“That’s much better than calling me your spy,” I whispered.
He rolled his eyes. “Worst spy in the world,” he teased back.
Over the months of ups and downs, we’d ended up together. With this companionship and bond we’d strengthened, we represented peace and friendship. No sign of rivalry, enemies, or forbidden affairs were on our minds now.
“I’m glad I was so terrible,” I agreed while George flipped to find the pages in the book someone had grabbed from Andre’s neglected library.
The fear that I could’ve ever caused Andre harm bothered me when I thought back to how we’d first met. But then again, I doubted I would’ve been able to change who I was. I had wanted to help him heal and nurture him, not harm him.
Because I loved him and always would.
“My wife,” Andre said while George searched for the page.
“I swear I dog-eared where these vows were…” the Orlov bodyguard said.
“I fixed it!” Maisie called out. The young girl had been quiet all through the mishaps of this wedding starting. Sergei had promised her some new fancy dollhouse if she was a perfect angel during the ceremony.
We all faced her.
“You’re not supposed to bend the corners of pages in a book,” she stated plainly.
Natalie stifled a laugh.
Sergei sighed.
George scowled, shaking his head. “Thanks…” he muttered wryly.
“All right, that’s enough,” Esmeralda said. “You don’t need fancy vows, do you, Sof?”
I smiled and shook my head.
George clapped the book shut. “Do you take him to be your husband?”
I nodded. “I do.”
“Do you take her to be your wife?” he asked Andre.
“I take her as my wife, my partner, the mother of my children. You’re my whole world, Sofia.”
He leaned in to kiss me again, but I reared back and laughed. “Wait. That’s not fair. You upstaged me. You made it all romantic and went on and all I said were two words.”
He growled lightly. “I can’tupstageyou at our wedding.”
“Okay, redo.”
Andre pressed his lips in a firm line at me.
“I take you, Andre Orlov, as my husband, my protector, my hero. You’re the proof that true love and duty can coexist.” Taking hold of his tie, I pulled him close to lay a tender kiss to his lips.
“Now and forever,” he whispered against my mouth, holding me close as he nuzzled me.
Now and forever.I smiled as he stole my breath again, just like I knew he would for the rest of our lives, our lives that we’d live to the fullest with all the danger and joy we’d find along the way.
