Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 97448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Her lips tremble, and she whispers so low that I can barely hear her, “I can’t…”
“It’s just an ‘I do,’ Kristina. Say it.”
She shakes her head.
“Everyone is watching, including your papa.” My tone turns sinister, provocative. “Say. It.”
“No! I can’t!” she screams at the top of her lungs. This time, not only do I hear it, but the entire audience does, too.
This is really going above and beyond what I knew was coming.
Kristina screaming? In public? At all, for that matter? And with so many emotions?
Someone call the apathy police.
I didn’t think she was capable of saying anything that didn’t sound like a real-life imitation of a robot.
Without another word, she grabs the material of her wedding dress, hikes it up, and runs out of the church, leaving me stranded at the altar.
From the outside looking in, I should be either mad or humiliated. In reality, I’m barely stopping myself from breaking out in laughter.
Now, that’s how it’s done.
The crowd goes silent, but only for a beat before their voices rise and all heads turn toward a red-faced Igor and me.
Time to be a hero.
“Everyone,” I speak to them in a calm, completely unfazed voice. “Seems that Kristina is a bit too emotional right now. Please remain seated. We will be back shortly.”
I stride out of the church, tuning out the looks and the vain gossip. As soon as I’m out the door, Viktor falls in step at my side.
“Anything from Maksim?” I ask as I loosen my bow tie.
“Not yet, Boss.”
Fuck.
“Keep trying to reach him.” I stop outside the church and face him. “Where’s Yuri?”
“He said he was feeling sick and had to go back to the house.”
Hmm. Not like him to miss such an event, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Both he and Maksim have been such assholes ever since I sent Sasha away, even though she said she wanted to leave.
Karina, too.
I caught her and Maksim having coffee together like when Sasha was with them. But instead of laughing and joking around, they were sighing like old ladies.
Then those insolent little shits confronted me about it and nearly got punched in the process. Yuri, on the other hand, stood there and glared at me. He schooled his expression when I looked at him, but I don’t like it.
I’ll have to look into that after I take care of this situation. One thing at a time.
“Block the exit,” I tell Viktor. “No car leaves until I say so.”
He nods and strides toward the entrance.
I take the route in the opposite direction, a hand in my pocket and a small smile on my face. Sure enough, Kristina has gone to the back entrance, where there’s a parking lot that’s usually used by the staff.
Although she was running, she wasn’t fast, considering the heels and the impossibly long wedding dress. By the time I arrive, she’s jogging all over the parking lot. Her tears come faster the more she frantically circles the cars and doesn’t find what she’s looking for.
I hide around the corner and check my watch. At this rate, I’ll get back to my actual wife sooner than I previously calculated.
But for now, I’m only missing popcorn for the movie that I made sure would happen.
Kristina’s headless-chicken phase comes to a halt and the ex-robot actually sobs. “Where are you? I came as you asked… Where are you—”
She cuts herself off and lets her dress drop to the ground as none other than my ex-baby brother—he’s a fucking giant now—emerges from between the cars. He has a hand in his pocket and the other holds a gun as he breathes harshly.
“Konstantin…” she lets out in a murmur.
“You came,” he whispers back, his face appearing boyish, like he’s a decade younger.
A bit of a weird moment to witness.
Kristina takes a hesitant step toward him. “I…couldn’t do it. Even if my parents disown me and my brother kills me, I couldn’t…couldn’t marry Kirill when all I can see is you in his face. I just…couldn’t.”
“Good, because if you didn’t come, I was planning to kidnap you and hold you hostage before my fucker of a brother could marry you.”
Fuck you, asshole. If it weren’t for me, none of this would be happening.
“Oh, Konstantin.” She palms his cheek. “I love you. I lived all my life for duty and accepted being my family’s trump card. I didn’t allow myself to feel or live or breathe for anything but duty, but that changed when you came along. I hate you for making me feel, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He clutches her by the waist and hauls her toward him. “I love you, too, Meelaya. You’re the only reason I manage to wake up every day.”
And then he kisses her, open-mouthed while releasing repulsive noises.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes or cringe for eternity as I snap a few pictures.