I stared at my reflection, my hand resting on the slight swell of my belly, and for the first time in weeks, I let myself believe that maybe—just maybe—I deserved this.
***
The day of the wedding came faster than I thought possible.
One moment, I was standing in the boutique, staring at myself in a dress I never thought I’d wear. The next, I was standing at the back of the old Kamarov church, clutching a bouquet of white roses, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might break through my ribs.
The church was small but beautiful. Stone walls, stained glass windows casting colored light across the pews, candles flickering in the dim light. It smelled like incense and old wood, sacred and ancient.
Bratva traditions ran deep here. This wasn’t just a wedding. It was a binding. A vow that couldn’t be broken without blood.
Hailey and Barbara stood beside me, both dressed in deep burgundy, their eyes shining with tears.
“You ready?” Hailey whispered.
I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure.
The doors opened, and the low hum of Russian hymns filled the air.
I walked down the aisle in silence, my steps slow and measured, my heart thudding in my chest.
And then I saw him.
Drew.
He was standing at the front, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his hands clasped in front of him, his gray eyes locked on me.
For a moment, the world stopped.
There was no one else. No Bratva. No lies. No secrets.
Just him.
And me.
And the life growing between us.
When I reached him, he held out his hand, and I took it. His grip was warm, steady, grounding.
The priest began speaking in Russian, his voice deep and reverent. I didn’t understand all the words, but I didn’t need to. I could feel their weight, their gravity.
Then came the vows.
In Russian first. Then English.
Drew’s voice was low, steady, absolute. “I vow to protect you. To stand beside you. To honor the life we’ve created and the family we’re building. You are mine, and I am yours. In blood, in name, in everything.”
My throat tightened. Tears blurred my vision.
When it was my turn, my voice shook, but I forced the words out.
“I vow to stand with you. To protect what we’ve built. To give our child a life we never had.” I swallowed hard, my eyes locked on his. “You’ve seen me at my worst and stayed. And I…I love you for that.”
It was the first time I’d said it out loud.
The first time I’d admitted it to him, to myself, to anyone.
Drew’s jaw tightened. His eyes softened, just slightly, and he squeezed my hand.
