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ISABELLA
After doing my makeup and curling the tips of my hair, I step into the black dress I’ve chosen to wear for the engagement party.
It has a low plunging neckline, and my back is exposed, the rest of the fabric falling elegantly to my feet. A slit on the right side reveals my leg all the way to just beneath my hip as I step into the stilettos.
Walking back to the dressing table, I squirt on some perfume before placing my ring back on my finger. I add diamond teardrops to my ears and check my reflection in the mirror, satisfied with what I see.
Alexei comes into the room and stops behind me. Placing his hands on my hips, his eyes rove over my reflection before he presses a kiss to my neck. “You look beautiful, my goddess.”
I turn around, and adjusting the lapels of his suit jacket, I say, “You’re devastatingly handsome. Tonight we look like a power couple.”
The corner of his mouth lifts, pride shining from his dark eyes, and then he presses another kiss to my forehead. “You ready?”
“I just need ten minutes.” I need to gather myself before I meet all the guests.
“No rush. I’ll welcome everyone,” he murmurs.
When Alexei leaves the room, I walk out onto the balcony and stare down at all the tables and decorations. Staff rush around, tending to last-minute details as the first guests start to mingle.
A chopping sound draws my attention, and glancing up, I watch as a helicopter approaches the mansion. When it begins its descent at the back of the property, there’s a flash of a memory rippling through my mind.
My heart’s pounding against my ribs. Hanging onto the landing skid, pain tears through my left shoulder. I pull the trigger, and there’s a moment’s satisfaction as I watch the bullet hit Hugo.
Then he fires back, and a stabbing ache rips through my chest. I lose my grip on the landing skid while more bullets spray the helicopter, and then I fall.
Slamming my eyes shut, a veil lifts in my mind, and for a moment, the world spins around me, making me stumble backward.
I grab hold of the glass door, an intense shivering spreading through my body – then my mind clears, and everything falls into place.
I gasp through the shock rippling through me.
Fuck.
Shit.
Lifting my head, anger bleeds into me at the speed of light, my hands trembling.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
It takes me a moment to process everything, to align the before and after.
Fucking Alexei.
Fuck.
My rage bubbles over into an inferno.
Alexei Koslov spun his lies around me.
He used me.
My eyes lower to my left hand that’s shaking like a leaf in a shit storm, and I look at the engagement ring.
He tricked me into an alliance with him.
Closing my eyes, I take deep breaths to try and calm down. I need to focus.
Focus, Isabella.
The memories of the past clash with the memories of the last five months, and it forms an explosion inside of me.
Remembering how I fell for the lies. How I believed them, not knowing any better. How they became my entire world.
How I fell for the façade Alexei put up.
Fuck, he’s good. He really had me believing he loved me.
Enraged, I fight the urge to scream as I turn away from the balcony and stalk back into the room.
God, just the other day, I was on my knees, sucking him off.
Calm down.
Shhh…
On. My. Fucking. Knees.
Deep breaths.
Humiliation mixes with the deadly chaos in my chest, closing a tight fist around my bruised heart.
I lift a hand and press down on the spot where Hugo shot me. Sucking in deep breaths, I try my best to not lose my shit.
Heartache shreds through the lie that was spun around me, tearing the webs to shreds.
I believed Alexei.
I fell for the act.
I loved him.
My eyes begin to burn, and I take quivering breaths, fighting back the urge to cry.
Thank God I didn’t say the words to him. That would’ve made my humiliation a million times worse.
Then the thought of Ana stuns me, and I inhale sharply.
Oh my god.
Ana.
What happened to Ana and the girls?
I lift my trembling hand to cover my mouth as worry for my friend pours ice through my veins.
My head begins to pound from the overwhelming moment, and just then, there’s a knock at the door.
Ariana comes in, smiling at me as if we’re fucking friends. She takes in my state, then concern tightens her features. “Are you okay?”
“Just a bad headache,” I barely manage to bite out, humiliation and rage making every muscle in my body tense.
“I’ll get you something,” she offers, rushing back to the door.
“Don’t tell Alexei,” I think to say, then add, “I don’t want to worry him. It will ruin the party.”
“Okay.”
The moment I’m alone again, I begin to focus on the problem at hand.
There’s no way I can fight my way out of this mansion tonight. Not with Alexei and Demitri… Carson, Damien… Winter… fuck… there’s an army of elite assassins and custodians on the property. I won’t make it out alive.
Okay. Think.
My breathing begins to calm down, and my heart slows down to a steady beat.
You’re going to be the happy fiancée tonight. Just get through the party in one piece, and then you can reassess this fucking shit show.
Ariana comes rushing into the suite, carrying a bottle of water and a couple of painkillers. “Here you go,” she says as she hands them to me.
I swallow the painkillers down, then sit down on the side of the bed. “I’ll be out in ten minutes.”
“Okay.” She gives me a concerned look.
“I’m fine. Go back to the party.” I somehow manage to add a smile.
Ariana looks convinced, and my vengeful gaze follows her as she leaves the room again.
I just need to get through tonight. Tomorrow I’ll figure out a way to escape, and then I’ll go to Panama and check if Ana’s at the rendezvous point.
One step at a time.
Rage keeps boiling inside of me, and my thoughts turn to Alexei.
I have to hand it to him; it was a clever move. Brilliantly played.
Bastard.
My gaze goes over the bedroom where I’ve let him fuck me. More than once.
God, he must be laughing his ass off at me – the Princess of Terror moaning for his cock.
I’m going to fucking kill him.
I look down at the engagement ring again, and all I want to do is rip it off my finger and shove it down Alexei’s throat.
I agreed to an alliance with Alexei Koslov, and there’s no way out of it. Not in our world.
You don’t just break an alliance. The only way out is death.
Either him or me.
