Page 40 of One Dark Kiss (Grimm Bargains #2)

THIRTY-FIVE

Rosalie

I can t believe we re in Nevada. How could I have slept the entire way? Sure, I ve been tired, but this is insane. We are not getting married. I sound breathless. Why do I sound like that?

Alexei grasps my waist and lifts me onto his lap, making sure I m straddling him. My skirt rides up, arousal swamps me, and panic grabs me. I push against his good shoulder, careful of the wounded one.

He claps a hand over mine. Baby, there s too much going on, and attorney-client privilege doesn t apply to a lot that s happened.

You know I set up and then killed Reyes in prison, and at some point, an ambitious prosecutor is going to ask you about that.

But spousal privilege would protect us both.

Plus, that letter opener is a problem. If I m charged, they re going to ask you about my visits to your office and put me there with the weapon.

Did you take it?

No.

I suck in air. Spousal privilege attaches to conversations between spouses and not actions. If a wife sees her husband commit a crime, she can still testify.

But she can t be compelled because of the adverse spousal testimony privilege. It s up to the spouse if they want to testify or not in that case.

I lean back. He s right. How in the world do you know that?

His gaze drops to my mouth. I spent seven years in prison and read a lot.

Apparently so. That s a crappy reason to get married.

Yes, I ve had dreams of my wedding since I was a little girl playing make believe with my friends.

White dress, red flowers, tall and steady blonde man in a tuxedo smiling with tears in his eyes as I walk down the aisle.

Alexei is the opposite of all of that. I m not getting married in a crappy little chapel in Nevada.

Not the point. My brain is mush with this man.

I m not marrying you, I mean. You can t want a marriage of convenience, either.

His hands go to my skirt, his thumbs tucking beneath the fabric as he pushes the material all the way up. There s nothing convenient about you.

Live wires uncoil in my abdomen. You are not going to fuck me into agreement. The words come from nowhere and shock me.

Is that a dare? His voice is unfairly low, gravelly, and sexy.

No, I whisper, very much afraid I ll lose that one.

He snaps the sides of my panties and yanks them free. Smart girl. Now be a good girl.

I shouldn t like those words. Nope. Not at all. Yet my thighs dampen. I meet his gaze, my eyes wide.

He slides a finger inside me easily. Way too easily. I m wet for him that quickly. Don t be frightened.

Why not? He s terrifying. This hold on me is unreal, and I like control. For me to have control. I-I don t want a fast and temporary marriage.

He stills, his finger still inside me. Temporary? There s nothing temporary about us. This is for good, Rosalie. I m never letting you go. Another finger slides in, stretching me, and a low hum of pleasure comes from deep in his chest.

I try not to move against him and fail. Even though the windows are tinted, I look wildly around, hoping nobody sees us.

I ll give you the wedding of your dreams once I m back in control at work, he rumbles, releasing my hand to palm my breast through my blouse and bra. His hand is wicked hot.

I attempt to focus but my bitch of a body is moving against his fingers, not comprehending the seriousness of this moment. It s not the wedding, Alexei, I gasp, vulnerability weakening my voice. Not entirely the wedding, anyway. Marriage is for real.

We re for real. He rips open my blouse and flicks the center clasp of my bra, which flings open. Ride my fingers, Rosalie.

I swallow, already doing just that. No.

His smile is quick. All right. He releases the button on his pants and unzips. Take me out. Now.

I obey before the neurons in my brain can fire reason through me, reaching for him with both hands and freeing him from the boxers.

He s thick and hard, pulsing against my hands.

His fingers slide out of me, and he grips both of my hips, lowering me onto him.

The fullness shocks me for a moment, and I grab his shoulders, feeling the bandage beneath one. Sorry.

Never be sorry. His gaze dropping, he releases my hips and scratches his nails down both of my breasts on either side of my nipples.

I gasp and rock against him. I want love, I whisper.

He jolts and then returns to torturing me, tweaking both nipples. You can have all of me. I fully intend to have all of you. Then he kisses me, somehow taking complete control even though I m on top of him.

An objection starts somewhere in the back of my mind but then I m kissing him back, pressing into his hands, lifting my hips and pushing back down on him.

I widen my thighs to better balance myself on my knees.

Sparks fly through me, and then I m just feeling.

Everything. His body, my need, a sense of safety I ll never understand.

He might be a danger to me, but he won t let anybody else get close.

He growls into my mouth and sends vibrations down through my body to my clit.

Then he manacles my hips, lifting me and slamming me back down, somehow hitting a spot inside me that has me seeing stars.

After one brief pause, he does so again, controlling me with his strong hands.

Hard and fast, wild and intense, he hammers into me while lifting and yanking me onto him.

I throw back my head and climb to that precarious ridge, holding my breath when I fall over.

The orgasm blows through me, undulating my abdomen, sparking from my pussy to my breasts and back down.

He groans and jerks several times inside me.

Finally, he lets me down, still inside me, his hands gentling.

I can t breathe.

He gently leans me back and secures my bra over my tender breasts before smoothly buttoning up my blouse. Setting me aside, he secures his pants as I yank my skirt down almost to my knees. Let s get married, Peaflower. Time is short. He opens the door and steps out, holding a hand out for me.

Mine trembles as I take his, moving into the warm June day.

Within ten minutes, I m standing in a cheesy wedding chapel with no panties, feeling my thighs still damp from him. As if he knows it, Alexei gives me a wicked smile. My abdomen turns over. My lips are swollen from his kisses, and my head is spinning.

I can t do this. Everything inside me hurts. Why? He s using me. For sex, for my legal skills, to fit a mob-boss role. This is wrong.

The entire room smells like gardenias. Not the natural kind, but more like a chemical scent. The chapel is cozy with only two rows of vacant white benches and plain white walls with fake flowers decorating twin windowsills on either side of us.

Panic grabs me.

Garik stands behind Alexei, while some woman named Betty dressed in a flowered gown, her bright-red hair up in wild curls, stands behind me. She has to be about sixty and the red hair is a little much for her pale skin but does match her cracked lips.

A mirror is behind her. Round, smooth, and perfectly angled to catch our images. Alexei is so much bigger than I am.

The preacher opens a large burgundy colored book. He looks to be around fifty and weighs at least 400 pounds. The button collar of his shirt is choking him, and sweat rolls down the sides of his face. I love a good romance, he says.

Alexei takes my free hand since I hold a bouquet of fake red roses in my other hand. My knees wobble. This is not happening.

Tears gather in my eyes. Ice freezes in my throat. I yank my hand free. No. Turning, I run down the aisle toward the door.

I don t make it.

Alexei sweeps me up.

I struggle against him. I will not be used like this. Stop it.

He steps outside, shuts the door, and leans back against it. What s going on?

I gulp. It s too much, Alexei. A tear slides down my face. You re too much. I won t remember that this is just for practical reasons. My heart won t. It ll feel real, and I ll be alone. There aren t any words to describe the pain.

He blinks, his dark eyes inquisitive. Then he sighs, holding me against his rock-hard chest, leaning against the door. It is real. When I start to refute that, he kisses my nose, stopping me cold. Then he leans back, keeping my gaze captured. None of this is a coincidence.

I frown. What?

He looks as if he could stand here all day. We had access to computers in prison. He shrugs, moving us both. We weren t supposed to, but we did.

I blink out another tear. I don t understand.

When I gained computer privileges early, I investigated the law firm and kept an eye on everyone there.

Saw you when you came on board, and from that second, all I thought about was you.

I also saw you on Aquarius Social with Alana.

Began watching every chance I got. Dreamed about you every night, knowing someday I d be free. Didn t know how.

Wait—what? But how?

Used my last few favors to make sure you were my lawyer when the chance finally came.

Basically bribed Jaqueline Lion through a proxy.

His gaze releases me and focuses on my mouth.

Strawberry-red lips, sapphire-blue eyes, raven-black hair.

Obsession can be a life saver. The mere idea of you got me through the nights.

I can t breathe. Alexei.

He kisses me, taking us both under. Then he releases me. I sketched your face. Over and over, so many times. Hated destroying those drawings, but I couldn t let anybody know what you mean to me. You are meant to be mine. Darkness and light. Wildness and control. It s both of us.

I blink. Could it be love? Turn to love? I m afraid I m almost there. Maybe already there. Stalker. I try not to cry. He s so sweet.

Let s get married, Peaflower. You have to jump some time. He watches me, waiting. I ll give you everything. Especially me.

It s time to jump. Either I ll land safe and sound, or I ll break something. Either way, I m going to leap. Okay, I whisper.

He carries me back to the altar, keeping me against his chest. We re ready.

The preacher clears his throat. Do you Alexei Sokolov take Rosalie Mooncrest to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and cherish for the rest of your days?

I do, Alexei says, his eyes dark, his voice somber.

I m going to actually faint, even held safely in his arms. He tightens his grip on me as if to give me some sort of comfort ... or as a warning. I m not sure.

Do you Rosalie Mooncrest take Alexei Sokolov as your husband to love, honor, and obey for the rest of your years?

I jolt at the last word. Alexei s mouth curves in a smile. I flash him a look. I do.

Very well. Do you have rings? the preacher asks.

No, I say.

I have one. Carefully balancing me against his chest, Alexei reaches into his pocket and pulls out a stunning amethyst square with diamonds all around the stone. More diamonds decorate the twisting gold on the wide band.

I gasp. The piece is the most stunning ring I ve ever seen. He slips it easily on my finger. I look at him, startled.

He winks. With this ring I thee wed.

I stare down at all of the sparkle. I don t have a ring for you.

We have some on sale, Betty says happily.

Alexei grins, and it s the first time I ve really seen him smile. We ll have one made later. One with amethysts. He s really in this for the long haul. He s not kidding about forever.

Anything else? the preacher asks.

I look at Alexei and I want to say something, but I have no idea what.

His dark eyes sparkle. I promise you ll want for nothing for the rest of your days. In addition, Rosalie Mooncrest, I ll keep you safe. Nobody will hurt you. I promise.

Somehow, I believe him. It s not love and flowers and rocking chairs. I ll do my best, I say, not knowing what else to give him.

I give you all of me, he says. I don t know if I m capable of love, but if I am, you can have it.

I blink. Something s swirling through me. I m very capable of love, I say quietly, going on instinct and not intellect. I hope I know what I m doing. I promise to love you with everything I am.

The words sound natural, and I let them loose.

I ve known him for a short time, but in that time, he s become everything.

As necessary as life. I don t know if something like this, something so hot and bright, will burn out, or if it ll continue to flame through the rest of my life.

But if I m going to make these vows, I m going to give them my best.

I now pronounce you man and wife, the preacher says.

Alexei lifts my chin with two knuckles and then kisses me, soft and tender in a way he hasn t been before. I murmur something, I don t know what, and the kiss deepens as if he s promising every vow imaginable. Then he releases me and I blink, startled.

Yay, Betty yells, throwing fake flower petals up in the air above us.

I blink as one lands on my eye and Alexei gently brushes it away. He kisses me once again and then starts walking down the aisle with Garik following us. Looking over his shoulder, I turn and throw the fake bouquet at Garik as hard as I can. He catches it and looks down, his eyes widening.

I finally feel free to laugh.

Alexei kicks open the door, and we walk out into warm Reno sunshine toward the car. It hits me all of a sudden that I m a married woman.

Alexei s phone buzzes, and still somehow managing to hold me aloft, he reaches into his pocket and lifts it to his ear. I wrap an arm around his neck to better balance myself.

Sokolov, he says. When? How? Thanks. Got it. He clicks off.

What? I ask.

He sighs. Apparently, Blythe Fairfax was murdered last night. They found her body this morning.

Panic grabs me and then I relax. You were in the prison infirmary last night. Thank goodness. They can t pin this on him.

A muscle along his neck flexes. The police want to speak with you.

I frown. Why would they want to talk to me? Okay. I guess we need to get back. None of this makes sense.

He grins, his surprising dimple flashing for the briefest of moments. We are not a hundred percent married yet.

I blink. What do you mean?

For a marriage to be validated, it has to be consummated. Then he kisses me.