Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 52

Standing before yet another grave, my eyes burned with unshed tears as I read the words etched into the stone. He was truly gone...

Many had come by earlier, offering flowers and condolences, but I remained at a distance, watching as Baylor sat in silent vigil by the graveside. The day we laid Knox to rest, I had cried myself to sleep, the weight of grief pressing down on me like a heavy blanket. Julian, on the other hand, had retreated into solitude

Marie had confided in me that Julian had taken to drowning his sorrows in drink, his pain too raw and too deep to be saved by anything else.

"I miss him," I murmured, taking a seat beside Baylor, my voice barely above a whisper amidst the hushed stillness of the cemetery

"I finally find him, and he slips through my fingers," Baylor replied, his laughter devoid of any warmth as he spoke

I struggled to find the right words to offer him peace. To lose a son so soon after being reunited must have been a torment beyond measure. "He loved you," I whispered, hoping to convey some small measure of comfort in the face of such overwhelming grief.

Baylor's gaze turned to meet mine, his eyes haunted by sorrow. "I wasn't good to him. I'm not good to anybody," he confessed, his voice heavy with self-condemnation.

"I don't agree... you're good to me," I insisted, gently turning his face to meet mine, determined to make him see that he was not alone in his pain.

His words were tinged with bitterness as he muttered, "As a father, my sole duty was to shield and cherish him, yet I failed." The weight of his confession hung heavy in the air, stirring a tumult of emotions within me.

Tears brimmed in Baylor's eyes, his struggle to suppress them a futile endeavor. Each crease on his countenance bore the imprint of his agony. The loss of a child was an unrelenting ache, a wound that time could only partially soothe. But I couldn't let him carry the weight alone, not this time.

"He held you in such high regard," I offered, my voice quavering with emotion. "In all his reflections on family, he only spoke of you, his father." I sought to reassure him, to dispel the notion of his failure as a parent that plagued his mind.

"I want you to know that I'm here for you, offering my support," I reassured, hoping to bring solace.

"Belle, you deserve stability, someone capable of providing you with the life you deserve. I, on the other hand, am burdened by a tumultuous past," he lamented, his tone carrying a sense of resignation.

"I don't care about your past! Over these past three months, you've shown me more kindness and depth than I've experienced in my entire life. You deserve happiness," I affirmed, my voice quivering with emotion.

Baylor's gaze softened, though traces of doubt remained. "Belle, you may not fully understand the complexities of my life," he cautioned, but I remained resolute.

"I want to be with you, to help you through this. Let me in," I pleaded, reaching out to cup his cheeks in my hands.

As our faces drew closer, tears mingled with the soft caress of our lips, our hearts seeking solace in each other's embrace. I refused to let go of him, refused to relinquish the fragile thread of happiness that bound us together.

"Do you know what you're doing, Belle? People will judge you," Baylor cautioned, his hand tracing a gentle path down my face.

I met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Let them talk," I declared, leaning in for another kiss, my heart overflowing with the certainty that I had found where I belonged.

Baylor's arms tightened around me, his touch a lifeline in the midst of our shared sorrow. "Belle, I've made mistakes and killed many," he admitted, his voice thick with regret. "I've hurt people, pushed them away... I don't want to hurt you."

I shook my head, refusing to let doubt creep in. "We all have our demons, Baylor. But that doesn't define who you are," I reassured him, my fingers tracing gentle circles on his back. "You've shown me kindness, compassion, and love. That's what matters to me."

He let out a heavy sigh, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I'll do my best to be the man you deserve," he promised, his voice filled with determination

I smiled softly, my heart swelling with affection for this broken yet resilient man before me. "And I'll be right here, every step of the way," I vowed, leaning in to press a tender kiss to his lips

In that moment, with Baylor's hands cradling my face and our lips pressed together in a tender kiss, the weight of the world seemed to lift from my shoulders