Chapter 25
DOVE
Lark would get such a kick out of this.
Either that, or she’d hate me forever. But I’m choosing to believe she’d see the funny side if she were to walk in right now.
Me, in a wedding dress.
Marrying Bane.
In about…forty minutes.
I exhale as I look at myself draped I white tulle and lace in the mirror. Fuck, I hope Lark would see the humor in this, at least. But maybe she would hate me.
The wedding is a small affair, being held at Nikolai Antonov’s lavish Bronx mansion.
There’s no pomp and circumstance, no crowds of friends and family.
On “my side”, the only people in attendance are my dad, Cunt-Face and her little shit of a dog, Melinda, because I asked her to come, and Chiara, which oddly makes me feel a little bit better.
I dunno. We might not be close, but she’s still my half-sister.
On Bane’s side, it's just his dad, Sergey, and curiously, Alfred, his butler.
It does seem a bit silly to have a ceremony, given that this entire thing is essentially a business transaction. Still, it is going to be a real marriage.
I swallow, looking at myself in the mirror.
That's the part that hasn’t actually sunk in yet: after today, I will actually, legally, be married.
My eyes meet my gaze in the mirror, and my face heats as a smile teases the corners of my lips.
Two months ago, even a few weeks ago, today might have felt like a final nail being driven into my coffin. But as I stand here, readying myself to walk down the aisle to become Mrs. Bane Antonov, I don’t feel any sense of dread.
I’m not delusional, of course. I’ve seen the cold underbelly of the world enough to understand reality when I see it.
I’m aware that even though Bane and I fuck a lot, in extremely hardcore and you could say extra intimate ways, that doesn’t mean we’re, well…
whatever it is when two people really get married.
But I don’t feel like we’re enemies. And I don’t think of him as the villain anymore.
Well, a villain, perhaps. Maybe even my villain. But not the villain of our story.
I roll my eyes at myself when I catch myself thinking “our story” on my fucking wedding day.
Okay, Lark would definitely get a kick out of this.
There's a firm knock on the door of the library that I’ve been using as a dressing room.
“Yes?”
“May I come in, Dove?”
I frown curiously as I turn to the sound of Bane’s dad’s voice on the other side of the door. “Uh, sure. Be my guest.”
The door opens, and Nikolai steps in. He’s a good-looking man, probably in his early fifties, with hair just silvering at the temples, an athletic, fit build, and the same dark eyes as his son.
Different mouth and chin, though—Bane’s come from his mother.
I’ve been looking at the few pictures of her in the library as I’ve been getting ready.
Nikolai smiles warmly at me as he closes the door behind, looking very dapper in his tailored suit. The age lines around his eyes only give him a more distinguished look as he grins at me and slowly shakes his head.
“You look stunning, my dear.”
I smile awkwardly. “Thanks,” I say shyly. I glance down at myself. “It’s not too much? I mean, you know…for this.”
Nikolai chuckles. “By this, you mean…” He cocks a brow. “A fake marriage?”
My mouth twists. “Well…yeah.”
“Does it feel fake?”
The question catches me off-guard, and I feel myself hesitate as I search for the right words. Bane's dad just shakes his head.
“Didn’t mean to put you on the spot. Anyway, to answer you…” He eyes me up and down—not in a creepy or lecherous way, more like a father who’s proud of you.
Please note my actual father hasn’t made an appearance to say hi or anything yet. But, par for the course, I guess.
Nikolai smiles. “No, Dove, I don’t think it’s too much. I think you look stunning.” He chuckles again. “Too stunning for my mopey son, frankly.”
I find myself laughing as he winks at me.
“How are you feeling?”
My brows knit. “About?”
He shrugs, looking around. “About all of this. The wedding, marriage, the whole bit.”
It surprises me that he cares. In my mind, this whole arrangement has been a business transaction between him and my father, and people conducting business transactions rarely ask the goods being traded how they feel about it.
“I…” I smile, shaking my head. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think I’ve been seeing it as this thing in the distance for so long, and now it’s here, and it…” I trail off.
“Doesn’t seem real?”
“Pretty much,” I grin.
Nikolai smirks. “Want me to let you in on a little secret?”
“Please,” I laugh.
“It never does.” He shrugs. “Feel real, that is. Weddings, marriage…even when it’s to the person you’ve dreamed about marrying for years.
When I think back to my wedding to Bane’s mother?
” He smiles, a sad but also happy look in his eyes.
“I felt like I was in a goddamn dream…” He exhales sharply.
“Anyway, I just wanted to look in on you before it all started, and to tell you that I’m really looking forward to getting to know you, Dove.
” He smiles warmly. “It might sound corny, but I’ve always wanted a daughter. And now I get to have one.”
Well, fuck.
Who’s cutting onions?
I inhale, fanning my face madly so I don’t ruin my makeup. Nikolai chuckles, pulling a handkerchief out of his jacket and walking over to hand it to me. I blurt a grateful thank you, and he watches as I dab at my eyes very carefully.
“Can I ask you something?”
He nods. “Of course.”
My gaze drags to his. “Is there anything I should know? About Bane, I mean.”
His brow furrows for a second. “That’s…a complicated question.
” His hand comes up, and he runs his fingers across his chiseled jaw as he nods slowly.
“I mean, he’s a more complicated guy than you might think at first. At the same time, he’s not that complicated, if that makes sense. I think he lives by a code.”
I frown. “A code?”
He smiles. “Nothing crazy. He just holds himself to a certain set of principles. He’s loyal, and fiercely protective of the people he loves.” He smiles, a look of pride flickering across his face. “He’s got a definite savior complex, and has his issues.” He grins. “But he’s a good kid. A good man.”
I find myself smiling at the pride in his tone.
Nikolai rolls his eyes. “Look at me, getting all emotional and fawning, I just—” He makes a face, swallowing a few times before he clears his throat. “Shit, sorry,” he grunts. “Dry throat.”
“I’m on it.”
I turn and click-clack over to the vanity that I’m guessing Nikolai had set up for me in here with, among other things, a bottle of water and some glasses on a tray. I pour a glass for him, and I rush to get it to him as he coughs again. As I do, I manage to bump the stool next to the vanity.
Shit.
It goes crashing to the ground, together with my handbag. My face throbs with embarrassment as the contents spill over the floor—makeup, a freaking tampon, my two-year sobriety token, and...
FUCK.
A couple of orange plastic pill bottles.
They roll across the floor and knock against Nikolai’s polished dress shoes.
“Shit,” I blurt. “I—”
“Please, allow me.”
Before I can stop him, Bane’s dad crouches down and plucks up the bottles of lithium and lorazepam, and the fucking sobriety coin.
He stands, staring at the things in his hand a second too long before he glances at me. “Sorry,” he murmurs, frowning as he gives them back. “Didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s…it’s fine,” I mumble, my face throbbing as I awkwardly take them.
I finish stuffing everything back into my bag before I glance back at Nikolai, who now knows I’m a crazy fuckup.
I mean, I am. But fuck, it felt so nice just now, with him being so excited to welcome me into his family, and—
“Just one milligram lorazepam?”
My eyes snap to his, ready for the snarky comment or look of pity.
“Personally, I’m a two-milligram-a-day man myself.”
I stare. Nikolai grins. “I’ve dealt with anxiety my whole life.
Can’t say my choice of profession did much to help, but…
” He shrugs and levels a look at me. “Don’t ever be ashamed to fix what isn’t working inside you, Dove.
Nobody feels they need to hide the cast on their broken leg, or the antibiotics to knock out a sinus infection.
Mental health shouldn’t be any different.
And if anyone gives you shit for it?” He winks. “Fuck ‘em.”
I grin widely.
“Also—and I hope I’m not overstepping here—if you ever want a great shrink, the woman I see is fantastic. I’ve been going to her for something like fifteen years, and I’d be happy to introduce the two of you.”
I nod. “That would be…really nice.”
He nods. “Oh, and congrats.” His brows arch. “Two years is damn impressive.”
No judgement. No looking down on me because I’m a junkie or a drunk.
…I think I’m really going to like my father-in-law.
I smile, my cheeks heating. “Thanks so much, Mr. Antonov.”
He laughs loudly. “Dove, you’re going to be family in…” He glances at the Rolex on his wrist. “About eighteen minutes. I think Nikolai works, don’t you?”
I grin. “Sure, thanks.”
He walks over and takes my hands in his, smiling at me. “One last thing.”
I smile. “Yeah?”
“If my kid fucks up, let me know so I can knock some sense into him.”
I giggle. “Deal.”
Nikolai gives me a warm, fatherly hug, and my heart swells as I hug him back.
Then, soon enough, it’s time.
It’s not like my dad offered anyway, but I end up walking myself down the short aisle in Nikolai’s back yard where the ceremony is being held despite the chill in the air.
Bane’s wearing a black suit, black dress shirt and black tie, and it’s so fucking perfect and him that I grin as I step up to him.
He grins right back.
He never smiles like this.
“You look fucking incredible,” he murmurs under his breath.
“So do you,” I blush. I glance at the stone wall beside us with the arch motif carved into it, the whole thing covered in gorgeous pink climbing roses. “These are stunning,” I murmur quietly.
“My mother planted them,” Bane says, taking my hands in his.
For some reason, that really touches me, and I smile widely.
It makes me feel like his mom is here with us, watching over us today.
…And maybe mine is, too.
I had thought the Antonov family would push for a Russian Orthodox ceremony. But it turns out neither Bane nor is father is very religious, and they were more than happy with my dad’s request for a Catholic priest.
The service is quick.
A feeling that might be excitement bubbles up inside me as Bane repeats his vows. Then it’s my turn.
Fuck me. I am excited.
My heart beats faster, my breath coming quickly until finally, the priest presents us to the assembled guests as man and wife.
I shiver when Bane cups my face with this perfect mix of softness and possessiveness. His dark eyes blaze as he lowers his mouth.
His lips sear to mine, and for one blissful second, the entire world is just…perfect.
Good.
Sweet.
Uncomplicated.
And then quite suddenly, it’s not.
“HANDS! I NEED TO SEE HANDS! EVERYONE!”
I shudder, Bane and I whirling as men in dark blue windbreakers come storming around the side of the house with guns drawn.
“Federal Marshals! I need everyone to freeze, and I need to see hands! NOW!”
My dad is screaming and yelling, demanding to know what’s going on. Felicity is doing the same thing, but even louder. And that fucking dog of hers is yapping up a storm.
Nikolai frowns, but he’s got his hands in the air along with everyone who isn’t Felicity or my dad as he turns to the guy in charge.
“This is private family occasion,” he growls. “May I ask what the hell—”
“Dove Marchetti!”
Everything in my body freezes: my thoughts, my pulse, my breath. My heart clenches as everyone turns to look at me.
“Dove Marchetti,” the man barks as he marches over brandishing a piece of paper. “This is a warrant for your arrest.”
Other agents suddenly swarm me. Bane roars as I’m pulled away from him. He snarls and goes to shove them aside but Nikolai grabs him and pulls him back.
My hands are yanked behind my back and handcuffed. I go numb, my eyes wide and panicked as they snap to Bane’s.
“Arrest? For fucking what!” my husband roars at the man in charge.
The guy turns to look right at me.
“For the murder of Lorenzo Cielo.”