Page 110 of The Pakhan

My family was twisted, not the norm.

And here they said Vadim was a bad man. “Didn’t I already tell you that there is something wicked inside of me?”

Every time he laughed, I shivered. “Yes, you did. Just be careful. This must be played out carefully.”

I held up my hands with three fingers. “Girl Scout’s honor.”

“Uh-huh. And I know better.”

“So what can I do?”

“Let me think,” he said as he rubbed the three-day sexy stubble on his chin. “You can marry me. Of course this is business for what I have in mind. Or at least you can allow people to think we’re getting married.”

Most girls would be thrilled, jumping up and down for joy at having the man of their dreams asking them to marry him. But I wasn’t most girls and he was using our connection to get back at his enemies. “Are you asking? I mean a girl does need to be asked.”

“Yeah, I’m asking. Maybe I should say, I’m telling you that you’re going to marry me.”

He pulled me onto my toes and as usual, I swooned. I hoped that would last for as long as we were playing house. Who knew. Maybe all my dreams would come true. “Well, since you put it that way, I guess I have no other choice but to accept.”

“No, you do not.”

“This should be fun,” Sofiya said while the three of us stood in the insanely gorgeous dress shop. It was the kind of place where customers were handed glasses of Krug champagne, provided with munchies like fresh strawberries and individual chocolates while listening to a beautiful Spanish guitar over the unseen speakers.

“Fun? Yes, it will be,” I told the girls, glancing at Daniella, who was sprawled out in one of three velvet loveseats positioned in front of a massive three-way mirror.

“Don’t you look comfy,” Sofiya barked at her. The girl did have one leg hanging over the arm, kicking her booted heel against the chair, sucking down her second glass of champagne.

“Hey, I like champagne and strawberries. Hand me one of those. Will ya?” She was being more playful than I was used to, which had allowed me to take several breaths over the last few days.

Almost a week had gone by. A week of planning. Of worrying. Of hoping. I wasn’t entirely certain what emotions I felt but the mixture had kept me awake at night. Yes, Vadim had been there to comfort and care, to make me hot and bothered but until this bullshit was over, I would never be able to relax.

What little hadn’t been destroyed in my apartment had been collected by men working for him and put into a neat little storage box. Yes, I knew Joshua was partially to blame, leaving me out to dry as if I wasn’t a person.

I should hate him for his greed and stupidity, but he’d been as much a pawn as I had been. He’d paid for it with his life. At least he’d tried to warn me.

“You’re a putz, sis,” Sofiya said as she tossed a strawberry.

“Better a putz than a bitch.”

I was hearing them but part of me wasn’t listening. This did seem real to me, too much so. Maybe the fairytale had been stuck in my mind to the point I was being a girlie girl about even buying the right dress. What did it matter? It was all fake. Right?

“Earth to the girl of the hour,” Sofiya said as she flanked my side. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just… I guess I want to find the right dress. I don’t want to disappoint.”

She turned me with a hard jerk, narrowing her eyes just like her father could do. “Listen to me. You spent years trying to prove your wealth to your mother and father and to yourself. You don’t need to do that. You’re beautiful. You’re intelligent. You’re sophisticated yet playful. In my mind, you’re perfect.”

Daniella coughed on purpose. “Is there something you want to tell me, sis, like maybe you prefer girls?”

“Ha. You know better. I have a hot man coming with me to the big event.”

“You do know this is all fake. Right?” I flipped through the new batch of dresses and groaned.

“I am finished with you not being able to see how amazing you are.” She cursed under her breath as she took over trying to find the right outfit, finally jerking a hot red number into her hand. “Here. Try this on and don’t give me any crap. You know I’ll give it right back.” She yanked the glass from my hand, pushing me toward the dressing room.

“Are you always this bossy?” I asked, and of course I knew the answer.

“You bring it out of me.”

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