35. Adrik #2
But I am.
And I couldn’t wait.
Kissing her before we began vows seemed to relax her. She would be nervous to be under the spotlight like this, but she didn’t have to suffer through it.
“I love you,” I reminded her, whispering in her ear. I felt like an ass that I resisted the notion and hadn’t admitted it sooner. Too much time had been lost with her already.
“I love you too,” she replied.
“Once the ceremony is over, we can relax.”
She laughed nervously, glancing out at the crowd. “You sure about that? That looks like a lot of guests to mingle with.”
“I’ll handle it,” I promised.
We exchanged vows, simple ones that she’d picked out with the officiant ahead of time. And the second she slipped the wedding band on my finger, I felt like my meaning, my role, and my purpose were locking into place.
She was mine , and I would never let her forget it.
I dipped her as I kissed her to the applause of the distinguished guests who bore witness to our union. But I didn’t pull back until I felt the smile of her lips rising against mine.
“We’re married.” She stared quietly, gazing up into my eyes with adoration and wonder.
“We are,” I replied, grinning at her joy.
Many guests wished to congratulate us as we carried through the rest of the day. Photographers had their time with us first. Then there was lunch, where I focused on her, not speaking with the guests who no doubt wanted a moment with me.
Then after lunch, more pictures and some conversations with those who’d traveled furthest.
Half of them congratulated me on the wedding, and more yet congratulated me on taking over as the interim Pakhan. News of my father’s ill health was still out there, but my wedding with Elena overshadowed it.
“Is this the first time that you’ve been out and in public as the boss?” Elena asked me later as we sat together for our dinner out on the patio. Fairy lights twinkled overhead, but none of the décor and details of decorations could outshine her.
“Partly,” I said before kissing her cheek.
“Listen,” Nikolai said as he came back to sit at the head table with us.
“Just because you’re in a hurry to settle down, you can’t be expecting the rest of us to follow in your lead.
” He didn’t hide his salacious grin as he looked out at the few guests others had brought with them.
Namely, the daughters of some of the leaders.
“We’re not going to be starting families just because you are. ”
Alexei grunted as he came to sit with us too. “There’s too much going on,” he complained in agreement.
“We could have waited,” Elena said, worry in her eyes as she glanced at me.
“Are you kidding me? I would’ve been too impatient to wait.” Over her shoulder, I shot my cousin a murderous look for making her think she’d done something wrong in wanting to marry this week.
He cleared his throat. “No, no. This has been a wonderful day.” He smiled, and it almost passed at not looking forced. “But there are a lot of things going on right now.”
She nodded. “I know.” She looked up as Viktor, Maksim, and Lev joined us. The six—no, seven —of us at the top of the Bratva. “I thought of something else I could look into. Sacha commented on an old form he’d found and?—”
I tugged her close and kissed her. “The night isn’t over yet. No talk about work. Enjoy at least this day.”
“The calm before the storm?” she guessed.
I shrugged.
“It is the calm before the storm,” Maksim said. “I talked to a few guests here who agree with me that there seems to be some trouble with the Cartels.”
“Infighting?” Lev guessed.
“No.” Maksim shook his head and seemed annoyed. “Something about, uh, some runs and deals being adjusted.”
I appreciated that they all still respected Elena’s wish not to know too many details. She did. She already knew so much as our lead accountant. But I’d shelter her however I could.
“Forget I mentioned it. I’ll handle it,” he told me confidently before giving Elena a genuine smile. “Care for a dance with your brother-in-law?”
She smiled and stood. “I still can’t believe I have brothers now.”
I fell that much more in love with her, glad to be able to give her a family, one that would always be on her side.
Unlike John Morovov, we would never take her for granted.
She’d won not only my heart, but she’d also proven her loyalty to my brothers and cousins in how hard she worked to help us with the investigation of that shadow network forming against us.
That night, as I carried my exhausted and yawning wife over the threshold of our house, the main mansion on the estate, I smiled at her shy frown.
“I’m not sleepy,” she insisted.
She was practically dozing off already.
“Sweetheart, you’re nearly out now.”
“But it’s our wedding night, and we should celebrate…”
I chuckled as I carried her toward our room. “We’ve got every night for the rest of our lives to celebrate our love.”
Pressing a kiss to her brow, I resolved to always make the time to balance being the Pakhan and her man.