Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Good thing you’re not,” I tell him and start up again. “Good thing I’m the one getting married.”
“I can’t let another man raise my child,” he says, his voice rough with emotion and pain.
And it nearly kills me.
Because it’s almost, almost, exactly what I wanted to hear.
But it’s still not quite right.
“You should go away,” I tell him again.
While inwardly wishing he’d say I can’t stand seeing you marry another man.
But maybe that’s too much to expect?
“I should have said this to you last night,” he continues as if he didn’t hear me. “I was overwhelmed and at the time I knew my duty was to stay out of your way. That’s what I’m supposed to do, isn’t it? My pakhan wants you to marry the Italian, and so I should step aside and let it happen.”
“Why doesn’t any care what I want?” I ask, not even upset by the question. Especially since I already know the answer.
“But I couldn’t sleep after you left,” he continues, pushing himself forward. “I was up all night thinking about you and my baby. How could I call myself a man if I let someone else take over my responsibility? How could I live with myself, knowing the truth?”
I miss a note and nearly stop. That’s what he thinks of me and his baby? I’m just another responsibility?
I keep playing, staring down at my hands.
“What do you want, Alex? It’s too late now. I’m in my wedding dress.”
“You look beautiful,” he whispers and my head whips up. He’s looking at me with pure fire in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have let you leave my apartment last night. I’m sorry, Natalya. But I’m here to make up for it.”
“You’re too late.” I get up off the bench and put space between us. I’m feeling stifled and suffocated and my heart’s racing into my throat. “You’re way too late. I’m supposed to leave in a little over an hour for my wedding.”
He stands and faces me. It’s always incredible how big he is, and right now, he looks even larger. Like he’s twice his normal size, twice as broad and strong. My heart stutters and my jaw tenses.
“I want you to leave with me. We’ll go right now.”
I laugh. It’s so absurd, I can’t even help it. “The place is swarming with guards. I can’t go anywhere even if I wanted.”
“They’re distracted right now. Lev’s got them loading the trucks with party supplies. We go out the back, climb over the wall, and take the alley to the street. My car’s waiting.”
He’s serious. This psychopath is serious. He wants me to run out on my wedding. He wants me to leave my husband at the altar, or close enough.
“You were worried about starting a war last night, and that would’ve been bad enough. You know what’ll happen if we do this, right?”
“I know,” he says, staring at me. His determination is terrifying. “I’ll protect you. I’ll take care of you. In exchange, you’ll swear I’ll always be in my child’s life, no matter what happens between us. You’ll never let another man take what’s mine.”
The baby. Not me.
“How are you going to do that?” I ask quietly, not sure why I’m even playing along.
This is straight up crazy.
“I called in a favor.” He steps closer to me. I can barely breathe. “There’s a priest waiting for us back at my place.”
My eyes go wide, and for a second, I don’t understand what he means. I don’t understand anything as my brain goes haywire.
Then it drops into place.
“You want to get married?” I blurt it out and hold up my hands like I could stop a charging bull with my palms.
“It’s the only way. The Italians will be angry, but even they respect marriage. Once we explain the situation, they might even understand one day, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make amends. Whatever the cost, I’ll pay it. The alliance will never happen, but if we’re lucky and careful, we can avoid the worst outcome.”
“What about my father? He’ll kill you.”
“Not if I’m your husband and the father of your child, he won’t. Lev won’t let him.”
“Lev will kill you too.”
“He’ll come around.” Alex is talking like this is remotely possible, like it’s even reasonable. As if this isn’t absolutely brainlessly insane and reckless.
“If I go with you, it’ll ruin everything. Valentin Zeitsev will be livid. Dad will be furious. Lev will disown me. And the Italians will try to kill us. You really think you can explain this away? You’re stealing me on my wedding day.”
Alex holds out a hand. “I know what I’m doing. Come with me, Nat.”
I stare at him. I look at his mouth, at his throat, at his outstretched palm.
I remember playing with him when we were younger and wishing he’d touch me, just a little bit, nothing too bad. Just a hand on my leg.