Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
He leaves, the scent of sandalwood and pine lingering in his wake. When the door shuts, she sticks her tongue out at it. Despite my pounding heart and shaky nerves, it makes me smile.
"I wish I could say he was all bluster, but he's not.” With a sigh, she shakes her head. “He actually is quite terrifying. He’s lucky I love him.”
“What did he say to you just now?”
“Oh, it was just a string of curse words and promises to exile me to Siberia if I interfere. It’s fine, we’re good.”
Definitely not soothing my nerves.
“Are you in…trouble?”
I’m confused about these family dynamics, but I do know one thing: Mikhail is the one in charge of damn near everyone.
She rolls her eyes, but I can tell it’s only forced bravado. A part of her is scared.
“What will he do?”
“Oh, to me?” She reaches for the dress, her back to me, and waves her hand in the air. “Don’t worry about me.”
I do, though. I feel somehow responsible.
She quickly changes the subject. “Listen, I don't know why you're getting married, but I know why Mikhail is. You're going to find this out soon enough. If he doesn't get married, my entire family is fucked. That's the short story. You're getting married today. He’s all strung up and on high alert because there are people who very much want to prevent this from happening. You are in danger. That's why you have like basically an entire squad of bodyguards outside the door. The last women he—”
She suddenly thinks better of telling me this and shakes her head. “Never mind. We have to get you ready.”
“I see.”
Quirking a brow at me she tips her head to the side. “What did you do?”
I give her a wry smile. “I came to them for help and protection and just sort of…maybe hacked a bit into their database and, uh…maybe breached a little security.”
She turns to face me, a trace of a smile on her lips. “Wow. Seriously? That’s the most badass thing I’ve ever heard in my life. But didn’t anyone warn you what you were dealing with?”
Maybe?
“Girl, I could tell you stories...” She shakes her head. “There’s something he likes about you, which is the only reason you’re getting off easy.”
I stare at her as if she’s speaking a foreign language before I respond. “Listen, Polina, first, I hope to God he likes me because we’re getting married. And in what universe is getting married to a man like him getting off easy?”
Obviously, they live in a world that operates within a much different set of rules than I do.
“Aria, they let you live,” she says finally. “I know, you’re obviously normal and not related to a bunch of psychopaths, and this is all hard to understand. But I’m so excited. I knew you were brilliant. You and I are going to be very good friends. You’ll see. Now, let's get you ready. He’ll probably be back here in like two minutes breaking the damn door down.” She rolls her eyes but doesn’t completely cover up her fear.
In a whirlwind that makes my head spin, I lose the robe and don the most luxurious undergarments known to humanity. She tones and moisturizes and primes my face, helps me into my dress, then applies makeup with expertise. I let her take the lead since I’m sort of in a state of shock and she knows what she’s doing.
“Wow,” I whisper, staring at my reflection. “You’re a genius.”
“Makes two of us,” she says with pride. “Oh, you look amazing. If my brother doesn’t swoon for you, I’ll marry you myself.”
“Now wouldn’t that be a plot twist,” I murmur. But I’m staring at myself in the mirror. I turn my head to the side, the logical side of my brain trying to make sense of the fact that this woman in the mirror is…me.
My almond-shaped eyes look mysterious without the shade of glasses, the deep brown almost black. My high cheekbones are tinged with pink, my lips a glossy rose. My long, jet-black hair flows past my shoulders with none of the frizz I’ve grown accustomed to.
“They say you can’t buy beauty in a bottle, but…” I murmur.
Polina snickers. “Girl, you can’t. You can enhance it, though. No wonder he got one look at you and made his move.”
My heart beats faster. I feel as if I’m an actor in a play, and I’m not sure what the next act is going to bring.
A fist pounds the door so hard we both jump.
“Time to go.”
“We’re not ready!” Polina says, even though we totally are. Apparently, she doesn’t like being told what to do. That makes two of us.
I give her a ghost of a smile, because I’m not sure that isn’t Mikhail, and if it is…
“You have three minutes or I'm coming in and taking both of you out of there myself.”