Page 126 of Beautiful Beast

She lets go of Nadia and comes over to me, taking my hand in hers. “But isn’t that dangerous? Going to his own home? You could die.”

“I need to end this, Anya, before you get hurt again.” I let her go even though it’s the last thing I want.

“Just be smart about this.”

“I always am. I’m practical, remember?”

“Erik?” she says as I start heading toward my office. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m just doing what I should’ve done when we first got married.”

Anya pulls Nadia back into a hug. That’s my cue to leave. I have work to do.

ANYA

“You’re not hurt?” I keep asking Nadia as we go into the guest bedroom.

“No. How can I make you believe it?”

“I’m just checking. You know I worry.”

Nadia sits down on the bed with a huff. “It was so scary, Anya. I was chased down by these men. I thought they were going to kill me. And then Erik saved me. I couldn’t actually believe it. I didn’t know he was capable of that.”

“Neither was I,” I admit. Erik saved my sister from my father and Dante. This changes everything between my husband and me. Part of the reason I hated him when we first got married was because he refused to help Nadia.

But that’s all different now. Any last remaining hate I have for him is completely gone and replaced with something that feels a lot like love.

“He’s not as bad as I think you think he is,” Nadia says.

“Are you trying to get me to like my husband?”

“I just don’t want to see you so sad. Every time I’ve seen you since you got married, you’ve only looked beaten down. Dejected. I can’t watch you like that. I want to see you happy.”

A laugh bubbles out of me, and I can’t stop it. It racks my body so hard it hurts.

“What?” Nadia asks softly.

“It’s just so funny. I’ve tried so hard to make sure you’re safe, while you were trying so hard to make sure I was happy.”

“I think we’re both just trying to make sure the other one is ok. I want you to be happy, Anya.”

“And I want you to be happy too. That’s why I’ve tried so hard to make sure you’re ok. But now, you will be. You’ll live with us. You’ll be safe here.”

“What about our father? He’s not going to just let me go without a fight.”

“As Erik said, he can handle him. We don’t have to fight our father any longer. He doesn’t have to control either of us. Let’s just focus on being safe. Being here together. Ok?”

Nadia looks a little uncertain, but she nods anyway. “Ok.” She bites her lip as a few tears spill from her eyes.

“Nadia?”

“I was so scared. I thought for sure that man was going to kidnap me. I thought I was going to die. Or … worse.”

“I completely understand.” I say, rubbing her back. “Dante kidnapped me, too. He sent one of his hitmen to kill me, but I managed to escape. It was by sheer luck. But I survived, and so did you. As long as stay here, we should be safe. Do you need me to stay with you, or do you want some space?”

“I think I just want to shut my eyes. I feel so tired all of a sudden.”

“I’ll let you be, then.” I give Nadia an extra hug for good measure. I’ve been fighting to save my sister for months now, and the fact that she’s here with me, safe, is something I can barely believe. It feels more like a fairytale than anything else.

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