Page 79 of Beautiful Cruelty

"Good girl."Vadim's voice rumbles as he slowly pulls his shuddering cock from my mouth.

I wake up with a start, drenched in sweat.

For the past five days, I've been dreaming about what happened between Vadim and me in the jewelry store.

Every time I fall asleep, I can feel his hands on my body, hear his voice in my ear, and taste his cock on my lips. I can feel the weight of that necklace around my throat, his fist in my hair, and the way he made me lick the diamonds clean after.

I press my thighs together in the dim morning light, trying to quell the ache building there. The pink diamond ring on my finger catches the light, a constant reminder of our arrangement.

Stop it, Lacey. There's nothing else here. Just a means to an end.

But I'm having a harder time believing that there's nothing there.

Every time I see him across the dining room table or passing in Pankration'shalls, electricity crackles between us. His gray eyes darken when they meet mine, and I know he's thinking about it too. The way I looked on my knees. How I begged. What I let him do to me.

The worst part is how much I want it to happen again. How I catch myself watching him, wondering what other wicked things he might make me do. The power he has over me terrifies and thrills me in equal measure.

Every time I stare at the ring on my finger, I can remind myself of our arrangement. But whenever I see the delicate necklace he gave me—the one that reminds me so much of Mom's, my heart stutters.

That gesture that night felt real. The way he wiped away my tears felt real.

Maybe that's what scares me most of all.

I'm still lying in bed, mind racing, when a knock comes at my door.

"Come in," I call out, quickly sitting up and pulling the covers around me.

Lenka enters, her weathered features softening as she takes in my disheveled state. "Good morning,devushka. Vadim Petrovich requests your presence today. You will be going with him to select your wedding dress."

My heart skips at the mention of wedding dresses. For years, I'd sketched designs in my notebooks, dreaming of the perfect gown. But those were fantasies of real love, and not this arrangement of danger and lies.

"When?" I ask, fidgeting with the ring on my finger.

"In one hour." Lenka moves to the closet and pulls out a sophisticated cream-colored dress. "This should be appropriate for the occasion."

I catch my reflection in the mirror. Flushed cheeks, tangled hair, and memories of my dreams still lingering in my eyes.

"Thank you, Lenka."

She pauses at the door. "The dress you altered the other day. It was beautifully done. You have real talent."

"I used to dream of designing dresses and shoes,” I admit quietly. "Before everything changed."

"Perhaps some dreams don't die," Lenka says. "They just take unexpected paths to come true."

I look down at my engagement ring, thinking about the path that led me here. About Vadim's promise to find Mom's necklace. About the way he touches me like I'm precious while corrupting me like I'm his to ruin.

"One hour," Lenka reminds me gently. "Don't keep him waiting."

"I wouldn't dare to."

Lenka's only response is a soft knowing noise as she walks away.

The elegant storefrontlooms before us, all gleaming glass and understated luxury. Vadim insists on helping me out of the car even though I no longer need my crutches.

My stomach drops when I spot a familiar flash of red hair through the window. And then I read the name of the store:

Vorobyov Ensemble.

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