60. Nik

Chapter 60

Nik

At ten minutes to sunset, the pavilion on my small Mediterranean island is nearly full. Almost every seat on either side of the aisle is taken, with only a few stragglers lingering at the back, murmuring quietly. Weddings in the Seven Families always draw a crowd, but when the groom is the pakhan of the bratva and the bride is the infamous thief who stole his most prized possession, the guest list is bound to hit the hundreds.

The orchestra plays softly in the background, their music weaving through the low hum of conversation. I take another deep breath—my millionth of the day—but it does nothing to calm my nerves.

And who the fuck could blame me? Everyone is here. Everyone except the one person I’m waiting for.

My bride.

Kat is late.

As I knew she would be.

Standing at the front of the pavilion with Lucien, my best man, I resist the urge to yank at my tie. What the hell was I thinking when I tied it this morning? It’s so tight, the Italians wouldn’t even need a garrote to strangle me.

Lucien gives me a sideways glance, clearly trying not to laugh. I roll my eyes, resisting the urge to wipe my hands on my pants. Suddenly, they feel so goddamned clammy.

“You've got the rings, right?” I ask, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

He lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “For fuck’s sake, Nik. Yes, I have the rings. They haven't magically disappeared since the last time you asked—what was that, five minutes ago?” He pats his tux pocket for dramatic effect, his smirk almost enough to make me snap.

“Just making sure,” I mutter, ignoring the urge to strangle him.

I know I’m being ridiculous. I should be perfectly composed. No, I ought to feel better than that. I should feel fucking fantastic. And I will —once my soon-to-be wife graces me with her presence.

She’ll be here. Hopefully. And then I’ll soak in every detail of the ceremony and hang onto each syllable of her vows to me. She’ll be mine at long last. After tonight, there will be no me or her—only us.

Glancing at my watch, I mutter under my breath, “What the hell could possibly take her this long? She’s over an hour late. It’s not like she’s stuck in traffic. It’s my fucking island, for fuck’s sake.”

As usual, Lucien pounces upon the smallest signs of weakness. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” he sighs, turning his head to grin at me. “Nikolai Stefanovich, the pakhan of the bratva , the most powerful man in the Seven Families, brought to his knees by a five-foot-four brunette with an attitude problem.”

“Watch it, Lucien. You might be the only friend I have left, but that’s my future wife you’re talking about.”

He raises his hands in mock surrender, his grin turning sly. “Hey, no disrespect, Romeo. You know I’ve got a soft spot for your little kiska and her attitude problem. I’m just saying—you’ve got nothing to worry about. If I had to bet, I’d say she’s running late just to mess with you. Keep you on your toes, keep things spicy.” He caps it off with a wink that has me rolling my eyes.

“Oh, would you look at that?” Lucien whispers, his smirk stretching into something downright insufferable. “I believe your bride has decided to join us. Any last words as a free man?”

“It’s about fucking time,” I mutter, some of the tension in my chest easing.

The words are barely out of my mouth when the officiant materializes at my side, dressed sharply in all black, signaling for Lucien and me to take our places. The orchestra falls silent for a moment—and, miraculously, so do the hundreds of guests—before beginning to play a melody I can barely hear over the sound of my thundering heart.

Kat’s best friend, A.J. Michaels, steps into the pavilion, an unusually serene smile on her face. A lifetime passes before she finally reaches the front, her gaze flicking to me with a quick wink before she takes her place.

Then a ripple of whispers spreads through the crowd, heads turning one after the other.

And then I see her.

At the first glimpse of her, I come undone.

The sight of her—so stunning, so undeniably mine —hits me like a freight train.

Strangely enough, the first coherent thought that pops into my mind is that she looks exactly like she did the night we first met. A shiver runs down my spine as a strong sense of déjà vu sweeps over me. Sure, tonight she’s dressed in white silk instead of dark velvet, and her hair is styled differently, but the expression on her breathtaking face is the same. Just like then, her dark blue eyes sparkle with liveliness and warmth while her lips curve into a smile that is pure mischief.

She looks perfectly composed. Serene, even. Her gaze finds me almost immediately, remaining fixed upon my face, as her maddening mouth stretches into a full-on grin.

All-consuming love, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before, knocks the wind out of me like a punch in the guts. In a heartbeat, a wave of absolute certainty warms me to my bones—every single moment, every little decision in my life has led me to tonight. To her. There’s no question in my mind. This night was inevitable. Ever since before I was born, there was no one else for me but her. Fate has chosen this woman for me, and if it hadn’t, I’’d have fought heaven and hell to claim her anyway.

A lifetime—or maybe just a second—later, she’s at my side. I take her hand with my shaking one, and Lucien, A.J., and hundreds of guests fade into nothingness. At last, my entire world begins and ends with her.

“You’re too beautiful for your own good,” I whisper, lifting her hand to my lips and brushing a kiss against her fingers. “Or mine. I’m not worthy, kiska . But I’m taking you anyway.”

She smiles, biting her bottom lip. “Promise?” she asks, eyes glittering.

When we turn to face the officiant, she sighs, murmuring under her breath, “A thousand years couldn’t make me get over the sight of you in a tux.”

I squeeze her hand as the officiant says, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome!”

I do my goddamned best to focus on the man, determined to commit every second of the ceremony to memory, even as Kat traces circles on the palm of my hand with her maddening fingers.

Now and then, I steal glances at her, invariably finding her gazing back at me with a playful smile. Soon, we’ll speak the vows that will bind us together for the rest of our lives—but not soon enough.

In the back, someone coughs discreetly as the officiant says, “If anyone can show just cause why Katherine and Nikolai may not be lawfully married tonight, speak now, or else?—”

The pavilion doors fly open, slamming loudly against the wall.

Shocked gasps ripple through the room as the crowd, almost as one, turns in their seats to gape at the newcomer.

Kat and I turn too, our eyes briefly meeting. One look at her expression, and I groan inwardly. Her face is the picture of angelic innocence, which can only mean one thing: something truly infuriating is about to happen.

A familiar man steps into the pavilion, a faint smile playing on his lips. It doesn’t quite reach his pale blue eyes as he surveys the stunned crowd.

“ Shit ,” Dmitri says, his voice breaking the silence. W”ell, this is kinda awkward—even for me. So much for being fashionably late. Sorry about the timing, folks. To be clear, I absolutely support this marriage. Big, big fan of these two as a couple.”

What the hell is he doing here?

Flanked by two men I don’t recognize, he strolls in like he owns the place, scanning the room for an empty seat. Entirely too comfortable, he grins at my bride—his expression softening with genuine affection—then shoves his hands into his pockets and winks at her.

Our guests still, and the air practically crackles as everyone waits for my reaction.

“After everything I’ve done for you,” I say through gritted teeth, “you dare interrupt my wedding? I should kill you on principle. This time, I just might.”

He has the balls to smirk at me. “Nik, I pity anyone who stands between you and your kiska .”

“You’re not welcome here. Leave now, and I’ll spare your life. Again.”

He freezes in place, then slowly turns to face. “Careful, Nik. It was one thing for you to make empty threats when I was nothing but your mostly loyal associate, but those are fighting words now that I’m the head of my own family. And for the record, I was invited.” He holds up his invitation, waving it at me.

Of course he was.

I turn to Kat, keeping my voice low. “Please tell me you didn’t invite him.”

Not a hint of shame clouds her expression. “Well, obviously, I did. This is a happy day. We should celebrate with our loved ones. Like Dmitri.”

“Dmitri is our enemy. He killed my best friend and kidnapped you. He was going to kill you!”

“Well, yeah, but he did it for love, so it’s totally fine. I’ve forgiven him. Who are we to judge?” she whispers, stabbing my chest with her finger. “It’s not like you haven’t killed or kidnapped people before, right? Hell, you kidnapped me , mister.”

I grab her hand to stop her poking. “That’s completely different, and you know it. I can’t believe you invited him. Do I need to remind you he’s the fucking don of the Italians now?”

“I don’t care if he’s the prince of hell himself; Dmitri is family. He belongs here, so I invited him. You’re welcome.”

Dmitri and his bodyguards finally find seats, and the officiant clears his throat, looking at us questioningly. Vladmir looks at me expectantly, awaiting for my command.

I’m tempted to have Dmitri dragged out, but Kat squeezes my hand, blinking up at me with big, blue eyes, and I sigh, resigned to my fate. “You’re lucky I’m crazy about you.”

She grins slowly. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“I’m going to give you a chance to make it up to me. Later tonight. I strongly suggest you don’t waste it. Now, are you ready to do this?”

“To marry you? Nik, I was born ready.”

“Sweet talking me won’t save you, but by all means, carry on.” I turn to face the officiant. “Go on.”

As the man speaks, Kat pins me with her searing gaze. Everything else fades away until I’m convinced the two of us are the only people in the room.

Something about the way she looks at me makes my breath hitch, as if she’s making me a promise no one else can hear.

Falling in love with her had been like stepping into quicksand. the more I tried to resist her, the deeper I sank. It wasn’t long before I realized there was no way out.

When the time comes to exchange our vows, sounding so proud to be marrying me, she says, “I do,” in a breathy, trembling voice.

This is happening. I’m really about to get married. This woman is really going to be mine.

My turn . I meet her eyes. As I’ve done countless times by now, I let her spell take over. Over the sound of my roaring heartbeat, I hear myself say, “I do.”

The wedding band is like a brand around my finger. It fits me perfectly, but the urge to keep touching it is almost irresistible—as if this is the only physical proof I have that tonight isn’t a dream.

Of course, when my hand shakes as I slide her ring onto her finger, she smiles, even as her eyes glisten with unshed tears.

When the officiant announces, “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Kat and I release a pent-up breath.

A new promise shines in her gaze, and this one drives me wild.

Burning in her eyes is… forever.