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My heart starts to thud again because I know Stacy is about to tell me something I’m not going to like.
“Look, Bella, you can’t let this ruin our spontaneous night out and trip to Vegas. Because, trust me, there are going to be plenty of men who won’t be able to keep their eyes or hands off you if that’s what you want. Especially if you wear one of those new outfits we bought the other day and ditch the glasses.”
“What are you trying to say, Stace?” Those fucking acupuncture pricks are back, and this time they’re attacking my spine.
“Harry came home to announce his engagement to Lilly,” Stacy blurts out. Her words come out so fast they sound like a machine gun opening fire in my head.
What is it with engagement announcements today? “Oh!” Is the only word that forms on my lips.”Lilly?” I can’t form more than one word at a time as the impact of the announcement of Harry’s engagement starts to sink in—like a dagger to my heart.
“Yes, apparently my brother doesn’t believe in wearing rubbers as Lilly’s pregnant,” Stacy tells me, not realizing that now the dagger is piercing my soul.
Lilly gets to feel Harry’s soft, warm lips caress every inch of her heated skin while his long clever fingers knead her peaked breasts before slipping down her belly and into her wet pussy.
I swallow as the image of Harry’s hands all over me makes me start to throb with wanting. Now all his hands will touch is that fucking bitch, Lilly.
“Bella?” Stacy’s voice is soft and concerned. “Bells?”
“It’s okay.” I draw in a breath and straighten my shoulders. “As you said, there are plenty of dicks attached to amazing bodies and attractive faces in and about town.”
“That’s my girl!” Stacy says. “And you, beautiful Bella, are going to have your pick of the cream of the crop.”
“I’ll see you in a few hours,” I hang up and stare at my phone.
That’s two shocks in one afternoon. The universe is definitely telling me it’s time to take control of my life and get the hell out of here and only come back when I’ve ruined my father’s wedding plans for me.
I should’ve listened to Stacy years ago when she tried to get me to do this. I’d probably be in a convent, but at least I would no longer be betrothed to a nameless face because I would no longer be a valuable virgin.
I snort remembering Stacey’s words when she was trying to coax me to sneak out for a night on the town:
“What’s your father going to do?” Stacy asked. “Hasn’t he trained you into a super soldier? I’ve seen you in action, and I’m sure you could take him down and then disappear without a trace—like Jason Bourne.”
She wasn’t far off. While the rest of the kids went off to summer camp or far-off vacations with their families to do fun and exciting things, my father took me on survival training boot camps in far-off wildernesses and frozen landscapes.
While they were sightseeing and going on Disney rides, I was scaling rock walls, playing shooting games, and learning how to disappear by blending into my surroundings.
My life was one tight training schedule from the moment I opened my eyes until just after dinner when I got some me time.
I walk to my closet and bring out the outfits Stacy and I bought the other day. My ever-present shadow disapproves of most of the sexy clothes Stacy wears and will put any item he doesn’t approve of back if I choose it.
So Stacy and I came up with the switcheroo plan. I buy the standard-issue clothes my prison warden says I’m allowed to wear, and Stacy will buy her sexy-Stacy garments that are really for me. We’re the same size.
Then, when we drop Stacy off, she takes my boring bag, leaving me with the clothes she bought for me right under James’s nose.
I take out a few outfits and quickly pack a suitcase, which I stash in my closet, leaving the outfit I intend to wear tonight hung up in my closet.
Satisfied my plan is in action, I order the food, making sure I get Genevra and James’s favorite dishes that I know they can’t resist. I smile as I go downstairs to let James and Genevra know that they are in for a treat as I’ve ordered in.
Chapter 3
ANDREY
“What the fuck do you mean the container hasn’t arrived?” I’m seething. “You have twenty-four hours to find it and get it to the harbor. The Velvet Voyager leaves tomorrow night, and that container better be on that ship.”
As I hang up, I stifle the urge to throw my phone across the busy room of the Velvet Lounge, an establishment I’ve been in charge of for the past year.
It has not been a good day all around today. My parents told me that I would be getting married soon to the woman they hand-picked from the cream of bratva society’s crop.
I’m apparently going to be marrying a woman I’ve met once in my life, and that was when I was fifteen. From what I can remember, she looked like the female version of Huckleberry Finn, with tufts of dark hair sticking up in all directions from her unruly ponytail.
