Page 37 of Beautiful Cruelty

A hysterical giggle escapes me. Mom always said I had terrible taste in men, but this really takes the cake.

The memory of our dance at the Vorobyov event now takes on a sinister edge. The way he commanded me to join him at his table, the way Irina was fawning all over him, how easily he offered to buy out Allison's catering company, and the flash of possessiveness in his eyes when she dared to say no.

It wasn't because of wealth or charm. It waspower.

Real, dangerous power.

And now he's going to make me marry him so he can steal a bible from a church? The room spins as I struggle to draw breath.

My fingers twist in my hair as his words echo in my head:"You'll fight and defend those who needs defending the most...You fought even when you knew you couldn't win."

Heat blooms in my chest at the memory. No one has ever talked about me like that before: someone strong and fearless. Someone worthy.

Stop it, Lacey.I press my palms against my eyes.He's manipulating you. This is what men like him do.

But the warmth of his words lingers. And the way he looked at me when he said those words refuses to fade. Like I was precious and fierce all at once. Like Imattered.

"Eleven hours and twenty-eight minutes after your engagement ended, you were fighting for a dry cleaner that you didn't need to fight for."

Another peal of bitter laugh escapes me. He admires me for standing up for what's right. Yet here he is, forcing me into marriage and I know there's no damn way he'll let me go against it.

He's usingmysupposed strength forhisown agenda.

The confidence that his words gave me now curdles into something sour. Yes, he sees my strength. But only because he wants to use it.

To use me.

Just like Nathan…

The thought of Nathan hits me like a punch to the gut.

Nathan wasn't just cheating. He was grooming me. Setting me up to become—what, exactly? An enabler or another statistic in Kirsan's operation?

Does it matter? Nathan was using me, just like Vadim plans on using me.

Ah yes,an annoying little voice pipes up in my head.But at least Vadim is honest enough about it from the get-go.

I lean back against the locked door. Vadim's plan is insane. So many things can go wrong, and everything depends on chance.

And how do I know that Vadim is the one telling me the truth?

I need answers. I need to call Nathan. If nothing else, to make me accept that this is somehow the reality that I've landed myself into.

My hand automatically reaches for my purse and find nothing but air. And that's when I remember that I dropped it on the floor when I saw Vadim.

Another burst of hysterical laugh punches from my throat.

I'm completely cut off from everyone. No way to call Megan or check on Dad.

Dad.My chest tightens. He'll be waking up soon, and I hadn't prepared breakfast for him before leaving. I have no idea if Megan will have time to check on him today before work is over, or any guarantee that Freddy won't come by later to steal anything that isn't nailed down.

Tears sting my eyes as the reality of my isolation hits home. There's no way for me to contact anyone who. Just these opulent walls and men with scarred knuckles standing guard.

And Vadim, who claims he wants toprotectme by forcing me into a marriage I didn't ask for.

For all his talk about protecting me and needing my strength, this isn't about whatwewant.

This is about whathewants.

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