Saving the Beast, page 28
Reaching around her hip, I find her clit, and my fingers massage it in circles. Her head falls forward, and she fills the room with her cries for more, and I give it to her.
She rears back against me, filling herself up and riding me slowly, and it’s fucking heaven.
“Take what you want, baby,” I continue to rub her center as she stretches out around me, taking me deeper inside of her with each roll of her hips.
She speeds up, riding me faster and faster, and I can barely keep myself standing from the sensations rocking through my body.
“Oh fuck, that feels sooo good,” I groan, readying to take control. I’m not going to last much longer at this rate, and I need to make sure she comes. “Now, it’s my turn.”
Grabbing onto both of her hips, I bottom out inside of her, feeling my balls slap against her, nearly sending me into a spiral.
“Oh! Griffin!” she screams out, and I reach around and cover her mouth with my hand, pulling her flush against me, wanting to feel the vibrations of her cries. “You’re so deep right now!”
“And you’re doing such a good fucking job taking it,” I praise her as I rear back until just my tip remains and slam back inside of her, over and over, until her body gives out to my every desire.
Lowering my hand to her throat, I pull her against me, her back arching as I continue to pound into her pussy.
Holding her against my chest, I glide my other hand down her stomach and find that bundle of nerves that will send her over the edge. She looks up at me with hooded eyes and blown pupils, grunting and moaning incoherently.
I feel her clench around me, and I know she’s close. So am I. My balls tighten as I wait for her to fall into oblivion first.
“Oh God, Griffin! I’m going to—oh fuck!” she cries out, her pussy clenching around me as her orgasm tears through her, and that’s all it takes to send me over the fucking edge.
“Fuuuck,” I pull her tighter against me as I empty every drop of my love into her.
Sliding out of her, I grab my shirt off of the floor and wipe between her thighs, cleaning her up before doing the same to myself and slipping my sweats back on. I know I’m running out of time, trying to keep her all to myself.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” she asks, looking up at me with downturned eyes.
Reassuring her, I rush over and rub my hands up and down her arms. “Because this was just the beginning of your birthday surprises I have planned.”
She softens immediately, and in her eyes, I watch as she fights back the protest to tell me I don’t need to do anything else. But at least she’s learning that I’m going to spoil her cute little ass, no matter what, and telling me not to does little to dissuade me. Because the truth is, she’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m not going to let a day go by that I don’t remind her just how remarkable she is. Whether it be by my words, actions, or gestures, I’ll never let her forget how much she means to me.
If it wasn’t for her, I would have never started processing my family’s passing. I would have never opened myself up to Mrs. Potts and Chip like I have now, and I definitely wouldn’t be lucky enough to say I love you to the girl who made it all possible.
I might be called The Beast, but she is the beauty that saved me.
My heart is racing a million miles a minute, my palms are sweating, and butterflies are dancing throughout every part of my body. Griffin has my knees weak and thighs quivering from what we just did in the library.
My library.
My cheeks flush. I still can’t believe he built that for me. It’s magical and perfect. I can’t wait to fill the walls with more of my favorite books and ones I’m dying to read. It’s my new playground, and I feel giddy, like a kid on Christmas, at the thought of spending every day holed up and surrounded by old and new stories.
Griffin grabs my hand as we step out of my new favorite room. My chest swells with the love I feel for Griffin.
He swings our hands between us. “I’m taking you out for dinner tonight. Paul and Lumi are joining us. We’re going to a nice Italian restaurant in town.”
I should tell him it’s my birthday every day if this is what he plans out. I could get used to this.
“What time?” I ask, already imagining the outfit choices I can create and hating every idea so far.
“In about an hour and a half,” he answers, and my eyes bulge out of my head.
He smirks and looks away. “Well, our added adventure wasn’t on the itinerary.”
I laugh, and my face burns as I remember the feel of his hand around my neck and the fire coursing through me. “Oops.”
He sneaks behind me, dropping my arm and tickling my sides. “Yeah, oops. Now, go get ready,” he whispers. “I picked something out for you to wear.”
Whipping my head around, I gasp as my heart flutters. “You did?”
“It’s hanging in your room.” He smiles from ear to ear. He gently shoves me up the stairs. “Now go, go, go, or we’re going to be late!”
“Okay! I’m going!” I giggle and start running up the stairs to my room.
Lumi is sprawled out on my bed as I walk in. “Finally, I was worried you guys got lost down there.”
I can’t hide the warmth in my face. “Yeah, yeah …” I trail off as my eyes land on the golden-yellow satin hanging on my wardrobe.
It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. Thin spaghetti straps hold it on the hanger, and thicker off-the-shoulder straps hang on the sides. The delicate fabric hangs elegantly, and I’m itching to get into it.
“Yeah, I know, right?” Lumi says, jumping off of the bed and admiring the dress with me. “It’s going to look amazing on you.”
After a quick touch-up on my curls, I style it half up with my black bow, knowing Griffin will love it. I do my makeup, opting for a faint smoky-brown eye and a soft red lip.
Lumi helps me step into my dress and zips me up. I’ve never felt more like a princess than I do right now, getting ready to descend the stairs to my prince.
As we exit the east wing, I get a whiff of vanilla, accompanied by the scent of fresh roses. The lights are dimmed, and I reach for the switch, but Lumi slaps my hand away.
“Just keep going,” he whispers, escorting me to the top of the stairs.
Watching my feet intently, I make sure I don’t trip as we descend to the landing.
Tingles dance over my body, and as I look up, my heart jumps into my throat, and flames ignite behind my eyes.
Griffin stands at the bottom of the staircase, wearing a deep blue suit, in his usual styling—no tie. His hair is brushed back, cascading in waves atop his head.
Behind him stands white-lit marquee letters that spell out Happy Birthday. And every countertop is decorated with flowers, endless candles, and gifts.
Paul waits behind the giant letters, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Malik, Asher, and Dean standing beside him.
I don’t even realize that Lumi and I have continued down the stairs until Griffin approaches, and my eyes drop to his outstretched hand.
“I thought we might celebrate here tonight.” His smooth voice sounds like music to my ears.
I slip my hand in his, and he glides me across the floor toward the little table positioned directly behind the letters. He grabs a glass off of it and hands it to me.
“Happy birthday, baby.” He grabs a glass of his own and clinks it against mine.
Unable to contain the smile on my face and the swelling heart in my chest, I take a sip of the champagne.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Griffin sets his glass down and releases my hand. “One more thing.”
“Seriously, Griffin, I don’t want anything else. You’ve already done so much.”
“Even if the last surprise is me?” The familiar raspy voice of my father sounds behind me, and I nearly drop the glass to the floor as I whip around to see if my imagination is getting the best of me or if he’s really here.
“Dad!” I cry out as I lay eyes on my loving and caring father.
“Hey, peanut,” he sobs.
I lunge forward and wrap my arms around him, still questioning whether this is real. As I inhale, I breathe in the scent of my childhood, of the man who sacrificed so I could pursue my dreams. I owe him everything, and I love him more than I can ever put into words.
“You look so beautiful. Happiness looks good on you, sweetie,” he whispers into my ear, and the burning sensation spreads from my eyes to my throat.
Squeezing him firmly, I say, “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too,” he answers, pulling away and wiping the wetness trailing down his cheeks.
I feel Griffin brush my side as he steps beside me. My dad opens his arms to him, and Griffin hesitates, his eyes glossing over. Reaching out, I touch his hand with mine, reminding him I’m right here.
It’s all the assurance he needs to step forward into my dad’s embrace. My dad pats his back, and I can watch as every muscle in Griffin’s body unwinds, softening from their hug, and it brings tears back into my eyes. I hope that, over time, they can grow close together. Although it looks like they are already off to a great start.
As they pull away, Griffin looks over at Mrs. Potts, giving her some kind of signal, and she walks away. Moments later, music pours into the room around us.
“May I have this dance?” Griffin asks, brushing my hair from my face and offering me his hand.
“Of course.” I swoon, intertwining my fingers with his.
He leads me to the open floor in front of the Happy Birthday sign.
Sliding his fingers onto my waist, he holds my other hand out at our sides, leading us across the floor as we spin and sway to the music.
Mrs. Potts and Asher join us, followed by Lumi and Paul. I burst out laughing as Malik and Dean start dancing together. The last to drift onto the floor is Chip and my dad, who are becoming fast friends. Rex runs across the floor and happily jumps up around Chip, seemingly dancing with them.
At the beginning of the year, I was fighting each day to stay afloat. I was desperate to hold on to my fantasies and the fairy tale I had manifested for years.
Whether it was fate or perhaps Lumi volunteering me to become Griffin’s tutor, I’m forever thankful that we found one another.
Behind his bared teeth and menacing reputation, I discovered so much more than I ever could have dreamed. I might have accepted the challenge of saving The Beast, but in truth, he rescued himself; I simply freed his heart from the west wing, where he’d imprisoned it long ago.
As we rock back and forth, nestled in our embrace, I rest my cheek against Griffin’s chest, and he kisses the top of my head.
There is no place I would rather be than right here, surrounded by my favorite people and in the arms of the man I love. I don’t know what our future holds or what tribulations we might face, but I don’t care. We’ll take any challenges head-on, hand in hand, together.
Thank you for reading Saving the Beast! If you enjoyed it, please leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads!
Book two is coming February, 2025! Title TBA!
Want to read more from Pru Schuyler while waiting for book two in the HEAU Hockey Legends Series?
Check out her backlist below!
Nighthawks Series (new adult pro hockey romance)
Find Me in the Rain
Find Me on the Ice
Find Me Under the Stars
Not My Coach
Mrs. Claus Standalone Duet (adult holiday romance)
Stealing Mrs. Claus
Becoming Mrs. Claus
Wicked Series (young adult mystery/suspense romance)
The Wicked Truth
The Wicked Love
The Wicked Ending
There are so many people I want and need to thank for helping this book and this series come to life.
First and foremost, I must thank my incredible readers who allow me to live my dreams daily. You are the reason I get to do what I love, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough. I couldn’t do this without you, and I’m forever grateful for you.
Dante, thank you for being the best husband in the world. Thank you for knowing me better than I know myself and for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for understanding when I have to hole up in my office during impending deadlines. You sacrifice and respect for what I do never goes unnoticed. I love you forever, and more.
Nikki, thank you for loving this concept and encouraging me to write this story. I would be lost without you, and I am so blessed to do this with you. You are the most incredible human, and I’m so proud to write alongside you on this insane journey. Your words are so beautiful and impactful. You have become a part of me, and I will love you forever and ever.
Meagan, you brilliant little ball of sunshine! Thank you for taking the bones of this book and seeing its potential from the very beginning. You leveled this book up in a way I didn’t know was possible, and I’m so grateful for the time you dedicated to Blair and Griffin’s story. Thank you for picking me up whenever I considered quitting because I didn’t believe in myself. You keep me sane in moments of doubt.
Maren, thank you for keeping me in line so I could finish this book on time. Thank you for calling me out when I hadn’t written in days and encouraging me to push through to the end. I could not have done this without you. Seriously. And shoutout to MJ for our late-night Zoom sessions that kept me on schedule. You are such an incredible human. Sincerely, Chicken Little.
Mom and Dad, thank you for always encouraging me to follow my passions and being invested in my book career. I couldn’t ask for better parents and would not be anywhere near where I am today if it wasn’t for both of you.
Jovana, thank you for loving this story and for helping me bring it to life. You are a miracle worker, as always. I’m so grateful for you.
My content teams–arc, street, pr, and social groups, are real-life angels who are helping my stories reach as many readers as possible. I’m forever grateful to everyone who likes, comments, and interacts with me on social media–thank you so much for taking the time to talk about my stories. Your dedication and love are priceless. Communicating with each and every one of you brings me so much joy.
There will never be enough words to truly show my gratitude to everyone who has helped my dreams come true. But I will start with these two–thank you.
Pru Schuyler is a Top 10 Amazon Best-Selling author, best known for her Nighthawks hockey romance series. She writes happily ever afters to cry for, including characters and stories that her readers can truly empathize with. At the heart, her books focus on undying love.
She secretly judges people who get through the day without any caffeine because she consumes an insane amount in order to function. She lives in the Midwest with her adored fur babies and husband. When she isn’t getting lost in her writing, she is busy procrastinating by attending her local NAHL games, watching her favorite shows and movies, and spending time with her family at home.
Pru loves to communicate with her readers on her socials.
Instagram: Pruschuylerauthor
Facebook: Pruschuylerauthor
Facebook group: Pru Schuyler’s Sweethearts
Website: Pruschuylerauthor.com
Pru Schuyler, Saving the Beast
