Taming of the beast - Completed.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Callie stood there, staring at him wide-eyed, mouth slackened, slammed shut, then without warning she turned and stormed away, the kaftan billowing out behind her. "Fine," she said in a monotoned voice.

"Callie," he moaned going after her. "I will not leave you with nothing."

"I want nothing," she replied in a tight voice, back stiff, and kept on walking. He sighed and followed.

"Where are you going?" he asked softly.

"To pack." She informed him factually, coldly. His heart sunk into the pit of his stomach. He had never heard such coldness in her voice. "What else? You want me gone, so I'm gone," her hand waving in the air at him.

Riyad reached for her hand that she pulled away sharply, folded her arms, and kept heading towards their room. He would wait until they were alone in their bedroom. The door was thrown open, she stormed into the room, retrieved her suitcase, plonked it on the bed. Unzipped it, and threw it open with such force, it surprised him it didn't go flying across the room.

"I'm doing this for you, Callie," he informed her, leaning against the closed bedroom door, so she couldn't escape him.

"Bully for you," she snarled, charging into the walk-in wardrobe and came back carrying arms full of clothes, dumped into the case and shoved in, hangers and all.

"I will not divorce you," he stated.

She swung on him sharply, blinking rapidly. "What? Why not? You can marry any damn princess you want. I don't care!" she roared. Actually roared. He was hurting her and hated it. He truly was the beast but had to do this for her sake. After all, he had dragged her into this mess that was his life. He should've chased her away from that first meeting.

"I do not plan to marry anyone else."

Arms crossed, she glared at him, eyes dark and stormy. He couldn't blame her after what she had done for him. He took a step forward towards her, her shoulders went back, and lips thinned.

"I wouldn't," she warned. Riyad stopped, knowing he had to tread carefully.

"I need you to go back to England and run my estate, open up the stables, build your fox habitat. Do whatever you want. You would have an open bank account for your use."

Her throat worked as she swallowed hard. "You want me to live as you did, alone, and as a recluse."

"No, of course not. I am giving you my estate, lock, stock, and barrow, signing it all over to you, Callie."

Sadness filled her eyes. "I don't want it".

"You cannot go home, not to that Philistine."

Her lips quirked. "Unlike you, of course," she noted dryly. Not like she hadn't called him that once or twice. He took another step towards her, closing the distance as she watched him warily.

"Very unlike me. I'm a barbaric and a beast."

Body sagging, she raked a trembling hand through her hair, shaking her head. "No, you're not. Never was, just hiding behind your pain." She took a deep shaking breath and sank onto the bed, hands between her knees, then looked up at him. "What if I don't want to go? What if I want to stay at your side? What if I want more from this marriage than you're willing to give?"

Riyad joined her on the bed, sitting down at her side, placing his arm around her. She instinctively nestled against him and his warmth that felt so right. "I cannot give you what you want, Callie, not now, not until I know what I want. I need time here alone to find myself again. I know it's selfish, but I need to discover who I am, and where I actually belong."