Beauty and the Price

Chapter 22

Alexander Vasiliev

The previous year

The Sorensons were throwing yet another party in celebration of their daughter's eighteenth birthday. Music blared through the garden of the estate as people conversed about the latest gossip, all dressed expensively. A large ice sculpture of an angel was placed at the center of the garden, the staff roamed around offering drinks and finger foods to the guests.

A man stood in the shadows with two others flanking him. The man in the middle examined the setting as he took a sip of the champagne. He admitted it wasn't the worse he'd had. His dark eyes caught sight of a tall man by the ice sculpture entertaining a group of guests alongside a pudgy woman. Both unaware of his presence in their home.

There was a burst of musical laughter a short distance from where he stood. It was nothing like the obnoxious noise he'd been hearing all evening. The sound quickly subsided into a fit of light giggles.

Alexander slowly lowered the glass and turned to the source. A young blonde girl in a light pink dress stood by the dessert table with two male staff members. One of them said something with a playful smirk creating more giggles from the girl before she took a strawberry and brought it to her lips.

The sound matched the owner perfectly. Pure and innocent and the sight was breathtaking. Alexander had seen many attractive women from every part of the world yet, they all paled compared to this one girl.

He tilted his head to address his men. "Who is that girl?" he asked in his Russian tongue.

The man leaned into him, his hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Alexander. "Sang Sorenson. John's youngest daughter," he responded.

"She is a beauty," the other man observed. "She would have the women in Russia dying with envy," Alexander scoffed in agreement. "Does she have your interest, sir?"

"Of course, I am not blind," he growled. "Why have I not been informed of this daughter?"

Both men stiffened, more specifically, the one who gave her name as the other hadn't known about her either. But it didn't matter, both were going to face the consequences.

"I did not think it was of importance," the first man answered. "The Sorensons seem to keep this daughter secretive."

His eyes trained on her. She turned her back to him revealing the bow in the back of her hair keeping some pieces together while the rest fell around her shoulders.

"You will stay here," Alexander warned before making his way to the girl. He wondered what she was doing associating with this set of scum. Did she not know they were lower than her? Perhaps her parents did not educate her properly.

As he stepped closer, the one with the glasses tugged at the elbow of the taller boy, grabbing his attention. Both created distance from the girl as Alexander approached them. The girl turned around giving him a better view of her striking eyes and libidinous lips. He looked her over, almost surprised to find that she was even lovelier up close.

"Good evening, sir," the boy with glasses spoke, his voice flickered with hesitation. "Do you need something?"

Alexander stared him down as the boy looked away and adjusted his glasses nervously. The Russian took the last sip of his drink, turning his eyes to the girl who watched him with curiosity. He shoved the glass at the boy. "Bring me another, don't make me wait," his accent was thick, his tone rough.

Wil frowned, taking the glass and leaving. Derek stayed behind for a minute.

He shifted uncomfortably and turned to Sang. "Did you want something, Sang?"