Page 171 of Bound By Revenge

From across the dance floor at our reception, I watch him proudly show off his wedding ring, his grin practically splitting his face as he laughs with his best man, Lucien, and—much to my surprise—Dmitri.

Words can’t even begin to describe my husband in a tux.

In fact, the three of them are a striking sight, all so impeccably dressed, standing under the soft glow of the chandeliers.

A.J. has her eye on Lucien. In her own words, it’s a tradition for the maid of honor and best man to hook up. He’s been avoiding her like the plague.

Our guests have completely taken over Nik’s private island—I mean,ourprivate island. All our villas are filled, though their occupants currently laugh on the dance floor, drinking champagne and indulging in canapés. My girlfriends are working hard to get Nik’s men to do the limbo or the Macarena. I just hope there's a camera ready to capture the moment if they convince Vladmir.

How A.J. managed to plan this wedding in such a short time is a mystery to me. Nik handled all the honeymoonarrangements, cryptically ordering me to pack plenty of sunscreens.

With a fresh glass of champagne in hand, I kick off my shoes and step outside, eager to feel the sand beneath my feet. I keep an eye on Nik, watching him laugh with his friends. I get this warm, tingly feeling whenever I see him this happy. Since I accepted his proposal, he’s relaxed so much, practically glowing with satisfaction about our future together.

The night I agreed to marry him, he took me back to the Metropolitan Museum. He had it shut down for the night and pulled out all the stops for our date, even going so far as to book a three-star Michelin chef to prepare us dinner. Apparently, his original plan was to propose to me there, but his impatience got the best of him. After dessert, he made love to me in the grand hall until my voice went hoarse from screaming his name. Once I promised him we’d be togetheralways and forever, he had one last thing to say as we were lying naked on the marble floors:

“Try to leave me. I dare you. Try it, and see what happens. Go to Ireland, go to Italy, go to the fucking moon if it pleases you, and see how long it takes for me to find you. Not even five minutes, I promise you. I love you, Kat. I don’t give a fuck if God himself wants to take you from me. I will always find you.”

His words caught me off guard, and I absorbed them slowly. “This might be the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.”

He scowled and shook his head. “I meant what I said. I’m being serious here. This isn’t just me trying to be romantic.”

“Well, if you were trying to be romantic, what would you say?”

He thought about my question for a moment. “I would teach you a new Russian word.Odnolyub. There’s no exact translation in English.”

“Odnolyub,” I said slowly, trying to pronounce it as he had.

He smiled. “That’s very good. It’s used to describe someone who can only love one person in their lifetime.”

“Are you saying you’reodnolyub?”

“Since the day I met you.” Gazing into my eyes, he ran his fingers over my cheek and then firmly grasped my chin. “And God help me, you better be too,kiska.”

A smile tugged at my lips. “But what if you have a change of heart? A year from now, you might wish you never proposed to me. I’m messy, moody, and I spend too much money. I hate being told what to do, and you love bossing people around. This could be a night you live to regret.”

“The only thing I’ll regret is every moment you’re out of my sight. My last thought each night is that I can’t wait to wake up and spend the next day with you. My dreams never come close to the reality of you. If I could get away with it, I’d forbid you from leaving my presence. I dread spending a single second of the rest of my life without you, and I can’t stand the idea of sharing your time with anyone else. Maybe that means I’m selfish. That’s fine with me. Take it from a man who knows—no torture in this world compares to the pain of being apart from you. Think about that. I’ve already spent almost forty years without you. No more. Not one day.”

The feeling was mutual. No wonder I’ve pledged myself to him tonight.

As if sensing my thoughts, he glances up at me. His dark brown eyes light up, and his smile widens when he catches me staring. He immediately sets off towards me.

Judging by Dmitri and Lucien’s puzzled looks, I’d say Nik left their conversation mid-sentence. His friends just seem amused.

A heartbeat later, Nik joins me outside. Moonlight shines down on his jet-black hair, highlighting its blue undertones.

The color always brings to mind the night sky and infinity, brimming with shimmering stars and endless possibilities.

“I’ve been wondering where you are,” he says, as if I’ve been gone for hours. “What are you doing out here?”

I gaze up at him. “I was just enjoying the view and my drink—and my hot husband showing off his wedding ring.”

“You caught that, didn’t you?” He holds up his hand, his gigawatt grin firmly in place. “At last, I’m yours. Which means you’re mine.”

His arm circles my waist, his warmth and intoxicating scent surrounding me. Together we watch our friends celebrate.

After a while, I turn to him. “Do you think you’ll want me as much as you do today forty years from now?”

He cradles my face in his hands, and our gazes lock. “No. I’ll want you more. Every day, I fall deeper under your spell.”

---