Her Beast

Chapter 1

Shaking, Lucy, one of her maids had entered the room after her father had stormed out.  She was carrying the dress intended for her sister. Grace was still standing, dumbstruck, in the exact spot her father had left her.  Tears had began to fall silently down her cheeks and tasted the saltiness of the drops as they slipped through her trembling lips.

"Miss?"  The maids soft word, broke the trance and Grace collapsed to the floor in a pool of despair. Lucy dropped the dress onto the bed and rushed over to her, wrapping her up in her arms and holding her tightly.  Lucy had been with their family since both the girls were in diapers. She had been the mother they had never had.  Grace sobbed into her chest and clung to her with her all might.

"Let it all out, child."  There really wasn't anything else Lucy could have said.  It wasn't going to be alright, there was no way to get out of it.  It was too late to arrange an escape and she had no one to lean on as her sister had had when the roles were reversed. So she simply cried.  Before the day was done she would be married.  Happy birthday 21st birthday to me!

-&-

Two hours later she was standing fully dress in the virginal white dress, which was ever so slightly to big for her in the breast area despite having the corset laces pulled into an inch of her life. Lucy led her down the staircase, through the living room to the french doors that opened up to the garden beyond. "Head up girly!"  With a quick squeeze she stepped aside as her mother glided into the room, dressed from head to toe in deep red Versace.  She looked just as you would expect a wicked stepmother to look, only this wasn't Grace's step mother, Vivian was better and worse her mother.  Despite the torture that Grace had experienced at the hands of this woman, Grace couldn't help but pity her.  Her mother had once been the beauty that her daughters had inherited, but her father had long since broken her spirit and turned her into the mean, hardhearted woman that now stood before her. 

"Well I so pleased to see at least one of my daughters has the decency to respect the family name and show up as requested by their father."  Her voice was dripping with icy sarcasm. "Lets just hope that your pitiful face will suffice in this exchange.  So don't you dare even attempt to bring any further embarrassment to this family."  With that final threat her face transformed into that of a cheerful mother of the bride and she swept out into the sunshine with a beautiful smile plastered on her over botoxed face.

"Chin up, deary!" Lucy whispered to her side. " Don't let them see your hurt, it will give them nothing but satisfaction."

Her father appeared next and stepped up next to her.  He glanced over her briefly and nodded his approval before offering her his arm without a word. Surprisingly gently he tugged her over the threshold into the back yard.  Grace wasn't fooled by his gentleness,  he knew all eyes where on him and that every one of his movements would be scrutinised by the guests present.  A thought crossed through her mind as they walked down the makeshift aisle.  Surrounded by all these strangers who were looking on, forcing her parents best behaviour, she was safe.  And if this was her last day of freedom before leaving to live with the Beast of New York, she was going to enjoy that day if it killed her.

With a quick glance over her shoulder at Lucy, she straightened her shoulders and let a smile form on her lips.  She let go of all the fear and anxiety she was carrying and let the sunshine fill her with joy instead. When she looked forward again she was at peace. 

That was until she saw the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle, she almost lost her composure completely and had it not been for her father's firm but gentle hold on her hand, she wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't have run.  He was tall, dressed all in black, his dark hair was slicked back severely and he wore a hard mask, void of expression, on his face, there was no emotion in his piecing grey eyes and his lips were pressed tightly together as he watched her advance toward him.  At the last second she remembered all the people around her and her smile returned. She smiled at him then and found that she was a little eager to get this over with.  She saw a slight rise of a brow at her smile before it disappeared behind the mask of indifference.  here fathers arm tightened around hers and she slowed her step ever so slightly to match his.  When they reached the front, the man who was to be her husband stepped towards them with his hand extended in front of him.  It struck Grace as ironic given that this marriage was exactly that 'a hand extended in partnership,  a 'saving Grace' for her family.  A small giggle escaped her lips at that thought and she looked up at the man before her, who was giving her an assessing but calculated look. 

Her father lifted her veil and kissed her forehead before placing her hand into her husband to be's.  It was warm, which surprised Grace,  she guessed that in her mind this cold calculating man should have ice literally running through his veins.  Not only were the stories about him true but she had crossed paths with his henchmen on more then one occasions with her father dealings. She had never met him personally but the description of him couldn't have been any more accurate.  He was devilishly handsome and his body exuded deadly menace, he was well over 6 foot, with broad shoulders hidden beautifully beneath the fine cut of of his tailored jacket.

The only inconsistency of his description was his age, she had expected him to be in his late thirties,  I mean who runs one of the largest corporations and manages to acquire the most deadly reputations on the east coast, in their twenties. He couldn't have been more than twenty seven.  What kind of childhood must he have had in order to be the man his is now.

Grace had to look up at him once she had stepped up before the priest.  She continued to smile although she was aware that her eyes shone with defiance.  He read it well, read her well and a trace a grin broke through his icy demeanor. He was daring her to do her best. Only she suspected he thought she was going to try and make his life hell. Little did he know she had no intention of living much beyond today!