Beautiful Fiend: Chapter 24

Billie is wearing a short black dress when she walks out of the diner she works at. I can’t help but smile, knowing I got what I wanted.

It wasn’t hard to figure out where she worked. I just had to force it out of Racer while he was digging his grave in the woods.

She’s holding her gym bag, where I assume she’s put her work uniform, and is wearing her usual sneakers, but I know she made an effort for me. She stops before she sees me, pulling at her dress before looking down at her boobs and rearranging the dress around them. She pushes them up, pulls the bodice of the dress down, and attempts to show more of them before her shoulders slump as she gives up. Her boobs aren’t big, that’s for sure, and looking at the way they pop out of her dress right now, I understand she’s probably put on a push-up bra.

She didn’t need to. She’s perfect as she is. Could have worn her work outfit, and I still would have found her irresistible.

I’m not sure when or how it got this bad. She haunts my thoughts, her big doe eyes always at the forefront of my mind. Her raspberry and mint scent is a need I can’t satiate.

I play with the piercing on my tongue, running it against the back of my teeth. I keep wondering if I’d change anything if I could go back.

Suppose I should have stopped before it went too far. The thing is, there’s no ‘too far’ in my perspective. I do what I want, and I do whatever it takes. Everything around me is for me to take and for people to give. Whether I take it forcefully or not isn’t really my problem.

But I do wish Billie wasn’t so scared of me. She saw the ruthless side of me—the Kings’ man who does what he must to impose respect and fear.

I don’t think I would change anything, though. Billie has seen the worst side of me, and if she can take it, if she can move past it and understand there’s more to me, then we’re settled for life. Because once someone has seen the worst of you, they can love you for everything you are. That’s the beauty of knowing someone inside out. You can’t hide anything, not even your monsters.

Billie finally notices my car and walks over to me. She opens the door and gets in, rubbing her arms from the cold. “Will you drop me off here, after? My car is parked in the lot.”

“Hello to you, too, gorgeous.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hi. Can you answer my question?” she says, annoyed.

“Depends,” I shrug.

“On what?” she snaps.

“On when I want to release you from your kidnapping.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re unbearable.” She tightens her ponytail, and my dick somehow awakens from that gesture alone.

“And isn’t it so annoying that you’re into me, despite that?”

I turn the car on so she can warm herself. She’s just wearing that tight black dress, the fabric looks thin and with spaghetti straps. She must be freezing.

“Why aren’t you wearing a jacket?” I scold her.

“I forgot to grab it when I left the house and only had my Good Charlotte hoodie with me. I know you love it, but I thought it might not fit wherever you’re taking me.”

Before putting the car into gear, I wrap a hand around her jaw and bring her toward me. I lean to the side and take her plump lips hostage with mine. She tries to pull away, making me tighten my grip and her wince. I slide my other hand into her ponytail and undo her thick, long light-brown hair before releasing her.

“Don’t do that,” she pants as she sits back against her seat.

“I prefer your hair down. Though only because I’m the only one who gets to see it that way.”

“I meant kissing me,” she accuses me.

I start the car and turn to her one last time. “I do whatever I fucking want to you. Get that in your head once and for all.” Then I drive out of the parking lot.

“You’re an asshole,” she huffs as she looks out the window and crosses her arms.

I chose an Italian restaurant in the end. I hold the door for Billie as she walks in, and the waiter leads us to a table at the back, a little isolated from the rest of the restaurant.

It’s a round table for two, and I sit down right next to her.

“Just go on the other side,” she orders.

“I don’t think so.” I grab her thigh and she turns to me. “I really do like it when your hair is down. You’re gorgeous.”

“I’m only here because you threatened Xi. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

“How is he?” I ask genuinely. I don’t care about him, but I do care about her being upset.

“Bed bound because someone stabbed him three times in the stomach.”

“Bummer.” I smile. “That’s definitely not gonna help NSC.”

She grabs my hand under the table and pushes it off her thigh. “I hate you, Caden.”

“That’ll change by the end of the night, believe me.”

Her jaw tightens, and she runs her fingers along the silver chain around her neck. Another waiter arrives, and he smiles at both of us. “Good evening, I’m Leo, and I’ll be your waiter tonight. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Just water, please,” Billie nods.

“I’ll have a Peroni,” I tell him.

Billie looks at the menu silently and I watch her take her phone out. She murmurs to herself as she adds up numbers on the calculator app. At first, I think she’s adding the prices to check her total in true North Shore style. It’s only after a long minute that I understand she’s counting calories.

My brows tug together, but I let her do her thing.

We’re not used to this kind of fancy restaurant, so we both end up having to Google most of the things on the menu. Billie’s face twists when she sees the prices, and she turns to me, her wide doe-eyes confused.

“Seriously,” she whispers. “You’re wasting your money. I don’t even want to be here.”

I get up slowly and stand behind her chair. To the room, I pretend to lean down and whisper some nice words in her ear. What I really do as I bring my lips to her ear is slide a hand up her thigh, hidden under the pristine white tablecloth, and push her panties to the side. Without warning, I push a finger into her tight pussy, and I feel her straighten up from being startled.

“Caden,” she lets out in a half-whispered moan. She might not have been ready a second ago, but I already feel her wetness coating my finger.

“Shh,” I smile into her ear. “Here are the options I’m offering you. Option number one, be a good girl, pick your food, and give me a chance to be nice to you. Option number two, be a little brat, let the whole room watch you come on my fingers, and once you’ve orgasmed and you’re more compliant, you’ll pick your food and have a nice evening.” I start moving my finger in and out of her, her wetness now practically dripping onto the chair.

“So what will it be, little bee? Good girl, or brat?”

She bites her bottom lip and I insert another finger inside her. “I can’t hear you.”

I feel her tightening around me and her breath hitching. I see her losing her resolve as she slumps against her seat.

“G-good girl.”

“Mm, that’s what I thought.” Sticking to my word, I pull out of her. She closes her eyes in a mix of relief and disappointment. My dirty girl wants to come, just not in front of the entire restaurant.

I sit back down and stare deep into her eyes as I bring my fingers to my mouth and wrap my lips around them. Slowly, I pull them out before looking at my menu. “Fuck,” I huff. “Nothing on this menu is going to compare to the taste of you.”

Glancing back up, I relish in her pink cheeks and red ears.

“You’re beautiful when you’re embarrassed,” I say softly. I grab her hand on the table, and she doesn’t pull away.

Leo comes back to take our orders and she only asks for one of the many items I saw her adding up on her phone when she counted calories. I order a carbonara and give her another chance to ask Leo something. Only she doesn’t say anything, shyly shaking her head.

And I know what that shake means. She’s scared we won’t be able to afford it. Remembering exactly what she wanted to pick initially, I order them for her—a small plate of tomato pasta, two different salads, and a side of steamed vegetables.

“And add some grilled chicken,” I finally say. “She needs the protein. No soda, no alcohol. Thanks.”

Billie’s wide, innocent-looking eyes are still on me long after Leo has left, and I’ve stopped talking. “Y-you didn’t have to order all of that for me,” she says quietly, shifting awkwardly on her chair.

“Little bee,” I say, peering into her eyes. “When you’re with me, you can have whatever you want. I will give you everything you wish for. Anytime. Alright?”

I watch her throat work before she nods weakly. Her cheeks are still tinted, and her brown eyes keep moving between mine. She is stunning tonight. It’s not just the dress; it’s the fact that I know it’s for me. I notice she’s put on some mascara and a light pink lipstick. It’s so light, it doesn’t hide the dark freckles on her cupid’s brow that contrast with her pale skin.

My eyes drag along her lean throat to the curve leading to her shoulder and down. Her small boobs are pushed up, and I just want to put my dick between them and choke it until I’m coming all over her chest.

I grab a strand of hair that’s falling onto her chest and move it behind her shoulder. Her long hair is enchanting when it’s not in her usual ponytail. She’ll scream tonight when I grab it and force her head into the mattress while she comes all over my dick.

“How was work today?” I ask, reluctantly letting go of her hair. I grab my beer to busy my hands. Otherwise, I’ll grab her and it won’t be gentle.

“Shit, like every day. It’s a problem when you work in a diner that serves crappy food. People tend to blame the waitress rather than the cook.”

“Why did you start working there?”

“Gotta earn money somehow,” she shrugs before taking a sip of water.

“How does it even fit with your classes?”

Her eyes stay on her glass, and she starts playing with the rim. “I dropped out.”

I let a beat pass so I don’t fire my answer at her and make her retreat. “You shouldn’t have. College will help you get a better job than your current one. Not that there’s anything wrong with waitressing, but I know how badly you want to leave. College can help with that.”

“Alright, Dad,” she snorts sarcastically before turning to me again. “I’m never getting out of here, Caden. There’s no point discussing this.”

Her defeat against that Silver Fall girl was two weeks ago, and she is still completely dejected.

“How’s training?”

“I don’t train anymore.” Her answer is clipped, and she looks relieved when Leo reappears with our food.

As soon as he leaves, she stuffs her mouth with the spaghetti on her plate, not wanting to talk to me.

“Little bee,” I say calmly as I put a hand on the back of her neck. “Your MMA career isn’t over.”

As soon as she swallows her pasta, she pushes more vegetables than she should into her mouth. Her cheeks puff from her full mouth, and I shake my head laughing.

“At some point there will be no food left, and you’ll have to talk to me.” She coughs after swallowing and drinks some water.

“MMA isn’t my favorite topic of conversation. Change it.”

I look at her features for a beat, not liking the sadness I see in them.

“Stop looking at me like that.” She shifts in her seat, uncomfortable.

“Like what?”

“Like you pity me.”

“I just don’t like seeing you upset,” I admit, my hand caressing her neck.

She barks a sarcastic laugh. “Liar.”

“I like seeing you at my mercy, but I don’t like seeing you upset. There’s a difference.”

She squirms, trying to nudge my hand away by rolling her shoulders. When she fails, she shifts her chair a little further away from me. I let go of her only to move my chair too, following.

“God, Caden,” she huffs. “Stop this whole trying to be nice and seducing me thing. We’re enemies. I know ‘us’ almost happened, but reality has caught up now. We’re never going to leave this place and be happy somewhere else. Do us both a favor and accept it. I’m going to serve in that shitty diner for the rest of my life, living with my dad, and you’ll rule your gang until it kills you. That’s just how life is.”

My voice is a few shades darker when I answer. “I will not be ruling any gang. I’m not staying here.”

“Sure. That’s what you say. But you just stabbed Xi because he raided your dealer’s house. Sounds like someone who’s into gang shit to me.”

“I stabbed Xi because he didn’t listen to my warning. I told him to stay away from you. I told him whoever touches what’s mine, dies. He’s fucking lucky he’s still breathing,” I hiss low.

Her lips flatten together, and she goes rigid without saying anything.

“You’re giving up, Billie. That’s not you. Keep training, keep fighting.”

“I don’t want to,” she snaps back.

“You say that, yet you still run every morning.” She goes to say something, but I cut her off. “Yes, I fucking watch you like a creep. Get over it. You still don’t drink any alcohol,” I point at the glass of water she’s holding firmly. “You still count your calories to make sure you don’t lose weight. A portion of carbs, steamed vegetables, and protein. Sounds like someone who still wants to go through rigorous training to me.”

“It-it’s just a habit,” she babbles her lie.

“You lost a fight, little bee. Everyone needs a humbling session when they think they’re invincible. You got yours. Now get back out there. Because let me tell you something, I will keep saving and studying to leave the North Shore, and you will keep fighting. Oh, and I will also keep making you mine while you secretly enjoy it. These are facts. Don’t just get familiar with them. Accept them.”

She doesn’t say anything, simply looks right at me. It seems we can’t stop returning to each other’s eyes tonight. I don’t know what she sees in mine, but I’m starting to see the fire of hope lighting in hers as a proud feeling envelops me. I did that. I gave my girl hope.