Warning: This chapter DOES contain one or more of the following mature materials: Language, Sexual-innuendo, Passionate kissing, S&M, Adult situations. ~_^

A Salvation Called Love

-Chapter 19-

-It's Time-

[Dominic]

Less than two days until she was gone. Less than two days until I sent her away… to keep her safe. Or at least that's what I kept telling myself. Maybe I was being a coward again, but I didn't want her to be taunted by people around us because she's with me. Who would want to be with me anyways? I'm the one who inspired Beauty and the Beast and I truly feel like a beast, unworthy of the kindness Annabelle has offered me… Shown me… These past few months have been the best time of my life for longer than I cared to remember. I hadn't know when I'd last smiled genuinely before she'd came into life, knocking it all kinds of sideways. She has become something more to me than just someone to take care of my estate. Something more…

I sighed and scooted away from my desk. Work hadn't gone well today. I hadn't been in a good mood. All I could think about is her leaving. Me being alone… I should be used to it. I wasn't anymore and I didn't want it. Standing I gently touched the papers spread out in front of me with my fingers, nudging them here and there. They were Annabelle's schedule, proof of her year being paid for, and her dorm information. I planned on giving them to her when I got back to the house tonight, probably after dinner. I didn't know how she would take it, me having paid for her last year, but I didn't care. I could do that for her at least. She'd given me something to believe in again.

"Mr. Gold?"

I looked up slowly and watched as Margret peered at me from the doorway. "Yes, Dearie?"

"I was wondering…" She quickly stepped further into the room until she was standing in front of my desk. "I just wanted to ask if you were all right."

I straightened up and took a deep breath. "Why ever would you ask that, Dearie?"

She gave a small shrug. "It's just… you've been a little… distracted today. Like something has been bothering you."

I stared at her for a few moments before reaching up to run my fingers through my hair, turning away from her to face the window. The sun would be setting soon. "I'm alright, Margret. I'm just busy with a lot of things, work mostly." I felt like being a little nice tonight, something I found happening more and more the longer I was around Annabelle. I peeked over my shoulder at Margret and gave her a small lift of the lips, a small smile. "Thank you for your concern, Margret."

"Oh." She blinked rapidly in surprise and was at a loss for words for a few seconds. "I… Well, you're welcome. Is there… Is there anything else you'll be needing tonight, Mr. Gold?"

I turned back to her and shook my head. "No, Dearie. You can go home for the night. I'll lock up everything. I think I'll be heading home soon as well."

Margret gave a tiny nod of her head and left without another word. I took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it out and walked around my desk, heading over to where I always kept Belle's tea cup. It was sitting in its usual place. I gently touched it with my fingertips. "What am I going to do, Belle? I don't know… I don't know what to do." I picked it up and moved it upwards to place a small kiss against the edge of the chip, feeling the roughness of it rub against my lips. I gave a tiny sigh and closed my eyes, moving to hold the chipped cup against my chest. My words were just whispers now. "I don't know what to do."

[Annabelle]

Putting the finishing touches on the special dinner that I'd prepared tonight I took a few steps back and smiled. Dominic would be happy tonight. I walked over to one of the chairs in the kitchen and sat down close by the fire, staring into it as I unconsciously bit at my lower lip. I didn't know if he was stressed from work or something but he'd been down and silent for the past couple of days. Not his normal self… or not the normal-ness that I'd grown fond of. He'd been refusing to look at me when I talked to him and I desperately wanted to ask what was wrong but felt like it wasn't my place. I didn't want to pry, even though I was worried. I cared for him. Or maybe it was more than just caring for him. I just really didn't know what it was that I was feeling. It was confusing and consumed my thoughts.

I pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the front door open and close. I quickly stood and made my way to the front of the house. I came into the foyer just as Dominic was laying his briefcase down on the table just inside the door. I smiled at him as he looked up at me with his very beautiful eyes. They were one of his best features. "Hi."

He gave me a tiny smile and walked up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face against my throat, breathing me in. "Hi." His words scalded against my skin and I shivered in his arms.

I reached up and buried my hands in his hair as his lips pressed against my skin, his teeth grazing just above my jumping, erratic pulse. "Dominic." My words were just whispers as I felt his hands knead against my back. I leaned my head back and gave him more room to kiss along my neck as I clung to him.

He slowly kissed his way up my neck and across my jaw and I could feel his body shaking with need. Need for something I didn't know. I didn't want to ask. I just wanted to give him what he needed. I closed my eyes as his lips found mine. He gently bit against my bottom lip as his hands slowly shoved up my shirt in the back, baring my skin to him. His hands were warm, so very warm. I slid my tongue into his mouth and dueled his, holding him in place with his hair as he groaned into the kiss. "Annabelle, sweet Annabelle." He slowly pulled back from the kiss and buried his face against my neck again. His arms wrapped around me tightly, picking me up until I had to stand on tip-toe and I was held flush against his warm body.

I moved my hands from his hair to wrap around his neck. I gently rubbed circles against his skin. "Is everything ok, Dominic?"

He gave a tiny shake of his head. "I don't know what to do, Annabelle."

I slowly pushed him away from me until I could peer up at him from inches away. "What do you need to do, Dominic? It feels like it's consuming you."

He very gently placed me back down and pulled away until only his fingers touched me, lacing them with mine. "Is dinner ready?" I nodded and he gave me just the smallest of smiles, his gold tooth glittering in the light. "I've got some things I need you to look over. We'll do it after we eat, I'm starving."

I cocked my head to the side for a few moments before giving a small shrug. "Ok. Sounds like a plan to me."

He beckoned me to head towards the dining room. "Lead the way, dear-heart, and I shall follow."

I felt a small laugh bubble up from inside of me and turned around, leading the way. All I had to do was bring out everything and then we could eat. I'd made everything super delicious tonight.

[The Library]

Dinner was wonderful and Dominic had really loved my cooking tonight. We'd chatted over small things during the hour we ate and then when we were done, Dominic said that we could just leave the dishes for now. He had something important for me to look at and he didn't want to wait anymore. So now here we were in the library. I watched silently as Dominic lit the fire in the library and took a seat opposite me. He had a manila envelope with him and when I was seated he offered it to me.

I took it from him and frowned as I held it in my hand. "What is it?"

"Open it."

I continued to frown at him but slowly opened it and reached in. There were three sheets inside and I pulled them out, sitting them against eh envelope as I slowly read through them. I quickly looked up at him when I realized what the papers were. "These… these are for my senior year. What… what… how did you get these? Who gave them to you?"

He took a deep breath and held it for a long while before leaning back in his chair and quietly answering. "I asked for them, from your school."

"Why?" I blinked down at the papers again. The first page that I had looked at named off my classes that I would be taking his upcoming year, my senior year. The second paper was information about my dorm. What room I would be in, which dorm I'd be staying in. The third paper which was the last one was a statement from the registration office stating that my senior year had been paid for, including my classes, graduation, and dorm room.

He leaned forward and peered at me with eyes that were filled with something… something I couldn't identify. "You're free to go, Annabelle. I'm letting you go. Your father's debt to me is paid."

I clutched at the papers in my hand and squished them. "I told you I would stay. I know for a fact I haven't worked here long enough to pay for my father's debt. Are you going back on your deal?"

He stood up quickly and moved to tower over me. "I never go back on my deals, Annabelle. I have the right to decide when his debt is paid."

I slowly dropped the paper and stood, walking the few steps forward until I was standing in front of him. I grabbed a handful of his shirt. "Why?"

His hands reached up and wrapped around mine, but he didn't pull away. "I want you to have something better than I can offer you. You told me yourself that you wanted to be a woman that could explore the world. I'm giving you that chance."

"I don't want it."

He frowned down at me. "'What are you saying, Annabelle? Don't you want to live your dreams? Don't you want to perform around the world?"

I shook my head. "No." I felt tears staining the corners of my eyes. Why was he trying to push me away?

"Why?"

"I want to stay with you."

He sighed. "But I'm not good enough for you, Annabelle."

"Who says I'm not?"

He closed his eyes and this time he did pull away from me, moving backwards until his knees hit the front of his chair and he sat down roughly. "When you're with me… I'm the happiest man. I find myself smiling and laughing. Something I haven't done in a long, long time. I would do anything to keep that. But I don't want you to get hurt because of my selfishness, Annabelle. I'm a beast to the world unless I can offer them something. And because of that people will judge you, just like your father did. Ever since that day when I heard your father call you what he did… accuse you of things I've been thinking. Thinking that I don't want that kind of life for you. It's not you. It's me. Human hate is for me alone. That's why I want you to finish college."

I stormed over towards him and smacked him sharply across the cheek. "How can you talk like that?"

"Annabelle."

I glared down at him. How dare he think I care about what other people think. It's my choice who I want to be with. "Don't Annabelle me, Dominic Alexander Gold. I am 24 years old and I'll make my own decisions. Fuck whatever those ignorant, judgmental, jealous people think." I knelt down in front of him and I just couldn't be angry anymore. I reached up and gripped two handfuls of his hair as I stared up at him. "I. Want. To. Be. With. You." I have a sharp jerk of his hair and gave a small growl. "I want to be with you, Dominic."

He stared down at me unblinking for the longest time. I watched his pulse jump in his throat and his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed. "I'll make you a deal then."

I sighed and let his hair go, falling back on my backside to sit on the floor. "Why all the deals, Dominic. I'm not in the mood for deals. I'm not going to leave. I'm going to keep my end of the deal that we previously made."

"Just listen because it's the only way I'll compromise with you."

I narrowed my eyes up at him but huffed and crossed my arms beneath my breasts. "Fine."

I watched as he slid from his chair and knelt in front of me. His hand reached up and cupped my face. "If you finish your senior year… pass all your classes and everything. If you can do that then I'll make a deal with you that you can decide if you want to come back and stay with me."

"But I already…"

He cut me off, covering my mouth with one of his large calloused hands. "Shush, Annabelle. You'll be away for a year. A year is a long time to see the bad things about me. When you walk across the stage and hold your diploma I'll be there. Then and only then will I allow you to make this decision. It's not like I'm going to be going anywhere."

My heart fluttered at his words. Maybe he wasn't pushing me away after all. "You… you'd want me to stay here with you then?"

He slowly nodded. "I don't want you to go, Annabelle. Gods know that I don't but in order for you to live your dreams I have to let you go… even if it's only for a year."

I slowly bit at my bottom lip and pressed my face into my hands, rubbing at my temples. "If I graduate I can come back?"

"Yes."

"And you won't let me until I do."

"Correct."

I sighed. It didn't sound like too bad of a deal. I could honestly say screw college and stay with Dominic but a part of me also wanted to go back and finish. To see my friends again. I sighed and roughly ran my hands through my hair, fluffing it in annoyance. "You sure drive a hard bargain, Dominic. It's so damn frustrating."

He chuckled. "That's what makes me the best businessman out there, Dearie."

I found myself smiling up at him and sighing. I just couldn't fight him anymore. "Fine. I'll agree to this deal, Mr. Gold. You can have it your way."

He grinned and moved to stand up. "Good. It makes me feel much better knowing that's off my chest."

I reached up and grabbed a hold of his shirt before he could completely stand. "But…"

He stopped moving and arched a brow, staring down at me. "But what?"

I found myself suddenly very shy. What I was going to ask was very embarrassing. A familiar warm feeling crept across my face as I blushed and hid behind my hair as I spoke up. "I'll only agree to this if you…"

He slowly moved to sit back down and gently reached out to move my hair away from my face. "If I what, dear-heart?"

"If…" I licked my suddenly dry lips and took a deep breath, letting it out and speaking quickly. "I'll only agree to this if you sleep with me."

He froze and it was like I was here by myself. I couldn't even see his pulse beating beneath his skin. "Annabelle."

I scooted up onto my knees quickly and grabbed his shoulders. "I'm not a child, Dominic. I'm not. I hate being treated like one. I want to sleep with you and I'm not going to leave here without you… without you…" I lowered my voice to a whisper. "Without you making love to me."

He sucked in a sharp breath and I could see his pulse jumping again. His chest was raising and falling in fast waves and as I looked up into his eyes I watched as his pupils dilated, completely swallowing the colour of his eyes. "Do you know what you're saying, Annabelle?"

I gave a sharp nod. "I do."

"I'm a lot older than you, Annabelle."

"I don't care. I want you to make love to me. Age doesn't matter."

"I.. I could hurt you."

I snorted and moved upwards until I was inches away and laid a tiny kiss against the corner of his mouth, just above the small scar on his top lip. I absolutely adored that scar. It made him look even more handsome. "You can't hurt the willing, Dominic." I moved an inch and pressed my lips completely against his for a few seconds before pulling away again. "And for the first time I've found someone to be willing for."

His eyes fluttered as I played my lips against his chin, leaving scalding kisses here and there. "Annabelle."

"Dominic." I kissed his bobbing Adam's apple. He sucked in sharp breath. "Agree or we have no deal."

His hands gripped my arms tightly. "Not tonight, Annabelle. I don't think I could control myself properly."

He gave a tiny moan as I flicked my tongue out to trail softly against his beautifully formed collar bones. "Tomorrow."

He gave a small nod and his nails bit into my skin. His voice was just a little shaky. "Tomorrow."

I grinned, very happy with myself as I stood. He shakily stared up at me. I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair and he closed his eyes, allowing his head to fall back with the motion of my fingers. "Goodnight then, Dominic."

I bent down and pressed my lips against his. He groaned and kissed me back like he was a drowning man and I was his air. When I finally managed to pull away from his burning kiss I was a little shaky myself, my knees felt like jelly and I felt that familiar warm, liquidy feeling that burned at my core. His eyes fluttered open and he gave a lopsided grin. When he spoke his brogue was thicker than usual. "Goodnight, my sweet Annabelle."

A.N - The next chappie is going to contain full blown adult things. And trust me when I say this, I. Am. Very. Good. At. Writing. It. So, if you're light of heart and/or innocent minded please skip chappie 20... or read it and be corrupted by the hotness of it all. Don't say I didn't warn you ~_^ But, I've been holding off on writing a smut scene because they weren't ready for it yet... I feel like they're at the right moment where it's right. I needed the tension to build and build it has... so hold on tight, buckle up, get a freezing cold class of water, and prepare for my amazing smut-making skills *^_^* (ok, ok, I know I say amazing, but I'll just let you guys be the judge. The very few people that I've allowed to read my smuttiness have really enjoyed it so I'm giving you the awesome chance to read it, HAHA, for the first time publicly. *blushes insanely and runs away to hide as you read*)