Chapter 22 - Vera
“Stop looking at me like that.”
I looked up from the mirror and found Nico leaning against the doorway of the bridal suite.
The sight of him stole every coherent thought from my head.
He looked perfect in his black tuxedo, his hair perfectly done and his gorgeous eyes sparkling with a mixture of happiness and mischief.
Nico Romanov was a heartthrob, and he was all mine.
His mouth curved slowly as he stepped inside. “Like what?”
“Like you’re planning a crime in a bridal suite for the second time in your life.”
“I am planning a crime.” I narrowed my eyes, and his smile widened. “This time, I’m planning to steal my bride.”
A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “That was a terrible line, Nico.”
“But it made you laugh, which means it worked.”
“It absolutely did not.”
“It did.”
His gaze swept over me slowly, and the confidence vanished from his expression for the first time all morning.
That alone made me smile. Nico Romanov was feared by half the criminal world.
Men twice his age hesitated before speaking in meetings.
Entire organizations thought carefully before crossing him.
Yet somehow, seeing me in a wedding dress had rendered him speechless. The realization was deeply satisfying.
For a moment, he simply stared, and then he exhaled. “Jesus Christ.”
I laughed. “I look that bad?”
His eyes snapped to mine. “You know damn well you look anything but bad right now, Vera.”
Heat crawled up my neck. I turned back toward the mirror before he could see how much that one line affected me.
The dress had been Ilana’s idea. Well. Mostly.
I had originally chosen something elegant and simple.
Then Ilana, Elisse, and Misha had decided that I was apparently incapable of making good decisions for myself.
Their words. Not mine.
The result hung around me now.
The gown was ivory silk with a fitted bodice that flowed into soft layers that moved whenever I breathed. Delicate embroidery climbed across the fabric like vines. The sleeves rested just below my shoulders, exposing my collarbones, and the train stretched behind me in a graceful sweep of silk.
It was beautiful. Timeless. Romantic.
Everything I had secretly wanted. Everything I had once thought I would never have.
Nico pushed away from the doorway, slowly and dangerously, and I immediately knew what he was thinking. I recognized that look a little too well. I pointed at him immediately with a raised finger.
“No. Don’t even think about it.”
His eyebrow lifted. “No?”
“You are not ruining this dress.”
His expression became deeply offended. “I wouldn’t even dream of it.”
“Nico.” My tone was filled with warning.
“I wouldn’t.”
“Nico.”
He sighed dramatically. “Fine. I wouldn’t ruin it much.”
I threw a makeup sponge at him, and he caught it effortlessly. The man actually looked pleased with himself. Just as he stepped forward, the door opened behind him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ilana shrieked as she appeared, carrying flowers. “Did no one tell you that it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding? Get out. Leave her alone.”
Avgust followed a second later, carrying approximately twenty things at once. Neither looked remotely surprised to find Nico trying to get himself kicked out of the bridal suite.
“Nico, what the hell, man? You should be outside,” Avgust said, shaking his head.
“I wasn’t doing anything,” Nico clarified. I was only here to see my bride before the ceremony.
“That is not true,” Ilana snorted. “I know you way too well to not know your intentions, brother. Please get out. Avgust take him. Besides, Mikhel Aslanov has come to the wedding and was asking about you so he could greet you personally.”
“Mikhel is here?” Nico looked delighted.
“I didn’t realize the two of you were friends,” Avgust commented.
“We became friends in a meeting or two,” Nico shrugged. “But I have no desire to see him right now. I would rather stay here.”
“Nico, leave!”
Nico looked genuinely wounded, as if his favorite toy had been taken away from him.
I laughed again, but the sound felt strange.
Not because it was unfamiliar but because it was easy.
Life had felt impossible for so long, but now laughter came naturally.
Without effort or fear or waiting for disaster.
It felt like freedom.
“Out. Now,” she ordered, and both Nico and Avgust scurried outside at once, leaving the two of us alone inside the bridal suite.
Ilana approached and adjusted a strand of hair near my face. Her eyes softened. “You look beautiful.”
Emotion tightened unexpectedly in my throat. “Thank you.”
“Ava was coming with the flowers, but I left her to manage a few things outside,” Ilana explained, talking about my best friend. The one person who had given me clarity at a time when I had felt lost.
Ilana squeezed my shoulder, and for a second neither of us spoke. An endless chaos had somehow brought us here, and I truly couldn’t be happier. I hadn’t only found myself a husband, but a family. A family who loved me. Eventually Ilana smiled.
“You know, when Nico first mentioned you, I honestly expected someone terrifying.”
I blinked. “He mentioned me? When?”
Ilana looked delighted. “Oh, constantly for the entire time you dated. We kept asking him to introduce us to you, but he kept refusing, which made me wonder if he was trying to hide you from us.”
I exploded with laughter. It was adorable, but I would never tell him that. His ego was already large enough. The door opened before I could reply, and Misha stepped inside with Ava beside her. All of them were dressed in identical pastel pink gowns as my bridesmaids.
“The guests are arriving. We are about to begin,” Ava announced, and we nodded.
“Ready, Vera?” Misha asked, and I nodded.
“I have been ready for ages now.”
The room shifted as excitement settled over everything. The wedding was beginning. For real. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. Not because I was afraid but because it was happening, and that felt rather surreal after everything. It was actually happening.
“Misha and I will walk first. Ava, you can stay here with Vera?” Ilana asked and Ava nodded. The two of them quickly filtered out, leaving me alone with my best friend.
“Are you okay?” she asked quietly, and I nodded but then immediately shook my head.
Ava laughed, probably having expected that.
“I’m getting married.”
A smile touched her mouth. “That is generally how weddings work.”
“I know. I just don’t know how to really process any of this.”
Something warm unfolded inside my chest as Ava held me close.
“You have loved him for a very long time, Vera. And if there is anyone who deserves happiness, it is you. And I wish I could tell you how happy I am to stand here and watch you finally get it.”
“Thank you,” I smiled.
Ava quickly pulled my veil over my head and handed me the flowers Ilana had brought inside.
“I’ll see you out there,” she said, turning around and stepping out of the bridal room.
My heart squeezed. It was happening. The room suddenly felt quieter, and I looked at my reflection again. Not because I needed reassurance, but because I wanted to remember this moment. The moment before everything changed. The moment before forever began.
My forever.
I breathed in a deep sigh and finally stepped outside. The wedding march was already playing, and everyone was seated. Ava was walking with Viktor, who was one of Nico’s groomsmen as well. The ceremony took place overlooking the water, and the afternoon sun painted everything gold.
White flowers lined the aisle as soft music drifted through the air.
The ocean stretched endlessly behind the altar.
It was beautiful. Guests stood as the music changed, everyone waiting for me to walk ahead.
Until now, I had thought I would feel my father’s absence on the aisle, and it would hurt me, but I had been wrong.
It didn’t hurt. Because even if he had been here, he would never have done this happily. He would have ruined the biggest day of my life, and I didn’t want that. I no longer belonged to his plans and expectations and control. I belonged to myself and to the future I had chosen.
I walked further ahead and everyone turned to look at me. The aisle stretched ahead, and at the far end stood Nico.
My Nico. Waiting.
The rest of the world disappeared in that moment as I walked without hesitation.
His eyes never left mine. Not once. Halfway down the aisle, I noticed the others.
Kliment stood proudly beside his brother while Fyodor looked suspiciously emotional.
Jarek was pretending not to be emotional, but I knew he had a soft heart.
Misha and Elisse were smiling on my side of the aisle while Ilana and Ava openly cried. I nearly laughed, and then I reached the altar.
“Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” Nico whispered and took my hands immediately.
As if he needed confirmation I was actually there. His fingers tightened around mine. Warm. Steady. Real. The officiant began speaking, but I barely heard any of it because Nico was looking at me. Because every time I glanced up, he was already watching.
Eventually it was time for vows. Nico went first and I was surprised to see how the terrifying mafia boss who intimidated everyone somehow looked nervous. I intended to treasure that forever. He exhaled slowly and then looked directly at me.
“Vera, my love, before you, I thought survival was enough.” The crowd fell silent and I could feel everyone inching forward, waiting to hear what he had to say.
“So I survived. Every single day of my life I only ever focused on surviving. But then I met you and suddenly surviving didn’t seem particularly impressive anymore. ”
Several people laughed softly and Nico smiled.
“I spent a long time believing I had lost you. I spent even longer learning what life looked like without you and it turns out I hate it.”
There was laughter again, but tears gathered in my eyes.
“So I promise you this.” His voice deepened. “I will choose you every day. I will stand beside you every day. And if life ever gets difficult again, I will remind you exactly how stubborn we both are. I love you, Vera Stavros, and I will spend a lifetime loving you.”
Silence followed. Beautiful silence. Then it was my turn. I inhaled shakily and immediately forgot half my speech. Nico smirked as if he knew exactly what I was going through, and I glared at him. Eventually I gathered myself.
“When I met you, I thought you were someone else.”
This was immediately followed by laughter, and Nico looked offended.
“You were wearing sunglasses indoors.”
“It was sunny,” he countered.
“It was an animal shelter.”
“It had windows.”
I laughed despite myself and then looked back at him. The humor faded, but our love remained.
“You changed my life. You taught me what safety feels like. You taught me what love feels like. And even when everything fell apart, part of me still knew where home was because for me home had always been you. So yes, it is true our first meeting was a traditional meet-cute in the movie language and our love story has sizzled and burnt and turned off and burnt up again, but through all of it, I just know one thing. I love you, Nico Romanov, and I will love you for the rest of my life.”
The words settled between us. Simple and true.
The officiant spoke again. Something about rings.
Something about marriage. But I barely heard it.
Nico slid a ring onto my finger and my hands shook as I slid a ring on his.
I was smiling so hard my face hurt and then came the final words.
The only ones that mattered. The only ones I had been waiting to hear.
The officiant smiled.
“With the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Nico did not wait for permission twice. The second his hands settled around my waist, the world disappeared.
The kiss was warm, certain and familiar.
The continuation of a story rather than the beginning of one.
Applause erupted around us and cheers followed.
Someone whistled and it sounded a lot like Fyodor.
I laughed against Nico’s mouth and he smiled.
And for the first time in a very long time, everything felt exactly as it should.
Not perfect. Not simple. Not easy.
Just right.
And somehow that was even better.