Page 105 of Captive Vows
“Why are you bringing him up?” I asked.
“Because he’s been demanding all of us to hunt him down.” He inclined his chin at Luka, who watched me approach with heat and love in his eyes.
“Good,” I repeated, meaning it.
If there were ever a sign that I was becoming a Mafia woman, this was it. I wouldn’t cry at the idea of my dad being killed.
He deserved it for ever endangering my life. Not necessarily for giving me to Luka. That ended up being my blessing in disguise. But it was all the crap of his trying to give me away. To sell me. To target my son.
I would breathe easier knowing Miguel Lopez was gone.
Right now, though, it was time to shove all those dark thoughts aside.
Luka arched a brow at me as Emil handed me over to him. “Serious chat you had there.”
I smiled. “No. Nothing as serious as my chaining you to my side forever.”
He growled, pulling me in for a hard kiss.
“Hey, that comes later, Boss,” a soldier said, one who was ordained to be the officiant.
“Later? How about right now?” Luka grinned, retreating and gesturing for the vows to begin.
I smiled, falling that much more in love with this rugged crime boss.
Now.
I still thought that junk about being present and living in the moment was lame, but as I spoke my vows and promised to love this man for the rest of our lives, I embraced the beauty of it anyway. This moment, and every one that would follow with Mr. Luka Dubinin, my husband.
39
LUKA
After Gabriella and I said our vows, we received congratulations from the small audience we’d invited. A simple dinner followed.Simplewas the understatement of the year for the gourmet feast, but it was a toned-down affair.
This was how I wanted it—with her comfortable and owning her position as my wife.
As she fed Andre, covering up our son as she talked to Allen at the table, I stood back and sipped my drink.
She was already settling into her new roles.
As a mother.
As my wife.
As the head of the household, too. I knew that firing the house staff shocked her, but it proved, again, that I would take no risks with her safety. She was overwhelmed with the idea of hiring new staff, but she’d do it. She was scrappy. She was smart. And she had my trust. Just like I knew to count on everyone else who called themselves a member of the Dubinin Family, I could rely on her as well.
Emil approached the bar where I sipped my drink. Ivan was there as well, nursing more vodka than was typical for him.
I hated the possibility of his being sad at my wedding, but I could understand it. He’d lost his one true love, and if there were ever a time for him to be lovesick, this would be it.
“What the fuck were you talking about with Gabriella earlier?” I asked my son.
He shrugged. “I was testing the waters. Seeing how she’d feel about Miguel being killed.”
I scoffed. “She can’t wait.”
“I bet she’s eager for that fucker to be dead,” Ivan said. “He’s threatened her every time she leaves the house.”
