Page 77 of Beautiful Cruelty

"The pawn shop," I say. "You're sure it's in Tacoma?"

"Yes.” She looks up, confusion flickering across her tear-stained face. "Why?"

"I have people who can track it down." I reach out and take her hand, the one still holding the necklace. "Give me time, and I'll find it."

Her eyes widen. "You'd do that?"

“What's the point of marrying a pakhan if he can't pull some strings and get back something that matters to you?"

"But it's been months..."

"Then it's about time someone brought it home, don't you think?"

"You're serious about this?"

I squeeze her hand. "Absolutely."

Fresh tears spill down her cheeks as she looks away, nodding. But these are different from before. There's hope in them now, fragile as spring ice. The shift I felt at dinner the other night returns between us. In place of a surge of lust and the possessive need to dominate and control, a new desire surfaces.

A desire to kiss away the tears on her face, to make her feel protected.

Safe.

Mine.

"Look at me," I whisper, tipping my finger under her chin and turning her to face me.

For a moment, I see what this could be. Not just a means to an end, but something real.

She turns back to face me, and before I can stop myself, I'm kissing her. This isn't like our heated exchanges before. This kiss is gentle, almost reverent. Her lips part beneath mine, soft and yielding, and I can still taste the salt from her earlier tears.

When we break apart, I find myself sinking to one knee. The pink diamond ring feels heavy in my palm as I take her hand in mine. Her fingers start when she realizes what I'm about to do.

"Lacey McKinney," I start. "Will you marry me?"

The words stumble in my throat as I look up at her. This is supposed to be pretend—a performance for an audience that isn't even here.

But something about the way she's looking at me, about the way the diamonds at her throat mirror the tears in her eyes, makes it feel devastatingly real.

"Yes," she breathes, and I slide the ring onto her finger.

It settles into place, a perfect fit. Just like her hand in mine.

This isn't real, I remind myself.This can't be real.

But my heart thunders in my chest, betraying the lie.

I sit in my office,staring at the dawn brightening in the eastern sky.

The door opens and Demyon strides in, manila folder in hand. "Got that information you wanted on the Huang family. They adopted Lacey when she was just a baby. The mother passed six years ago, and the brother?—"

"—has been stealing from the family to cover his gambling debts," I say without looking up. "I know."

Demyon drops into the chair across from me with an exaggerated sigh. "You know, it would save me a lot of time ifyou'd just tell me when you already know everything instead of sending me out on wild goose chases."

"Not everything, surely." I finally meet his gaze. "What else did you learn?"

"Those gambling debts?" He flips open the folder and slides it over to me. "They're owed to Kirsan's casinos. Every fucking penny.."

---