Page 61 of Savage Little War

“I do like the taste of that one,” Dmitri admits before narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. “It’s a little plain, though. I could buy you a whole chocolate cake right now if you want it, but this is our wedding cake. Maybe we should do something a little more…”

“Fancy,” I finish with a soft laugh. “I think you’re right. Let’s try the lemon cake with vanilla buttercream.”

Dmitri nods and separates a corner of the fluffy lemon cake. His nose immediately wrinkles in distaste once he takes a bite, and I have to press my hand to my mouth to stifle a laugh. “Not a big fan of lemon-flavored sweets.”

“I like it, but I don’t like it enough to put it in the running,” I say before reaching across the table and taking his hand. “We both have to love it.

Dmitri opens his mouth, but I lift a finger to stop him.

“And don’t say that you want whatever I love the most. I want us both to make these decisions for the wedding. The only thing you don’t get a vote in is the dress because it’s bad luck for you to see it before the wedding,” I tell him.

Dmitri smirks. “Whichever dress you choose, I know you’ll look beautiful.”

A light blush dances across my cheeks as I smile at him. There was a time when his downfall was my mission. Now, we’re picking the flavor of our wedding cake.

Looking back on all that we’ve overcome together nearly brings tears to my eyes, and the pregnancy hormones certainly don’t help me keep it together.

“Cara?”

I blink my eyes rapidly, realizing that they’re damp. “Sorry. I was just thinking about how much we’ve been through.”

Dmitri brushes his thumb over my knuckles. “My wicked little spy.”

My cheeks burn even hotter now as I playfully roll my eyes at him. “You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?”

“I’m glad your father hated me so much that he sent his only daughter to rip apart my life from the inside. If only he knew that he was giving me the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Dmitri replies with an amused spark in his eyes.

“Now you and my father are allies,” I say with a raise of my eyebrow. “I didn’t see that coming. I didn’t see any of this coming.”

“That’s life for you. One big surprise,” Dmitri replies before leaning closer to kiss my knuckles. “You and our baby are the best surprises of my life. I’ve never been happier.”

I give him a warm look before my smile slightly falters. “I just wish we could relax. It’s hard knowing that there are still people out there who want to hurt us.”

“We’ll always have enemies. I’m only wary of the ones crazy enough to try anything,” Dmitri tells me. “Whoever else hurt you is keeping themselves very well hidden, but no one can hide forever. We’ll find them and take care of them.”

By that, he probably means kill them and dump their bodies somewhere they’ll never be found. No one will catch me shedding any tears, though. Most nights, the nightmares still find me.

“I know you will,” I say as our eyes lock.

Dmitri holds my gaze for a few seconds before the tension drains from his face. “For now, we have another important task on our hands.”

The stress from everything else we’re dealing with in our lives falls away from my shoulders, leaving me feeling lighter as we smile at each other. He’s right. Finding the men who tortured me will take more time, but we can make this decision now.

We can throw an amazing wedding.

After sampling way too much cake, we finally decide on a mixture of classic, and delicious: white almond cake with almond buttercream icing. Most of our guests should like it as well.

“Is it basic that I want roses?” I ask him as we leave the bakery together, my hand on his arm.

Dmitri chuckles. “No, it’s not basic. Roses are beautiful.”

I can’t tell if he’s just saying that to appease me or not, but I am appreciative of his involvement in the planning. It feels like our wedding. Something we’re truly doing together. Unlike the previous wedding that was being planned for him.

He’s not just giving me something that he thinks I want. Granted, I believe with my whole heart that Dmitri will do whatever it takes to give me whatever I ask for, but I’m not Annika. I don’t care about fancy things or how much we spend to try and impress other people.

I just want him in every way that I can have him.

“White and red roses?” I suggest.