Page 2 of Savage Beauty

Sasha Kislev is a playboy, a man who revels in the company of many women, not just one. He would never let a single girl lay claim to his heart. I wanted him too much, and if he had stayed, he would have gleefully torn my heart to shreds.

When I was away from him and could clear my head, I understood I’d dodged a bullet. I don’t need a man who makes my heart skip a beat with the slightest of smiles.

No such concerns with Marc. Keeping my feelings for him in check is easy—I don’t have any, except for a kind of weary contempt. But I know how to keep a man happy. I spent years honing those skills. And yes, I’m marrying for money and security, but what’s wrong with that?

I just want to be safe. If I have to endure one man’s cruelty instead of many, isn’t that a step up?

2

Sasha

Back in the day, they used to call Boris ‘The Shark.’ He likes to think it’s because he was a dangerous man, but I know it had more to do with his snaggle-toothed leer and that perpetual bad breath.

Vlad sent him out here to manage our first casino, but it wasn’t performing as well as we’d hoped. My adopted brother, Arman, serves as our information specialist, and it didn’t take him long to uncover Boris’s little scheme. Someone snitched and provided evidence he’d embezzled over a million dollars, but he denied it when confronted.

He won’t be pleased to see me. Everyone knows I’m the one who drops by when you’re in deep shit.

It’s not just about the money; it’s the audacity of it all. A million dollars might be chump change, but when the man we entrusted with our first foray into the gambling business double-crosses us, it calls for a strong response. There won’t be any second chances.

Boris knows all this. I don’t have to tell him he’s fucked. His people are reallyourpeople, and the friends he thought he had are guarding the door to this room to keep him in, not to keepmeout.

I knock back my vodka. “Here’s the thing, Boris,” I begin, my tone measured. “You told Vlad—my brother and your boss—that our informant was a liar. You claimed it was a shame we even entertained the notion.”

Boris nods. It’s all he can do. His hands are taped to the chair’s arms, rendering him powerless. “Da, Alexandr Sergeyovich Kislev,” he mumbles. “I’d never do this to you. Let me talk to Vlad, and we can resolve this.”

I sigh, disappointment seeping into my voice. “You’ve just signed your own death warrant. I came here to give you a chance to present your side of the story, but you’ve insulted me with your bullshit.” I lean in closer, my eyes locking onto his. “We’ve seen the financial records and the wire transfer receipts. Planning a quick getaway to the Cayman Islands, were you?”

Boris’s pupils dilate, his body grappling with stress. “It’s a setup,” he stammers.

I wrinkle my nose in disdain. “Then how did you purchase that lavish new home of yours? We laundered all that money for you, yet you paid in cash. It wasn’t the law that concerned you, was it?”

Boris is about to crack. He curls his fingers to relieve the tension, but it’s too much.

“Tell me the truth, Boris. This is the only time I’ll listen to you. Then nothing you say will change anything.”

Boris swallows hard. “Okay, it’s true,” he blurts. “I got paranoid. The Toscas were causing problems back home, and I stole what I could, planning to bail before things got hairy.”

Shit. Our Italian rivals have indeed been agitating, but I didn’t think they were any real challenge to our authority.

“That’s gonna change real soon, Boris. We came to an agreement with them just yesterday. So you’re gonna die over a misunderstanding. How fucking mundane is that?”

I roll up my sleeves. Boris is begging, gibbering as his words crash into one another, but I’m not listening.

“You just stay here and think about what’s coming to you,” I say. “I’m gonna get another drink.”

* * *

I leave the private lounge and return to the restaurant. The bartender knows my preferences and delivers my vodka with a nod. I take a sip.

Fuck the season of goodwill. Boris’s lies have put me in a bad mood, and I’m more than ready to despatch him and bring this shitty business to a close.

When I turn around, what I see almost floors me.

Josie.

There’s no mistaking her. She could change everything about her appearance, and I’d still instantly recognize her. That heart-shaped face, those bright eyes. Her raven hair is shorter than I remember, and her figure is a little fuller, but she’s more beautiful than ever.

As I watch, her gorgeous features twist into a pained expression. It’s then I notice the man sitting opposite her.

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