Page 8 of Beautiful Cruelty

"Maybe I just enjoy arguing."

"Or maybe,"Vadim's voice echoes in my ears."You just enjoy me."

"In case you want to continue not counting at Vorobyov's, zvyozdochka."

My eyes fly open, and I realize my heart is racing. What the hell is wrong with me? What am I doing thinking about a stranger when my whole life is falling apart?

But he wasn't just any stranger. The way he looked at me, like he could see right through my brave face to the mess underneath...

The silence presses in all around me. I need to talk to someone before I explode, before all these thoughts and feelings consume me whole.

My fingers move across my phone screen almost of their own accord, and I type out a quick message to Megan.

I need to tell you something.

Her response is immediate.

What happened?

I take a deep breath and start typing.

3

LACEY

"You better not be brooding inthe dark," Megan calls out as she shoulders through the door, juggling her laptop bag and what looks like a bakery box.

"Not brooding. Just contemplating setting Nathan’s car on fire."

"Oh good, a felony. That'll help." She flips on the light and I blink against the sudden brightness.

"Here." She tosses the bakery box into my lap. "Three Birds' finest emotional support cupcakes."

"You're a saint." I peek inside the box. "Is that the one with real maple syrup?"

"Obviously. This isn't my first rodeo." Megan kicks off her shoes and collapses next to me on the couch. "Alright, deets.”

I take a bite of cupcake to stall. The sweetness helps, but my throat still feels tight. "Found Nathan last night in the office with his secretary Caroline.”

"Shit." Megan's eyes go wide. "Like,withher with her?"

"Legs spread and heels on." I lick frosting off my thumb.

"That absolute dick." Megan's voice has that dangerous edge it gets when she starts plotting about things that’ll never happen. "Want me to post something about him? I could probably come up with something?—"

"No." I grab her hand before she can reach for her phone. "I just want to be done with him."

"Fine." She squeezes my hand. "But I reserve the right to trip him if I see him in public."

That startles a laugh out of me. "Deal."

We sit in comfortable silence for a minute. Through the wall, I can hear Dad's soft snoring from upstairs.

"How's Dad?" Megan asks, picking at the edge of her cupcake.

"No worse than usual." I rest my head against her shoulder. "Freddy was here when I arrived."

Megan stiffens. "What did he take this time?"

---