Page 8 of Cruel Russian Pakhan
“Mr. Safin.” He offered a warm smile. “You're here. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
“Father Gordon.” My words were curt. “We just arrived.”
“Good. Give me two minutes, and I’ll be right with you, and your bride-to-be.”
I gave him a firm nod and watched as he exited through the same door he’d entered. Then, I turned back to Vera.
Her eyes were wide now, confusion laced with fear.
“Bride?” she choked out. Her voice went two octaves higher, her words filled with panic. “You kidnapped me so you could marry me? No, no, no, no…”
Then she bolted, trying every door in the church. She rattled handles, banged on panels, but none of them opened.
I’d expected she might try to run; after all, she had gone MIA before. That’s why I made sure every door was locked.
“Open the doors!” she screeched. “I’m not going to marry you!”
I stepped toward her and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at me.
“If this wedding doesn't happen now,” I snarled, “I’ll not only hurt every living member of your family, I'll make them suffer. Even those you've never met.”
I watched the fire drain from her eyes. Threatening her family worked, just as I knew it would. I needed a reason for her to go through with the marriage, and if empty threats got the job done, so be it.
Her eyes misted, but refused to shed the tears they held. She tried to step back, but I refused to let go. She closed her eyes, and when they reopened, the fire was back. I expected her to fight me again but was glad when she chose to submit. Finally!
“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll do it.”
Her attitude needed adjusting, but that could wait. Right now, the only thing that mattered was getting through this wedding without another damn complication.
Father Gordon entered the nave again, and Vera and I made our way toward him.
She stood stiffly beside me as he began the shortened version of the ceremony, her voice robotic as she recited her vows. And yet…I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. There was something about the way she held herself, defiant even in defeat, that dug beneath my skin.
I’d been promised a well-behaved, dutiful wife. What I received was a spitfire.
When it was time, I pulled the rings from my jacket pocket, and we exchanged them. When I leaned in to kiss her, I felt the tremble in her lips against mine. It lasted only a second, but it nudged something within me before I let it fade away.
I signed the marriage certificate, then handed her the pen. She hesitated, but signed with a shaky hand. I folded the paper and tucked it into my jacket without even glancing at it.
I paid Father Gordon, then grabbed Vera’s hand and led her out of the church.
Now that the wedding was done, it was time to move on to phase two. Marrying into the Rykovs gave me exactly what I wanted…access. Access to intel we could use to strengthen our foothold, expand our operations, and position my family—and our faction—for a more secure, dominant future. And once I got Vera in my bed and earned her trust, I’d use it to gain leverage over Artyom. She’d be the key to ruining her brother's empire from the inside out, brick by brick.
Artyom thought he had the upper hand. After today, he’d know better. His sister was mine now. Our alliance was sealed, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Chapter 4 - Katya
Did. I. Just. Get. Married?
After we left the church, instead of heading back to the van, Mr. Perfect Face—I mean, Lev—led us to a black SUV. Waiting beside it was a guy; tall, maybe six feet, built like he ate baby bulls for breakfast. Lev called him Rocco.
We piled into the SUV. Mentally, I tapped out the moment we drove out of the church’s parking lot.
After a while, I felt the car stop, then heard doors opening and closing. I felt a light tug on my arm, but my brain was still trapped in a fog from this morning’s whirlwind of insanity.
I woke up today ready to land a job, not to be someone’s wife. Anddefinitelynot my kidnapper’s.
Reality didn’t snap into place until Lev’s deep voice eased me out of my thoughts.
