Beauty And The Beast

Chapter 7

"James, let me go" I yelled and ran around the couch.
He grabbed my waist and kissed my ear softly.
"Never" he whispered.
I smiled shyly. The doorbell rang and brought me back to reality.
"I'll get that" I said as I tried to free myself from his hold.
"I want to breathe you for a little longer" he said dreamily.
"Someone's at the door" I said firmly and he let me go.
"Fine. Be that way" he said pouting.
I went to the door and opened it. There stood my sister. My beautiful sister. The one who hid me in the closet when I was in trouble, who helped me sneak out on my first party, who cried with me when my first boyfriend left me. My best friend.
"Elena.." she said quietly.
"Who is..?" James asked but stopped as soon as he saw her.
His gray eyes became steel gray and his body stiffened immediately.
"Leave" he simply said, not sparing her a look.
"James.." she said quietly.
"Don't! I told you what I had!" He yelled furiously.
"I.. I came.." she muttered.
"Charlotte. You've done enough. Leave" he said.
"I came to finally clear out what happened with us. I can't move on knowing you hate me" she said.
"Hate requires some emotions. I feel nothing for you" he said harshly.
"Excuse us for a second" I said and dragged him inside.
"Hear her out. Please. For me" I pleaded.
He sighed deeply.
"Only for you" he said and let her in.
"I'll leave you two alone. You have a lot to talk about" I said and grabbed my bag.
"Call me later James" I said and he nodded.

James
"Well? Talk."
"I want you to know the reason why I left like I did. Why I left you at the altar" she said calmly.
"Okay. I'm listening" I said leaning my face on my palm.
"About a week before our wedding I went to see a doctor and he told me I was pregnant. I was so happy. Remember? That night we talked about kids and you told me you weren't ready. I decided to maybe wait to tell you and then your father interfeered. He offered me a million dollars to leave the country. I declined. A day before our wedding he told me he had his eyes on Elena and that she would be more suitable for you and the companies. I told him he won't separate us but he was persistant. He told me you don't want kids and you told me that yourself so I took the money and left."
I was silent and looking out the window. Seriously? This was all a plan? He knew I'd fall for Elena?
"You were pregnant?" I asked calmly.
She nodded.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I was afraid of your reaction" she confessed.
"I would never ever leave my child out of my life Charlotte!" I yelled.
"Well, then meet Xavier, your son" she said and handed out her phone.
I saw a picture of a boy with black hair and gray eyes. I was shocked.
"He is 3 months old" she whispered.
"Shit Charlotte! Why didn't you come to me?! This would have never happened if you had faith in me!" I yelled pulling my hair.
"I'm really sorry. I'll understand if you don't want to see us anymore.." she said standing up.
I grabbed her hand.
"I want to meet him. Bring him here tommorow" I said.
She nodded smiling.
"Okay. I'll see you tommorow. Bye James" she said and left.
Shit! What am I going to do? I have a son. A baby. An innocent baby who spent three months of his life without a father because of dad.
I dialed his number.
"Yes?" He answered.
"Please, dad, tell me she's lying!" I said in despair.
"James? What happened?" He asked in alarm.
"Charlotte, dad! She was here. I have a son!" I yelled.
"Was all this with Elena your plan?"
"Oh James. Elena is much better than Charlotte."
"But I loved Charlotte dad!" I yelled and hung up.
Fucking shit!
I went to the window and stared outside. It was getting dark. Elena! She is still outside. I sent my driver to get her. After 20 minutes she was taking her coat off.
"Hey. How did it go?" she asked gently.
"Fine" I replied.
"Why are you so tense?" She asked approaching me.
I moved away.
"It's Charlotte."
She sat down and ammased her hands in her lap.
"I have a son Elena. She gave birth to a boy. His name is Xavier" I said quietly.
She was shocked. She stared at me, her eyes filled with tears.
"And now?" She asked carefully.
"I'm going to meet him. I want him in my life" I said simply.
"I won't bother you then"she said quietly and left to the bedroom.
God dammit!
I don't know what to think. Charlotte was the love of my life. I wanted her to be my wife. Elena was forced on me. But her soft lips,mesmerizing eyes, taunting curves made me forget everything. Not for long apparently. But she did. She was soft and delicate and gentle and she gave herself to me, completely. I went to the bedroom. She was sleeping already. I took off my T shirt and pants and laid down. I heard sniffs.
"Elena?" I asked quietly.
Nothing.
"I'm sorry" I whispered and heard sobbs.
I knew she was awake. I turned her around and she was crying.
"Look at me" I said.
She left the bed and tried to escape the bedroom. I stopped her by pulling her back. She was in a black silk night gown. My hands were around her waist. 
"Elena. I'm sorry I didn't want to hurt you" I said quietly.
She nodded but didn't stop crying.
"Elena.." I whispered and pulled her close to me. Her head was on my chest and I felt her tears. Each one hurt more.
"Please stop crying" I pleaded.
"This is what I feared the most. That you'd leave me as soon as I started loving you."
She cupped my cheeks in her small hands.
"James, if you love Charlotte, go. Be with her. Be with your son" she said gently.
And then I realized. I don't want Charlotte. I did but not anymore. This gorgeous, gentle, caring woman standing before me is my destiny. Dad was right, she is the one for me.
I smiled.
"Elena. You think I would leave you? Just like that? After everything that happened between us? I won't leave you" I whispered holding her tight.
"But.." she muttered.
"Nothing. You are mine. And you will be mine untill death do us part. I want my son but I have no feelings for Charlotte."
She looked into my eyes and I looked into hers. Green like the grass in spring. I swear I've never seen eyes like those.
"You love me Elena?" I asked loosening the grip.
"Yes" she nodded.
I cupped her cheeks and lowered my lips on hers. She returned the kiss. In a most beautiful, sensual way possible.
"I love you too little one. Okay? You are mine. I'll always be here" I said and wiped her tears again.
I planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Let's go to bed. You seem really tired" I said to her and led her to the bed.
She was leaned on my chest and I was playing with a curl of her hair.
"James? Can I ask you something?" She whispered.
"Of course."
"Do you think Xavier is going to hate me?"
"Why would he?" I asked in surprise.
"Because I stole his dad from him" she replied sadly.
"You didn't steal me away. I will love him very much but I won't allow any kind of disrespect towards you. You are my wife and I love you. I will make sure my son knows how good you are."
"I have a confession to make. Remember when I went shopping for a wedding gown with your mother?" She asked.
I nodded.
"She invited me for lunch. I accepted and she told me a lot about you and Charlotte. You being different then before. Really unhappy when she left. She asked me for a favour. She asked me to make you happy. It seemed weird and hardly possible at the moment."
I nodded and listened.
"And our wedding day was.. It was a dream come true. She came to me to make me feel better after Charlotte left. She told me I've won the lotery and you are the jackpot. You are, James. You've made me feel special, safe, loved. You made me feel wanted."
"You're really something else. Your eyes alone made me want to make the world bow down in front of you. You deserve it. You deserve to be treated like a queen. And I will make sure you are treated like one."
She kissed my cheek and sighed.

A sound of vacuum cleaner woke me up in the morning.
Elena wasn't by my side.
"Dammit Maria. I hate that freaking thing in the morning" I mumbled and went to the living room.
I found Elena dressed in an old oversized sweater and leggins. Her hair was a messy bun and she was vacuuming. I stood on the damn thing and it died.
"Oh. Good morning. Did I wake you up?" She asked innocently.
I nodded.
"You will pay for that later. What are you doing? We agreed you won't be doing this" I said stricktly.
"I just want everything perfect when Xavier comes" she said.
I grabbed her waist and pulled her really close. She squealed.
"About waking me up.. I have an idea how you can make it up to me" I whispered and squeezed her ass softly.
She moved away.
"Is something wrong?" I asked surprised.
"I can't. I'm on my period" she whispered.
"So, no baby this month. I need to try harder" I said playfully and she blushed.
"Let's eat something. I'm starving" I said and she nodded.
"James, I wanted to talk to you about something. The baby, our baby. I think we should wait. Xavier is a baby and he needs you. If we have a baby now he would lose you once again. That just wouldn't be fair. Not to him and not to our child."
I nodded.
"Are you always this normal? I mean, you are my common sense. I would have never listened to her in the first place. I would still be oblivious. You risked and convinced me to talk to her even if we got back together. You are the best person I know. I'll make sure you are treated like you deserve to be treated."
We ate in silence and the doorbell broke it.
"I'll get that" I said nervously.
She nodded and cleaned up the table.
I went to the door and opened. I sighed as a pair of silver eyes, such as mine stared at me. Xavier. In my mind I played a thousand scenarios but couldn't think of one right now.
"Welcome" I said to Charlotte and motioned her to enter.
She did and stopped as soon as she saw Elena.
"She needs to leave" she said and turned her back on Elena.
Elena seemed surprised, sad.
"Why?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"Because I will bring Xavier to see you only when and if you are alone. She will not spend time with my child" she replied coldly.
Elena brushed a tear off her cheek and nodded. She went to the coat rack and took her coat. I followed her.
"Where do you think you're going?" I asked angry.
"You heard her. She will take him away. Don't let her take your child away from you" she said gently and put her coat on.
"Elena" I whispered and pulled her close.
"I want you to stay. This is our house. You live here. You will not leave anytime she decides to come" I said and kissed her.
She shook her head.
"It's okay, I can go. I'll go for a walk and when they leave you send the driver to get me" she said with a small smile.
She tried to walk away but I stopped her.
"You are not going anywhere!" I said angrily.
I think I scared Xavier. Charlotte looked at me wide eyed.
"Look Charlotte. Elena is my wife wether you like that or not. This house is as much hers as it is mine. I never agreed to us being alone together and I won't. She is staying. Clear?"I asked looking at Charlotte.
She shook her head.
"I will take Xavier away. You will never see him again!" She yelled.
Xavier started crying.
"I can do the same. I have enough money and lawyers powerful enough to take him from you. Elena is his aunt and she will participate in his life."
"She is also his stepmother" she said bitterly.
I shook my head and approached her.
I took Xavier in my arms. It's an indescribable moment. Holding your child. So fragile it could break yet so powerful to make you love.
"You are perfect" I said to him and he smiled.
"You will be my hero once you grow a bit bigger" I told him and he grabbed my finger with his chubby hand.
"He looks a lot like you" Charlotte said.
I nodded.
"Elena, come here" I said to her.
She was by my side and looking at Xavier with adoration.
They will be great together.
Charlotte was upset. She kept trying to take Xavier back.
"I want to talk to you about some things regarding Xavier if you agree" I told her as Xavier was bouncing in my arms.
She nodded.
"Sure" she said smiling.
"Elena, could you take him? We need to talk" I asked.
Her smile grew bigger and she nodded fiercly.
"Come here, little guy" she said and took him in her arms.
They left and I sat opposed to Charlotte.
"Look, James. I.. I love you, I still love you. I want us back together. For Xavier, for us.." she whispered and I sighed.
"No" I replied shortly.
She was surprised.
"She did it. I can't believe her. All her life she played a good daughter, smart, kind and now she is revealing her true face. That slut!" She hissed.
"Do not talk about my wife that way! She did nothing. She didn't want me but she sacrificed for you. The selfish sister who cares for no one. I won't let you hurt her. I will do everything for Xavier. I will pay for everything he needs and wants. I will rent you an apartment and give you 20 thousand dollars a month. I want to see him every other day, 2 hours. For now."
She nodded.
"Fine. I have to go now" she said and went for Xavier.
Elena followed her out of the room.
"Oh Elena, I almost forgot" Charlotte said with an evil smile.
"How does it feel to be responsible for a break up? This little angel will have to share his dad because of you. How does it feel?" She asked.
Elena's face went pale and she tried to talk but couldn't.
With that, Charlotte turned around and left.