His Wild Attraction: A Billionaire Romance Novel (Wild Billionaire Romance Book 4)

Chapter Eight Andres

“Well, you clean up nice,” Josef said, standing next to me as I waited at the makeshift altar for my bride.

I appreciated him offering the use of his magnificent backyard to host our nuptials. It was huge and private, and the planner had done a fantastic job.

I wanted to give Ellie everything she wanted, and she’d mentioned liking it here. Josef and Meredith were accommodating, and Sammy was even going to spend the night so we could have a sort of honeymoon.

True, I hadn’t talked much with Ellie over the last few days. I was busy seeing to all the arrangements.

Also, I didn’t want to give her the chance to back out.

Oh, I made sure I was there for dinner every night. I wanted to make sure Sammy got acclimated to his new home, and to offer support and praise when he picked out stuff for his new room.

That I loved that kid and thought of him as mine already was just icing.

I mean, how could I not love him? He came from Ellie.

He looked just like her. That boy was a total sweetheart.

Bright and brave. I looked forward to spending more time with him. To being a father to him, even though we hadn’t really talked about my role in his life.

I had every intention of making this family, my family, real. Ellie might need some time before she believed me, but she would get there. I’d help her as unobtrusively as possible.

Sammy seemed to like me well enough. Which was awesome. Kids were the best judges of character. I knew what it was like to be protective of my mother, and Sammy already showed signs where Ellie was concerned.

He probably saw more than she thought, but he wouldn’t have to deal with any of that anymore.

I was here now, and I would protect him. Give him a life any kid would be lucky to have, filled with warmth, security, and happiness.

I just had to figure out how to kill his sperm donor and not freak Ellie out.

Step one was getting her to date me. But that was moot since she asked me to marry her.

Being a father to Sammy was one of the perks of being with Ellie. And being with her was everything.

I checked my watch and sucked in a breath. We were starting any minute now.

Just seconds away from putting my last name on her, from sliding my ring onto her finger, where it would stay, and I swear to fuck, I was shaking with nerves.

Goddamn.

Anxiety skittered up my spine, and I flexed my hands, trying hard not to show it. This was the most important moment of my life.

The moment I become a husband and a father.

“Relax, the wedding is the easy part,” Adrik said, joining us with Marat on his heels.

“Take it easy. You’re like family, bro. We got you,” Marat added.

“Um, I know this is short notice, but since I’m about to become a married man, I figured it’s as good a time as any to confess something?—”

“Confess? What are you talking about?” Adrik asked.

“Well, um, you mentioned I was like family. So, you know how my last name is Ramirez?”

“Yeah.”

“Actually, that was my stepfather’s name.”

“Oh, yeah?” Marat said, sipping from his tumbler of whiskey.

“Yeah. My biological father’s surname was Volkov.”

Marat made a choking sound, turned his head, spitting out the ice cube he almost choked on.

Adrik just glared at me with his dark, unwavering stare.

As for Josef, well, he just whistled.

“Our father did not cheat?—”

“Not your father. Your uncle. Ivan Volkov. He was my biological father. I never met him, but his name was on my birth certificate and my mother told me all about it when I turned sixteen and found it in a desk drawer.”

“So, you are saying what, Andres? All this time, you worked for me, and I didn’t know you are our cousin,” Adrik said, his voice deep and low.

I tipped my chin and exhaled a breath.

“That’s what I am saying,” I said, looking at Adrik for a reaction.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, the ladies are ready to start,” the officiant, an older man who worked at my mother’s church, interrupted us with a genuine smile on his face.

I nodded my head in his direction to show I’d heard him and waited for him to walk away before directing my attention back to the men standing in front of me.

The officiant’s name was Arthur McDonough, and I’d hired him after a thorough vetting on my mother’s recommendation.

She was sitting in the front row of the chairs arranged in the backyard for the small circle of friends and family joining us for this event.

My mother was nervous, worried about me, but I assured her everything was going to be okay.

She knew I was telling my bosses, my cousins, aboutour familial relationship today, and she was right to be anxious.

But also, not. This was for me to deal with. Not her. I would protect my mother in all things.

“Well, that’s a surprise. Though not really. You’re a prick just like these two assholes,” Josef muttered.

Adrik scowled at him, but Josef just shrugged unapologetically.

“Goddamn! Well, welcome to the family, Andres,” Marat said, clapping me on the back.

That handsome fucker looked positively amused as he downed the rest of his drink.

“Yes, of course, welcome. But why did you not tell us this before?” Adrik asked, looking thoughtful.

“I wasn’t sure I wanted you to know. You have a reputation for being, let’s say, less than reasonable, and I didn’t want to show my hand until I was certain I could trust you,” I admitted.

“And now you can trust us?” he asked.

I nodded once.

“Now, I have to trust you, cousin. Today I become a husband and a father, and trusting you is how I keep my family safe.”

Adrik’s lips twisted into a grin, and all three men looked at me with the same expression of understanding on their faces.

They said Volkov meant wolf, and it was easy to see the predators staring out through their eyes.

I didn’t have a plan for how I would avenge my soon-to-be wife and son.

Not exactly.

But I had backup now.

I had these men by my side, and that was good enough for me.