, but not because she feared him, but because it saddened her as she imagined how horrible it must have been for him to suffer as he had.

“You say my scars don’t matter, so prove it. Come here and kiss me.”

Why did he have to ask of her the one thing she couldn’t do.

“Look at me, Lila.” His voice was soft but the underlying steel in his tone left no doubt in her mind that his statement wasn’t a mere request.

Tears stung the backs of her eyes at the raw pain she heard in his words. She didn’t want to look at him the way he ordered her to because then she’d start to care as she feared she was very close to doing so anyway. She couldn’t afford to care.

“Look at me!” he roared, making her jump.

A tear escaped the corner of her eye which she hastily wiped away. Lila shook her head. “Don’t make me.”

“You’ll fucking do as you’re told. I’ve had enough of your defiance and if you don’t do as I say, by God, I’m going to make you!”

www.samhainpublishing.com 75

Eve Vaughn

Hunter leaped out of his chair, rage guiding his movements. He’d had enough of her lies. She wouldn’t meet his gaze yet she chose to stand behind her lie. Lila was like the rest of the women in his acquaintance. No. She was far worse because she’d nearly had him believing that bullshit she’d been spouting.

He yanked Lila out of her seat and led her out of the dining room, moving so fast she had no choice but to follow him, otherwise she would have fallen.

She tried to pull away, slapping at his arm. “Stop this right now, Hunter! It doesn’t have to be this way.”

He turned to shoot her a glare before continuing on. “Yes it does. I promised you punishment and now it’s time to pay the piper.”

“No! You misinterpreted my words. If you would have given me a chance to explain why I couldn’t do as you asked then maybe you’d calm down.”

“Don’t bother. My bullshit tolerance is extremely low, and I’m not in the mood to hear any more of it.”

Digging her heels in, Lila halted. “What do you plan on doing to me? A-a-are you going to spank me?” she croaked.

Hunter smirked. “As tempting as that sounds, I’ve thought of something much more fitting. For every action, there’s a consequence and you’re about to find out what yours is.”

“Hunter if you go through with this—”

“What? You’ll hate me? I’ve heard that before, remember. It’s time you came up with some new material.” For a brief moment, he caught a glimpse of what looked like fear swimming in her eyes. Guilt surfaced inside of him. She had to know he wouldn’t hurt her physically. But he wouldn’t relent on what he planned on doing. He would make 76

www.samhainpublishing.com

Mistress to the Beast

her eat her words. “I would rather you hadn’t tested me on this, but you’ve made your choice so now you’ll have to deal with it.”

Lila’s struggles renewed. Hunter wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her the rest of the way to his bedroom. He dumped her unceremoniously on the bed and then walked over to his closet and pulled out a box he hadn’t used in ages.

He looked over his shoulder to see her watching him, her expression wary. “What is that?” Her eyes darted from side to side as if she were staking out an escape route.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

She tried to scramble off the bed, but he intercepted her, using his body as a blockade.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Hunter opened the box and removed a length of nylon rope and then tossed the container aside.

Lila took a step back. “I won’t let you tie me up.”

Instead of answering her, he laughed menacingly. “Take off your dress.”

“No.” She moved further away from him until her back hit the wall.

Hunter placed the rope on the bed and slowly made his way toward her not stopping until he was only a few inches away.

She held up her hands. “Okay. I’ll do it.” Her anger was palpable.

“I’m glad you’re beginning to see things my way,” he taunted.

“Do I have a choice? If I refused, you’d find a way to bully me into it anyway.”

“Don’t try to worm your way out of this.”

“I’m only voicing the truth. You’re a bully and I despise you for it.”

“You’re starting to sound like a broken record. Do you keep saying it to convince me or yourself? Perhaps you do hate me, but you love what I do to your body, don’t you?”

She placed her hands over her ears. “Shut up!”

He grabbed her arms and pulled them down roughly. “Hit a nerve, didn’t I?”

Lila lashed out at him, her palm connecting with his cheek.

Hunter closed his eyes against the sting of her blow, almost welcoming the physical pain to replace the internal torment.

www.samhainpublishing.com 77

Eve Vaughn

She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sure you’ve been itching to do that for a long time, haven’t you?”

“I still shouldn’t have done that. I abhor violence.” She trembled and he wondered if it was because she was truly sorry for what she’d done or because she was scared of what he might do to her because of it.

“I don’t want your apology, I want you to undress. Do it now!”

Her lips quivered for a moment and she raised that stubborn chin of hers again before reaching behind her and unzipping her dress. She pushed it down until it fell at her feet.

Looking straight ahead, she balled her fists at her side not attempting to cover her naked flesh.

Hunter’s dick sprang to attention at the sight of her delectable naked body. It was insane how he could want a woman as much as he did her. “The panties, too.”

Lila hesitated for the briefest of seconds, but then complied.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the magnificence of her feminine curves, but he wouldn’t allow them to sway him from his course of action. He had to show her who was boss, teach her a lesson. For all the people who’d shunned him, the women who’d hurt him, Lila was the embodiment of them all. So beautiful on the outside, but inside she harbored the heart of the biggest hypocrite.

“You’re no different from anyone else. When these three months are over, you’ll go back to your life and feel better about yourself because you did a noble thing. I know your kind, Lila Saunders. You’re a do-gooder out tilting at windmills and preaching your