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When we reach him, Yuri and Vladmir move to the side.
It occurs to me that was my wedding march, but like the broken fairy tale, there is no music or friendly faces who will be happy for me.
“Gwen, these are my brother’s, Desmier and Zakh,” Malik introduces them in a business-like tone, pointing to his brothers respectively. “And this is Aleksander Ivanov, our Pakhan and the leader of the Knights. He will be conducting our ceremony.”
“Hello,” I answer, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
Malik’s brothers both give me a polite nod, but Aleksander just stares at me.
“Unless there are any questions, we're ready to proceed,” he says with a hint of a Russian accent.
“There are no questions,” Malik answers with his eyes fixed on me.
I’m sure he knows if I had any such questions, I’d still hold my silence. He’s already told me that I’ve been given all the information I need to know, which I suppose I have. I’m also aware that I’m in the presence of dangerous men. The less I say, the better, so the one word I spoke is perfect.
“Good. Let us begin.” Aleksander straightens and begins the ceremony.
I get lost in the words moments later as everything becomes real to me.
My mind fazes out, and it feels like I'm having an out-of-body experience.
Then, before I know it, Malik and I are being asked to say our vows.
I say mine, and he says his, repeating after Aleksander.
The rings are exchanged, then suddenly, we're being pronounced man and wife and I'm no longer Gwen St. James.
I'm Gwen Volkova.
Just like that, we got married.
“You may now kiss the bride,” Alexander declares.
Malik lowers his head to kiss me. When his lips touch mine, I expect the kiss from last night and every other time he’s kissed me.
I thought I would feel him again, but that guy isn’t anywhere. It feels like I’m kissing a stranger.
He pulls away and I search his eyes to look for him, but I see nothing but a void.
I open my mouth to say something. I’m not sure what, but it doesn’t matter because Malik cuts me off.
“Please take my wife back home,” he orders his guards. “I have business to attend.”
Business.
That word hits me, cutting me deep, serving as another reminder of what we aren’t.
At Malik’s command, Yuri and Vladmir come forward. Malik moves away with his brothers and Aleksander without another word to me.
It's like the passion we shared never happened,wenever happened, and our marriage was equally unimportant.
We go our separate ways.
The same way we will in six months’ time when we come to an end and this will be nothing but a memory that will fade.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Malik
