Epilogue Liesl #2
He kisses me then, and it's different from every kiss before. It's a promise. A beginning. When we finally break apart, the sun has set, and the sky is full of stars. We stand there on the beach, wrapped in each other, and I feel like the luckiest woman alive.
Not because I'm marrying a powerful man. Not because I'm marrying someone wealthy or dangerous or influential. I'm marrying someone who loves me enough to let me be free.
"Come on," Andrei says, taking my hand. "Let's go back to the house."
We walk back up the beach, and I can't stop looking at the ring on my finger. I can't stop smiling.
"When do you want to get married?" he asks, as we step up onto the porch.
"I don't know. Soon? I don't need a big wedding. Just something small. Intimate."
"Whatever you want." He kisses the top of my head. "I just want you to be my wife."
"I want that too." I tilt my head up to look at him. "But I'm keeping my apartment."
He laughs. "I wouldn't expect anything else."
I blink at him. "Really? You're okay with that?"
"Liesl." He cups my face. "I'm marrying you because I love who you are. I'm not trying to change you or own you or make you into something you're not. I want you exactly as you are—independent, strong, and bratty as hell."
"I'm not bratty."
"You are. And it gets me incredibly fucking hard."
I feel my face flush as I burst into laughter. "Why don't you show me right now?"
"Oh, I intend to." He scoops me up into his arms, carrying me toward the bedroom. "For the next forty-eight hours, all you're going to be wearing is that ring."
"I look forward to it, Mr. Petrov."
"So do I." He sets me down, just inside our room. "Future Mrs. Petrovna."
He kisses me, and all I can think is how far we've come—from that first terrifying moment in the van to this moment of perfect happiness.
It shouldn't have worked. A kidnapping shouldn't have turned into love. A captor and captive shouldn't have become husband and wife.
But somehow, against all odds, it did work. It's not a fairy tale. It's not a simple love story.
And that makes it perfect.
Thank you for reading!