Page 131 of Beautiful Cruelty

"Jesus." Megan slumps back in her seat. "But why marryyou?Why drag you into all this?"

"He said ithadto be me after we crossed paths at Nathan's apartment," I reply. "He said that I was the exact kind of person he needed. Because I'll fight and defend those who needs defending the most."

I recall what he said to me the moment he brought me to Pankration for the first time.

"He said that it's because I won't back down, even if I'm cornered. And because less than twelve hours after my engagement ended, I was arguing with him in an attempt to stop him from buying out Mrs. Klossner's dry cleaner."

Megan gawks at me. "Don't you think everything sounds just a littletooconvenient?"

I close my eyes, recalling how everything came together. Everything happened so fast.

But now, hearing Megan say it out loud...

"Think about it," she continues, her voice growing more intense. "He just happened to leave that list in his suit pocket? The same suit you accidentally took without him saying one goddamn word? And he just happened to be at Nathan's place right when you showed up?"

She's not wrong. The timing does seem perfect. Too perfect.

"And then he's telling you that you're exactly who he needed?" Megan shakes her head. "I mean, I'm not saying he's wrong about you. But you have to admit. It's too fucking convenient."

Olga's words echo in my mind:Sooner or later, Pyotr's bastard will put blood on your hands.

And in many ways, he did.

Irina's.

But the thought of Irina restores the spark of faith I have in Vadim. The way she lit up talking about Svoboda's mission. How she believed in Vadim's mission completely. The fierce pride in her voice when she told me about all the women they helped.

"No," I say firmly, cutting Megan off. "You don't understand. Vadim is doing real good in this world. He's saving people. I told you, I've met some of them. One of them died protecting me in Paris."

"Right, Paris…" Megan huffs. "You still haven't explained why he needed tomarryyou. In Paris of all places."

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I'm about to reveal.

"All of Kirsan's transactions was kept in the Archbishop's bible at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris." I start twisting the ring on my finger. "But there was a catch. The only time anyone besides the Archbishop can touch the bible is during a wedding ceremony. That's why he needed to marry me."

"So it was all fake? The marriage?"

I hesitate, remembering Vadim's tender kisses, the way he held me after Irina died, how he makes me feel protected even in the midst of all the darkness looming in around us.

"It started that way," I admit softly. "But now... I don't know anymore, Meg. Everything's gotten so complicated."

"This is insane." Megan shakes her head. "People need to know about this, Lacey. The public deserves to know what's happening right under their noses."

"Weren't you listening to me?" My voice rises sharply. "You can't tell anyone about this!"

"But the Seattle Voice could?—"

"Kirsan is dangerous!" Panic seizes my throat. "You have no idea what he's capable of. What his people will do to anyone who threatens his operation. Especially someone who can threaten him so publicly like this! For all we know, he's the one who killed Nathan!"

"Which is exactly why we need to expose him!" Megan's eyes light up with that familiar determined gleam. "If we could get this story out there, bring attention to what's happening?—"

"Absolutely fucking not!" I grab her arm, squeezing harder than I mean to. "I watched someone die because of this, Megan. Someone who was trying to do the right thing! I will not let you put yourself in danger just to chase a fucking story."

"Lacey, you're hurting me?—"

"Listen to me!" My fingers dig deeper into her flesh as memories of Irina's blood flood back. "If anything happens to you because of this. Because ofme!I won't be able to live with myself. Do you understand? I will not let you do this."

I've never spoken to her like this before, never grabbed her this roughly.

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