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Genesis leans toward me, resting her bare elbow on the console. “Have you lost your mind, Julian Bellini?”

“I sure as fuck have.” I unbuckle my seat belt, and the wind hits me when I step out of the Escalade. I speed walk around the SUV to her side.

I’ve lost the small ounce of sanity I had before signing the deal with Yaroslav. Breaking contracts is a rarity for me because it can be a death sentence.

Your word is one of the strongest things you have in this world.

You break it once, and that crack will be there forever, following you around.

But at this point, all my fucks are out the window.

I’m shattering my word to Yaroslav to keep mine to Genesis—that I’ll keep her safe.

This could’ve been a simple close of a deal. I’ve given Yaroslav plenty of time to return my calls. He’s been dodging them for a reason, and no way in hell will I allow that reasoning to hit me by surprise. No man, especially in our world, delays getting half a million dollars unless there’s an ulterior motive.

When Idofinally get in contact with him, I’ll inform him that Genesis is now a married woman and transfer the money into his account, and the deal will be done.

No more fucking with the Russians.

Good fucking riddance.

At this point, if for some reason Genesis can’t have a baby, we’ll deal with that later. Her safety is my highest priority.

Now, all I need is for her to comply with the plan.

A few people pass me on the sidewalk as I open Genesis’s door.

Her eyes widen as she stares at me in confusion.

I place a foot on the running board, offering her my hand. “Let’s go get married, Gen.”

“Ring those wedding bells,” she says, singing out the words and taking my hand.

She releases a yelp when I help her out of the SUV, and then she adjusts her red dress.

It feels good that I didn’t have to force her.

Not that I’ll admit it to her, but I would’ve. Had she tried to be difficult, I’d have thrown her over my shoulder and carried her right into the cathedral.

“Oh my God!”

I turn on my heel to find Darcy rushing over to us, her handbag swinging through the air and between her fingers.

“It’s true!” She bends at the waist when she reaches us, catching her breath. “I swore I thought Julian was messing with me.”

“Trust me, I’m still trying to figure out he isn’t,” Genesis says, staring up at me.

“It’s real,” I tell her, jerking my head toward the cathedral steps.

While I didn’t plan a large ceremony, I did arrange for a priest and Darcy. I wanted Genesis to have her best friend as her maid of honor.

I scrub a hand over my sweaty forehead, disappointed Damien won’t be here as my best man, but I won’t risk him or Antonio trying to stop me. They’d demand I wait until I heard back from Yaroslav before marrying Genesis.

They’d tell me to think logically.

Like they can trust Yaroslav.

But me? I don’t trust any of them.