Page 130 of Beautiful Secrets

That could mean only one thing—Yuri will win, no matter what.

And when he wins, I lose.

Cole loses.

Everyoneloses.

God, how easy it would be to crumble. To say yes like I so desperately wish to.

But I must be strong.

Easier said than done, especially when I see how much that single word—NO—tore through Cole’s heart.

And that makes mine break for him.

“No,” he says, as if he doesn’t understand the meaning of the word.

As if he doesn’t understand how I am capable of such cruelty.

I blink away a new set of tears. The feeling in the room has changed. Everyone is on edge except Cole and Yuri. Cole because I broke him, and Yuri because he has won.

Again.

“If I marry you, you will want to make me happy.”

I barely register that I am going to speak before the words leave my mouth.

Cole’s eyes narrow a fraction. His eyebrows draw closer. But the pain is still there. The hurt I caused.

“You will send me back to Russia.”

When his lips twitch, I know I have struck a nerve.

“And that is the last place I want to be.”

“But—” Cole barely speaks before a thick, meaty hand lands on his shoulder and pushes him to the side.

“Stop talking,” Yuri says, snarling at me. “You said no. This bullshit ends now.”

There is a gun in his hand. I am not sure if it has been there the whole time, or if he just drew it, but it does not matter.

It is pointed at me.

And Yuri is drawing back the trigger.

Thoughts flood my mind, desperate to be witnessed by my consciousness before Yuri ends my life here, in front of everyone.

I made a mistake getting into Cole’s car. If I hadn’t run away, I would never have met him. I’d be married to Aleksandr by now, unhappy but alive.

Alive is better than dead, no?

Or is life only worth living if I am happy?

I have never been happy.

Not until I met Cole.

Of course I want to marry him. Of course I want to be at his side for the rest of our lives. Of course I want—