"I know." I tilt her chin up. "But I'll be right there. And they already know about you. This is just... making it official."
"Official." She laughs nervously. "Right. Just official."
I kiss her properly this time, deep and claiming, until some of the tension leaves her body.
"Ready?" I ask.
"No. But let's go anyway."
The main house is ablaze with lights when we pull up. I can see movement through the windows, my family already gathering for dinner.
Florrie's hand finds mine as we walk to the door, and I squeeze it reassuringly.
Maria opens the door before we knock, her expression carefully neutral as she shows us to the dining room.
The table is already set for eight. Yury sits at the head, Sophia beside him looking serene and beautiful. Vitali and Charlotte are across from them, Charlotte shooting Florrie a sympatheticlook. Avros is there too, looking more put-together than the last time I saw him, and Iosif sits drumming his fingers on the table. Zakhar is late, but that’s no surprise.
All eyes turn to us as we enter.
"Leon," Yury greets. "And Florrie. Please, sit."
I guide Florrie to seats near the middle of the table, keeping her close. She's rigid with tension, but she manages a polite smile.
"Thank you for having me," she says quietly.
Sophia's expression softens. "Of course. Welcome to the family."
Dinner is served, traditional Russian dishes that Maria has prepared. The conversation starts carefully, politely. Yury asks Florrie about her background, her family. She answers honestly, her voice steady despite her obvious nerves.
I'm proud of her. She doesn't cower or try to make herself smaller. Doesn't apologize for existing. Just answers questions and meets eyes and holds her ground.
Midway through the meal, Vitali pulls an envelope from his jacket pocket and slides it across the table to me.
"The paperwork," he says simply.
I open it. Marriage certificate, backdated a month like I requested. Everything looks legitimate, official. Like we've been married for weeks already.
"Sign it," Vitali instructs. "Both of you."
I pull out a pen and sign my name on the appropriate line, then pass both to Florrie. She stares at the document for a long moment.
"This makes it real," she says quietly.
"It was already real," I tell her. "This just makes it legal."
She nods and signs her name in careful script.Florrie Dubovicha.
The sight of it makes something possessive surge in my chest.
Vitali takes the documents back, tucking them away. "Done. Congratulations. You're officially married, and you owe the judge a case of his favorite whiskey.
Yury raises his glass in a toast and everyone follows suit.
“To unexpected wives and unforeseen futures,” he says. “To Leon and Florrie.”
"There's something else we need to discuss," Avros says, setting down his glass. His expression is serious. "There are whispers already…outside the family. About Florrie. About how quickly this happened."
My jaw tightens. "What kind of whispers?"
