Page 64 of Beautiful Sinner

“It’s your last chance and you know it. He might understand.”

“Might. But probably not.”

“How do you know unless you give him the chance?”

I know she has a point. I have to try. “Ok. I’ll go talk to him.”

I leave my room and find Viktor pacing around the foyer, waiting for me to arrive. He stops the moment he sees me. “Julia. You look beautiful.”

“I have to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

I open my mouth but no words come out. Matteo, say Matteo. But nothing.

“Julia?”

The front door opens and in walks Connor. “Ready to get married?”

I blanch and turn away from him. “You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding.”

“I think we’re past all of that.” He walks up to me and leans in close to my ear so Viktor can’t hear. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you really showed. No getting out of this one, Julia.”

“Julia?” Viktor asks. “What did you want to tell me?”

There’s no way I can tell Viktor the truth with Connor there so instead, I smile and shake my head. “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and appreciate you being such a good brother.”

He smiles in return. “I just want you to be happy.” I know he believes that but I’m not sure he’d let me be happy with Matteo. Viktor likes things done under his terms and no one else’s.

Inessa enters the foyer and our eyes catch but Connor is ushering me outside before I get the chance to say anything else. We’re off to get married.

The four of us sit in the back while Viktor’s driver takes us to the church. Connor makes a point of sitting right next to me, with his hand clasped to my leg. He really is making sure I can’t go anywhere.

The large catholic church is stunning and normally, it would be a happy sight but right now, it’s the stuff of nightmares. Viktor managed to invite a lot of people to this event, wanting it to be a spectacle for everyone to see. The joining of the forces.

“I’ll walk Julia down the aisle,” Viktor says pointedly, staring at Connor’s hand on my leg. Even now, I can tell Viktor isn’tready to let me go just yet but he’s doing what he believes needs to happen.

“I’ll meet you in there,” Connor says. He gives me a serious look when he gets out of the car: it means no funny business.

“So, this is it,” Viktor says after Inessa heads inside too, leaving just me and Viktor alone.

“This is it.”

“Do you want to back out?”

“Yes,” I admit. “Don’t make me do this, Viktor. Please.”

“I wish I could give you the world. I never wanted to force you to marry someone you didn’t want to marry but I need this alliance, Julia. I need this to happen.”

“I know and I don’t blame you for it. I’ll still love you even after I’m married.”

“Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye? You’ll just be moving in with Connor.”

“It is a goodbye in some ways.”

He takes my shaking hands in his. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

“I guess it’s time.”