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Panicking, I race from room to room filled with guests but can’t spot her. What if someone didn’t want to wait for an answer? What if someone has taken her? I lean against the wall near the closet leading to the secret stairs and hear muffled voices arguing. I creep closer until I can understand the heated words.
“I didn’t know!” Emma’s voice hisses.
Stefan snorts. “You don’t have to lie.”
“I can’t believe you’re acting like this,” she replies, desperation seeping into her tone. “Why should I believe you? We’re not like that.”
“Like what, Emma?” Stefan asks coolly. “Say it.”
Emma replies with a sharp edge of anger in her voice. “We don’t arrange marriages,” she replies defensively. “My sister would never do that to me. She’d never allow them to do this to me!”
“Naïve girl.” Stefan scoffs. “Your sister is a pakhan’s wife first and foremost. How have you not realized that yet?”
I hear the rustling of her satin gown as Emma shouts, “Let me go!”
I reach for the doorknob, and I’m almost hit when the door swings open. Emma runs out of the closet, heading down the hall in the direction of Andrei’s office. Stefan steps out of the closet and eyes me with disgust.
I know what he thinks as I lean worn out against the wall, breathing hard.
“I should have told her,” I whisper.
His lips curl. “You don’t belong. Neither one of you do.” He walks away quickly as if the sight of me hurts his eyes.
I hurry after Emma, but the office is empty. I look out the office window and see Emma crossing the lawn and heading toward Andrei like a missile. He places an empty champagne flute on the waiter’s tray and takes another. I kick off my shoes and hurry outside, ignoring the puzzled looks of our guests. I watch as a smiling Andrei slowly turns to face Emma with her fist balled up tight. I want to scream and shout for her to stop, but I can’t. All I can do is will my body to move faster.
Emma stops in front of Andrei, who looks at her curiously. “I’m not some cheap whore that you can just pimp out how you like!” she hisses.
Andrei’s expression hardens, and his gaze narrows on her as if she’s a threat. He will never forgive her if she ruins this, and he’ll expect me to stand by him if she does.
We’ll always have to make sacrifices.
“I’m not some Mafia princess!” Her shouting attracts the attention of the guests as the band stops playing.
Emma lifts her arm to strike Andrei, but I step between them and aim a hard slap across her face. I don’t think it hurts—I doubt it does—but it’s enough to shock her. Emma stumbles back, holding her cheek, and stares at me. I’ve never hit her before and meant it. I’ve always let her say and do as she pleases, but not today.
Emma can’t have her way today.
I glance over at Vanya, who has appeared out of thin air. “Take her upstairs,” I say hoarsely. “And lock her in her room.”
Vanya leads a stunned Emma away as she holds her face. I can see her blinking back the tears. A few of the girls stare at me, and then a row of them trails after Emma to her bedroom. To gossip, no doubt.
Holding my head up like a queen, I strut over to the band barefoot, like I own the mansion, because I do. “Why don’t I hear any music?” I snap my fingers. “I’m not paying you to listen to silence.”
Immediately, they play a fast song—“Celebration,” the must-have song at every wedding. And I fake a laugh as I walk back to Andrei. We start dancing like the main attraction, and the party keeps going until midnight.
But instead of shame, I feelpowercoursing through my veins. What’s wrong with being me? Where did Paige Reyes go?
Paige Reyes is gone,a nasty voice whispers in my head.You are Paige Barinov now.
Later, I see Zhanna getting up to leave, and I walk over to her and Stefan.
“I’m glad to have been invited,” she says. “You did well tonight.”
Stefan’s politeness returns as he bows his head, and they leave. He looks at me with a respect I haven’t seen before. But I can also see the iciness in his stare.
It’s the same iciness that I’ve seen so many times in my husband’s eyes.
I feel a pang of guilt, but I had no choice.
