21. Lucia

21

LUCIA

"I can't believe you've managed to pull this off." I look around the living room.

Bianca has had me confined to my room all morning while she readied the place for my mini bachelorette party, and she did not disappoint.

A long table has been brought in and laid with all sorts of delicious treats from every flavor of macaron to a decadent cheese board and a build-your-own-sundae station. Pink and white balloons decorate the room along with ‘bride-to-be' banners, and the most beautiful flower arrangements of pink peonies and white lilies.

There're even gift bags for each of the girls filled with all sorts of pamper night goodies that we're going to try out later this evening.

"Oh, Bianca, it's beautiful."

"I'm so glad you like it, Lucia!" She grins at me.

If she's gone to this much trouble just for this little gathering, then I can only imagine what she'll pull off for the actual wedding.

"I…" My throat thickens as I glance ar ound the room.

I've never had someone throw me a party before, and I suddenly feel overwhelmed.

"No crying." She wraps an arm around my shoulders. "Today is all about fun!"

I nod, forcing a smile even though my eyes are starting to sting with tears.

Thankfully, the doorbell rings, and we both spring into action.

A car had been sent to pick up Zara and Elle from the city and bring them over to Forest Hills, and the two girls arrive with huge smiles on their faces and carrying armfuls of bags.

Zara immediately drops the bags and flings her arms around my neck.

I freeze before gingerly patting her on the back, glancing at Bianca for help, but she only chuckles.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." Zara pulls back, offering me the warmest smile.

She is stunning, with long, blonde hair and the brightest green eyes. The fact that she had twins only a few weeks ago is astounding as she looks effortlessly put together in a pair of mom jeans and a pink jumper.

"You too."

I give Elle a quick hug before helping to carry all of their bags through to the lounge.

"What's all this?" I ask as I set the bags down on the floor by the other gift bags.

"We had to bring you presents." Elle grins.

"What? Why?"

Zara smiles. "We're counting this as your bridal shower too."

"Oh, my god, you guys really didn't have to?— "

"Yes, we did." Bianca pats my shoulder. "Now, who wants a frozen margarita?"

It seems like Elle and Zara have bonded on the journey over as they quickly fall into an easy conversation on the couch as Bianca and I get to work making everyone a drink.

"I really appreciate you coming on such short notice," I say to Zara as I hand her a drink before taking a seat on the couch.

"Oh, it's my pleasure. It's nice to have some grown up time."

Bianca curls up in an armchair. "You left the twins with Dimitri, I take it?"

"Yes, and I told him if there's an emergency he can call one of his brothers. This mama has the day off!"

Elle tucks her feet up underneath her. "How old are your twins?"

"Eight weeks," Zara says, a blissful smile on her face. "You should all come over and visit. I would love for them to meet the newest members of the family."

Elle's eyes light up. I never really considered the fact that being my cousin would also mean that she would be joining the Koslov family too, and that thought makes my heart swell.

After the first round of margaritas, I'm forced to open up all of my presents.

"Oh, my god," I choke as I pull out a white lace garter.

Elle chuckles. "Believe me, that's not the worst thing in there."

"Oh, I like her already," Bianca says, and Elle grins.

Elle wasn't kidding. It seems my cousin had way too much fun at one of the many adult stores in the city. She's supplied me with everything from body paint to blindfolds, and I find my cheeks heating much to the amusement of the girls.

"Mikhail seems like he's into that stuff." Zara laughs as she eyes the handcuffs.

Bianca laughs too. "Oh, hell yeah. It's always the quiet ones."

Elle joins in. "That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"I actually hate you all." I quickly stuff the presents back into the bag, my cheeks feeling like they're on fire.

After the second round of margaritas, we turn to a game of truth or dare, and it doesn't take me long to realize that Zara and Bianca are out for blood.

They take this as their opportunity to grill me on all things Mikhail, and I find myself getting drunker by the second as I refuse to give away too much.

"Oh, come on, Lucia. Just give us a vague measurement." Zara giggles.

"Has he tattooed it?" Bianca asks, her eyes widening as she glances at Zara.

"That's two questions!" I try to scowl, but it soon turns into a grin as I sip my drink.

"Oh, my god. Is that a yes?" Elle squeals, almost spilling her margarita all over the cream couch.

"No!" I laugh. "And now you all need to take a drink because you cheated that round."

To get them back, I dare Bianca to take a skinny dip in the pool, which I'm surprised to find she does without hesitation.

She throws open the doors to the lounge that lead out to the patio, strips off, and dive bombs into the pool.

I double over laughing at the look on Zara's face as Bianca climbs out of the pool, stark naked and dripping wet .

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" she demands, looking horrified as Bianca grabs a towel off one of the sun loungers.

"I learned from the master." She winks at me as she wraps a towel around herself, and I quickly scurry back inside before they can start hounding me with even more questions.

"We should order pizza." Zara lies sprawled on the couch and stuffs a macaron into her mouth sighs.

"Zara," Bianca scolds. "We have been here all of one hour, and we have all this food."

"And yet, you forget pizza!"

"I could eat some pizza," Elle adds from her spot on the floor beside Bianca.

"You guys are the worst." Bianca huffs as she reaches for her phone and orders us four large pizzas. When she hangs up, her gaze lands on my cousin. "So, I dare Elle to ask the pizza delivery guy out when he arrives."

" What ?"

I chuckle. "I'd say that's a fair punishment."

"Zara was the one who suggested it," Elle groans. "Why do I have to do it?"

I shrug. "Because you're the only single one, and you never know, he might just be the love of your life."

"Didn't you say there's a fourth brother? Can't I just have him instead?"

I swing my legs over the arm of the couch. "That's actually not a bad idea."

Bianca laughs. "Poor Danil."

We get through two more rounds of truths before the doorbell interrupts us.

"Pizza's here!" Zara ushers Elle out of the room .

Bianca and I eagerly follow, and the three of us wait around the corner as Elle shyly opens the door.

"Whoa, you're so strong carrying all those boxes…"

"Uh, I guess?" The delivery guy doesn't look much older than eighteen, and his eyes look like they're about to pop out of their sockets as he looks at Elle.

My eyes are watering so badly as I try not to laugh.

I cling to Zara as we watch the poor guy rub at the back of his neck.

"You know, I love a guy who brings me food." Elle twirls the end of her ponytail around her fingers. "Though I bet you have a queue of girls waiting to go out with you."

"Uh…"

"But maybe I could get your number just in case?"

"Uh…"

I don't know how Elle manages to keep a straight face as I swear this poor guy is malfunctioning as she gives him her best moves.

Zara lets out a snort of laughter, and I quickly grab her arm and pull her back into the lounge.

"I'm actually crying." She wipes at her cheeks.

"Shh! Here she comes," I hiss as the front door slams shut.

"Done and done." Elle drops the pizzas down on the table and tosses the napkin with the guy's number on the top. "That was surprisingly easy. Now, I think it's Lucia's turn again."

I roll my eyes and take another sip of my drink.

Bianca smirks. "I dare you to call Mikhail and sing to him."

"That's easy." I reach for my phone and dial Mikhail's number .

I put it on speaker and set it down on the table between us.

Zara is already giggling, and I try my hardest to keep my composure as I wait for him to answer.

"Hey, kisa ," he says in that rich, gravelly voice that makes my body melt.

I glance around at the girls and catch Zara and Bianca staring at each other with shocked expressions. I'm guessing that this side of Mikhail is not one he shares very often, and the thought has my insides turning molten.

I like that I get this side of him all to myself.

Elle bumps me with her elbow. "Do it."

I take a deep breath.

"Near! Far! Wherever you areeeeee!" I scream-sing down the phone.

Mikhail sighs. "What the actual fuck are you doing?"

"I'm serenading you. Now be quiet so I can finish."

"Do I have to?" I can practically hear his eyes roll through the phone.

I look at the girls and find them all with tears streaming down their cheeks as they try to hold in their laughter.

I grin and continue with my terrible rendition of the Celine Dion classic.

Zara claps. "Okay, I think Lucia won that round. That was a stunning performance."

Once we're a few more rounds of margaritas in, my stomach is starting to hurt from laughing too much.

Somehow, Elle and I have ended up on the couch with the cheeseboard balanced between us while Bianca and Zara sit on the floor making flower crowns out of Bianca's beautiful arrangements.

"Ew, no boys allowed!" Zara suddenly yells .

I whirl around to find Mikhail, Alexei, and another guy who looks extremely like Mikhail, standing in the doorway.

"Don't worry, we're just here for the food." Alexei winks at Bianca, and she blushes.

It seems even after being married for a couple of years and having a kid, the two of them still can't get enough of one another.

"Uh, who's that hottie?" Elle whispers as she glances at the guy standing beside Mikhail.

Like the rest of the Koslovs, he's wearing all black, though he's sporting some stubble, and his dark hair is a little longer and has a slight curl to it.

Bianca leans to her. "That's their cousin, Anton."

Elle nods. "Okay, I want him to be my future husband, instead."

Anton glances Elle's way and offers her a smile that sends my cousin into a fit of nervous laughter.

I jump to my feet and hurry over to Mikhail, flinging my arms around his neck.

"Hey, kisa ," He wraps his arms around me, tugging me against him.

"Hey." I run my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Looks like you're having fun," he murmurs, bending down to offer me a quick peck on the lips.

"So much fun." I giggle.

"I'm glad."

"I got all sorts of fun presents from the girls for me to use on our wedding night." I bite my lower lip as I watch Mikhail's dark eyes go half-lidded.

"Oh yeah?"

I fight the urge to rub my thighs together as he sinks his fingers into my waist.

"Some of them are very scandalous, even for me."

"Well, now I'm intrigued…"

"But right now, you need to leave. The dresses will be arriving soon, and I don't want you to see."

"Sure you don't need my help getting undressed?" He runs his nose along my jaw.

I playfully slap him on the shoulder as my cheeks start to burn.

"Maybe later…"

"I look forward to it."

By the time we set the guys up with some pizza and dessert, the doorbell rings.

Bianca squeals, jumping to her feet. "That will be Clara with the dresses!"

She ushers them out of the room.

Mikhail gives me one last heated look before following behind his brother and cousin, and I find myself already missing him.

A few minutes later, a woman with bright red hair and lipstick to match appears carrying armfuls of garment bags. She might be the most elegant woman I've ever seen, wearing a tight fitting black dress and a pair of red stilettos.

She introduces herself to me, and we get to work opening up all the dresses and hanging them on a railing that Bianca materializes out of thin air. She even has the long mirror that's normally hanging in the foyer brought into the room so I can see the dress at all angles.

I swear she needs to go into party planning because she has thought of everything .

Clara tucks her flaming hair behind her ears. "Now, I chose a few based on the pictures that Bianca sent through, and then I added in a few extras just in case you changed your mind about the styles. A lot of women have an idea of the sort of thing they want but once they try it on, they realize they want something else." She laughs. "Keeps my job interesting!"

Turns out, Clara is right as the first two dresses are a bust. Where I thought the big skirt and the sequins would make me look like a princess, it actually turned me into a giant meringue.

"Yeah, this one's a no."

Clara leads me back into the downstairs bathroom to help me change. "Not to worry, there're plenty more options."

As I walk into the room wearing the fifth dress, the girls all gasp in unison as I move to stand in front of the mirror.

"I think this is it." I run my hands over the delicate lace overlay.

Unlike the other options, this one has a more bohemian style and with my hair loose around my shoulders, it feels so much more me than I expected.

Elle sighs. "Oh, Lucia, you look so beautiful."

I turn around to face the girls and each one of them is wearing an expression of awe as they take me in wearing the dress.

"It's perfect." Zara has her hands on her chest.

"Are you sure?" I look down at the dress.

"Oh, this is definitely the dress."

I find myself looking at Bianca, but she's just as emotional-looking as the others.

She smiles. "How do you feel?"

"Like a princess,"

"Then it's definitely the dress."

I turn back around to stare at my reflection in the mirror.

I've dreamed of choosing my wedding dress ever since I was a little girl and now, it's really happening.

Despite the reality of the world I grew up in, I never stopped wishing that one day I would marry for love.

And it seems that my wish might finally be coming true after all.