Page 6 of Beautiful Beast

“You’re getting married in a week because I want to be done with you. You’ll soon become Erik’s problem. Not mine. And I’ll reap all the benefits of your marriage to him. So, if you want your sister to be safe, you better play along. You’ll need a dress, so go get one.” With those final words, he storms out of the kitchen.My father has a way of leaving a room like he’s always in an annoyed hurry.

Today is no exception.

The moment he’s gone, Nadia rushes to my side. “Are you ok?” Gently, she tries touching my face, but I wince, pulling back.

“It hurts. Nadia. It always hurts.”

“I’m sorry.” She sounds so sad and pathetic right now, and it hits me right in the gut.

“I’m not mad at you.” I pull her into a hug and let her bury her head into my neck. I know it’s how she feels safe.

I don’t have anyone to make me feel safe. I use to have our mom, but she’s been dead for years.

“But you have to get married because of me.”

“It’s not because of you.” I pull back. “It’s because our father is power hungry. I knew this day was coming. I knew someday I would have to marry a stranger.”

“But Erik Koslov? The things I’ve heard of him, Anya …” She shakes her head. “Terrible things.”

“Who’s told you those things?” I play with a piece of her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

“Sasha.”

Sasha’s an older, wealthy Bratva woman who loves to gossip. Both Nadia and I have had the unpleasant experience of interacting with her at functions.

“What did she tell you?”

“That Erik eats babies for fun.”

“I’m sure she was making that up.” Even though I’m comforting Nadia, all I can think is that I hope those rumors from Sasha are just that: rumors.

“How can you sound so calm right now? Father just said you’re marrying an evil man within a week.”

“I’m not calm. I’m freaking out. But you need me to be calm, so I’m going to be calm.”

“I don’t want you to be calm for me. I don’t want you to feel like you have to do everything for me.”

“But you need me. Nadia, when I’m gone, Father will set his sights onto you. He might hit you like he does me. He’s going to find someone to marry you to. I have to find a way to stop all of that from happening.”

“How? You heard him. You have to marry Erik, or he’ll make me marry him. How can you protect me when you’re a married woman?”

I look at my younger sister and take in her scared expression. I’ve spent the better part of my life taking the brunt force of my father’s wrath to protect her, and I’ll continue doing the same.

“Because we’re going to leave.”

Nadia blinks, then her doe eyes widen. “What? But Father just said?—”

“I know what he said. That’s why he wants to marry me so soon. Because he’s hoping I won’t run. He’s hoping I won’t have enough time to make an escape. But what he hasn’t planned for is that I’m taking you with me.”

“What? Where would we go? How are we going to leave? Father has guards stationed at all the entrances to our house.”

“I know. That’s why we’ll make a run for it when we’re shopping for my wedding dress. He won’t bother coming to that. The moment we have a free moment, we’ll run. And we won’t stop.” I grab her hand. “Nadia, I know you’re afraid. I’m not scared for myself. I can marry Erik and deal with whatever he has to throw at me. I’ve dealt with Father treating me like shit for years. But I won’t leave you alone and at his mercy. Not when you could get hurt. So, we’re going to run away. Neither of us will get married. We’ll be free of our father. We’ll be free of any man who wants to do us harm.”

Nadia doesn’t look convinced, but she nods anyway. Because she’ll run with me. We’ll always be together.

“Let’s go over a plan,” I say.

Chapter

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