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I sit up quickly. “I’m okay.”
“Your mascara says otherwise,” she remarks gently, shutting the door. “What happened? Rurik said you and Nikolai went to speak to Sorokin and the others.”
I shake my head. “No, that wasn’t it. I spoke to my father, and I’m dreading the worst. He won’t stop until Nikolai is dead.”
Larissa hugs her body, not wanting to imagine the worst. “And then he’ll take you back,” Larissa whispers. “Do you ever want to go back?”
“No,” I answer harshly. “Even if Nikolai were …” I stop when I see the pain flash across Larissa’s face. “I don’t want to lose Nikolai either. Not now.”
“Of course, your baby needs a father.”
“Larissa, I love Nikolai. I know it seems impossible after everything, but my heart has changed.”
Larissa’s smile is radiant, bolstered by reassurance. “And he loves you, Eden. I’m happy he will be a father. And he will be a good one.”
I bite my lip and avoid Larissa’s pitying gaze. “Not like mine,” I reply. “I don’t know what became of my father. It’s like this wicked being has taken him over. He said some terrible, worrying things. He’s convinced I don’t know any better.”
“Listen to me,” Larissa says firmly, grasping my hand. “You know Nikolai. Do you truly believe he would use you like that?”
“Sometimes I wonder,” I admit. “Maybe we’re both just pawns in this twisted game. What if it’s beyond our control? Maybe I am naïve, thinking there could be a truce when my father is hellbent on killing my husband.”
“Love is never a game, Eden,” Larissa tells me sincerely. “And you’re not alone in this struggle. You’ll find a way to navigate this. Trust your instincts.”
Dominika knocks on the door. “Nina’s here,koshka.”
I push my hands against my forehead and run my fingers through my hair. “I don’t have time for that now.” I laugh bitterly. “How much is there left to do? I wish I could snap my fingers and be married.”
Larissa squeezes my hand. “Let me take your mind off things. I’ll help you finish planning the wedding.”
Dominika steps forward. “That would be the perfect solution.”
“Thank you, Larissa,” I whisper. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Let’s not find out,” she says, smiling as she hugs me quickly. “Is there anything you have your heart set on? A color scheme or cake flavors?”
“I want you to be my bridesmaid,” I smile.
Larissa hugs me again.
“And I want my cousin Mercy to be my maid of honor.”
Larissa lets me go. The change in the atmosphere is like I turned off all the lights.
“Of course,” Larissa’s tone is stiff. “I’ll tell Nikolai. If that’s what you want.”
“You don’t have to,” I reply. “He already agreed.”
12
EDEN
The guest listis limited to the top Bratva families on the East Coast, but we’ll still have three hundred wedding guests in attendance. No expense is spared for our private ceremony and reception. The exclusive venue, the historic Fort Charles, built in the 1700s, is rustic on the outside but modern on the inside to accommodate upscale milestone celebrations.
The bridal suite is opulent—gilded mirrors reflecting the glow of chandeliers, plush velvet sofas adorned with silk throw pillows, and walls bedecked in rich damask wallpaper. A heady scent of white roses fills the air, mingling with the excited laughter of my new friends. I can’t help but feel like a princess as I stand in front of the full-length mirror in my ivory undergarments for my final fitting.
“You look absolutely stunning,koshka.” Dominika fawns over me.
“It’s really happening.” This is it—the moment that will change my life forever.
