7. Konstantin #2
“I’ll protect you and our children. I’ll cherish your body every day and night,” I murmured low so only she could hear me.
My lips brushed against her earlobe, the scent of roses overwhelming all my senses.
I watched in delight as a shiver rolled down her body.
“I’ll give you pain and make you scream, but always in pleasure.
From this day forward, I’m yours and you’re mine. It’s my vow to you.”
Her delicate neck bobbed as she swallowed, but she tried hard to keep her mask on. Too late. It was slipping with each day. I’d shred that thing to pieces. I only wanted the real her. All her happiness. All her sorrows. All of her.
“Do you, Illias Konstantin, take Tatiana Nikolaev as your lawfully wedded wife to live together in holy matrimony, to be with you always, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” My answer came swiftly and firmly. I’d known it was her I wanted all along. After all, I’ve lingered in the shadows for years until I could claim her again.
The priest turned toward Tatiana, his eyes on her and I wanted to claw out his eyeballs. Fucker! I should order him to look away and then just make her say ‘I do’ so there wasn't a chance of her changing her mind.
I clenched my teeth, controlling my possessiveness and the urge to kill. After all, he was a priest.
“Do you, Tatiana Nikolaev, take Illias Konstantin as your lawfully wedded husband to live together in holy matrimony, to be with you always, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?”
She stared at me, the promise of defiance and retaliation in her pale blue gaze, but she knew there was no way out of this. The baby in her belly only sealed the deal.
“I do,” she gritted the words between her clenched teeth. But the promise of making me regret this danced in her furious expression.
I smiled, totally up for the challenge. She had yet to learn that I always win. Unlike my father, I’d never give up on our family.
Turning to Boris, I retrieved two small boxes. I opened the first one revealing the Blue Nile eternity diamond white gold wedding band. I took Tatiana’s hand into mine and slipped the ring onto her graceful fingers.
“It’s a perfect fit,” she murmured, her eyes on the elegant piece.
“Because we’re the perfect fit.” Her eyes flickered to me, something in them I couldn’t quite read. Almost as if she was pleasantly surprised. Though knowing Tatiana, she was probably trying to get me to lower my guard so she could pounce and then get back to her brothers.
Never. We were one final sentence away from being husband and wife.
I placed the other ring, a simple white gold band into her palm, then watched her slide it onto my finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest said. “You may kiss the bride.”
Before he even finished the announcement, I pulled her against my chest and grabbed her by her nape.
I pressed my mouth against hers, the softness of her lips always surprising me. I fucking loved kissing her. Her little sighs and moans could drive a man wild.
“My love knows no boundaries, Mrs. Konstantin,” I murmured against her lips. “Remember always that I’m yours, but you’re mine too.”
“Love!” she snickered. “This isn’t love. It’s lust. You should be able to recognize it.”
“Touché,” I retorted wryly.
“Besides, kidnapping is not love,” she continued, her lips curved in disgust. “And first chance I get, I’m leaving you in the dust. Asshole.”
Anger washed over me that she’d even consider leaving me. Years of obsessing over her and all she could talk about and think about was leaving me.
“Want to run?” I asked. She nodded her head, her eyes watching me suspiciously. “Do it. I’ll love every second of hunting you down.” I grinned savagely. “And catching you will be the best part.”
Her glower followed.
“You’re a monster,” she rasped in a shaky voice, her lips swollen from my kiss.
The corners of my lips tugged. “If I’m a monster, you’re my prey. And guess what, moya luna ?” I brushed my lips against hers, then sunk my teeth into her lower lip. “I just caught you.”
Twenty minutes later, I had finally gotten rid of the priest and was five hundred thousand dollars lighter, having charged me another hundred grand for the inconvenience.
But it was fucking worth it. I tapped the inside pocket of my suit where the marriage license lay securely. In my eyes, it was the most valuable piece of paper I owned. Fuck everything else. I could rebuild my empire, but I couldn’t get another one of her .
The steward set the table with our wedding dinner feast, then disappeared. Nikita and Boris did the same, leaving me alone with my wife.
My wife.
That sounded so fucking right. She was mine. Finally! I was bound to her and she was bound to me. For life. God help any man who’d tried to take her away from me. There wasn’t a corner on this Earth they could hide that I wouldn’t find them.
I studied her, sitting in her seat like a queen and glaring at me. I might as well be her subject. She acted like it.
Although I was under no illusion that she had fully accepted this marriage. She probably schemed as we sat here how to get out of it. But sooner or later, she’d realize there was no way out.
Marrying her was the best way to keep her protected. There was no fucking way anyone would dare take her away from me. I had already sent a notice to the underworld that she was my wife, even before we said our vows. Her last name alone would keep certain people from coming after her.
I’d keep her and our children safe. Yes, children, because I planned on having many with her. Hopefully, she’d be on board with it. But at least two would be nice.
“How many children do you want to have?” I blurted out, like some damn teenager swooning after his first love. Fuck it. I told her I was all in.
She was my wife. Fucking mine .
A dark obsession surged through my veins. The lust and love intertwined and urged me to rip off that dress so I could thrust inside her tight heat and claim her. Over and over again. Yes, that dress was beautiful on her, but she was even more beautiful without it.
“I’m surprised you even bother asking,” she snickered derisively, reaching for the glass of water and bringing it to her lips. “I mean, you forced the wedding on me. Why not force children on me too?”
I stiffened. “You don’t want kids?”
“I didn’t say that,” she snapped.
“Then how many kids do you want?” I asked again, keeping my tone even.
She took another swig of her drink, then landed the glass on the table with a loud thud.
That strength that was part of her DNA had her spine straightening up and staring at me head-on.
It always intrigued me her lack of fear of me.
Women usually cowered in front of me, kept their heads lowered, and rarely met my eyes.
Tatiana always met me head on. In the bedroom she’d turn into putty under my touch, but outside it, she was a fierce woman ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone.
“Illias Konstantin, I will not entertain children with you until we get certain things straight,” she stated with a clear voice and thunder in her eyes.
“But my love, we already have one child on the way,” I pointed out.
“That is one child,” she remarked. “I’m speaking of children. Now, until you fix some of your wrongs, I refuse to have any more babies with you.”
“What wrongs exactly are you referring to?” I inquired curiously, admiring the way her hair reflected the light. Her hair was so light it almost gave her an angelic look, blinding me. But her mouth and brain fascinated me even more.
“Fucking men,” she hissed, as a few strands of hair fell down her forehead. “Figure it out if you’re so smart.”
I waved my hand. “No matter. We have the rest of our lives to work that out.” My lips curved at her thunderous expression. “Now eat, moya luna. Remember you’re eating for two. And I ensured the cook prepared only the healthy food that agrees with you.”
“And how do–” She stopped, the look in her eyes full of stubbornness and indignation. “You goddamned stalker.”
It was time to teach my wife her first lesson.