Her Beast

Chapter 2

The service was short and abruptly over, Luke did nothing more than was expected of him. He said 'I do', kissed his new bride, signed the register and left the house of the man he despised. He had little time for weddings and even less time for a man who would sell his own children, to cover his own ass.  Luke planned to destroy the man, now that he owned his so called prized possession.  The woman was irrelevant, financial ruin would take care of Vivian. As for the other daughter well, his sources told him she was long gone, so be it. He would deal with that slight if she ever showed her face anywhere on the eastern seaboard ever again.

He escorted his wife to the waiting car, impatient for this day to be over.  He had business to attend to and he was dreading the reception they had to attend for this farce.  The woman next to him was quiet,  she didn't fidget as most women usual did in his presence.  In fact aside for the momentary dip in her persona when she walked down the aisle towards him, she appeared to be totally unaffected by him, even unaware that he was even in the car.  She was taking in her surroundings like a kid at christmas.  He notice that she was tempted to play with the buttons on the console between them that operated the small screens between them and the driver.  Curious he flicked the screen on and flipped through the channels.  He heard the small whoosh of air through her lips when he pressed the switch to open the small mini bar to her left.

"Have a drink, it'll steady your nerves."  He spoke the words unsure if she actually needed the drink.  It unsettled him that she wasn't conforming to the norm he was used to. 

She flashed him a delighted smile and made herself a non alcoholic cocktail of sorts. She didn't offer him one, which also set him on edge. Normally people bent themselves backwards to try and please him. Or rather not upset him but not this lady.

When they reached the reception party he didn't wait for the driver to open the door for them, he step from the vehicle and walked into the venue without waiting for his new wife. She could go to hell for all he cared.

-&-

Grace lept from the limo as the driver opened her door for her.  She smiled up at him and thanked him.

"You're welcome Mrs Rykor." He smiled back.

Grace turned to head into the party but stopped and turned back to the driver.  "Will you be the normal driver for us or me going forward?"

He looked confused for a moment and then answered, "I'm not sure,  I usually drive for Mr Rykor so I guess I'll be driving you from time to time?"

"Well in that case please call me Grace."

"I would be honoured however Mr Rykor would never allow it."

"I guess you're right.  Perhaps then when I am not with him?"

"Perhaps."  There was a softening in his eyes which told Grace that there was a gentle man beneath all the steely exterior and that warmed her heart a little.

"Well then have a lovely evening."

Grace entered the lobby on her own and felt a pang of hurt that he hadn't even waited to make their entrance together. She had no intention of making an entrance on her own and went to find the fire escape building plan to see if there was a side entrance to the grand hall where the reception was being held.  Her luck was in when she spotted a rear entrance that opened just behind the head table.  Having seen the arrangements for the hall while arranging everything with Harmony she knew that floor to ceiling drapes lined all the wall space around the room and knew that she could sneak in unnoticed.  With little effort she found her place setting and slipped into her chair before anyone noticed her.   From across the room she spotted Luke making his way through a room of well wishers and had to smile at his annoyance. He stopped short when he saw her already seated at their table and she smiled politely at his frown as he completed the last few steps to the chair beside her.  She actually laughed out loud as the MC noticed them both already sitting at the table and did a doubt take at the doors.

"Seems the guests of honour have managed to slip in unknown to us all folks.  Please welcome the new Mr & Mrs Rykor."  A loud cheer erupted as the crowd turned and raised their glasses to them.  Grace felt movement at her left arm and turned to see her father taking his seat beside her.

He turned to her but before any words could be spoken a woman who could only be Luke's mother slipped into her chair next to him. She was a slightly plump woman with an easy smile and deadly eyes.  She was definitely not a woman who missed a trick.  Grace tried to send a smile her way but the woman simply dismissed her and turned to speak to one of the waiters at her elbow.  Grace pushed the dismissal from her mind and focused on enjoying her last day of freedom. 

The rest of the evening turned out to be rather interesting for Grace,  the speeches in particular managed to tickle Grace the most.  Her father put on a stellar performance and when he was done, Grace got to her feet and kissed his cheek sweetly. To all watching it looked like the kiss of a daughter who loved her father dearly and would miss him terribly but to Grace it was a farewell kiss to a man she planned to never see again.  The best man's speech, giving by a man named Ash, was hilarious if a little on the short side, but it was dripping with dark comedy that was missed by no one in the room.

Grace wasn't blind to the world they lived in, even though she had had no direct dealing with any of the business her family was in to.  To these people death and money ran hand in hand.  She was aware that she was walking away from the lesser evil and into the hands of someone far worse.

When the MC announced the first dance,  Grace surprised Luke when she pulled him from his chair and before he could stop her, they were on the dance floor, performing a very stiff waltz.  Halfway through she left him nod to someone and before she knew it another man stepped in between them, turning her artfully away from Luke.

"Spoilsport!" She muttered under her breath, only Luke seemed to have heard her and turned back to them

"Don't begin to assume you know anything about me, wife!"  He whispered harshly down to her.

"Fair enough," she smile back at him,  "I'll just guess then. I guess you're just scared people will see how badly you dance!"  Before she could blink the man she was dancing with had expertly turned her back into Lukes arms and she was swirling around the dance floor with him. On a turn she threw back her head and laughed in delight as he expertly maneuvered her through the couples that had joined them on the dance floor.  People were openingly gaping at them both but she didn't care she was enjoying herself.  Just before the song reached its conclusion however, Luke stopped dead in the middle of the dance floor and let his hands fall from her and leaving her slightly breathless, he walked away from her.  A cut direct as they had called it in the old days.