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“Thanks, Dad. That really means a lot.”
“Listen, I know things leading up to this point have been a bit rough…”
“Dad…”
“But I want you to know how proud I am of you. You’re brave, steadfast, and resilient. And with Andrei by your side, I know the two of you are going to accomplish great things.”
I hug my father tight and kiss his cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
The walk down the aisle is surreal. While all eyes are on me, my gaze is fixed solely on Andrei. He’s upgraded his usual understated suit for a sharp, perfectly tailored tuxedo. I’m convinced there is no man on Earth more handsome. The fact that I get to call him mine until my very last breath is thrilling in a way I can’t even put into words.
When we get to the front, Dad kisses me on the cheek and turns to shake Andrei’s hand. “You take good care of her.”
Andrei smiles. “I will, I swear it.”
The ceremony is short and sweet. Mom cries happy tears throughout the exchanging of vows. Frederick’s never been much of a sap, so it’s moving to see him cry, too, when Andrei and I slip rings onto each other’s fingers. When we finally share our first kiss as husband and wife, his brothers whoop, an eruption of joint applause between our families filling the small chapel.
Everything afterward feels like I’m floating. I have never known happiness quite like this. The future holds nothing but uncertainties; twists and turns I can only hope to navigate when I finally get there. But when I’m with Andrei, I feel no fear or worry. We can deal with it together, come what may. The two of us are standing on the precipice of a new age, a dawn the likes of the Antonov-Nicolaevich Bratva has never seen. Two heads are better than one, as they say, and Moscow is sure to flourish under their new underworld king and queen.
Tonight, however, there’s no talk of business. Crimedoessleep—especially for rare occasions such as this one.
We feast until midnight. We dance until the early hours of the morning. And when the party is finally over, Andrei takes me home.Ourhome.
“A wedding gift,” he explains as we pull up to a lovely little house in the suburbs. It has a red roof, beige brick walls, and a sweeping yard of green grass in the front and back.
I smile from ear to ear. “For me?”
“For us,” he corrects, one hand on my belly. “Do you like it?”
“Oh, Andrei… Iloveit.”
“May I carry my bride over the threshold?”
I can’t help but laugh. “I didn’t know you were such a traditionalist.”
“I’m just looking for an excuse to hold you.”
A delighted squeal escapes me as Andrei lifts me into his arms, the train of my dress flowing behind me as we step into the house together. He makes it look effortless, like I’m lighter than a feather. I reach for the light, illuminating our furnished home.
“Here it is,” he says with a proud glimmer in his eye. Andrei sets me down with the utmost care. “If you don’t like the furniture, we can redecorate.”
“When did you even have time to do this?”
“Last week, at my ‘bachelor’ party.”
I shake my head in disbelief, smiling so hard my cheeks are starting to hurt. “Seriously? Aren’t you supposed to smoke cigars, eat steak, and drink until your faces turn blue at those sorts of things?”
He shrugs, unapologetic. “My brothers tried their best, butyou know me. I do what I want. Took me a while to wear them down. Especially Samuil, but I got there. I’d much rather prepare my home for my beautiful wife and children.”
I circle my arms around his neck and give him a big kiss. Our lips slide into place, a perfect fit—a match made in Heaven. We’ve traveled a long, twisted, chaotic road, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Deep down, Andrei and I were always meant to be.
That night when we make love, we’re in no hurry at all. We explore, we savor, we cherish. Nothing can rival the intimacy of truly knowing a person, inside and out, every strength, every flaw, and choosing to love them anyway.
In the morning, we wake to the golden rise of the sun over the horizon, warmth spilling into our bedroom through a crack in the curtains. My soul is at ease, my mind humming with contentment. He stirs, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ear.
“Good morning, wife,” he murmurs.
