"It's perfect." I stand and circle her slowly, taking in every angle. The way the fabric molds to her ass, the dip of her waist, and the swell of her breasts make my mouth water. "We're taking it."
"Andrey—"
"And that one." I point to a cocktail dress on a nearby rack. "And those pants. And that blouse."
Her eyes widen. "I don't need all of this."
"Yes, you do." I move closer, my hand settling on her waist. "You're going to be attending events with me. Meeting important people. You need to look the part."
"The part of what? Your trophy wife?"
The bitterness in her voice makes me wince. "The part of a woman who belongs at my side."
She stares at me for a long moment, and I can see her trying to decide whether she believes me. Finally, she nods and returns to the dressing room.
We spend the next hour going through outfit after outfit. Casual wear for around the estate. Business attire for meetings. Evening gowns for formal events. With each new outfit, I see her excitement growing, even though she tries to hide it. She's enjoying this, enjoying being pampered and treated like she matters.
Because she does matter. More than I'm ready to admit.
I'm watching her model a pair of jeans that make her ass look incredible when my phone buzzes. I pull it out, expecting a message from Matvey about Bogdan's movements.
Instead, it's a call.
"Yeah?" I answer, keeping my eyes on Mariya as she examines herself in the mirror.
"Boss." Matvey's voice is tight, urgent. "We have a problem."
My stomach drops. "What kind of problem?"
"A bomb just exploded at the library where Mariya works."
23
MARIYA
Ican't breathe.
The library—my library—is gone. Just… gone. Where the building used to stand, there's nothing but rubble and flames. Smoke billows into the evening sky, thick and black, and the acrid smell burns my nostrils and throat. It's not just smoke I'm smelling. There's something chemical in the air, something toxic from melted plastic and burned electronics. The heat reaches me even from here, waves of it rolling across the cordoned-off area, making my skin prickle with sweat despite the cool evening air.
Fire trucks surround the wreckage, their lights flashing red and blue. The sound of sirens echoes in my ears, mixing with the roar of water and crackling fire. Firefighters move through the debris with practiced efficiency. Police have cordoned off the area and the yellow tape flutters in the wind, mocking cheerfulness against the destruction.
I can see everything. Every broken brick. Every shattered window. Every piece of my old life reduced to ash. The children'ssection where I'd spent hours reading to kids during storytime. The reference desk where I'd helped countless students with their research. The back office, where Daisy and I would sometimes eat lunch and complain about difficult patrons. All of it gone.
"Mariya." Andrey's hand settles on my shoulder, warm and solid. "We should go."
I shake my head, unable to look away from the destruction. My eyes are watering from the smoke, or maybe from tears. I can't tell anymore. "Daisy."
"We don't know if anyone was inside."
"It's after hours." I grip the shopping bags in my hands tighter, the handles cutting into my palms. "The library closes at six. It's past seven now. Maybe no one was there. Maybe everyone got out."
Even as I say the words, I know I'm grasping at hope that might not exist. What if Daisy had stayed late to finish cataloging new arrivals? She did that sometimes, lost track of time when she was deep in her work. What if they're all dead because of me?
My chest tightens, and I realize I'm holding my breath. I force myself to inhale, but the smoke-filled air makes me cough. The taste of ash coats my tongue, bitter and wrong.
"Look." Andrey's voice is gentle, but firm. "They're bringing people out."
I follow his gaze and see firefighters emerging from the wreckage. They're carrying something… no,someone. A body bag. Black and zipped closed. The shape is unmistakable, theweight of it evident in how the two firefighters carry it between them with careful, respectful movements.
