Her breath hitched.
"You think I need you to be head of the family?" I shook my head. "Princess, I need you to breathe. I need you to exist. The rest of it—the power, the position—it's nothing compared to you."
"Dmitri..."
"I wanted to marry you because I can't imagine a life where you're not mine. Because seven years, princess. Because when I'm with you, the darkness in me quiets down long enough for me to feel something other than rage and ambition."
Tears welled in her eyes.
"My father gave me power tonight," I continued, my voice dropping lower, more intimate. "But you? You already owned me, Natasha. Completely. You've owned me from the beginning."
"So it’s not for appearances? To look stable or legitimate or?—"
"Stop." I kissed her, slow and deep, pouring everything I felt into it. When I pulled back, she was breathless. "You are not a political move. You are not a convenience. You are the woman I love. The woman I choose. The only woman I will always choose."
She searched my face, looking for lies, for cracks in the truth. But there was nothing to find. Every word was honest, raw, stripped of any pretense.
"I love you," I said again. "That's the only reason I asked you to marry me. The only reason that matters."
A tear slipped down her cheek, and I wiped it away with my thumb.
"Okay," she breathed.
"Okay?"
"I believe you." She wrapped her arms around my neck, holding tight. "Tonight caught me off guard."
"It caught me off guard too." I held her close, breathing in her scent. "But nothing changes between us. Not really. You're still mine, and I'm still yours."
"Promise?"
"I promise, princess." I tilted her chin up. "Though I have to admit, being head of the family does mean I can protect you better. No one will dare touch you now."
A small smile curved her lips. "Always thinking strategically."
"When it comes to you? Always." I kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her mouth. "Now, can we go back inside so I can show everyone that my future wife is the most important thing in my life? More important than any title or position?"
She laughed softly, the tension finally leaving her body. "Yes."
I took her hand, lacing our fingers together, and led her back toward the dining room. But before we entered, I stopped, pulling her close one more time.
"Natasha?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for asking. For being honest about your concerns." I cupped her face again. "Never doubt that you're the reason for everything good in my life. Everything."
She kissed me then—soft and sweet and full of trust.
“Are you ready to do the gift exchange?” she asked me.
We’d opted to do the one between her and I during our honeymoon. But we’d made sure that the family was ready and prepared to do the group exchange tonight. Something inside her lit up like a Christmas tree, sure and ready. Christmas truly was her favorite holiday and I loved that this year it would be even more special for her.
As we walked back into that room full of power players and calculated alliances, I knew with absolute certainty that I'd just been handed an empire. But I'd already found my kingdom in her.
Dmitri
The estate had been transformed into a winter wonderland that looked like something out of a Christmas fairy tale. Every surface glittered with white and silver—frosted garland twisted with holly and mistletoe, touched with deep crimson accents and gold tinsel that reminded everyone this wasn't just any wedding—it was ours, and it was Christmas.
