Too late now, I told myself sternly. And really, did it matter?
The officiant stepped forward, a smile on his face as he looked at her.
“What a beautiful bride.” His smile grew wider. “You’re a very lucky man.”
My eyebrows slammed down. Had he really been checking out my future wife right in front of me? Leering at her like I wasn’t here at all. Lashing out, I caught her hand in mine and squeezed.
Was she smiling back at him in a flirty way? It definitely looked like there was more of a pink tinge to her cheeks now. Was Amy enjoying another man’s attention? Jealousy ripped through me, and I squeezed her hand even harder. She gasped in pain.
“Yes, she is my bride,” I said pointedly. “Now get on with it, so she becomes my wife.”
Letting my eyes meet his, I put all the weight of my position behind my look. All the threat and all the violence were rewarded when he looked away.
“Of course, let’s begin.” Clearing his throat, he began to speak loudly, and that’s where I zoned off.
The words of the ceremony didn’t matter because none of them were true. I didn’t love her, and I would never cherish her either. I spoke in a flat voice when I needed to. She did the same. Our hands were clasped together, but there might as well have been a chasm between us because I felt nothing but trapped.
“You may now kiss the bride.”
I blinked in shock, and next to me, Amy jolted like someone had electrocuted her.
Kiss her?
I didn’t want to kiss her. Even touching her hand was abhorrent to me, and if the look on her face was anything to go by, she felt the exact same way. Lifting my hands to her shoulders, I turned her into my body. Lowering my face to hers, I brushed my lips against hers. They didn’t move or soften.
She just stood there, as still and rigid as a statue, like my kisses disgusted her. Damn her.
Curling one hand around her waist, I kissed her again. I smashed my mouth against hers and forced her lips open so I could take command of her mouth completely.
How dare she not want to kiss me? How fucking dare she?
I deepened the kiss more, invading her mouth with my tongue and bending her backwards to the delight of the crowd, who oohed in delight.
They thought I was lost in passion. When in reality, I was lost in anger.
The second her lips softened under mine, I pulled away. A knowing, triumphant smile on my lips. There, that was better. I had the upper hand again.
Taking her hand, I turned her to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present my wife.” Out of the corner of my eye, I stared at her lips.
Swollen and pouty from my kisses, there was no gloss on them now, but they looked better that way. Even more kissable.
“For fuck sake, smile,” I hissed as I led her forward. “And don’t embarrass me tonight. In fact, I suggest you stay away from me as much as possible at the reception. I don’t want to have to deal with you at all. Find a corner and—”
“Yes, Alexei. I’ll disappear. You won’t even know I’m there.”
I wanted to believe that was true, but I didn’t think I believed it because I could still taste her lips on mine, and God, they were sweet.
The party was in full swing, the chandeliers glittering and throwing prisms of light on the people below as they sipped champagne from crystal flutes and talked animatedly among themselves, when I finally allowed myself to look for her again.
Instantly, my eyes found her. She wasn’t in a corner or hidden away. She was sitting with my grandfather. Her face lit up as she laughed at something he was saying, and deep down, I knew he was telling one of his stories to her.
Like she could feel my eyes on her, she lifted hers to meet mine, and a burst of girlish giggles erupted from her lips.
My grandfather chuckled, and I turned away to concentrate on talking to the couple next to me, sipping my own champagne and trying to ignore the obvious fact that my grandfather was clearly telling her an embarrassing story about me.
No doubt he was trying to make me feel more relatable to her. It should have made me happy, but it had the opposite effect.
“Your new bride came out of nowhere, Alexei. We were all surprised when we got the invitation. Where were you hiding such beauty?”
