Page 97 of Forgotten Vows

“No more running away from each other.” He smiled after we kissed yet again.

I nodded, ready to stand by that promise.

“The only thing I want to see is you walking down the aisle to me.”

As I pictured it, him waiting at the altar, I let all the love and bright hope of what could await us fill my heart with joy.

39

IVAN

Two weeks later…

Gabriella’s wedding planning efforts might have been postponed with Raisa handling Konstantin and then my wait to make sure she knew that I wanted her to be my wife for the sake of our being in love, not that I was expected to marry her so she’d be protected, like Luka had with Gabriella.

Yet, it felt like a blur of time before the day was here.

We were back at the church where Raisa had been taken. This time, I knew there wasn’t any way she’d be targeted again.

We doubled the security. Every guest was checked. The entire block was being watched. And my uncle was walking her down the aisle. He’d protect her too, because she really was one of the family now.

Still, being here so soon after she was captured bothered me a little. If it weren’t so hectic and busy to get ready, I would’ve been more nervous.

“Where the hell is he?” Luka paced in the room where I waited with my groomsmen. Luka was walking Raisa down the aisle. Alexsei was here as my best man. But it was Emil who wasmissing. He was the other groomsman, or he was supposed to be.

“He doesn’t have the dates wrong, does he?” Alexsei asked.

“He’ll be here,” I reasoned, standing up for my cousin as I checked Lev’s tie. He’d be the ring bearer with Misha. They both looked so much older in their little tuxes that I wished we could stop time altogether. They were growing up like I had with my cousins, like best friends.

“He has to be here.” Luka scowled. “He’s a groomsman.”

“But Mommy and Daddy can still get married if he’s not here, right?” Lev asked. “Because you know how Emil is.”

We all laughed.

We sure did know how Emil was. Late. Causal. And quick to try to use his charm to smooth over anyone’s ruffled feathers.

Luka wasn’t going to explain to Lev that Emil was off on an assignment. When Emil said he’d take the hit job, I wondered if he’d planned to make it to the wedding. It was cutting it close. He’d only rolled his eyes and sighed, assuring us all that he’d be here.

It seemed something might have held him up, though.

“Yes, your parents can still get married,” Luka told him. “But my wife will be upset that the number of attendants at the altar are no longer symmetrical.”

“Oh, boy.” Misha made a face. “We don’t want to make Gabriella cry again.”

“She cries a lot,” Lev agreed. He looked up at me. “Will Mommy cry a lot if she has another baby?”

I smiled. “It’ll all be fine.”

I couldn’t wait for the news that she was expecting. It would be a blessing that we’d all enjoy and cherish after the hard times we’d gotten through.

“Let me see what he said.” I unlocked my phone and scrolled through the last texts he had sent.

Emil:Yes, I’ll be there.

Ivan:On time?

Emil:Yes.