DRESSED IN DECEPTION

Cleo's POV

The drive was tense, filled with a silence that felt louder than any words could have been. Russo sat beside me in the backseat, his presence commanding even without speaking. I kept my eyes focused on the window, watching the world blur past, each street a reminder of the freedom just out of reach. Viktor drove, his eyes occasionally flicking up to the rearview mirror, ever the watchful guard dog.

As we pulled up to an upscale boutique, Russo’s hand rested lightly on my knee, an unsettling gesture that made my skin crawl. “As we go in now, you’ll pick whatever you want,” he said, his voice smooth but laced with the underlying threat that always lingered. “You need to look the part. Our story has to be convincing.”

I nodded, forcing my expression to remain neutral, even as anger simmered beneath the surface. To him, this was just another power play, another opportunity to mold me into his perfect puppet. I followed him into the boutique, my steps robotic, every movement