Page 65 of Beautiful Sinner

Viktor walks me into the church and all eyes turn to me. I spy Grigori in the audience, a grumpy scowl on his face. Clearly, he’s not happy that he’s not the one waiting at the end of the aisle for me. Honestly, I would take Grigori now over Connor any day. Grigori is an old man, whereas Connor is young. I’m stuck with Connor for the rest of my life.

The inside of the church is like something out of a movie. It’s beautiful and stunning and I swear, I can hear angels singing. Or maybe it’s demons singing my demise as I get closer and closer to Connor at the end of the aisle.

Viktor makes sure I don’t trip. With my brother at my side, I feel like I can do anything. I have to push Matteo from my mind. I have to focus on my relationship with Connor. I doubt I’ll be able to sneak off to see Matteo once Connor and I are married.I never truly got to say goodbye to Matteo and now I’ll never get that chance. He’ll always be a ‘what could have been.’

The music stops when I reach the end of the aisle and Viktor hands me over to Connor. He squeezes my hand so tight, I have to stop myself from wincing. I cannot show pain in front of Viktor. I cannot be the reason he loses an ally. I cannot be the reason my brother faces heartbreak if he knew the truth of me and Matteo.

The priest begins the service. It’s so quiet in the room, I can hear the people in the pews breathing. They all sound steady and calm while I’m having a panic attack inside. Connor only tightens his hold on my hands like he knows I’m going to make a run for it.

“Do you, Connor Barry, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The priest asks and Connor doesn’t hesitate to say ‘I do.’ His voice carries throughout the large cathedral.

“And do you, Julia Smirnov, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

My mouth is dry. My palms are clammy. Nerves rack every inch of my body.

This is it. The moment I become Connor’s wife. I’m supposed to say the words but I can’t get them out. Connor narrows his eyes at me and yet, I still can’t speak. The only consolation I have is he can’t hurt me right in this moment. Not when my brother is watching.

I glance at Viktor and Inessa. They both look concerned for me. I wish I could make them both proud. I was praised as a little girl for being polite and mature for my age. I strived to make Viktor as proud of me as I could manage and right now, I’m failing.

All because I’m falling in love with the enemy.

“Julia,” Connor murmurs, nodding at me to speak. Murmurs spread throughout the room. The guests can tell this is not what I want.

“Julia,” Viktor says.

I turn back to Connor and let out a low breath. I can do this. Ihaveto do this.

I open my mouth to speak.

The church doors burst open and in run multiple men, shooting off guns into the ceiling. It becomes a mad house as people drop to the floor and scream. Connor stands frozen, staring at the approaching men while Viktor shoves Inessa under the pew and runs to me, shielding me with his body.

And that’s when I see him.

Matteo.

He’s standing in the aisle, here, at my wedding.

Chapter Eleven

Julia

My eyes can barely believe that Matteo is here before he raises his gun and shouts, “Everybody down!”

It’s then that I see Dante behind him, walking up the aisle with a confidence that only a man like him can have.

“Dante,” Viktor growls, pushing me farther behind him. Connor is still frozen in fear.

“Hiya, Viktor.”

Behind Dante is Aiden and Finn Murphy, the brothers who were once hitmen but now work for Dante and Erik. Of course they’d be here. They want to take down Viktor just as much as Dante does.

All four of them have machine guns.

“You’re here to kill me, I assume,” Viktor says, not showing any fear in the face of a horrifying fate. There’s no way we’re making it out of this alive. Is Matteo going to kill me? Was everything we had together fake? Did he just want information out of me to get to this moment?

But if they had wanted to kill everybody, then everybody would be dead. Why haven’t they started shooting people yet?

“What gave you that idea?” Dante smirks. “Actually, we’re here to kill Connor to weaken you but since you’re front and center, might as well kill you too.”