Beauty? My eyebrows shot up. It wasn’t the first time one of the guests had said she was beautiful. It wasn’t even the tenth.
Was she a great beauty? Glass to my lips, I turned bodily to stare at her openly. I guess in a way she was, in a kind of homebody way.
“It was very sudden,” I said through gritted teeth. “You know how love is,” I added.
They chuckled. “Well, I am jealous. She looks like a peach ripe for the plucking,” the man said, and his wife swatted his arm.
“What my husband means is it’s a shame she’s so shy. We would have liked to see you dance with her.”
“She’s not much of a dancer.” Or maybe she was, and I just didn’t know. I eyed Amy suspiciously. Did she want me to ask her to dance? The first dance was kind of traditional. “And neither am I.”
Their laughter dwindled to nothing.
“But you are right. I should go and talk to her. Excuse me.” Moving through the crowd, I headed in their direction, and the closer I got, the more nervous she looked. The second I was standing in front of them, her smiling face was smoothed into nothing.
“Alexei,” my grandfather greeted me with a beaming smile. “I was wondering when you would come to steal her away from me.”
“Well, you both looked so engrossed in your conversation that I didn’t want to interrupt. What exactly have you been talking about?”
Amy looked away, but my grandfather met my eyes. “You,” he said sternly. “And our family. Amy told me about her past and family as well. She really is remarkable, don’t you think?”
“Sure,” he wanted me to pander to her ego and tell her how great she was, but sure was all I could manage.
Nikolai rolled his old eyes.
“You got her a beautiful ring.” He speared me to the spot and lifted her hand so I could see the white gold band with the flashy diamondon her ring finger. “I thought you were going to give her your grandmother’s sapphire ring, though, Alexei.”
“The ring didn’t fit her.” I knew he wanted her to have that ring, but I didn’t. That ring had been in our family for generations, and I wanted it to stay in the family. As soon as I could, I would be divorcing Amy. She didn’t deserve a family heirloom. “And Amy prefers a more modern cut.”
I was lying through my teeth, and I just didn’t care.
Amy’s eyes darted up to me. The corners of her mouth curved upwards in an unsure smile that was meant for my grandfather’s benefit and not mine.
“It’s a beautiful ring. I love it,” she whispered.
“Well, as long as you are happy, my dear.” He patted her hand. “That’s all that is important. Isn’t that right, Alexei?”
“Of course. In fact, I was just coming over here to ask her to dance.”
Throwing back his head, he laughed. “Dance? Oh, Alexei, it’s almost midnight. No time to dance now. It’s time for you to make this wedding official.”
I watched Amy swallow so hard I heard her gulp. “Official?” she whispered.
“Of course.” The old man clapped his hands, and the music dwindled down to nothing. “The ladies will lead you upstairs, and Alexei will follow.”
I paled. My eyes were glued to her. “We do not need to have people make a fuss. I am more than capable of leading my wife to bed.”
“I’m more worried about you being unable to—” my grandfather trailed off. “Ladies,” he called out loudly. “You know what to do.”
They surged forward. Laughing in delight as they took Any by the arms and hurried her out of the room and up the stairs. I could hear the clack of dozens of heels on the hardwood, but I didn’t make a move to follow them.
Instead, I downed the golden liquid in my glass and reached for another one. That one disappeared as well, and still, I didn’t move. I was expected to follow her up and fuck her.
It was my wedding night, and I should have been excited to be alone with her finally, but I felt nothing but a cold sort of dread.
“Alexei,” my grandfather said softly, and I snapped back to reality.
“I’m going.” Tipping the last of the champagne onto my tongue, I headed towards the stairs and my waiting bride.
