Page 50 of Beautiful Beast

Over the past week, we’ve mostly kept our distance from each other. We’ll talk at the dinner table, but our conversations never go deep. I still don’t know much about him, and I’m starting to realize I want to learn more about Erik. I want to crack his hard shell.

One thing I’ve noticed over the week is that I’m not as afraid of him. He hasn’t beat me. He kept his promise in that regard. He hasn’t pressured me for sex. Other than the occasional touch to my face or low back, he’s barely touched me.

I’m grateful he hasn’t been a monster to me, but he’s just so cold. And the coldness in him only makes me feel colder, not warmer. I don’t feel closer to him at all.

And that has been making me miserable.

“Anya,” my father says with his lips pursed like he’s smelled something bad. It’s a look I’m very familiar with.

“Father,” I reply.

I just have to get through this evening, and then I don’t need to see him for a while.

“How is Nadia?” I ask. I haven’t been allowed to talk to her because he took her phone away. I just have to trust she’s keeping her head down and staying safe.

“Your sister is good. Quiet. Polite. Like you should’ve been.”

Erik stands next to me and places his hand on my low back. I find myself leaning into his touch without even thinking about it. “Anya isn’t quiet, but I like that about her.”

I stare at Erik for a moment. His expression is serious. He means what he says. That’s what makes everything confusing for me. He likes me, but he barely shows me any warmth. I don’t like him, but I can’t seem to get him off my mind. It’s a virus. Once infected, it never goes away.

“Mmm. Yes,” Father says, looking even more pinched.

More men arrive at the house, including Viktor. I make a beeline straight for him. “I’m sorry I spilled water on you that day.”

“Thank you.”

“But if you ever hurt my sister, I will make you regret it.”

Viktor regards me with curiosity, like a cat does a bug. “I have no desire to hurt your sister. I find your love for her admirable.”

“That makes one of you,” I mutter.

“You might think I’m an evil Bratva man, but I can assure you, I’m nowhere as bad as your own husband is. He’s the one I’d keep an eye on.”

I glance over my shoulder at Erik, who’s deep in conversation with James and a couple other men I don’t know. It’s then I realize something.

Our entire living room is filled with men. Only men.

I’m the only woman here.

I turn back to Viktor. “Just promise that you won’t hurt her.”

“I won’t hurt her.”

I have no reason to believe Viktor, but I have to. I hate to admit it, but Erik’s right. I can’t keep stressing about Nadia. It’s going to kill me. I have to trust she’ll be all right in the end, no matter what happens to me.

“I’m going to hold you to that promise,” I threaten.

Viktor doesn’t laugh, but his lips do subtly turn up. “I can see why Erik likes you. You’re braver than a lot of women in our world.”

“I’m only brave because I have to be for my sister.”

“That’s not a bad reason to be brave.” He takes a champagne flute from a waiter passing by and takes a sip. “Stay safe, Anya.”

“Safe from who?”

His eyes flick to Erik and back to me before he walks away.

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