Blackmailing Belle (The Lost Girls, #4)

by Holly Roberds

"He was trying to steal from me." The Beast’s words lash out with a venomous snap. "I’m so sorry, but I’m sure he didn’t really mean to. My father gets confused. He has a condition⁠—" "He tried to steal from me." The Beast’s roar is sudden, a gust of wind that blows my hair back. My teeth click shut as I flinch. I clutch my hands together until my knuckles turn white, trying to hold steady. He’s trying to scare me. "Yelling at me won’t accomplish anything," I shoot back. "I may be a woman you think you can bully, but I’ve dealt with my fair share of powerful, dangerous men. If you want to talk, do not raise your voice to me." My words snap out like a whip. The shadow rears back slightly. Again, I sense more than see his surprise. "I’m not like any man you’ve met before," he says in a low voice that trembles with barely restrained violence. "Great. I’m not like any woman you’ve met before. Glad we cleared that up. Now, I’d appreciate it if you would let my father go and we’ll be out of your hair."