Page 71 of Forbidden Boss
Yuri stands as my best man, smirking because he knows I never expected to be doing this again. Susie sits near the front after she gives Mari away. During the ceremony, I catch her watching Yuri more than the vows. And he’s staring back just as much.
Our vows are simple. Neither of us is a poet. When I speak, I keep it real.
“I’ve done a lot of terrible things in my life,” I tell her, my voice rougher than I’d like. “But you’ve accepted every part of me. I never expected to find someone who loves me unconditionally, even when I’m not the man I wish I were. I promise to love you with that same loyalty, to protect you always, to put you and Alex first so that you never have to wonder where my priorities lie.”
She’s crying by the time I finish.
When it’s her turn, her voice trembles at first, then steadies.
“You say you don’t love easily. But you do, Lev. You just love in ways no one else could understand. You protect, you fight, you endure. And that’s what I love about you. It’s such an honor to be loved by you, to see the way your eyes light up when you see me and Alex, to be let into every part of your life. I will never take it for granted.”
I kiss her before the officiant finishes the sentence.
Yuri hoots, Susie cheers, and Alex babbles like he’s part of the celebration. For the first time in my life, everything feels right.
The reception stretches long into the evening. There’s laughter, music, and more toasts than I can count. Even the most hardened men in my organization soften when they look at Mari holding our son.
She’s wearing a different dress now, lighter and easier to move in. She dances with Yuri at one point, and he spins her like they’ve known each other forever. I’m not sure when exactly that happened, but they’ve become close friends. Most days I think he likes her more than he likes me, and that’s saying a lot. I cut in just to remind him that she’s my wife.
“She’s glowing,” Yuri says, leaning in just enough for me to hear. “You’re a lucky man.”
“I am,” I say.
He raises his glass. “You did good, brother. I’m proud of you.”
Susie joins him a minute later, and I catch the look she gives him. It’s curious and assessing, with a spark that’s going to be trouble later.
I wrap an arm around Mari’s waist as we sway to the music. She leans her head against my chest.
“We actually did it,” she whispers, slumping against me with exhaustion.
“We did,” I say. “Now the real adventure starts.”
“That’s romantic,” she says with a small laugh.
“It’s true.” I smirk. “Marriage isn’t always as perfect as the wedding day.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she hums thoughtfully. “The last year has been pretty perfect. But I’d take one bad day with you over a perfect day without you.”
I lean in and kiss her hard, a chorus of cheers bursting out around us.
It’s well past midnight when the last of the guests leave. The estate finally goes quiet, except for the faint hum of the city beyond the hills. Our son is asleep in the nursery.
Mari slips out of her dress in the low light of the bedroom, wearing only white silk underneath. My breath catches. I’ve seen her every day for over a year, but she still steals it.
“Lev,” she says softly, standing by the edge of the bed. “Come here.”
The sound of her voice undoes me.
I cross the room slowly, never breaking eye contact. When I reach her, I cup her face in my hands and kiss her like it’s the first time all over again, deep, hungry, and reverent. She melts into me, her hands sliding beneath my shirt.
“I love you,” I whisper against her skin. “You, our son, this life. I never expected this the first night I met you in that club. I’m so glad our story didn’t end there.”
Her fingers trace the scars on my chest.
“I don’t think I could ever have forgotten you,” she says softly. “Even if you weren’t my boss, I don’t think I ever would have forgotten that night. Maybe this is where we were always meant to end up.”
I kiss her again, harder this time. The kiss deepens, turning a little rough and needy. She pulls me closer, and the soft and breathy sound she makes snaps what’s left of my restraint.