Page 8 of A Devious Arrangement

There’s not a single speck of gossip attached to her name, which makes it all the more tempting to be the one to make her melt and sully her immaculate reputation.

Anastasia’s giving pleasant nods as she circles the room, but it’s the way her gaze keeps drifting to the walls, peering into alcoves, that catches my attention. The crowd around her doesn’t notice as she slows down every few feet, searching, but I do, and for the first time in forever, I find myself curious.

I tilt my head to the side, a tingling sensation running down my arms. What is she up to?

The longer I watch, the more I want to know what she’s doing. Until curiosity has me stepping toward her.

“What are you doing?” Damon calls out.

“Something captivating, I hope.”

He huffs, and without looking back, I know he’s running his hand through his hair in exasperation. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’m looking forward to finding out.” I have to double my pace to keep up with her when she turns the corner and escapes the ballroom through a small doorway.

My smirk grows into a smile. This just got way more interesting.

Chapter 3

Anastasia

I can’t ignoreMr. Williams when he beckons me over. It would be entirely too obvious if I suddenly broke the social norms expected of me. He is a Saint in the Order of Saints and one of my father’s closest friends. Which means he knows firsthand that the head of the Volkov family hasn’t been the same since my mother passed away.

A shudder runs down my spine as he wraps an arm around my waist, his fingers grazing the bare skin on my back. I make a note to only wear dresses that go up to my neck when attending events like this. With my father out of the picture, the men grow bolder.

“Mr. Williams. How are you doing this evening?” I give him a tight smile and do my best to pull away. Thankfully, he lets me go. Even he has to follow the rules of decorum.

“Wonderful, wonderful, my dear. I have just the person for you to meet.” He gestures for a man behind him to approach. He can’t be older than eighteen, but his presence here tells me he’s at least an Unsainted, the lowest level in the Order.

I groan internally at the way the guy leers at me.

Etiquette dictates I need to wait to be introduced, and Mr. Williams wastes no time in doing so.

“Miss Volkov, let me introduce you to my nephew, Martin Williams. I’ll have you know he’s an up-and-comer. He’ll be a splendid match for anyone lucky to catch him.”

I barely prevent myself from grinding my teeth, keeping my serene mask in place. He’s not even pretending to hide his intentions.

Martin lifts my palm, his wet lips pressing against my knuckles. It’s a struggle not to pull away.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Williams.” I take my hand back and bow slightly. “I’m sure whoever you choose will be lucky to have you.”

The words leave a nasty aftertaste, but at least I can leave now. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a few people I need to greet.”

“Already?” Martin’s face contorts in anger, but he’ll just have to shove it. Women might not wield the same power as the men in the Order, but we aren’t helpless.

We still hold the right to choose who we’re associated with, and forcing someone into an arrangement would end in the man losing his position.

Mr. Williams knows that, so he gives me a curt nod. “Of course. We’ll see you later.”

It’s more of a demand than a request. I’ll have to be careful in the future to avoid these two.

“I’m looking forward to it.” This time, I let them see the lie before escaping into the crowd. I don’t stop again, instead giving the clustered groups a small wave as I pass by, not inviting conversation as I make my way through the crowded room.

I can’t allow them to get in the way of my search for the tiara. It’s already like finding a needle in a haystack without letting them distract me.

Everyone’s dressed in their best, trying to catch each other’s eyes. This is the place where alliances are born between families. No better than the balls held centuries ago. Women are ondisplay for the men to use as peons in the unending game of power.

Careful not to draw too much attention, I do several laps around the room. If there’s one good thing about our family losing all our money, it’s that there are no longer bodyguards keeping track of my every move, making it significantly easier to slip away.

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