Page 79 of The Bratva's Arranged Virgin Bride
Epilogue - Kolya
One month later
The time finally arrived. The great and mighty Aleks Fokin and Nat’s uncles were back in Los Angeles. The meeting we’d been waiting for was scheduled. I just wanted it over, but I couldn’t honestly say I was looking forward to it. Dreading was more accurate.
As anxious as Nat was about meeting with Mila, she was just that relaxed about coming face to face with her father for the first time since she pulled her wild stunt at the wedding. Or at least she pretended to be, for my sake.
I wasn’t sure why I felt so unsure about it. By now, we had Mat, Daniil, and Rurik on our side, especially after I loaned them some of my men to squash another mini uprising in their fledgling territory. Ever since they had decided to stay stateside, they had quickly made a name for themselves, and just as quickly found people who wanted to challenge them.
They were so grateful, it pissed me off a little bit. I told them firmly that we were family. They needed to recognize that, and there was no more ‘my people’ and ‘your people’ about it. We had to work together to keep what was ours and, as always, gain more.
Nat’s soft-spoken cousin Lilia was a frequent guest at our house, helping Nat decorate the place to look like her artistic fantasies. Every room was full of life and spirit, with everything from ancient artifacts to the newest up-and-coming abstract artist’s pieces.
Even Masha had come around to fully forgiving Nat from knocking her out with sleeping pills so she could steal me outfrom under her. She could laugh about it now, teasing that she had inadvertently played matchmaker. I always agreed with her, but my feelings for Nat started much earlier than our arranged marriage, and went much deeper than any alliance between families.
Mila was also working behind the scenes in our favor. Once the news of a new baby in the family made the rounds, her stubborn brothers’ wives rebelled and brought her back into the fold. Any time one of the Fokins dared to say something against Arkadi or me, she grabbed her middle and told them she really couldn’t be under stress in her condition. She swore it always shut them up, and while I had a feeling they knew she was playing them, they cared too much to risk upsetting her.
As for my brother, Arkadi had actually been speaking to me, discussing business, and even suggesting the possibility of a joint venture. He was excited about becoming a dad and put up with me teasing him about this new, softer side I was seeing for the first time. I was actually a bit envious, but Nat and I had plenty of time to get our family started. I was happy to be in the honeymoon phase we didn’t get before.
There was no real reason to feel anxious, but I was inwardly quaking as much as the first time I had to face my stern and unyielding father, two years after my mother took me away from him. I only prayed that this meeting had a better outcome.
On the morning of the meeting, I actually felt sick. I believed in Nat’s love and her loyalty. I’d die before I ever gave her up. But the last thing I wanted was for her to be separated from that big, close family that she adored. One word from her father and she’d have to decide if I was enough. As much as I believed her, could I let her give up so much when I made the promise she’d never have to?
I hid it well, and Nat must have been more worried than she let on, because she didn’t notice right away. To keep us from lapsing into tense silence on the short drive over to her father’s house, I kept up a stream of chatter.
“Oh,” I said, thinking of some news I just received that morning. “It looks like that investment your father and uncles were working on in St. Petersburg is going to be very lucrative. That might just have them all in good moods.”
She turned to me. “Really? How do you know anything about that? Mila didn’t say anything when I talked to her yesterday.”
I grinned, tipping my hand at last. “I might know because it’s my company they were trying to partner with,” I said. “I might have orchestrated them leaving the country in the first place. You and I are going to profit from this, too. A lot.”
I grinned at her, waiting for her shocked smile, maybe even laughter. The shock was clear on her beautiful face, but no smile, no laugh.
“I don’t understand. You were trying for an arranged marriage all along?”
“Only some kind of alliance. I never dreamed I’d be accepted so fast.”
She sniffed. “You never dreamed they were onto you all along. Just like I was.”
“It’s a good thing, too. Masha would have killed me by the second day, and I’d never get to be with the only woman I’ve ever loved.”
As I reached to squeeze her hand, she softened, then smiled. “You’re so much more devious than I ever imagined.”
“Not anymore,” I promised. “Not unless you’re in on it with me.”
“Damn straight,” she muttered.
Right before we got to her father’s house, I pulled over and took out the surprise I had been wanting to give her. She looked down at the small box with a question in her eyes. I snapped it open to show the simple gold bands.
“I think it’s about time we wore wedding rings.”
With an intake of breath, she held out her hand. I slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her hand. Then she took the larger one out and put it on me. “I already know we’re real,” she said.
“I know. But now we can show the world we belong to each other.”
And even though she swore up and down she didn’t want a huge diamond, I already had one picked out for our first Christmas together. After a long kiss that threatened to make us late, I started the car again to head to the meeting.
We pulled through the imposing gates of her father’s mansion, Nat’s childhood home. She waved to the guard as we passed, and the lurching feeling was back to twist my stomach. Inside, I was patted down, making Nat sputter with outrage. I told her it was fine, putting up with the indignity for her sake. I would have done much more for her.
