Page 1 of Damaged Princess

Chapter One

Anastasia

Ilean against the sales counter, staring out at the view. I lived in New York City my entire life until very recently. Even though I'm not used to the mountains and desolate landscape, I have to admit it's beautiful.

The North Carolina mountains make for a postcard-worthy image no matter the time of day. It's late in the afternoon and the sun peeks from behind the trees, casting an eerie orange and yellow glow that reflects against the wall of glass.

The back door opens and there's commotion outside. My boss is carrying a box and pushing another with her feet. Everly's wavy dark brown hair falls around her shoulders as she manages to push up her black-framed glasses that are sliding down her nose.

"Here, let me help," I say, heading for Evie. She hands me the box of books and spins around to grab the other off the ground. She shoves it inside and gives me a funny look.

"Aren't you supposed to be over at The Exchange mixer?" she asks, tucking her hair behind her ear. She plants her hands on her hips and frowns. "What's going on, Ana?"

I don't really want to talk about going to one of the meet and greets. I want to actually go even less.

I don't even know what to say. I'm sad. I have been all day. I shrug, kicking the toe of my shoe against the carpet.

"Anastasia," she says in a tone that means business.

My mind races, but I have no idea how to put what I'm thinking into words. Am I supposed to say I was hopeful Viktor would suddenly decide he can't live without me? No, that's ridiculous.

I refuse to utter those words out loud.

I shake my head. The longer he's gone the faster my hope dwindles. My stomach aches. I pull a hand up, rubbing it over the miserable churning that comes every time I think of Vik.

"Anastasia Androff," Everly snaps.

My eyes fly up to meet hers, and she gives me an expectant look.

I shrug again. I don't want to say what I'm feeling. It makes me feel weak and a little pathetic.

I thought Vik cared about me and wanted more than heat sex. I refuse to look even more absurd than I already do.

Evie quirks an eyebrow, and I look away. She reminds me so much of my mother sometimes that it makes it hard to keep my walls up. She's going to be a great mom. She's already got the expectant stares down pat.

I've never had real friends. Well, outside of my mom, but she's gone now.

I don't know how to do friendly chit-chat, let alone deep meaningful conversations.

It's hard to understand how she can stand to be my friend. My father sent me here with the intention of seducing the owners into bonding with me so I could covertly control them. I was awful to Evie the first few times we met.

I shake my head, and try to hold back the sob, but fail miserably. Oh no… it's all going to spew out if I'm not careful.

"Okay." Evie comes over, wrapping her arms around me. "You, my friend, need a hug."

I've got probably three or four inches in height on her and it's awkward, but that doesn't stop me from latching onto her and hugging her tight.

Sometimes lately it feels like I'm drowning on dry land. I've got no one. My mom is dead. My dad made it clear if I didn't do as he said that I was dead to him, too. All my "friends" in New York vanished about the time my family money did.

If Everly and her pack hadn't invited me to stay at the lodge…

I'd literally be homeless right now.

I went from having access to my father's money to living on a part-time, ten-dollar-an-hour job. I had three suitcases full of clothes and nothing else when my father dropped me like week-old garbage.

"I'm so overwhelmed," I sob into Evie's hair. "And I thought Viktor liked me. He made it seem like there was something there. Then he abandoned me, too."

Apparently, I'm letting it all spill out.

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