Page 145 of Beautiful Secrets
I think I was the pushiest fucking groom of the year—I brought honor to the concept of a shotgun wedding.
But she’s mine now.
I’ve got paperwork and shit.
I grab Mika’s hand and pull her out of the room. She lets out a soft giggle. “Where are you going?”
“I’m not quite sure…” I pause at the end of the hall, glancing left, then right. “Which way to your bedroom?”
“My…what?” she says through another giggle. “Why do you want to see my bedroom?”
I shrug. “Should be private, right? We can talk.”
“Oh.” Her voice drops. “Go right.”
She guides me reluctantly through the Vasiliev estate until we get to a closed door. “I am not sure if—”
I turn the knob.
The door swings open.
“Oh…wow.” I turn wide eyes to Mika, who slaps a hand over her mouth as she takes in my reaction to her childhood bedroom. “This…” I step inside and turn back to face her, spreading my arms wide. “This explains sooooo much, my little rabbit.”
She lets out an enraged squeal and darts inside to slap my chest.
“Easy, tiger,” I murmur, catching her wrist. “Don’t want you stopping that old ticker.”
“Oh!” She bites her lip, drawing my gaze. “Cole, I’m sorry.”
“I’m joking.”
Christ, this room though. I’ve never seen so many pink frills in my life.
“Mika…I am genuinely fucking sorry I ever made you wear anything pink.”
She barks out a laugh. “Now you understand?”
“Oh, baby.” I draw her against me. “How can I ever repay you?”
A sly smile touches her mouth a second before I kiss her.
I lied.
I didn’t bring her here to talk about Vanya.
I need to distract myself from the fact that I’m seconds away from starving to death—and there’s only one thing that’ll work.
Mika.
Plus, it wouldn’t have been proper—ravishing her like this in front of her parents. I like them to think I’m a gentleman.
Just like I led Mika to believe.
But as soon as I taste her sweet mouth, there’s not a shred of gentleness left in me. She brings out the absolute fucking worst in me as soon as I catch a whiff of her scent.
She’s wearing a white dress dotted with blue flowers—which I almost rip off her in my haste to bare her skin.
“Cole—”
