“I’ll make her happy,” I add. “And I will move slowly to give her time to adjust.”
He stops again, his eyes still narrow. “Convenient that Katarina isn’t here when you expressed an interest in marrying Sasha instead just a few days ago.”
I keep my expression blank. “I don’t like what you’re insinuating.”
His brow furrows. “I’m not insinuating, I am accusing.”
“Why don’t we ask Sasha? That should settle the matter.”
His shoulders expand before he turns on heel and starts for the back room.
CHAPTER NINE
Sasha
Anna wigglesout of my arms and I let her go, my eyes on the bag that holds Katarina’s wedding dress.
It’s a beautiful white mermaid gown, with a lace overlay that is see-through on the chest and arms.
In it, Katarina looked sophisticated and just a touch daring with her long, lean body encased in tight fabric.
My dress has spaghetti straps with a V-neck to make my cleavage look more substantial. It has an empire waist to show off my petite frame but the skirts flow to disguise the fact that I’m neither sophisticated nor daring.
“Mama,” Anna calls, bouncing over to her stepmother. “When we dance?”
Ava gives a nervous laugh, her eyes skittering to mine. Does she think I don’t know? “I’m very aware that Katarina has yet to arrive.”
“She will,” Ava says like she’s trying to convince everyone, including herself. “She’ll come.”
But it’s been too long, and I know the truth. She made her move, just like I made mine. But, unlike me, Katarina was successful.
I know she didn’t know about what I’d done two nights ago, but her groom, he already wants revenge and now he’s been jilted by my sister.
I am in terrible trouble.
As if he heard my thoughts, Ryker strides into the back room. I only catch him out of the corner of my eye, but I don’t turn, don’t make eye contact.
Logically, I know he’s not going away, and I know he knows I’m here. But I’m frozen like a small, helpless prey. And somehow, I feel like if I don’t look at him, he’ll forget about me.
He doesn’t.
He moves close enough that I feel his heat. “Hello, luv.”
His British accent has never been stronger, and it makes my chin snap up to meet his gaze.
That’s when his hand comes to my back, his fingers splaying out on my skin. I jump, tensing at his touch.
“Settle,” he whispers close to my ear. His voice isn’t harsh, in fact it’s soothing in a way that actually calms my jangled nervous system and I feel myself relax.
“Sasha,” Dimitri comes in behind Ryker. “This man says that the two of you are in love.”
I slow blink, my mind trying to catch up to those words.
“What did he say?” Ryker asks soft and deep close to my ear. It’s only then that I realize Dimitri spoke to me in Russian and Ryker didn’t understand.
Ryker’s touch is gentle, his voice smooth and calming. But as I look up into his eyes…
I see the truth.
