Chapter 26
NATASHA
The ruby drop earring dangled from my ear as I fixed the backing to it, flicking my gaze to the mirror in front of me. The whirlwind that had happened since Kyle had sunk to one knee and asked me to marry him had been unexpected, but very welcome.
I lost myself in the memory, recalling the eagerness on his features, how tentative they looked as he waited for my answer.
And of course, how he’d thrown his arms around me when I’d say yes and kissed me.
My eyelashes fluttered as I recalled my sister’s less-than-enthusiastic respond to our announcement. Hand in hand, we had strolled out of the office into the hall.
Telling my sister our plans had been less than a happy occasion.
Any smile on my features from the engagement had quickly faded as I stared into Nadia’s incredulous face.
“Marry him?” She poked a finger at Kyle. “You’re joking.”
Kyle’s features pinched as he fluttered his eyelashes at her. I threaded my arm through Kyle’s, stepping closer to him. “I am not. I hardly find this laughable on any level.”
“Neither do I,” Nadia retorted.
“Nadia, have you forgotten that we are in quite a pickle? Kyle has graciously asked me to marry him to solve that.”
“I’ll bet,” Nadia said as she glanced at Stefan. “I’m certain he jumped at the chance.”
“Of course, I did,” Kyle answered, his voice strained. “She’s beautiful. And I love her. I would do anything to protect her.”
“No,” Nadia said, crossing her arms. “No.”
“You cannot say no.”
“I can, and I will. I am here to make certain that you are protected, and that includes this potential marriage.”
I heaved a sigh, shaking my head. “Not even Papa would object to this. It is my decision. You have no say in it.”
“You don’t know that,” Nadia said.
“What I do know is that you cannot forbid me from marrying Kyle. I love him, too. This is the perfect solution to the problem. You should be happy for me not to enter a marriage with a perfect stranger.”
Nadia wagged a finger at me. “That is not true. The list includes several people you have met multiple times.”
I clicked my tongue, rolling my eyes. “Stop. I’m not marrying an acquaintance.”
“He hasn’t been properly vetted.” Nadia shook her head.
“Are you joking?” I said with a chuckle. “Are you saying that all the vetting you did before allowing me to tell him about Papa wasn’t enough?”
Nadia’s jaw tightened. “I am telling you that he is still a wild card, and that is the last thing we need.”
“I would never hurt Nattie. Like ever. This is a dream come true for me. I’m not going to do anything to mess this up.”
“Aww,” I said, rubbing his cheek. “Thank you, darling.”
He kissed my cheek. “Yeah, anytime, sweetie.”
“You’re making me sick. Fine,” Nadia agreed with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Marry him. But this does not mean you are trusted fully yet, doctor.”
The memory of the rest of the discussion faded from my mind, leaving behind a tiny shred of doubt that had been planted in my mind from Nadia. Would this all work out?
I glanced in the mirror, adjusting my earring. “I hope they bring me luck, Papa. We’ll need it.”
The glass showed more than my dress and styled curls—it reflected the weight of a crown I wasn’t ready to wear, and the future Kyle was about to step into.
Would he come to resent me for drawing him into a world of politics and danger?
Or would he rise to meet it—and become the partner I’ve always hoped for?
A quiet knock sounded at my door, and I called over my shoulder for them to enter.
Nadia slipped inside, crossing to me as I rose. “You look stunning as always.”
“A dress,” I teased, “well, this wedding must be a very special occasion for you.”
“Very funny, moya sestra,” she said as she pulled me into a hug.
She took a step back, her hands finding mine. “Are you sure about this, Natashka?”
“I am as certain as one can be about these things,” I answered.
“That does not sound very sure,” she said. “If you are having second thoughts, we can call this all off. Stefan and I will go back to our list, negotiate an acceptable contract with–“
“No,” I said, my voice firm. “No, Nadia. A contractual marriage is not what I want nor what we need. Nadia, if that comes out into the public–“
“It won’t. I will make sure of it.”
“You cannot. And it leaves us far too open to issues in the future…blackmail and the like.”
She studied me for a moment, her features pinching as a rare flicker of sentimentality floated in her eyes. “I only want the best for you. And this is not an ideal situation.”
“No, it is not. But marrying Kyle makes it as palatable as it can be. He is my silver lining.”
Nadia pulled me into a tight hug before she kissed my cheek. “I suppose if you are pleased with this, I cannot object. Although, I have paid your doctor a visit to warn him against hurting you in any way.”
A soft chuckle escaped me. “I expected nothing less from you, moya lyubov.”
With a shake of my head, I flicked my gaze to the mirror, making one last check of my makeup. “Poor Kyle.”
“Poor Kyle is marrying royalty. He’s making out like a bandit.”
“Hardly,” I said, settling a curl in a new spot on my head. “Marrying into this family is not easy.”
Nadia heaved a sigh. “Perhaps you are right. I must give the doctor some credit for diving in headfirst into this madness.”
“He genuinely cares–at least, I think so.”
“Well, if he does not, he will suffer for it,” my sister promised as she motioned for us to leave the room.
A flicker of nerves fluttered in my stomach as I took a step toward my future–my destiny.
We threaded through the halls, heading toward the small chapel in the rear of the palace.
My heart beat faster as I spotted the closed doors, shut until I was ready to make my entrance. Stefan awaited me, ready to walk me down the aisle in place of my father.
I offered him a slight smile as I waited there with him, missing my father more in this moment than I ever had before. I made a solemn, silent promise to see him again.
The music changed to a bridal march, and the doors swept open.
The familiar chapel was small but breathtaking, with the golden rays of the dying sun streaming through stained-glass windows and the faint scent of lilies in the air. My heels clicked softly against the marble floor as I made my way toward Kyle, every step both a promise and a prayer.
As much as I missed my father and longed for this situation to be over, it had
its silver lining. And that was Kyle.
He grinned at me as I closed the gap between us and joined him at the altar. “Wow,” he whispered.
I offered him a small smile as the minister began the ceremony, using English as per request for our American guests.
“Hey,” Kyle whispered as the man continued, “you’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
I furrowed my brow, wondering if he was. Was there something in his eyes that looked like concern or worse, fear? “No, are you?”
“Not a one. Not even after your sister visited and threatened to kill me.”
“I am sorry. Nadia means well. And once you become part of this family, you’ll see. You will become part of the pack the lioness protects.”
Kyle eyed her over his shoulder as she stood at my side, my maid of honor. “I don’t know. I think she hates me.”
“Lucky, I do not,” I said as the minister started the exchanging of vows.
I turned to face Kyle as he licked his lips, puffing out a shaky breath. I slid my hand into his, noting the dampness of his palm.
With a slight squeeze, I tried to set his nerves at ease, but judging from the tremble in his voice, I wasn’t doing a very good job.
He managed to make it through his vows. I stared into his icy blue eyes, finding it easy to say mine.
I’d met this man less than a week earlier, and now I was marrying him. It should’ve felt impossible, insane even—but somehow, it didn’t. It felt right.
He’d appeared like a knight in shining armor, rescuing me from every situation that I hadn’t been able to handle alone.
Kyle’s hands trembled slightly as he slid the ring onto my finger, but his gaze never wavered. In his eyes, I saw none of the cold calculation that defined so many royal engagements—only warmth, hope, and a promise that this was more than a duty to him.
After exchanging our rings, the minister declared us husband and wife.
“You may now kiss your bride,” he said.
Kyle’s eyes slid toward for a second as he swallowed hard.
I grabbed his lapel, pulling him closer. “Kiss me, already.”
“With pleasure,” he answered, a grin crossing his features.
Our lips met, and it was as magical as the first moment we’d met, the first time we’d kissed, and the moment I knew we were meant to move forward together.
All my dreams were coming true. Now, we just needed to revive Papa and set everything right in the kingdom.
But that wouldn’t be easy. We had a difficult challenge ahead of us. And it remained to be seen whether Kyle and I would become Belvaria’s greatest strength—or its downfall.