Chapter 16
Alexei
He runs off, and I immediately pull my handkerchief out. I start wiping her shoulder and her waist…anywhere that fool touched her.
“It’s not like he’s dirt that can come off with a handkerchief,” she says.
“You never know.” I finish the job and toss the cloth onto a waiter’s tray as he passes us. I extend my hand. “Now, my beautiful Vedma. May I have this dance? I’m pretty sure I can do a better job than he did.”
“Alright.”
We move to the floor, and I take her in my arms, pulling her close. We start dancing, and I spin her, watching how easily she follows. I lift her, feeling her weight before setting her back down. My mouth finds her ear. “You’re so beautiful.”
She doesn't answer, just keeps pace with me.
“You dance well. Better than I thought you would.”
“Well, I did have dance training when I was young,” she says. “So I’m not a bad dancer.”
“I know you did.” I turn, the room blurring around us. “I came into your life when you were still doing those questionable jobs online. I saw you dance.” I tighten my grip on her waist. “I would like you to dance privately for me.”
“As long as you make the cash rain.”
I stop moving for half a second. “Are you serious? You would dance for me if I made it rain?”
“Yes.”
I’ll make it happen. We start moving again, her body following every spin and lift. But something feels off. “There’s something missing from this dance.”
“What? The song is fine.”
“Yeah, but you aren't stomping on my foot.”
“That's because I actually know how to dance. I only did that to annoy you before.”
“Then why stop now?” I pull her flush against me. “What’s getting into you? This good girl act? I don’t like it. I like a bad, mean woman. I like evil. You know you’re my type.” My lips brush her ear. “So why are you softening up? Please, beautiful. Step on my foot.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“That’s weird.”
“I know. Do it anyway.”
She hesitates. “What is wrong with you?”
“Step on my foot, Vedma.”
She does, driving her heel down hard into my foot.
“Fuck.” The word is raw, half groan and half moan, whispered right into her ear.
She steps on it again. “You like that?”
“Yes.”
Another stomp. “You like that?”
“God, yes.”
She’s stepping on my foot repeatedly now. “We’re two weird individuals,” she says.
“I know.” I can barely speak. “Keep going.”
“This is so weird.”
“I don’t care. Don’t stop.”
She finally pulls back and stares at me. “Okay. Let’s not do that here. That is so weird.”
I laugh. I spin her out and lift her high. When I bring her down, I drop to both knees in front of her.
“What’s going on?” She looks confused.
A microphone appears in a hand beside me. I grab and tap it, the sound cutting through the room until everyone goes silent. All eyes turn toward us. Just how I want it.
“Good evening, everyone. I hope you’re enjoying yourselves.” My voice fills the ballroom. “I have something I’d like to do…something I should have handled properly a long time ago. Except my fiancée here was elusive. Like an eel. I couldn’t quite grab hold of her.”
The crowd laughs, and I pass the mic back to pull the velvet box from my pocket. I flick it open. The diamond gleams, surrounded by emeralds. It’s obscenely expensive and exactly right. “Zoya Koval. Will you marry me?”
A heavy silence settles over the room. Zoya stares at me, then the ring, her eyes carrying over lastly to the people watching us. “Can I negotiate?” she asks.
“You can try. But I still need an answer.”
“What’s the point of the performance when you already know I'd say yes?”
“I need to confirm. Will you be Mrs. Romanov, or do I need to stay down here? My knee is getting sore.”
“How is she supposed to wear that?” a woman whispers from the crowd. “It looks heavy.”
I keep my gaze locked on Zoya. “If it’s too heavy for her, I’ll hire somebody to carry her hand.”
Laughter spreads through the ballroom.
“Tell your husband to work harder!” someone yells.
Zoya turns her head, finding whoever said it. Her smile is sharp. “I’m not complaining about the size, and I’m the one being proposed to. Why don’t you mind your business, extra number twenty-seven?”
The room erupts in louder laughter.
“Well?” I look up at her. “Yes or no?”
“Yes. I’ll marry you.”
“May I get up now?”
She leans in, her lips brushing my ear as she whispers, “I don’t want to embarrass you in front of all these people. So yes, you can get up.”
I rise and take her left hand, sliding the ring into place. It fits perfectly. “May I kiss you?”
“Yes.”
I pull her to me and kiss her hard. The ballroom erupts instantly. Clapping, shouting, and cheering fill the entire space. I pull back just enough to look across the room. Her mother is clapping enthusiastically, already leaning over to tell the guests nearby, “That’s my daughter.”
Her father is buried in the crowd, people shaking his hand and patting his shoulder. He looks uncomfortable with the attention, but he’s taking it.
Good.