Page 29 of Betrayal and Vows

"There's nothing to talk about."

"The hell there isn't." He steps closer, lowering his voice. "You can't be serious about this."

I keep walking toward my car. I need to think. I need to figure out how to survive the next two weeks without getting us both killed.

"Anton." Dmitri's voice is tight. "Look at me."

I stop but don't turn around.

"You're walking into a trap."

"I'm doing my job."

"Your job?" He laughs, but there's no humor in it. "Your job is to guard the woman you're obsessed with? The woman who's marrying your boss's son in two weeks? That's not a job; that's a suicide mission."

I finally turn to face him. His blue eyes are wide with something I've never seen before. Fear. Real fear. Not for himself, but for me.

"I can handle myself.”

Dmitri gets in the passenger seat of my car.

“Did she request you?” Dmitri asks. “Is she setting you up?”

The thought had crossed my mind, but I didn’t believe it.

“No.”

“Anton, if they know?—”

“I know.”

“Mikhail—”

“I know!” I bark and put the car in gear.

He wants to tell me Mikhail will kill me if he finds out I’ve fucked his future wife.

And Lena.

He’ll make her life a living hell before he kills her.

Chapter 6

Lena

Ilook like a frosted cupcake.

The dress is hideous.

The seamstress makes another grunting noise as she tugs at the corset, pulling it to the point breathing is painful.

I stare at myself in the mirror, wondering for the millionth time what version of me they think this dress is supposed to represent. It’s not me.

Not even close. It’s lace and lies.

And a lot of tulle.

So. Much. Tulle.