It had taken her a few minutes to agree to it. Had she acquiesced to please her father? If that was true, it was damned annoying.
Somehow, he had hoped that she would want to marry him. When she’d defended him earlier today, screaming to the crowd that he wasn’t a Beast, he’d thought she truly cared about him. But just because she railed against injustice didn’t mean that she loved him.
Dammit, he wanted her to love him. But that just frustrated him even more because he couldn’t touch her. Not her bare skin. He was a married man who could not consummate his marriage.
“Shit.” He dragged a gloved hand through his hair. How could he be so dangerous and pathetic at the same time? Perhaps it was just as well. He wasn’t sure Ana would even welcome his touch.
Never touch the Beast.
Never let the Beast touch you.
He’d promised to keep her safe. That meant he would have to keep his distance. He couldn’t be a husband. He was nothing more than her bodyguard.
A knock on the door made him scowl. He’d left four of his personal guard outside with orders that he and Ana were not to be disturbed. He unlocked the door to find Edmund outside with a basket and a stuffed knapsack.
“Congratulations!” Edmund beamed at him, then glanced back at his personal guard. “He’s still dressed.”
They chuckled.
Leo arched an eyebrow. Apparently, he’d spent too many years with Edmund and his personal guard, for they had lost all fear of him. “Is there a reason for this disturbance?”
“I brought wine and food.” Edmund lifted the basket. “In case you’ve worked up an appetite.”
“Thanks.” Leo nabbed the basket.
“Aye, you need to keep up your strength.” Edmund exchanged an amused look with the guards. “It’ll be a long night, but I’m sure he’s up to it.”
They all snickered.
Leo groaned inwardly. “What’s in there?” He motioned to the knapsack.
“The clothes you left in the tower.” Edmund leaned to the side to try to peek inside the room. “Shall I put them away for you?”
“I’ll take care of it.” Leo grabbed the knapsack.
Edmund elbowed the nearest guard. “He wants to be alone. I wonder why?”
They all grinned at him like the fools they were. Had they forgotten he was a Beast? “Stay extra vigilant,” he ordered his guards. “There is still an assassin at large, and he will be targeting this room.”
“Aye, my lord.” The guards bowed.
Edmund snickered. “And you’ll be somewhat distracted, I wager.”
“Edmund, go away.” Leo shut the door before he could be subjected to more of their inane chuckling. He dropped the knapsack on the floor and kicked it. “Dammit.”
“Is it true?” Ana’s voice carried softly across the room, and he looked up to see her standing in the doorway of the dressing room.
She was beautiful, so beautiful, that he stopped in his tracks just to look at her. Her face was a bit pale, as if she was nervous, but then why wouldn’t she be nervous? She’d just married the Beast.
Her hair was loose, falling to her waist in shimmering black waves that he couldn’t touch. Her slender body was covered from the neck to her bare ankles—a voluminous blue velvet robe on top of a white nightgown. He wondered briefly how sheer her nightgown was. If it was like the one before—just the memory of it caused his groin to tighten.
Stop that, he ordered himself. Her big blue eyes were watching him so closely, he couldn’t afford to swell up like a randy goat.
He positioned the basket in front of his breeches as he strode toward the table near the hearth. “I have food. You might be hungry like me. We didn’t get to eat at the funeral feast.”
She eased into the bedchamber while her maid hovered by the doorway. “Is it true that the assassin will target this room?”
“They might try.” Leo retrieved two goblets and a bottle of wine from the basket. “But don’t worry. There are four guards at each door and two outside below the windows. A total of ten.”
“Shouldn’t we stay in the tower? I thought it was safer there.”
He poured wine into the goblets. “It was safer for you there when you were alone. But now you have me.” He set the bottle down with a clunk. “Your guard dog is on duty.”
She blinked. “Guard … dog?”
“Precisely.” Time to set things straight. “Don’t think of me as a husband. I’m too dangerous for that. Don’t even think of me as a man. I am a vicious dog who will destroy anyone who tries to harm you.”
Her eyes had grown wide, but she didn’t cower in fear. Not his brave and beautiful Ana.
She lifted her chin. “I won’t have you speak of yourself that way.”
“Do you need a demonstration?” He ripped the glove off his left hand and stepped closer to the fireplace, where a few half-burned logs remained in the hearth. He reached out his hand, and sparks sizzled and popped around his fingers. A small bolt shot out and struck the logs, scattering a few wood chips before engulfing the wood in flames.
Leo heard the maid’s screech as he slowly tugged his glove back on. Steeling his nerves, he prepared himself to see the horror on Ana’s face.
To his surprise, she was hugging her maid.
“Shh, Gabriella.” Ana patted her on the back. “He’s not going to harm us.” She shot him an annoyed look. “For some reason, he felt compelled to try to frighten us.”