My heart flips with excitement and a smile spreads across my face.
I quickly push it away.
I don’t need Oleg seeing my smile. He will guess something is up because it is such a sharp contrast to the bitter expression I have been wearing every time he sees me.
“Fine. I’ll wear the dress,” I snap.
He turns to look at me. His eyes narrowed. “Thank you,” he says gently. There is relief in his voice. A pang of guilt washes through me. But why should I feel guilty? I didn’t do anything wrong.
Somehow, though, I don’t want to upset him.
I don’t want to make this harder than it needs to be.
I just want to go home. Can’t he see how badly I want to go home?
I stare at him for a moment. My mind drifting.
If Oleg and I had met under different circumstances—
No. Don’t even think about that. It isn’t going to help anything.
Just focus on how you can escape tonight.
You can go home.
At seven o' clock, I am wearing the dress Oleg gave me. Along with a diamond necklace that hangs just above my cleavage. The necklace compliments the beautiful and very obvious wedding ring wrapped around my finger. It still feels foreign against my skin. It feels heavy and I keep fidgeting with it because it doesn’t belong there. I’m not supposed to be married. I didn’t choose this.
Staring down at my left hand for a moment, I am lost in thought as I watch it glitter in the soft light.
When I stand in front of the long mirror and look at myself my heart does a tiny summersault. I can’t deny it. I look freaking incredible. This dress is gorgeous. I don’t know if Oleg actually chose it or not—but if he did, he has incredible taste.
The soft emerald fabric hugs my body tightly, over my hips and the curve of my ass, then it flows out around my legs. A long slit up the side accentuates my body and makes my legs look even longer.
I feel absolutely gorgeous.
I pin my hair up on top of my head in a pretty bun.
I’m ready.
I’m ready to escape and go home and I get to look incredible while I am doing it.
I wonder where we are going that requires a dress this extravagant. It seems so over the top.
I walk downstairs towards where Oleg is waiting at the bottom near the front door. His eyes are on me the entire way, each step I take, I can feel the heat of his gaze as it burns into me. His stare turns me on. I can feel his desire from here and it makes me picture things I should not be picturing.
“Raisa—“ he stammers as I step towards him. “You look—wow. The most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I knew the dress would look amazing on you—but at this point I think no matter what you wear you’d look amazing.”
I don’t say a word as I walk past him, out of the front door towards where the limousine is waiting for us.
I slide into the back seat and turn my face towards the window. I don’t have to be nice. Even though I love that he compliments me. I love that he thinks I’m beautiful.
But I can’t let him know that.
I feel him climbing in next to me, the heat of his leg against mine. I try my best to ignore the way it pulses through my body, luring me in, enticing me.
I will escape tonight.
That is what I need to focus on. Nothing else.