The Beast

Chapter 32

I wandered into the kitchen fiddling with my fingers as I walked. His heated stare burned into me and I nervously tucked my hair behind my ear, peeking up at him.

"Are you hungry?" He asks slowly, and I shake my head quickly.
"I want to help." I say lifting my chin up, knowing he was going to decline but I was ready. Staying in this home and letting him do all the work was starting to eat away at me. Admittedly I was incapable of performing simple household tasks without injuring myself and the ones foolish enough to stay close, but under surveillance I would be fine. I peer at Xavier waiting for his reaction, a clear rejection but what I see has me scoffing in distaste. His grey eyes dance with amusement and clear joy as he stares at me, his lips twitching up slightly.

"I don't currently wish to see my house burn." He says his husky deep voice soft as he stares at me, his eyes running over me, making me flush. Was I not dressed appropriately? Admittedly I had dressed in a hurry but I didn't own inappropriate things.

"It won't, I promise I just really want to help." I say my lips jutting out involuntarily and his eyes linger on them for a moment as he walks closer to me.
"Okay." He says looking slightly dazed and I frown about to retort before his reply sinks in, he was letting me, even after last time. I had insisted to help before as well, Xavier had declined so when he went out I had taken it upon myself to clean. Not being familiar with the house, I had somehow managed to shove his wooden broom, the only one I could find into the fireplace while trying to get the ash off from around it. Xavier had come home to the not so sweet sight of me holding a broom that just so happened to be on fire. Safe to say his acceptance was quite unexpected.

"You can help me cook." He says, and I nod happily, rushing upto the pot but his arm swings around my waist holding me back.
"Not that close love." He says and I glare at him.
"I used to live alone, I am quite capable of being near a stove without bursting into flames." I say trying to put more emphasis on my glare, and his lips twitch again making me groan. I really do wish I looked more menacing when angry. How nice it would be to be one of those lucky people who could ignite fear in others with just one angry glare. Try as I might most people found amusement in my anger.

"I really don't know how you survived this long." He tells me quietly and I attempt to imitate his infamous glare, the clenched jaw and furrowed brows. But it doesn't seem to work too well as he leans down pressing a kiss to the corner of my lips making me squeal embarrassingly. For some my anger brought out amusement, apparently with Xavier Night it invoked affection.

"You're wearing my shirt." He whispers in my ear pulling me closer by my waist. The slight stubble on his jaw rubbing against the soft skin of my cheek making me quiver. Looking down I see that indeed in my haste I had pulled on the shirt he had given me the first day I'd arrived instead of one of my own. I gulp audibly attempting to pull away, resting my hands on the wide expanse of his chest, my fingers dig into the soft material of the black sweater he wears completely forgetting my objective as my fingers touch the material. My mother always did say I had the attention span of a walnut.

"It's so soft." I gasp quietly, spreading my fingers wide over the sweater that covers his chest. My pale fingers sinking into the soft thick material. I look up at him with wide eyed and he gazes down at me through his lidded soft grey eyes.
"I use to have pyjamas like this." I tell him playing with the seams of his sweater, his warm large arm still wrapped tightly around my waist.
"You can have it." He says, nuzzling his nose into my cheek.
"N-no it's yours." I stutter my heart thudding erratically in my chest, and I mentally scold it to behave. Only realizing after he lets out a deep quiet chuckle that I said it out loud, and I blush deeply.

"I love it when you blush." He says trailing the back of his index finger on my cheek making them turn a deeper scarlet.
"It's involuntary." I mumble gnawing on my lip as I stare up at him, my hair forming a halo around us.
"It's beautiful." He says sighing slightly.
"C-cooking?" I suggest knowing that there was no way I could get out of his hold unless I distracted him.
"I'm done actually." He tells me.
"But you said I could help you cook." I say distraught.

"You can accompany me while I pour everything out." He says and my jaws drops, just accompany, he didn't think I was competent enough to even pour a dish.
"I am quite capable of pouring something out." I snap, and he leans his face close to mine making my glare drop and my eyes widen, as alarms went off in my head, our lips were too close, much too close.
"I know, but you shouldn't have to." He says softly his gaze still solely on my lips.

"B-but I want to." I murmur my anxiety levels rising at his intense gaze.
"Why?" He asks his voice husky and deep.
"I like helping." I squeak, trying not to fall into my nervous rambling but giving up as I feel myself implode.
"I feel useless I do absolutely nothing it's like I'm a freeloader, which is horrible you know my parents taught me better then that. What would they say if they knew I hadn't done a single thing since I got here, well my dad would probably have a heart attack as soon as I told him I was living with a man that wasn't Jay, before I could even get to the chores part." I start but he suddenly tugs me off my chair, sitting in it himself and depositing me in his lap, his quick movements giving me whiplash as I struggle to follow, but end up staring at him with my mouth agape.
"Continue." He says his large hands softly stroking my back.

"I-I what?" I say pathetically completely forgetting what I was talking about.
"Am I just some man?" He asks me quietly leaning down so that he could look directly at me.
"No you're Xavier Night." I mumble stupidly.
"To you Raine, am I just some man?" He clarifies and my heart stops, as I look into his mesmerizing grey eyes, the silver had turned into a sad soft grey that had my heart melting and I shake my head.

"What am I to you?" He asks pulling me impossibly closer.
"I-I don't know." I say, biting into my lip.
"I don't want to be just some man to you Raine." He says turning his face away from me.
I rest my hands on his face, tugging it so that he was facing me.
"You're not, you can't be." I say softly, still trying to put a name to what he was to me in my own head. His eyes start to clear and I mentally sigh in relief, were all men so easy to please? The bell rings knocking me out of my thoughts, alerting us of our guests' arrival.

"I need to change." I say, and he wraps his arms tighter around me, glaring in the direction of the door as if that would get the people to go away.
"We could just not open the door." He says completely serious.
"They'll go away." He whispers pulling me against his chest and hunching himself over me, so my back is completely covered by him, reminding me eerily of a protective cat.

"No, Xavier open the door while I change." I say struggling to pull out of his hold and coming to stand in front of him. His plump lips form an adorable pout, hands engulfing my hips to tug me close, and I fight to control my squeal. Fixing my glare I stare into his eyes, and after a minute of incessant glaring it seems I win. He lets out a sigh letting his gaze soften but there is mischief in those grey eyes that has me weary.

"What?" I ask looking at him sceptically.
"You want me to open the door?" He asks and I nod frantically.
"Well then you're going to have to give me something in return." He says pointedly turning his cheeks towards me and I stare at him in confusion before realizing what he wants and my jaw drops. This conniving oversized house cat how dare he?

"I-uh." I stuttered but he simply pulled me closer. I let out a huff in frustration, attempting to mask my nerves, there was no way of getting out of this without giving him what he wants. I leaned forward slowly pressing a deep kiss into his smooth tan cheek, before pulling away my face completely red. He turned to me his eyes soft, a mesmerizing silver, adoration clear in them. I tugged away from him and he let me go, seemingly dazed.

A/N--------------------------------------------------
Hello my lovelies. I don't believe I've ever mentioned it in this book but I love you all. You really make me very happy, especially you commenters who wrote those super sweet comments that make my heart melt but even you silent readers. I love you all, so if any of you ever need somebody to talk to, feel free to message me I will get back to you as soon as possible. Have a nice night.