22. Alek
ALEK
Her ring is heavy in my pocket as I stand at the altar with Nikolai by my side.
We’re in a small chapel that’s in the same hotel we are staying in.
That’s what’s so wonderful about Vegas. There’s a chapel at every corner, in every space, in every fucking building, giving people no reason not to get married on a whim.
And maybe that’s what I’m doing. Maybe it is a whim, but I do not care. Mia deserves to be protected and loved in a way she has never had before. Why can’t that person be me?
“Are you ready?” Nikolai asks me in Russian, his hands folded in front of him.
Am I?
My heart is slamming against my chest but not from nerves or second guessing. I’m excited. I don’t want to wait another moment. I want Mia Roswell to be Mia Bykov, now and forever.
She deserves more than her family ever gave her. She has a family with me now.
The chapel is small which is fine considering the circumstances. Nikolai pulled a few strings to get the chapel filled with flowers and decorated. Money talks, but it was the connections that turned these wooden walls into something magical.
Long beautiful white flowers hang from a ceiling. Big bouquets with roses and lilies are at the end of every pew. Rose petals line the aisle she’ll walk down any minute, and somehow, Nikolai managed to find a violinist play for when Mia walks down the aisle, then back up as a married couple.
“I couldn’t be more ready.” Which is the honest truth.
I’m getting restless waiting for her to walk down the aisle.
“Where is she?” My worst nightmares play in my head all at once.
What if Ivan found her and took her away from me? And I’m sitting here waiting for the love of my life to walk down the aisle to me but it won’t ever happen?
Or worse. What if Ivan killed her?
Now I’m panicking. I’m scared. She’s the only person in the fucking world who has the ability to make me afraid.
“She’s coming, Alek. Give her a minute.”
I can’t. The nightmares have been planted in my head now. I have to see if she’s okay.
I take a step forward just as the beautiful hand-carved cathedral doors open and the evening sun pours through the windows, shining on her as if an angel has awakened.
“I’m a lucky man,” I say breathlessly, staring at the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.
She stands in the doorway, a veil covering her beautiful face, the sunlight casting through the sheer lace. Her dream dress hugs her curves, those bell sleeves dragging on the ground as she walks towards me.
The light catches the beads sewn into her dress. Every step another part of her gleams. The sweetheart neckline revealing an elegant amount of cleavage.
Harmonious, beautiful strings reverberate in the room, a sweet song I don’t know the title of. I don’t care.
The world could be burning and surround me in flames, and I still wouldn’t care if the fire consumed me as long as Mia says ‘I do.’
I hold out my hand for her to take. The moment her fingers slide against my palm, I squeeze my hand around hers so she can’t run away from me. She’s mine now and it’s too late for her to turn around.
Mia stands in front of me, and my hands shake when I reach for her veil. I pull it over her head, revealing a sight that robs the air from my lungs.
“You are gorgeous, Lyubimaya,” I say, drinking her in.
I’ve never seen such a perfect person before. Her big brown eyes are on mine, the gold flecks around his pupils more pronounced today than usual.
“You look very handsome yourself,” she says as her gaze roams me up and down.
I’m wearing a simple tuxedo. Nothing too special. I wanted to keep it classy and all focused on Mia. I didn’t want to take away from the moment she deserves more than anyone.
She’s the star of the show. I’m only along for the ride.
“Are you ready?” Nikolai stands in front of us, his hands still folded in front of him as if he’s answering to authority. He leans to me and whispers, “We are keeping this short and sweet, right?”
My gaze doesn’t leave Mia’s. One day, I’ll give her the wedding of her dreams, but right now, selfishly, I’m glad it’s just us. I want this moment to be about her and I, not everyone else.
“Good. I’m not great with flowery language,” Nikolai grunts.
Mia giggles and Nikolai lifts a brow at her, not understanding why what he said was so funny.
“Get the rings out,” Nikolai orders.
This is the only time where that will work on me.
Mia slips a gold ring from one of the flowers in her bouquet while I dig into my pocket for hers.
“Take her hand, Alek.”
He really isn’t good at this.
I do as he says, brushing my thumb over her knuckles.
“Say your vows to Mia.”
I hold in a laugh. Nikolai isn’t great at making a moment romantic. He’s trying his best.
Keeping a hold of her hand while the other holds her bouquet, I take a deep breath to try to make this moment one she will remember.
“Mia, I’m not typically a man who wears his heart on his sleeve.
Emotions are only something I’m familiar with when you are around.
Loving you was never part of my plan. We know that as you weren’t supposed to be meant for me, but you are.
I started seeing you differently around three years ago and I can remember the exact second my heart and mind decided that I love you. ”
She smiles, a tear falling from her lower lashes.
“You were wearing a sundress, and it had the flowy sleeves you seemed to love so much. It was red and bright just like you. I forgot where we were but next to us was a giant wildflower field. The flowers had just bloomed, and you were so happy. I mean, the kind of happiness that infects other people and they have no choice but to be happy with you. That’s what I love most about you.
Your happiness. It’s an energy. An invisible bubble.
You allow anyone step inside of it because you want everyone to be happy. ”
I clear my throat when emotion bubbles free.
“I’m not a happy man. At least, I’ve never been as happy as when I’m with you, walking side by side, being in that bubble that reminds me there is so much more to life than anger.
That day in the wildflower field, I knew I’d love you until I took my last breath.
You looked so free. Like nothing could touch you while at the same time, I knew my son was sucking the life out you. ”
A small frown tilts her lips when I bring Ivan up.
“And I promise you to only bring you happiness. I promise to love and protect you, through sickness and health, good and bad, rich or poor, whatever the circumstance, your happiness is my only goal in life this life, and I promise that I will make sure you live in your happiness every single day.” I slip the wedding band onto her finger first, a band made strictly of the most expensive diamonds.
Then, the engagement ring is next, the one she deserved before today. It’s a seven-carat marquise diamond in a vintage setting, surrounding by more diamonds.
Total, she has around ten carats on her beautiful finger, and I still want to bathe her in all the best jewels. I will feed her happiness because my girl has been starved of it. She will be hungry no more.
She sniffles, placing the gold band on the tip of my finger, pausing to say her own vows.
“Inside of this band is a simple engraving that we have said to one another a few times. It says, ‘I promise’ and I do, every day. I can’t pinpoint the exact time where I knew I wanted to be with you.
It was sooner than when you realized you had feelings for me.
I think I’ve always loved you. You have always protected me, cared for me, worried about me, and have been at my side when no one else showed. ”
She blinks a few times and I brush away the tears that manage to fall.
“I was so used to that, you know? Being alone. When I’m with you, the last thing I feel is loneliness.
You’ve extinguished that. Every day with you is a new beginning to my life I didn’t think I’d ever get.
You save me and you keep saving me. You’re always there and I promise to always be there for you.
Through sickness. Through health. Through anything and everything in between, I promise to love you.
My happiness and you are linked now. I can’t have one without the other. ”
Mia slips the gold band onto my finger, and this time, it’s me who wipes under my eye.
“Do you take each other as husband and wife?” Nikolai questions, still standing in the exact same stance.
“I do,” Mia and I say in unison.
“By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada and somewhere online that allowed a man like me to get ordained, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Alek, you may kiss your bride.”
“Finally.” I didn’t even have to wait that long. Nikolai made sure of that. This has to be the shortest wedding of all time.
Sliding my palm across her jaw, I keep going, cupping the back of her head. I bend her over me knee and kiss her as if I’m kissing her for the first time in our lives.
I take my time kissing my wife.
She drops her bouquet on the ground, wrapping her arms around my neck to support herself and meets my eager kiss with her own. Our lips move together in an endless soft cycle. A soft tease of our tongues glides together.
The kiss tastes even sweeter knowing she’s my wife.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
“Okay. I’m going to go gamble and leave you two alone. Unless you want to come with me?” Nikolai says just as I break the kiss from Mia.
My hands tighten on her waist as I feel her body beneath the hand that wear her ring.
“You can go,” I say, never breaking eye contact with Mia.
“Congratulations. I’ll be at the penthouse later.” Him and the violinist leave us alone in the chapel, Nikolai closing the double doors at the same time.
“How do you want to celebrate, My Love?” I kiss down her neck, her ample breasts pushing against the confines of the sweetheart neckline.
Her hand slips down my chest, down to my pants, and palms the hard length pressing against my pants.
I can’t help it. I’m excited to know she belongs to me in every single way.
“I want something.” She raises her head to nip at my bottom lip.
I growl in understanding, lifting her to her feet, then push her until her back is against the wall. Pressing my hand against her hip, I flip her onto her stomach and kiss across her shoulder while unzipping the dress that is like a second skin.
“You want me to fuck you in the chapel, Lyubimaya?” I whisper into her ear. “Right here where anyone can walk in? There are hundreds of people in this building. Many of them are walking by right now.”
“I don’t care. I can’t wait another minute.”
She surprises me every single day.
Once I unzip her dress, I tug it off her body until it’s a useless puddle by her feet. I spread her legs with my knee. My fingers slip down her spine, marveling at the beauty that I can officially call my own.
“I’m not going to be easy,” I warn, pushing her panties to her knees.
“I don’t want easy. I want you to claim your wife.”
A guttural snarl escapes me and I’m ripping off my belt and unzipping my pants, tugging them down just enough until my cock springs free. Pressing a hand between her shoulder blades, I keep her in place while I press the tip against her entrance.
“Oh, fuck, you’re so fucking wet for me, Mrs. Bykov.” She likes that. Mia moans, pressing her ass against me, causing my cock to slip in further. “Oh, you must really like the sound of that. You’re so fucking wet, Mia.” I thrust into the hilt, taking both of our breaths away.
“Alek. Say it again.”
I smirk, pinning one hand above her head, her veil still draping over her back. I push it to the side, wanting the view of her flawless back. I drag my lips across nape, doing my best to control myself.
“Mrs. Bykov. What would you like your husband to do now?” I lick the shell of her ear, her cunt fluttering around me as her body trembles.
“Fuck me.”
Dragging my cock along her walls, I leave the tip in, and look down, groaning when I see her shine against my shaft.
What a sight to have my wife want me so much, she soaks me. Moving one hand to her hip and the other against the back of her head to keep her in the same position, I curl my hips faster, diving into her depths like a good husband should.
With every stroke, I get a whiff of her perfume. It’s sweet and subtle just like her and it fuels me as if she stuck needle in my veins filled with the essence that makes Mia, Mia.
“Oh, god!” She moans so loud, there’s no doubt the guests of the hotel can’t hear her as they walk by.
“Don’t cry out to god, Mia.” I yank her head back by her veil, her glazed eyes hooded and barely able to hold eye contact with me. “He can’t save you now.” I pin her against the wall again, setting the fast, brutal pace of my cock sinking inside her.
“Fuck!” I roar, pushing and pulling her hips with every stroke. I’m too close. I’m not going to last. Not like this. Not right after marrying the woman of my dreams. I reach around and dip my hand between her legs, my fingers finding her sensitive clit.
The moment I touch it, she bucks again me, moaning and whimpering. She becomes impossibly wet, the erotic sound loud in the confinement of the church.
I’ve never experienced something so holy until now.
Amen.
“Alek. Alek!” She warns that she’s close my chanting my name.
“That’s right. Come for me. Show your husband how good he makes you feel.”
Her knees buckle when her orgasm hits her. Her cries carry with volume, leaving no secrets as to what is happening in this room. I wrap an arm around her waist to keep her upright, my own grunt sounding when I spill inside my wife.
“There won’t be a day where I’m not inside you,” I say.
And that is a promise I will never break.