She Stole My Seventh Beast, I Smiled Chapter 02

She Stole My Seventh Beast, I Smiled Chapter 02

The words were barely out of my mouth before I regretted them.

This was Chloe’s favorite move. She’d bait me until I snapped, and the beastman standing next to me would see exactly what she wanted him to see: some unhinged girl he couldn’t run from fast enough. It had worked every time.

Right on cue, Chloe’s eyes welled up. She looked at Raymond with kicked-puppy eyes.

“I’m sorry, Valerie. If you don’t want me near him, I’ll back off. Just please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

“You’re scaring me.”

My chest seized. I turned to Raymond, already trying to explain, but he reached for my hand first and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles.

“That had to sting. You okay?”

Every knot in my chest loosened.

Chloe’s face soured. I couldn’t help it. I laughed.

“Doesn’t hurt at all. Come on, let’s go.”

We walked away and didn’t look back.

I barely made it down the block before the question clawed its way out.

“You’re really not interested in Chloe? Not even a little?”

Raymond’s tail drooped, and he turned those big, wounded eyes on me.

“Valerie, I made up my mind a long time ago. You’re the only one I want to bond with. I don’t care who Chloe is or what she tries. There’s only you.”

“If you still don’t believe me, tell me what it takes. I’ll prove it however you need me to.”

I squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye.

“I believe you.”

He meant every word.

But Chloe didn’t stop. She tracked me down every chance she got. Wherever Raymond and I went, she showed up.

At the mall, she asked Raymond to zip up her dress.

At dinner, she leaned across the table and stole the bite off Raymond’s fork before it reached my mouth, then smiled at him and said it tasted good.

At the movies, she flung herself against him, eyes brimming, whimpering that she was scared and begging him to hold her.

Every single time, I wanted to rip her hair out. But Raymond’s tail didn’t so much as twitch for her.

He just pushed her off, gently but firmly.

“If it’s that scary, go wait in the lobby. You’re ruining the movie for us.”

Chloe bit her lip. She gave me one last glare, then covered her eyes and walked out.

I had never felt that good.

I cupped Raymond’s face in my hands and kissed him. “Good boy.”

His ears flushed scarlet, and when he tried to talk, the words kept tripping over each other.

“Valerie… I don’t think I can wait much longer.”

I smiled. “Me neither.”

The credits rolled.

We stepped outside, and I spotted an ice cream stand. I told Raymond to wait right there. I’d be back in a minute.

He nodded and stayed put. But when I came back, Chloe was standing next to him again.

She was still holding her phone with a smile, giving Raymond’s shoulder a little pat.

“See you tomorrow, then.”

The ground seemed to tilt under my feet.

The ice cream slipped out of my hand and splattered on the concrete. I didn’t even try to pick it up.

My mind went white.

I lunged at Chloe, ripped the phone from her hand, and hurled it to the ground.

“What the hell are you doing? Are you seriously trying to take him too? Why can’t you just leave me alone, Chloe? You won’t be satisfied until I end up with some feral reject, is that it?”

Chloe trembled, shaking her head as her voice broke through tears.

“Why do you always assume the worst? Raymond is crazy about you, Valerie. He passed every test I threw at him. He’d never look at another girl.”

“I heard you two are going to the amusement park tomorrow. I was just sending Raymond your favorite rides so he could plan something special. I already have Brandon. Why would I want your beastman?”

“I just wanted tomorrow to be perfect for you. Why do you always have to do this?”

I forced a breath through my teeth.

Not one word. I didn’t buy any of it.

I opened my mouth to rip her story apart, but Raymond spoke first.