Would he approve of this?Of Maksim?
Lena thought maybe he would understand better than anyone.Her father had always believed love was messy and irrational.He used to tell her the heart rarely asked permission before deciding where it belonged.
And hers had chosen Maksim completely, even if their story had started with fear instead of romance.It was still their story.Somehow, that mattered more than convention ever could.
By the time she finally reached him, Maksim was staring at her with an intensity that made heat rise beneath her skin despite the crowd surrounding them.
“You’re staring again,” she whispered softly.
A faint smirk touched his mouth.
“You’re my wife in five minutes.I’ve earned it.”
The priest cleared his throat politely.Lena nearly laughed, and the ceremony finally began.She barely heard most of it.It wasn’t because it lacked importance, but she noticed Maksim kept looking at her like she was the only thing in the cathedral worth seeing.
It made her feel terrifyingly cherished.When it came time for vows, Maksim’s voice remained calm and steady outwardly, but Lena felt the emotion beneath it anyway.
“I will protect you,” he said quietly, eyes locked on hers.“No matter what comes.”
They were simple words, but from a man like Maksim, they carried the weight of blood oaths.Lena swallowed hard before speaking her own vows.
“I choose you,” she said softly.“Not because this life is easy.Because it’s yours.”
Something flickered sharply across Maksim’s expression at that.She thought she glimpsed pride, possession, and maybe something even dangerously close to love.
The priest finally pronounced them husband and wife.Maksim kissed her before the man even fully finished speaking.The cathedral blurred around Lena instantly as his hand settled firmly against her waist, pulling her against him.
The kiss was deep enough to draw soft applause and amused whistles from somewhere behind Dimitri.Lena smiled helplessly against Maksim’s mouth.
“You’re supposed to wait until the reception to ruin my lipstick,” she murmured when he finally pulled back.
His dark eyes lowered to her mouth again immediately.
“I’m exercising restraint already.”
Heat curled through her chest.God help her.
The reception unfolded inside an enormous ballroom glowing gold beneath crystal chandeliers.Music drifted softly through the room while servers carried champagne and expensive hors d’oeuvres between tables filled with criminals pretending to be aristocrats.
Lena actually found herself enjoying it.Which was perhaps the clearest sign her life had completely transformed.
The cake cutting became mildly disastrous when Maksim deliberately smeared frosting against her mouth just to watch her glare at him.
“You started a war,” she informed him.
“I survive wars professionally.”
She shoved cake against his jaw anyway.Somewhere nearby, Dimitri looked profoundly exhausted by both of them.Alexei nearly choked laughing.Then came the first dance.
Maksim led her onto the dance floor slowly while the orchestra shifted into something softer.His hand settled against her waist possessively as the room blurred around them once more.
“You look beautiful,” he murmured.
“You’ve told me that six times already,” Lena reminded him.
“I’ll probably say it six hundred more,” her husband replied.
Lena smiled despite herself.Dancing with him felt strangely intimate despite the crowded ballroom around them.He moved his body confidently against hers, guiding her effortlessly through each step.
