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The priest opened his mouth to continue, but Sergei cleared his throat and cut him off, continuing without the need for his guidance.
“I, Sergei Reznikov, take you as my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,” he said, keeping his eyes level with mine. It was as if he was speaking directly into my soul and my heart pounded even faster.
“Natasha, please repeat after me,” the priest spoke, but I only just heard him. I kept staring at Sergei, unable to look away.
I nodded, letting him know I understood, and he continued to speak beside me.
“I, Natasha Page, take you, Sergei Reznikov, as my husband, to have and to hold and to obey from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
I did as he asked, repeating every word with the full weight of my heart. My future husband’s face swelled with joyful emotion, and I noted that there was a certain twinge of dark intent when the word “obey” slipped from my lips, but it was gone so quickly that I almost thought that I’d imagined it.
Victor approached us and reached into his pocket, pulling out two blue velvet ring boxes. He passed one to Sergei, who reached out for my hand. I willingly gave it to him.
“With this ring, I thee wed. I offer you my love, my undying loyalty, and my endless devotion. May this ring be a symbol of my commitment to you,” Sergei said, his voice ringing out around the church.
He slipped a platinum diamond eternity ring on my finger, followed by a matching engagement ring with a diamond that had to be at least five carats. It was perfectly sized to my finger, and I swallowed, noting that the stone was flawless. It caught the light just so, casting a rainbow before us on the floor. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful ring if I had picked it out myself.
Victor handed me a ring too, the wedding band meant for Sergei, and I took it with shaky hands. Instead of waiting for the priest to prompt me, I opened my mouth and began to speak first.
“With this ring, I thee wed. I offer you my loyalty, and my devotion to you. May this ring be a symbol of my commitment to you,” I vowed.
I didn’t offer my love, not just yet. I was hopeful that would come with time, but I couldn’t make that promise to him this soon.
“May these rings be a constant reminder of the commitment you made to each other on this day. May they symbolize your unbreakable bond, and may you wear them always with joy,” the priest continued.
I took a deep breath and smiled at my husband.
“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest announced.
My heart hammered in my chest. Sergei took my hands gently in his and pulled me close. There was nothing forceful about it, and I released the breath I was holding, relieved that this whirlwind of a day was ending this way rather than all alone in my apartment with a bottle of wine and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.
His hand wound around my waist, pulling me against him a bit more possessively than before. I gasped as the fingertips of his other hand grazed up the length of my spine, finally settling on the back of my neck. His grip was firmer there too, and my core awakened with desire for the first time. His thumb dragged up and down the side of my neck, his touch sending electric tingles all the way down to the tips of my toes. For a moment, he just looked at me as though I was the prettiest thing in the world, and that made me feel powerful, even against the likes of him.
His gaze held me captive when his lips finally moved towards mine. I closed my eyes as his mouth brushed against me, caught off guard by the rough feeling of his beard against my face. It was scratchy, yet somehow still gentle, and I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would.
His passionate desire caught me by surprise. In an instant, his kiss pulled me in, capturing me and holding me prisoner. It was sweet and chaste at first, slightly tentative, but it didn’t stay that way. The longer it went on, the rougher it became. His fingers clutched at the back of my neck, holding me in place as he took what he wanted from me. I felt my body fold for him, offering him my cautious surrender as I kissed him back with just as much fierceness.
When he finally pulled away, I found myself breathless. My whole body was simmering with warmth, and I faced the fact that with nothing more than a single kiss, he’d awakened a greater need within me than anyone else ever had in my life, including my ex-fiancé. With a shaky breath, I noticed his reluctance to let me go.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest proclaimed.
All the men rose to their feet and a resounding applause echoed within the church. Sergei’s hands clutched at me, and he pulled me in for a second kiss. Maybe I should have played hard to get, but I kissed him back.
That kiss pierced right into my soul, and I knew that from this moment forward, my life would be forever changed.
I hoped it would be for the better.
CHAPTER3
Natasha
After the ceremony, I was led out of the church by my new husband. Although he was basically a perfect stranger, I trusted my instincts. Whoever he was, I could tell that he was a good man at heart. No matter what our future brought, I felt that I could at least rely on that.
As we walked down the front steps, his arm locked securely around my waist, steadying me so that I didn’t fall, and I took comfort in that. I kept my eyes on the ground and when I finally happened to look up, they opened wide when I saw the ritzy limo waiting for us outside.
“Your chariot awaits, Mrs. Reznikov,” he bowed, and I couldn’t help but smile with tentative excitement.
Carefully, he helped me climb inside so that my dress wasn’t ruined by anything along the way. His attention on me was remarkably sweet, and I found myself unable to stop beaming. Sitting in the church had been one of the lowest lows of my life. The looks of pity and sadness on everyone’s faces had been more than I thought I could bear, but I’d survived it.
