Page 45 of Savage Beauty

“The little bitch!” Morgana is incensed, her bump quivering with fury. “Let me at her. I’ll belly-bounce her into the sun!”

Vlad appears at her side and takes the glass from her hand. “You getting fresh on,” he sniffs the liquid, “lime and soda? No sumo wrestling for you,lisichka.”

I smile as Morgana slaps her husband playfully. I hope Sasha and I can be like them.

My eyes slide past Vlad, caught by a waving hand. A man is trying to get my attention. Whoisthat?

No. It can’t be.

Involuntarily, I squeeze Sasha’s hand so hard that he turns to look at me, concern etched on his features.

“What’s the matter?” he asks.

“Nothing.” I fight to keep my voice light. “I just hate confrontations. I’m glad she’s gone, and now I need more champagne.”

A guest calls Sasha’s name, and I take advantage of the distraction, slipping away from his side and tucking myself away in a quiet corner. The man I hoped I’d never see again appears at my side within seconds.

Carl Ellis, my former foster dad. He’s older, of course, and looks worse than his years despite his wedding attire. A mild spine curvature diminishes his height, but he still towers over me, and I’m transported back to when I was a kid.

Carl was the one who organized the so-called parties. His wife Janine liked to dress the girls up in slutty clothes to make us more appealing to her husband’s disgusting friends. She couldn’t have kids, and this was how she made it up to Carl—by pandering to his sick little hobby.

“Why are you here?” I say, my voice shaking. “You never looked for me in all these years. What do you want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Carl’s leer has a few more teeth missing, but it still raises the same sick feeling in my gut as it ever did. “I saw the announcement in the newspaper. Gone up in the world, haven’t we?”

I wonder where Janine is and glance around the room, searching for her. Carl sees me looking and laughs.

“She’s not here. She died last year, so now I can’t get any more kids to foster. They won’t let me have them on my own.” He has the gall to look sad. “I miss having children to look after, Josie. They were good times.”

I stare, too stunned to speak.Good times? He might remember that, but I sure don’t. I lost my mom, only for him and Janine to hurt me in every way possible.

“So I guess you probably don’t want your new hubby knowing about your history of slutting around—”

“You made me into a child prostitute,” I say, a sob escaping me. “I had no choice. How can you—”

“Doesn’t matter.” Carl leans close, and I shudder. “I want money. Alotof it. Or I will tell your man about the gutter you crawled out of.”

I dart away across the room, tears blurring my vision. Can Ineverbe free? Why can’t I shake off the dirt my life dumped on me?

Sasha is deep in conversation, but he catches my eye as I pass him. It’s enough. He makes his excuses and follows me, grabbing my hand as I reach the door.

“I just need some air, Sasha. It’s okay.”

“Like hell it is.” He cups my cheek and feels that it’s wet. “Who made you fucking cry? I’ll kill them.”

I look into his eyes, and they blaze with vengeful wrath. Do I tell him? I have no idea what he’ll do, but there are a lot of people here. Maybe he’ll just threaten Carl and order him to leave like he did to Freddy?

I draw a deep breath. “My ex-foster father is here. He’s trying to blackmail me. He says he wants money, or he’ll tell you about what happened when I was younger.”

“You mean that shit I already know?” Sasha says. “Why didn’t you just tell him to fuck off?”

Good question, and in my heart, I know the answer. So does Sasha.

“You’re getting the hang of this life of ours,moya zhena,” he says, a devilish smile spreading across his face. “Youwantme to fuck him up. Don’t you?”

I nod, and he grabs me, shocking me with a deep, soulful kiss. He breaks away.

“Just as well,” he whispers. “Because that’s what’s gonna happen.”

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