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Tori
Beast helped Rider to load Penny and the girls into a black double cab bakkie and settled Sassy on the floorboards at the girls’ feet. They lived right next door to the compound so didn’t have far to travel plus they would be on a private road. No other traffic which meant Sassy would be safe for the duration of the very short journey.
DC sat on the front steps watching everyone, a reddish tan Boerbull with a huge head and a black mask over his piercing yellow eyes sitting next to her and doing the same. The dog totally suited her.
As we approached the dog went on alert, his eyes were focused on us as we came closer. I never saw or heard DC giving him a command but he relaxed and let us get close.
“He’s a beauty, DC. What’s his name?” I really wanted to touch him but there was no way I would do so without being invited.
DC reached up and scratched under his chin and gave an evil grin. “This beautiful boy’s name is Devil.” She turned her attention to the dog. “Devil, this is Tori and Beast. They are friends and we like them. Say hello.”
The dog tilted his head as he listened to her and then those piercing yellow eyes settled on me and I swear he grinned as he lifted a paw and sat there with it in the air, waiting.
“Go on Tori, shake his paw, his waiting to say hello.” DC urged with a grin.
After shaking Devil’s paw and spending a few minutes with DC we went inside but instead of going upstairs Beast led me down a passage and into Hawk’s office. He was behind his desk and his dog, the exact same breed as DC’s lay in her bed next to the desk. She watched us as we walked in.
“Hey, Boss, so if your old lady’s dog is named Devil she has to be Angel, right?”
Hawk grinned and dropped a hand down and scratched the dog’s head. “Fuck, yes.”
Beast didn’t delay telling his boss about his plans.
“I’m taking my old lady home tonight, Boss. We need some family time and it’s not working with her staying here.”
Hawk frowned at first but then he nodded. “Okay, but make sure you arrange for extra security around the house with Jagger. We have patrols out but let’s rather be safe than sorry. Go, enjoy your evening. We’ll talk about beefing up your security at church.”
Beast led me out of the office and upstairs after giving Hawk one of those badass chin lifts.
I was folding my clothes and packing while Beast stalked around the room adding things to the pile next to the bag. I didn’t have a lot of stuff but I didn’t want to leave anything behind even though I was only moving right next door to the compound. I needn’t have worried, Beast checked everywhere. In the cupboards, the drawers, the bathroom and even under the bed. And then it was done.
Taking my hand he picked up my bag with the other and led me out of the room.
“What about my ballet bag? I don’t have any more clean stuff, and I need to do some washing.” Beast didn’t stop just spoke over his shoulder to Sam who was following us.
“Prospect, go and collect my woman’s shit from the studio and bring it to my bike.”
“I need the code, Boss.” Sam said quietly.
Beast stopped and looked at me with raised eyebrows. I suppose the look meant ‘give him the code’ or something like that. Obviously he trusted Sam so I gave him the code which wasn’t a secret anyway.
“Elton.”
“What?” They both looked at me in confusion.
I sighed. “DC was being witty so the code is Elton, as in Elton John, as in Tiny Dancer.”
Both men started laughing and I just stood there tapping my toe. I went through this with DC and River already. Even Jagger thought it was hilarious.
“Stop pouting, Ladybug, and let’s get going. The girls are waiting.” Beast urged me down the passage with a hand behind my back.
I stood next to his bike, a new bike, a bike I didn’t know, and felt it deep in my heart. I was going to be on the back of his bike for the first time in ten years. On the back of a bike I had never been on. Beast was talking to Sam and handed him my bag, he didn’t give me time to process the bike. He got on without a word and held a hand out to me. I took it, put my foot on the foot peg and swung my leg over, sat down and slid my arms around his waist.
It felt like coming home.
We rode out of the compound and down the road to a huge double story house set back from the road with bars over every single window and steel cages over the two balconies and around the front door. Men were guarding the gates and I knew there would be others patrolling the grounds. A large piece of open veldt separated the house from the compound. High walls surrounded the back of the property while the front was protected by a high steel palisade fence. I could see a trench had been dug inside of the palisade fence which I think meant they were about to build a wall along the front as well.
The house was huge and beautiful. It had been built in the same style as the house I had seen through the trees on my visit to River’s place. But this one had a tiled roof, not thatch like the others. The roof had wide overhangs shading the windows and I could see lots of greenery on both balconies. The central part of the house was obviously the entrance and reception areas with wings running off to both sides. I couldn’t wait to see the inside.
As Beast opened the front door Sassy was right there, on alert, but she relaxed and her tail wagged furiously when she saw Beast and got a head rub. We walked into a large empty entrance hall tiled with terracotta floor tiles. The first thing to hit my eyes were the two spectacular and very ornate wrought iron staircases curving up from either side of the room to the upper floors where a large landing overlooked the space. Our footsteps echoed because the space was empty but in my head I was already furnishing it, softening the harsh lines with a carpet, a round central table, art on the walls and plants in large pots and wrought iron sconces to echo the staircase. On the left of the entrance hall was a large formal lounge with heavy dark leather furniture, it so suited Beast. There was a closed door on the opposite side that I thought might hide an office or a library. The stairs formed an archway you walked through to access the rest of the house. A large empty room on the left was obviously the dining room. It suddenly hit me that there were no curtains in either of the rooms. That was going to have to be seen to as soon as possible. No way could I handle a no curtain situation.
On my right was a passage way and I peeked down it and saw a lot of closed doors. The sound of voices came from deeper in the house and we headed that way passing a large TV lounge with a couple of couches, two easy chairs and an enormous television screen against one wall.
We walked into a giant sized kitchen with shiny red granite work tops, a large central island and a long kitchen table in front of the windows. All the appliances were silver while the wooden cupboards were stained with a pale white wash. The terracotta tiles from the entrance hall continued into this space as well. The kitchen was flooded by light streaming in because the entire back wall was glass through which a wide wooden deck was visible.
The thing that made me gasp though was a section of the kitchen on the far side. There was a kitchen garden right inside the kitchen. Wide plant boxes stretched the entire length of the glass wall and were filled with an abundance of vegetables. Hanging pots overflowing with herbs were suspended from the steel supports for the skylight that covered that part of the kitchen. And a section against the back wall contained a work area with basins at which to work. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.
The scene we walked into was sweet and very domestic. Penny stood in front of a very fancy gas range about to slide a pan into the oven and the girls stood beside her, watching every move she made. Rider sat at the table playing with his giggling little girl who was strapped into one of those bouncy chairs that was set on top of the table so she could watch everyone. Total domestic bliss.
And I was about to become a part of this family.
“Smells good in here.” Beast rumbled and his girls gave little shrieks and stormed him. He smiled as he scooped them up and rubbed his beard in their little necks, making them shriek even louder.
“No, Daddy, that’s itchy.” Jossy scolded.
“Daddy, we’s baking cake, wif Aunty Pennee.” Ellie gently tapped his cheek to get his attention. “It’s for Toree.”
“That’s great, baby.” He kissed their cheeks then looked over at Penny. “Thanks Pen, I’m going to take Tori upstairs and get her settled in then we’ll be down.”
“We’re coming too. I want to show Tori our room.” Jossy commanded. “Ellie and I share a room but only until we’re bigger, Daddy said. Then I will have my own room. We’ve got lots and lots of pretty dresses and toys from Granny and Aunty Genna and Aunty Gail.”
“You are such lucky girls.” I smiled at the two little girls clasped in their father’s arms. He should have looked uncomfortable or even weird holding children but he didn’t. Instead he looked so freaking hot. So very, very hot.
Oh boy. I was in trouble if the sight of him holding his little girls got me all hot and bothered.
“Okay girls, but we have some rules. We give Tori a chance to put her things away before you drag her into your room. And you don’t touch her things unless she says it’s okay to touch.” Beast softly but firmly laid down the law.
“Okay, Daddy.” Two little voices sang out their agreement.
Setting his little girls down they dashed out of the kitchen to the front of the house and could be heard clumping up the stairs.
“Welcome, Tori.” Penny smiled. “Our rooms are in the opposite wing, lucky for you.” She laughed. “Our little banshee won’t wake you with her nightly screeching.”
I bent over the giggling baby girl and tickled her foot. “You’re mumma just called you a banshee, little darling. I’m sure that’s not true, not a little sweetie pie like you.” She giggled and kicked her fat little legs and Rider snorted.
“She’s a sweetie now, but you’ll learn soon enough that Miss Delly-belly over here can raise the roof when she’s unhappy.”
Beast nodded his agreement as he took my hand. “Let’s get you settled, baby.”
Leading me out the kitchen we started up the wide stairs. The steps were wooden and inset into a wrought iron casing. I dragged a hand over the balustrade. “This is so amazingly beautiful. I love the art-deco look. Did it come with the house or did you guys buy it at a salvage auction?”
Beast gave me a tiny smile. “Glad you love it because I made it, baby. It’s what I do. I’m a blacksmith.”
My mouth dropped open and I stopped mid-step to stare up at him. “You made this?”
“Yes, baby, I made it.”
“You’re a freaking artist and I never knew. This is a work of art, baby.” I said softly.
I swear his cheeks pinked a bit and his smile became a little wider. “Thank you, Ladybug.”
Grabbing my hand he dragged me up the rest of the stairs and down to an open door on the right hand side of the passage. The room was huge with a king size base and mattress with side tables and lamps on either side. The rest of the space was empty. The floor was a dark gleaming wood, not a carpet in sight. The curtains were a deep green and echoed the geometrical patterns on the duvet that covered the bed.
Beast stood to the side and looked a little uncomfortable and when he spoke I knew why.
“The room isn’t much, but I had no idea what to do so I left it up to Penny and Aunt Suzy to get shit to cover the bed and windows for now. You can change everything in here. I don’t give a shit what you do, as long as you are sleeping next to me every night.”
I narrowed my eyes and looked around the room and I knew exactly what I wanted.
“How about this for a great idea. You are going to design and build our bed, a four poster bed. The design is up to you but it has to fit in with the house, and after seeing that absolutely beautiful staircase I know it’s going to be absolutely gorgeous.”
Beast’s eyes narrowed and he got a thoughtful look on his face, and then a slow grin bloomed. Damn, the man was gorgeous when he smiled. Now I just had to get hold of some clippers and trim that wild beard a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the beard but it definitely needed some emergency grooming.
“There’s a dressing room over there, baby. It’s so fucking big my clothes take up hardly any space. There’s more than enough space for all your shit once we have it sent up from Cape Town.”
Oh shit.
I nodded and opened the door to check out the dressing room. And he was right, it was huge. But not big enough for my collection of shoes.
“Uhm, this is big, but we might have a tiny problem with my shoes.” I glanced over my shoulder and caught the confused look on his face.
“Ladybug, there’s a lot of room in there. Your shoes will fit.”
“Not all my things are in Cape Town, baby. I have an apartment in New York that hasn’t been packed up yet. I’m sort of addicted to shoes.”
“What are we talking about here? How many pairs?” I could see him calculating in his head and I knew he had no idea of the enormity of my addiction.
“All together?” I asked carefully and he nodded. “I don’t know. I haven’t counted them but I know it’s something like four to six ...uhm... hundred pairs.”
“What the fuck? Baby, what the hell would you do with so many shoes? You won’t be able to wear all of them even if you wore a new pair every day.”
I snorted. “I told you I was addicted to shoes. They’re so pretty and I had to have them and then I buy them and then they sit on the shelf in my shoe room.”
“You have a fucking room just for shoes?” He was stunned.
I nodded.
“Jesus, my woman is a nut. You’re not going to need that many shoes here, baby.”
I grinned, little did he know. I would always find an occasion to wear my shoes. He shook his head in bafflement.
“I’m going to check on the girls. Their room is the one opposite ours, come find us when you’re done.”
Grabbing my bags, that Sam had dropped off and Beast had carried upstairs, I dragged them into the dressing room and quickly unpacked. There wasn’t a lot and I was done in a flash. I dumped my dancing stuff in the hamper set handily right by the door. All my dance shoes were laid out to air and to check over later. There were always some small repairs to be made.
Scooping my toiletries up I walked into the en-suite bathroom and gasped. It was beautiful, completely done in an art deco theme. The tiles came halfway up the walls and were white with a strip of emerald green art deco tiles running along the top. Looking around that bathroom I immediately knew where Beast got the idea for the staircase. Twin basins were supported by art deco looking wrought iron bases with dark wooden drawers and dark wooden surrounds. The mirror above them was surrounded by a wrought iron wreath of ivy and lilies twined around each other.
A large white claw footed bath stood on a raised pedestal near the high windows, a big skylight drenching it in light. The shower took up one entire corner of the room. It had seating and shelving and was enclosed by a curved glass wall. A door at the far end hid the loo from view. Good to know you can use the toilet without anyone watching or walking in on you.
Free standing wooden and glass fronted cabinets housed white and emerald towels and bath stuff. I added my few toiletries to the shelf Beast was using. Shaking my head and laughing softly I looked around the room. I couldn’t wait to fill the room with greenery. I could see the hanging baskets filled with ferns and stuff in my mind’s eye already.
Looking around our bare, for now, rooms I grinned. My man was in for a huge surprise when my things arrived. I could virtually feel my credit card salivating at the online shopping the two of us were going to do.
Done poking into everything I went looking for Beast and his girls.
The three of them were on the floor of the girls’ bedroom, building tall towers with blocks but the minute I walked in both girls jumped up and started bouncing around.
They showed me everything. Their beds, one dressed in pinks the other in purples and their toys, their clothes. Their curtains were a combination of pink and purple with pale pink and lavender sheer inner curtains. Their bathroom continued the pink and purple theme with one purple and one pink basket, each basket filled with bath toys.
Everything I saw confirmed that these girls were loved and cherished.
“I love your room, it’s so pretty.”
Both nodded vigorously and Beast gave that tiny secret smile of his that barely curved his lips. You had to watch carefully to see it.
After the girls had packed away all their toys we made our way back downstairs.
What followed was almost idyllic. The last few hours of the day spent with family outside on the deck while the girls played in their sandpit and on their swings. Rider and Beast sat at the table and drew up plans for what sounded like a very elaborate playground while Penny and I looked on with wide eyes.
Later Penny and I prepared dinner while the guys bathed the kids and Rider gave Delene her bottle and put her to bed. And then we all sat down to dinner in the kitchen. Something I had never experienced before. My parents always had help and we ate formally, in the dining room, every night. After I left home I would eat in my kitchen, standing at the counter or I would go with my fellow dancers to eat out.
Beast took his sleepy girls upstairs and put them to bed while I tackled the dishes. The scullery section of the kitchen had two double basins, a large draining area and a silver fronted dishwasher. I rinsed and scraped and stacked the dishwasher, set the timer and cleaned the counters. It was quickly done. And then I snooped around, checking out the big laundry room attached to the scullery. It had a big top loader washing machine and a dryer. There were drying racks that you could fold down to hang things on rainy days. Everything right there to make life as easy as possible for the lady of the house. In this case the ladies of the house.
Penny and Rider had said goodnight and disappeared up to their rooms soon after I shooed Penny away when she tried to help clean. Earlier Sassy’s bed had been moved from under the stairs to the landing upstairs. Beast wanted her near the family and setting her bed on the landing gave her a bird’s eye view of the entrance hall plus if she walked over to the windows she had a clear view over the back yard.
I was looking out over the back garden when Beast appeared next to me and drew me into his chest. “Everything is locked up, let’s go upstairs, baby. You need a nice hot bath and I’ll massage your leg for you. You’ve been limping.”
He was right, my leg ached. “That sounds amazing.” I reached for his hand but he had other ideas. Scooping me up in his arms he carried me up the stairs and into his room and through to the bathroom where he carefully set me on my feet. The lights in the bathroom were muted, creating a soft ambience.
Opening the cupboard he drew out a bottle of bath salts and handed it to me while he started running a bath. I stood silently as he took the salts from me and tipped a healthy glug under the running hot water. The fragrance of orange blossoms almost immediately filled the air. One of my favourite fragrances.
I stood silently as Beast sank down and pulled my plakkies (flip flops) off and placed them neatly to the side. His hands skimmed up my thighs, unbuttoned my jeans and drew them down my legs. I lifted first one then the other foot and smiled when he threw them towards the door. Lifting my aching leg he placed small kisses on either side of my knee and down over the scars. My tank wasn’t one of the cropped ones and dropped down over my panties. Slipping his hands under the edge he drew it up and over my head and threw it to join my pants. After doing that he stepped back and slid his eyes down over my body.
Standing in front of him in my black bra and boy short panties I was suddenly shy. I wasn’t built like the women he was used to. My body was slender and muscled, not soft. My boobs were small, but at least my butt was tight and toned even if it was small.
“You are so fucking beautiful, Ladybug, and now you’re all mine.” He ran a finger down from my neck between my breast to my belly button and that’s when he noticed the top of the tattoo.
“What the fuck?” He whispered as he sank down in front of me again, hooking a finger in the side of my panties and pulling them down.
“What the fuck is this? When did you get it and who the fuck saw you like this?”
Always such a damned Neanderthal. “Pixie did it and it’s the rose from Beauty and the Beast.”
Drawing a finger over my skin he slowly outlined the tattoo. “When did you have this done?”
Shit. “Before I left the country.”
“So this is me. You’ve been waiting for the Beast to turn into the prince, haven’t you baby?”
“No, I haven’t been waiting for a prince I’ve been waiting for my Beast, Max.” I answered softly, and for the very first time since I saw him again I used the name only I ever called him by.
Shoving his face into my belly he hugged me to him and kissed the tattoo, running his tongue over it. “I have always been yours, Ladybug. No matter what happened between then and now, I have always been your beast and will always be yours, only yours.”
Standing he stripped me out of my bra and panties picked me up and slowly lowered me into the fragrant hot water. It was bliss. I lay back and closed my eyes but the thump of a boot had my eyes flying open.
Beast was stripping. Sweet virgin queen. His t-shirt was gone. Those muscles. The smattering of chest hair. The glory trail down to the top of his low slung jeans. The tattoos. Catching my eyes on him he grinned as he stripped off his socks and straightened. With his eyes on me he unbuttoned his jeans and slowly started to slip them down his hips. And that’s when I realised that he was commando under those jeans because all I could see was his beautiful olive toned skin, no underwear.
And then it was free and I gasped at the size. It looked bigger than when I had seen it last. Beast was very, very well endowed. It was definitely not going to fit. Our first time had not been easy, even though he had taken his time and prepared me thoroughly. And suddenly I wondered if that was why his road name was Beast.
“Is that why your road name is Beast?” I asked while pointing at his hard cock.
He laughed as he stepped out of his jeans, threw them towards the rest of our clothes then clasped a hand over his cock and slowly slid it up and down.
“Ja, at first that was the reason but over the years it became about more than my dick.”
He came to the side of the bath. “Move forward, baby, I want to sit behind you.”
“You’re going to smell all girly.” I teased.
“Don’t give a fuck. I’ll shower in the morning. Now move, Ladybug.”
I silently complied, sliding forward and making space for him behind me. The bath was huge but he was a big man, I didn’t know if we were going to fit. I shouldn’t have worried. He slid in behind me, pulled me up onto his heavy thighs, leant forward and flicked the lever to let in more water then lay back and settled my back against his chest. Giving a deep groan he clasped me in his arms and just held me. My eyes slid closed as I relaxed against him.
It was heaven.
