Page 4 of Beast

My father sighs. He suddenly looks wearier than I can everremember seeing him. “I have no doubt that the chemists can make it work. Don’ttry to sell this as some big job. Meggie gave you the sunscreen, and you passedit off to the bio-med team. It doesn’t make you a businessman. You spend farmore time partying than you do in the office.”

Humiliation flashes through my system. Everyone discountsme. Even my own family. “How about all the marketing research I’ve done? I cansell this. I can make this our biggest seller within a year. I’ve done thefinancials. Sunscreen tech can be the most profitable arm of Dellacorp withinfive years. Bio-med has been our weak point. I can make us a leader in themarket.”

My father looks far past his sixty-five years as he shakeshis head. His anger seems spent, replaced with something I can only term asdisappointment. “No. You’re off the sunscreen project. You’ll bring too muchbad publicity. It’s best if you take a break. I’ll make you a deal. Getmarried, and I’ll let you back in. A wedding would mollify the stockholders.They’ll think you’re finally settling down. Look what happened to Malone Corpwhen JT married his consort. Might I add, she was pregnant at the time and itwasn’t his kid. Poor thing got hauled off the Earth plane in a delicatecondition and JT stepped up to the plate and made his family proud. Got somegreat PR, too. You know the more I think about it, the more I like this plan.”

“I don’t want to get married.” Even when I accepted the DLgig, I knew I wasn’t ready to be anyone’s husband. I’m barely thirty. I’m stilla kid. Maybe JT is ready to be someone’s dad, but the thought horrifies me.

My father shrugs and scrubs a hand across his face. “Then Iwould start looking for a job, son. You have a business degree. I made sure ofit.”

My father walks out, leaving me stunned in his wake. On thescreen behind me, the women are beginning to shout at each other.

I slump into the first chair I find, utterly shocked at theevents of the evening.

This was a stupid idea. I should never have gone on thatdumb show. It was a reaction to my cousins’ happiness. I know my father willnever believe it, but I’m jealous of what Beck and Ci found with theirbondmate. Meg is a hell of a woman. She’s tough and funny, and I genuinely likeher as a person. I’ve never met anyone as interesting as Megan Finn. I doubt Iever will. How am I supposed to get married when I’m half in love with mycousins’ wife?

I was looking for a connection. I can lie to everyone, but Iknow the truth deep down. I didn’t find it. I probably never will. And myfather sure as hell can’t force it on me.

Something wicked and angry takes up residence in my gut.

If I can’t have love, I can have the next best thing. I pullout my tablet and dial up my latest mistress. I’m sure my father woulddisapprove, but I need to let off some steam.

Two hours later, I let my head rest against the backof the chair as Amanda King teases the head of my dick with her talentedtongue.

“He seriously expects you to get married?” She emphasizesthe “you” part. The question vibrates against the sensitive skin of my cock.

I take a long swallow of Scotch. I know I probably lookevery bit the decadent, care-for-nothing no-good my father portrayed me as. I’msitting in my mistress’s suite, which I pay for, drinking and letting herpleasure me. The worst part is the fact that while my cock is engaged, my fangshaven’t popped out yet. I’m distracted. Or getting old.

Maybe I really should think about taking a consort. JTMalone seems happy with his. It would chill my dad out. “I got a lecture abouthow marriage can settle a man down. He threw the Malones in my face. Again.”

“You know I heard that he married a chick from the Earthplane, but the twist was it was the same girl he grew up with on this plane,”Amanda murmurs against my cock. “It was one of those mirror things. Except thegirl he grew up with died when they were teens and then this one showed up andhe lost his mind. I wonder if I’m out there somewhere.”

I don’t even want to think about it. Meg told me there isanother version of me on the plane she came from. I think about him sometimes.I’m probably living it up on the Earth plane, and no one tells me what to do.It’s probably paradise.

Then Amanda runs her tongue from the base of my balls to thecrown of my cock, and I’m not thinking much anymore. She is extremely good atgiving head. What right does my father have to tell me I’m useless simplybecause I like to party and keep a mistress? Welcome to the world of a wealthyroyal vampire. Everyone did it. I work hard. Sometimes. Don’t I deserve toplay? Besides, I consider myself something of a mentor to my mistress. Amandais a young woman trying to put herself through school without the aid of familyor corporate funds. It’s a given in their society that she find a wealthypatron to help her. If she was born in a royal line, I would never have touchedher, but Amanda is a lovely peasant girl. She knows the score. I can nevermarry a peasant. It will be a royal or a consort for me.

Even if she was a royal, I wouldn’t consider her. Amanda isall right, but I don’t love her. And she sure as hell doesn’t love me. Isuspect she doesn’t like royals at all.

My father was born a royal, but one without money. My fatherpulled his entire family off the surface with willpower and intelligence. I’mnever going to live up to my father.

“Have I lost you?” Amanda stares up, her brown eyesquestioning. Her hands are on my thighs. I didn’t even notice when she stopped.What’s wrong with me?

I shake my head and stroke her hair. She’s a sweet girl, andshe’s good to me in her own way. I don’t want her to feel insecure. “I’m sorry,sweetheart. My mind is on the problem. Don’t stop. I need this tonight.”

She winks up and lowers her head, talking as she presseskisses along my cock. “You know all the eligible American royals. I doubt anyof them will be willing to date you after your Bachelor debacle. Wayto break the consort’s heart, by the way,” Amanda points out as she cups myballs.

I stare down at her, reclining in a comfortable chair,watching as the blonde beauty works. She looks thoughtful. I’m pretty sureshe’s contemplating the trouble I’m in and the likelihood that it will affecther. I’m practical. She’s in this for the cash. If I get married, she has tolook for a new “mentor.”

“Are you going to go international? There might be someroyal on an island somewhere who didn’t see the show.”

“I’m not going at all,” I reply, thrusting my hips up. Irelax back as her head bobs up and down. She settles into her task. “I’m notgoing to let him force me into something I’m not ready for. Just because hewanted to get married and start a family at such a young age doesn’t mean Ihave to. Oh, yeah. That’s it, sweetheart.”

This is what I need. I tangle my hands in her hair as myfangs pop out. It took them long enough.

I feel her tongue whirl over and around my dick, and I startto thrust into her mouth with purpose. Her mouth is small and warm, but I wantmore. I want to give her an orgasm, to remind myself that I can still dosomething right.

“Come on,” I order, pulling her up and onto my lap. “Rideme.”

She straddles me obediently. Her brown eyes are warm as shelines my cock up and sinks down.