Page 83 of Beautiful Beast

I turn around and grab Anya’s arm, then speak quietly into her ear so only she can hear. “Go back to your seat.”

“Erik? What’s going on?”

“It’s Dante. He’s right behind me. Just go back to your seat. I’ll come get you.”

“Do as your husband tells you,” Sergei hisses at her.

“Nice to see you, too, Dad.”

He only scowls in response.

Anya looks behind me at Dante, who waggles his fingers at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Anya,” I growl, but of course, she ignores me and squares off against Dante.

“Well?”

Dante chuckles. “You are a spitfire. That’s what I’ve heard. I’m just here to keep Erik on his toes. Oh, and Anya, if you could put in a good word with your sister for me, that would be great.”

“Go,” I tell him.

“Of course.” Dante saunters away like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

Anya whips around to stare at me. “What was he talking about?”

“It’s nothing. Dante just talking a big game. You have nothing to worry about.”

She pulls away from me, shaking her head. “I don’t believe you. You look … frightened.”

I stand up straighter. “I’m not frightened.”

“I don’t believe you,” she says again and walks back to our table.

“I’m sorry about my daughter,” Sergei cuts in. “Always a problem, that one.”

But I just ignore him because … Anya might be right. Dante never used to scare me, but now, I have something to lose.

And that’s more frightening than anything.

Chapter

Thirteen

ANYA

“So, that went surprisingly well,” Erik comments as we step through the front door.

I slip my mask off and set it gently on the sideboard table. “What do you mean? Dante showed up again and threatened my sister.”

“But nobody was hurt. And you …” He settles his hands on my waist. “Didn’t leave.” His mask is still in place, making it hard to read his expression.

“I thought about escaping for a moment.”

“I figured you would. A crowded room. Easy for me to look away for a second, and then, you’re gone. But you never tried to leave. Why?”

“I’m starting to see it’s pointless. You’re always going to come for me. I don’t have any money of my own. I don’t have any power of my own. Where would I go?”

“So, you didn’t leave because you have no other option?”

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