The Beast

Epilogue

Epilogue
The New Heir

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HANNAH

ten years later

   Lev's hard, cold eyes scanned the room once conversation began to pick up again. I smiled before nudging myself deeper into the shadows, so I could continue inspecting him without being spotted.

   He hadn't wanted to make a speech today, despite all of Dimitri and Savannah's pleading. During their efforts to convince him, I stayed back and watched the scene unfold with some amusement. Getting Lev to do something he was adamant on avoiding was nearly impossible. A mountain was easier to nudge.

   For the whole week, they tried and failed. Then Dimitri threatened. Lev called his bluff. It was a cycle never ending.

   But thirty minutes ago, during their last attempt to convince him, they decided to go around him. And head straight to me.

   Savannah did all the talking. But all my defences came down the second she breathed out a wavering, "Please."

   Inside, I was still a people pleaser at heart. Especially to my in-laws.

   And we knew that if anyone was going to persuade Lev Somov to do anything, it would be me. I was the only one who knew how to negotiate with him.

   Truthfully, I was the only one he negotiated with.

   I came to that conclusion pretty fast once I started to pay attention to how he spoke to others. It became more obvious when I moved to Russia with him, a year after we became official. Although, while I loved knowing he wasn't completely anchored to his stubbornness, I hated that I would be responsible for changing his mind. Mostly because I would have to reap the consequences—although, I would never admit that I loved Lev's viscous side. It would only encourage his violent behaviour.

   When I found Lev standing alone, assessing his allies with those intensely impassive eyes of his, I marched in his direction. I nearly fell when his head whirled toward me, catching me off guard.

   His mouth faintly rose in an amused smirk. I stopped in front of him, and he widened his shoulders when he read my expression. He had instantly glared. "No."

   Instead of acknowledging his answer, I leaned forward and whispered our new negotiation terms. He never agreed so fast.

   But I was also going to make him work for his reward.

   Lev's nose flared as he continued to look for me in the crowd. Of course, he wouldn't wait until we were alone to cash in.

   When his eyes began to drag toward where I was hiding, I quickly rounded the wide ionic column. It was enough to completely hide me from everyone else in the grand dining room.

   Fully eclipsed in the shadows, I smiled, pleased with myself.

   Until something gentle yanked on the bottom of my long periwinkle chiffon dress.

   Gasping, I slammed a hand against my beating chest before lowering my chin. When I spotted a pair of smiling grey eyes, I relaxed.

   "Daisy, you can't be sneaking up on people."

   My niece grinned, showing off her two missing front teeth. "Are you hiding from dyaden'ka?"

   I nodded and whispered, "Do you want to hide with me?"