Chapter 27
Cara
“I think I’m going to throw up.”
The makeup artist and hairdresser exchange amused smiles before doing their last-minute touch-ups.
They probably think I’m nervous about the wedding, but I’m pretty sure it’s just lingering morning sickness that was supposed to disappear weeks ago.
“You look beautiful, dear,” the makeup artist tells me as she steps back to admire her work. “Absolutely beautiful.”
The hairdresser adds one more carefully placed pin in the elegant, complicated bun that she worked my hair into before fixing my veil. “I think we’re ready. What do you think?”
I take a deep breath before turning toward the standing mirror in the corner of the dressing room.
“Oh, wow,” I breathe as my eyes sweep over my reflection in the wedding dress. Now, it’s complete with my grandmother’s necklace and my veil.
I’ve never seen myself look like this before. It’s almost…magical.
“She’s ready!” the makeup artist says in a sing-song voice when the dressing room door opens.
Our venue’s event planner sticks her head in and smiles. “It’s time!”
My heart hammers against my chest as I nod and make my way out of the room and down the hallway toward the front of the grand hall where our ceremony will take place. And by God, it will take place.
A little past midnight, Dmitri texted to say his bachelor party went very well.
I can only assume that means he killed all the Council members and called off their hitman.
I haven’t seen him since he left for his bachelor party last night, and it’s driving me insane. Not letting the groom see the bride on the wedding day is ridiculous.
I spot my father waiting in front of the closed double doors leading to the hall.
The moment he sees me, his eyes widen. “Cara…you look beautiful. And you’re wearing your grandmother’s necklace.”
I smile as I head over to him. I had to think about it for a little while, but I ultimately decided to let him walk me down the aisle. This day wouldn’t be happening without him, and I want him beside me on the best day of my life.
“Have you seen Dmitri? Is he really okay?” I ask him.
Dad chuckles a little. “He’s fine. His hand is a little bruised up, but nothing’s broken.”
I grind my teeth together in annoyance. “I told him to use weapons. Not fists.”
“An argument for another time,” Sean suggests as music starts playing inside of the hall.
Right. I’m about to get married to the man I love, who went on a murder spree last night.
Granted, he did it to protect us.
“I’m ready,” I say once I take another deep breath to quell the fluttering in my stomach.
Sean extends his arm out for me to take before the doors open, revealing a large hall and rows of wedding guests.
I knew that there were a lot of people coming from both sides, but actually seeing the number of people with my own eyes nearly makes my legs weak. I grip Dad’s arm tighter as we walk forward, hoping that I don’t trip over my dress or twist my ankle in my heels.
“It’s okay,” my father murmurs quietly so that only I can hear. “Everyone was patted down at the door. Nobody will be stupid enough to try anything.”
Hoping he’s right, I lift my chin and finally find Dmitri standing at the back of the room with the officiant. Warmth blooms in my chest at the sight of him in a black tux with a little white rose boutonniere attached to the lapel.
He looks perfect.
My eyes begin to sting, but I fight the tears back. Not right now. Not when pictures are being taken and everyone is looking at me as I walk down the aisle.
When we reach Dmitri, Sean kisses me on the cheek and nods to Dmitri before stepping away to take a seat.
Dmitri takes my hand and guides me closer to him in front of the officiant, his eyes not leaving mine. “You’re gorgeous, milaya.”
I smile at him, knowing that I’m blushing. He still gives me butterflies when I see him, and he says things like that.
As the officiant addresses the crowd, I gaze up into Dmitri’s blue eyes, seeing the love in them. The passion. The determination.
All the things that he feels for me. What I think he can see in my own eyes.
“Dmitri will now say his vows.”
Dmitri smiles at me, and it feels like we’re the only people in the world.
“Cara, you’re the most incredible thing to ever happen to me.
You’re everything that I’ve ever wanted, even if I didn’t know it when we met.
You inspire me. You fight by my side. You love me in a way that no one else ever has. ”
I swallow hard as the tears try to resurface again.
“I promise that I will love you, cherish you, and protect you for the rest of our lives. You’re mine until my last breath, milaya,” Dmitri tells me.
It takes me a solid thirty seconds to fight my tears back before managing to say my vows.
With every part of me, I know that this is the man that I was always meant to spend my life with. And as we exchange rings and seal our promise of forever to each other with a kiss, I feel happier than I’ve ever felt before.
This is the moment that we’ve fought for. Bled for. Killed for.
It was all worth it.
After the ceremony, so much is a blur.
It’s fun, but a little chaotic. We all move into the nearby ballroom, and it doesn’t take long before liquor is flowing, and music is playing.
I move from guest to guest, many of whom I’ve never met, thanking them for coming and encouraging them to eat, drink, and dance. It’s going to be a long, fun night, but one without bloodshed.
“Congratulations!” Andrei says as he and Luca stand by the open bar
“Thank you,” I tell them, accepting a hug from both. “And thank you for keeping my husband alive last night.”
“He was a badass,” Luca replies, his smile a little stiffer than normal. “He’s the Pakhan now.”
My heart jumps. “Wait, what?”
“Dmitri crowned himself Pakhan,” Andrei says. “He’ll be a damn good leader as he reforms the new Council.”
A proud smile crosses my face as I nod in agreement. He will be a good leader. He’s meant for it.
“I think Mr. Badass wants to dance,” Luca tells me as he motions behind me.
I turn around and see Dmitri on the edge of the dance floor with a smile on his face. Not even three seconds later, I hear the announcer’s voice as he stands on the stage with the live band.
“Everyone, gather around. It’s time for Mr. and Mrs. Ivanov to have their first dance.”
My stomach flutters as I walk over to Dmitri, taking his hand and letting him lead me to the dance floor as everyone surrounds it. “Don’t let me trip and fall.”
Dmitri chuckles and turns me to face him, our hands falling into place. “Never.”
As the slow, romantic music starts, we move and sway together, falling into a natural rhythm. My nervousness melts away as he holds me close, our eyes locking.
“I heard you made yourself Pakhan,” I say.
Dmitri smiles and shrugs. “Someone has to lead the Bratva. I’ll make sure we all thrive again, that everyone has a voice. Our new allies will make us stronger than ever before.”
I glance in my father’s direction, sharing a warm look with him before turning back to Dmitri. “So, you’re like a king now?”
Dmitri chuckles as he pulls my body closer to his, his lips hovering next to my ear. “And you’ll be my queen, ruling beside me as we raise our family together.”
My heart flutters, the warmth in my chest slowly moving down my body. He’s delivered on every single promise that he has made me, and I know that this isn’t an exception.
This is our fate.
This is what we’ve fought for, and no one can ever take that away from us.
Not as long as we’re together.
“Someone is going to hear us!” I warn my husband in a whisper.
Our muffled laughter echoes up and down the venue hallway as we sneak away from the reception that’s still going strong. Dmitri throws open the door to a dressing room and pulls me inside, immediately pushing me back against the door once it slams shut.
“We are so not being sneaky,” I tell him before his lips crash against mine. I shove my fingers into his hair, my teeth teasingly grazing his bottom lip.
“I don’t care. I can’t resist you a second longer,” Dmitri murmurs as his hands glide up my body, caressing my figure through my wedding dress. “You look so fucking gorgeous in this dress.”
“Take it off me?” I whisper to him as heat spreads everywhere throughout my body.
Seeing him in this tuxedo is doing things to me, but I want it off as well.
Between passionate kisses and caresses, we manage to pull each other’s clothes off, no longer caring if we look picture perfect.
Dmitri sinks down on his knees in front of me, tearing off my white panties before burying his face between my thighs.
I gasp and let my head fall back against the door, my fingers diving into his hair as he props my leg up on one of his shoulders. “Dmitri…”
“Might want to be quiet in case someone comes looking for us,” Dmitri teases me before getting back to work between my legs, his tongue brushing over my clit.
Pleasure crackles through me like an electric current, my body tensing and arching. “Oh, god…”
Dmitri hums against me, the vibrations making my knees weak. He laps at my clit, every lick taking me higher and higher.
My breathing quickens as the coil in my stomach tightens. I claw at his shoulders, pulling him up to his feet so that I can press a heated kiss against his lips. “I want all of you. I need all of you.”
Dmitri picks me up with ease, pressing my back against the door as he guides his cock inside of me. He thrusts all the way in, burying himself deep as we muffle each other’s moans with a searing kiss.
I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on tight as he starts rocking in and out of me. My nails dig into the back of his shoulders, but the pain doesn’t deter him in the slightest. It encourages him to thrust into me harder and faster.
Dmitri presses his face into my neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses and teasing bites that turn me into a moaning mess. We don’t care about the noise anymore. We just care about reaching the ecstasy together.
“Feels so good,” I breathe out as he drags me down onto him over and over.
Dmitri groans into the crook of my neck, his breathing growing heavy. “So. Fucking. Good.”
I rake my nails across his back as he slams into me hard, my head falling back as a cry rips from me. Waves of pleasure crash down on me again and it sends him over the edge with a growl.
Dmitri spills inside of me, his lips colliding with mine in one more passionate kiss. He holds me flush against him, our warm, sweaty skin meeting. “I’m never going to get enough of you, milaya. My wife.”
I smile into the kiss before breaking away to gaze down into his eyes. “You have me forever.”
Dmitri smiles back, and the sight makes my heart flutter. Even when I considered him an enemy, I always loved that smile. “By my side. Right where you belong.”
I gently stroke his hair as we enjoy our time away from the party, reveling in the warmth and comfort of each other’s body.
He’s my home. The other half of my soul.
Together, we’ve already created something incredible. A family of our own. An heir to the kingdom we’re building together.
“I love you,” I tell him, meaning the words with every fiber of my being.
“I love you,” Dmitri replies without hesitation. “My milaya. My queen. My everything.”
As I rest my forehead against his, the noise of the party fades away until it’s just the two of us.
We fought for this moment. Bled for it.
And now we finally have it.
A future.
Together.