Page 11 of Beautiful Beast

The wedding boutique is honestly beautiful.

If I wasn’t so afraid right now, I would love to try on dresses. I would love to feel beautiful and desired and loved.

But Erik isn’t marrying me for any of those things. He’s marrying me for political gain. He doesn’t even know me, and I don’t know him.

Nadia and I got lucky that our father only sent one guard with us—George. He’s middle-aged, but he’s still fast and nimble and good with a gun. We have to be careful with him. George has worked for my father for years. If anyone’s loyal, it’s him.

“I’ll be right over here,” George says, going to stand by the front entrance.

That leaves Nadia and me alone for the moment.

A sales assistant walks over to us. “Hi! Looking for something specific today?”

“Well, I’m getting married.”

“How wonderful.”

“In just four days.”

She blinks. Her perfectly coifed blonde hair and perfectly manicured eyebrows show she’s a woman who cares about her appearance. She fits into a place like this.

Whereas I feel out of place. It’s not because I don’t love feminine things—I do. It’s because a wedding boutique is the last place I want to be. It’s a sign of my impending doom.

“Then we need to find you a dress fast,” she says.

I look at her nametag. Amanda. “Thank you.”

“Do you want something lacy? Short or long sleeved? Any ideas?”

“None. I’m open to trying whatever on.” Anything that keeps me here long enough to find a way to escape without George noticing.

“All right.” Amanda eyes me over. “Just looking at you, I already have some ideas. This way.”

She hands me dress after dress to try on. They’re all beautiful, yet the idea of trying these dresses on chills me to my core.

Nadia keeps looking around the boutique, biting her lip. She only bites her lip when she’s nervous.

“Stop it,” I whisper to her. “We can’t let George think anything is wrong.”

She releases her lip from her teeth with a nod.

“I’m going to try on these dresses. Sit down so George will be less likely to look at you.” I sneak a glance in his direction. He yawns and checks his watch. “See? He’s already bored.”

Nadia places her hands on the stack of dresses in my arms. “I’m just scared.”

“You’re going to be fine. We have to be. Stay strong for me, ok?”

It might be a shitty thing to say to her. Nadia, I know, will do anything for me.

“Ok,” she whispers back, then sits down on one of the plush couches in the middle of the room.

I hurry down a hallway toward the changing room and stop when I see an exit sign above a door at the end. A sign off to the side says it’s for emergencies only and an alarm will go off if opened.

But that’s mine and Nadia’s chance to escape.

I go into the changing room, my body buzzing with ideas and thoughts, and try on the first dress. Right away—I hate it. It’s too poofy and princess-like.

The next one I try on is not for me. It’s a mermaid style and makes me think of prom.

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