Page 37 of Crystal Veil (Rostov Bratva #2)

RENAT

The engine of my Maserati purrs as I navigate the winding coastal road.

Elena sits beside me, her hair whipping in the wind from the open windows, completely unaware of the small velvet box burning a hole in my jacket pocket.

She hums softly to the music, her hand resting on her baby bump where our child grows, and the sight makes my chest tighten with an emotion I once thought myself incapable of feeling.

“Where are we going?” she asks for the third time, turning to face me with those warm brown eyes that never fail to strip away every defense I've built over the years.

“You'll see,” I tease. The truth is, I've been planning this moment for weeks, orchestrating every detail with the same focused intensity I bring to my business dealings. But now, with the destination approaching, my heart hammers against my ribs like a drumbeat.

I've negotiated multi-million dollar deals without breaking a sweat. I've stared down the barrels of guns held by men who wanted me dead. Yet the thought of asking this woman to be my wife has me more nervous than I've been since I was a boy cowering in the shadows of my father's world.

The private beach comes into view as we round the final curve, and I feel Elena's sharp intake of breath.

This stretch of sand has been mine for years, purchased not for business but for the rare moments when I need to escape the concrete jungle of Miami.

Tonight, it's been transformed into something magical.

Dozens of lanterns line the shoreline, their warm glow creating a path that leads to a gazebo I had constructed just for this evening.

The structure is draped in white silk that billows gently in the ocean breeze, and inside, candles sparkle gently like captured stars.

Rose petals, blood red and pristine white, scatter across the sand in intricate patterns.

“Renat,” Elena whispers, her voice low over the sound of waves lapping against the shore. This is...”

“Beautiful,” I finish, though I'm not looking at the elaborate setup. I'm looking at her, at the way the lantern light plays across her face, and the wonder in her eyes that makes me feel like I could conquer the world if she asked me to.

I park the car and walk around to open her door, offering my hand.

She takes it, her fingers trembling slightly, and I wonder if she suspects what's coming.

When she steps onto the sand, I notice she's barefoot, having kicked off her heels in the car, and something about that simple act makes my throat tight with affection.

“You did all this?” she asks as we walk toward the gazebo, her free hand gesturing at the romantic scene spread before us.

“Every detail,” I confirm, though I don't mention the army of people it took to execute my vision, or the threats I made to ensure everything was perfect. Some things are better left unsaid, especially when they involve the lengths I'll go to for the woman I love.

The sand is warm beneath our feet, and the sound of the ocean creates a rhythm that matches the pounding of my heart. Elena moves beside me like she's walking through a dream. Her dress flows around her legs, and she's never looked more beautiful.

Inside the gazebo, I've arranged for everything to be perfect.

A bottle of champagne sits chilling in a silver bucket, though I know Elena won't drink it in her condition.

Instead, there's sparkling cider and her favorite Cuban coffee, kept warm in an elegant thermal carafe.

Soft jazz plays from hidden speakers, the same music she loves to hear when she's writing late into the night.

“Renat, I don't understand,” she murmurs, turning in a slow circle to take in every detail. “What's all this for?”

The moment has arrived, and there's no reason to delay. I reach into my jacket pocket and feel the velvet box, its edges worn smooth from all the times I've touched it over the past few weeks.

“Elena,” I begin, my voice steadier than I feel. “Do you remember the first night we met?”

She nods, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “You knew I was lying to you.”

“I did,” I acknowledge. “But I didn't care. You were fire and defiance wrapped in mystery, and I should have walked away. Any sane man would have. But I couldn't.”

I pause, struggling to find words that can adequately express the magnitude of what she's done to me, how she's unraveled every carefully constructed wall I've built around my heart.

“I thought I understood desire,” I tell her.

“I thought I knew what it meant to want something.

But what I feel for you goes beyond anything I've ever experienced.

It's not just physical, though God knows you drive me to distraction.

It's deeper than that. You've become essential to me, Elena. As necessary as breathing.”

Elena's eyes fill with tears, but she doesn't speak. She simply watches me, letting me confess in the only way I know how, with brutal honesty wrapped in the vulnerability I've hidden from everyone else.

I reach for her hands, and she lets me take them, her skin warm and soft against my calloused palms. These hands have done terrible things, have taken lives and destroyed enemies, but when they touch her they're capable of gentleness I never knew I possessed.

“You saw the worst of me and didn't run,” I continue. “You saw the blood, the darkness, the control I wield like a weapon, and you stayed. You challenged me. You made me want to be better, not just for you, but for the child you're carrying. Our child.”

Her breath catches at the mention of our baby, and I see the protective instinct flare in her eyes. She's already fierce about this pregnancy, already planning how to shield our child from the darker aspects of my world, and I love her even more for it.

“I can't promise you peace, Elena,” I admit, my voice rough with emotion. “My world is chaotic and dangerous. But I can promise you no matter how dark it gets I will never leave you in the shadows alone.”

I release her hands and step back, pulling the velvet box out of my pocket. This time, it’s more than just a ring. It’s everything I didn’t say the first time and everything I’m ready to give now.

“I will protect you with everything I have,” I vow, my voice steady and sure. “You and our child. You are not just my love, Elena. You are my compass. My anchor. The light that guides me through the darkness I've made my home.”

I lower myself to one knee, the cool sand pressing through the fabric of my pants.

The box opens with a quiet click, revealing the same ring I once offered her, a ring I never stopped believing would one day find its place on her finger.

This time, I added emeralds that encircle the flawless diamond.

Fierce, vibrant, and unbreakable, like the woman who owns every piece of me.

“Elena Martinez,” I breathe, my throat tight with emotion. “Will you marry me?”

For a moment, she simply stares at me, her lips parted in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. The only sounds are the ocean and the distant cry of seabirds, and I feel my heart stop beating as I wait for her answer.

Then her hands fly to her face, covering her mouth as tears spill down her cheeks. Her knees buckle slightly, and I rush forward, steadying her with my free hand while still holding the ring box with the other.

“Elena,” I whisper, my voice hoarse with fear and hope and desperate love. “Please.”

She looks down at me, this woman who has brought me to my knees in every way that matters, and I see the exact moment she makes her decision.

“Yes,” she breathes. “Yes, Renat. Yes.”

Relief crashes through me so intensely that it leaves me breathless.

I surge to my feet, pulling her with me, pressing my forehead against hers as her arms wind around my neck.

For a moment, we simply hold each other, two people who have found something precious in the darkness, something worth fighting for.

I slide the ring onto her finger, marveling at how perfectly it fits and how well it suits her hand.

“I love you,” I murmur against her hair. “I love you more than I thought possible. More than I deserve.”

She pulls back to look at me, her face shining with happiness and tears. “I love you too,” she whispers. “I love you, and I'm terrified, and I'm so happy I can barely breathe.”

Our lips meet in a kiss that's different from all the others we've shared. It's not about passion or possession or the desperate hunger that usually consumes us. It's about commitment. About choosing each other despite the odds, despite the dangers, and everything that threatens to tear us apart.

Elena holds up her hand, admiring the ring, and I see the future flash before my eyes. A wedding. A family. A life built on something stronger than fear or power or the need to survive.

“Tell me about the ring,” she requests, her voice soft with wonder.

“Emerald for strength,” I explain, taking her hand and tracing the stone with my thumb. “Diamonds for eternity. Green like your eyes when you're angry with me.”

She laughs, the sound like music in the evening air. “My eyes are brown, Renat.”

“They have flecks of green when the light hits them right,” I correct, pulling her closer. “I notice everything about you, Elena. Everything.”

“What happens now?” she asks, her fingers playing with the lapels of my jacket.

“Now we plan a wedding,” I smile, though the thought of all the arrangements and politics and careful maneuvering that will be required makes my head spin. “Now we prepare for a child. Now we build a life together.”

She stands on her toes to kiss me, and I lose myself in the softness of her lips, the warmth of her body against mine, the promise of forever that now stretches before us. When she pulls away, her eyes are bright with tears and love.

“I can't believe you did all this,” she murmurs, gesturing at the romantic scene around us. “The lanterns, the gazebo, the roses...”

“You deserve more,” I tell her honestly. “You deserve the world. But this is what I could give you tonight.”

“It's perfect,” she assures me. “It's absolutely perfect.”

“Dance with me,” I whisper, and she nods, melting into my arms as the jazz music continues to play from the hidden speakers.

We move together on the sand, barefoot and elegant, two people who have found something worth fighting for in a world that often seems determined to destroy anything beautiful.

Her dress flutters around her legs, and her hair shimmers beneath the glow from the lanterns, and I know I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.

“I love you, Mrs. Rostov,” I murmur against her ear, testing out the name.

She shivers in my arms, and I feel her smile against my neck. “I love you too, husband.”

As the stars begin to appear in the darkening sky above us, I hold my fiancée close and make a silent vow. I will protect her. I will love her. And I will burn down anyone who tries to take her from me.