“Hey now, that’s my brother!” I throw another pillow at him, but he just swats it away.
We spend the rest of the day hanging out, and I pray that Viktor lets him go with me so we can have more days like this.
Chapter 8
Dominic
I take a deep breath then walk into my parents’ sitting room.
It’s our weekly Sunday dinner, and despite holding it in, I know it’s time to share my upcoming nuptials.
I look around the room at their cheery faces. Even Roman is happy. He used to be the other grump, but now I’m alone in my misery.
Matthias and his wife, Margot, sit on a couch with Sebastian next to them. Roman and Cecilia, his wife, sit on a loveseat that’s too small for both his muscular frame and her petite one, so she’s almost on his lap. Mom and Dad are in armchairs looking lovingly at their family. There’s one seat open, but I stay standing.
Everyone’s attention lands on me when I clear my throat.
“I have an announcement.” I keep my voice neutral.
They look at me expectantly, but I’m frozen. I don’t know how to tell my family. I hate their disapproval, and I know that’s the reaction I’ll receive.
“Go on, honey,” Mom tells me kindly as she reaches up and squeezes my hand.
“I’m getting married next month.” I spit it out in one rushed breath.
The room freezes. No one moves a muscle. It’s as if everyone’s too scared to breathe.
“What do you mean?” Mom asks, this time more hesitant.
“I’m marrying Katerina Sokolov next month,” I explain. I run my fingers through my hair and yank at it, needing the prick to set me straight.
“NO! This can’t be happening! Dom, no!” Roman jumps up so quickly, Cecilia tumbles to the floor. He rushes to pick her up and place her back on the seat, then marches up to me.
“There has to be another way.” He’s pleading with me. His eyes hold so much desperation, but I know it’ll fade.
“There’s no other way. It’s the only thing Viktor would agree to,” I explain.
“No! I forbid it!” He exclaims, then shakes me. “Wake up, Dom. This is the last thing you want. You can’t do this to yourself.”
I know this is his guilt talking. He can’t bear knowing that because of his fuckup, I’m now having to enter my worst nightmare. I have to sacrifice everything to fix his mistake.
“Oh fuck,” Bash whispers as realization dawns on him. “Do you really have to?”
“Yeah. It’s all that’s left to do. The war has to end.”
Matthias whispers to his wife, and I see the moment Margot finally understands.
“How could you marryhisdaughter? After all he’s done! How could you do this to us? How could you welcome her into our family?” The look of betrayal on Margot’s face is a punch in the gut. I never considered what this would mean to her. Hertrauma with Viktor Sokolov runs deep, and here I am, cutting open her barely healed wounds.
A single tear slides down her cheek then she looks at me with such a broken expression that I realize I’d rather be shot than hurt my family.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this,” she whispers then runs from the room.
Matthias instantly stands and looks at me. “I’ll explain it to her.”
Then he’s gone too. The front door opens, and I realize for the first Sunday in years, the whole family won’t be together. And it’s my fault.
“Honey, it’s going to be okay. What’s she like? Why don’t we have her over for family dinner next week?” Mom offers after Dad explains the situation to her.
