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He nods his head as he stands to his feet. I watch as he walks toward the door, he stops as he’s reaching out for the knob, before he turns it, he looks over his shoulder back at me. I haven’t moved. My gun is still in place, my hand steady, waiting for him to try some shit.
“My daughter doing okay?” he asks on a whisper.
My lips curve up into a small smile. “Yeah, she’s good. You can see her any time you want. My women are not prisoners. They’re free to do as they please.”
He dips his chin, then he wrenches the door open and walks out of the office. Instead of staring at the doorway and thinking about Rostam or the conversation we just had, I pick up my phone, send a text message to the man at my door to escort Rostam out, then I call Osip and inform him of everything that just happened here.
ISABEL
Irina stands across from me.She’s wearing a gorgeous deep-blue, deep V dress that is tight around the waist, then flows out to the floor with a slit that hits at midthigh. She’s wearing a pair of matching high heels, dyed to match actually with Swarovski crystals to embellish them.
“You look beautiful,” I say as I look at my sister. She gives me a smile, looking down at her feet, then lifts her gaze back up to meet mine.
“You’re the beautiful one, Isabel. Ruslan is so lucky to have you as his bride.”
“You’ll be in my shoes soon enough, sister. Panas is obviously going to want to get married sooner rather than later.”
Her cheeks tint pink and she clears her throat. “I’m sure,” she says on a whisper.
Before I can say anything else, the door opens, and I see Zinaida and Ion slipping inside. “Are you ready?” Zinaida asks.
“I’m ready,” I breathe.
I look down at my belly. It isn’t really showing yet, but I already know that there is life growing inside of me. Ruslan was serious when he said he was going to give me a baby, because he has. Well, not just me, us. He’s so excited he’s ready to scream it from the rooftops, but I’ve asked him to wait until after we’re married.
Ion makes his way toward me as Irina slips past me and follows Zinaida. “You’re really ready?” he asks.
Laughing, I slip my arm through his and shrug a shoulder. “I guess I’ll put Ruslan out of his misery. He’s been trying to elope for months.”
“You deserve this wedding,” Ion says.
“Yeah,” I admit. “I do.”
“So humble.”
Giving him a big smile, together we walk out of the bridal suite and toward my future. The honeymoon is planned, a whole week on the California southern coast. A week of beaches and sunshine. I can’t wait. A whole week of no work for Ruslan, just him and me, together.
The double doors to the church open and I lift my head, standing beside my brother. I see him. Ruslan. The man who saved me. The man who loves me, for me—for who I am.
Ion walks me slowly down the aisle, he hands me to Ruslan, then I face this man that I am promising my entire life to. But haven’t I already given him my life? I have. This is merely a formality. Because Ruslan is my life, he has had it in the palm of his hand since the moment I laid eyes on him.
When he takes my hands in his, his lips curve up into a smile and together we face the priest.
Together.
Always together.
We’ll always have one another’s backs.
Me and Ruslan.
The future is ours and we will fully consume every part of this crazy life. We will live it to the fullest, because that is no less than what we deserve.
