Page 43 of The Healing Touch (Manwhore #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Vegas was…well, it was an experience.

She saw it all from the safety of the limo Nikoli arranged for the women to share as they went dress shopping.

She and Angel decided just because they were getting married in Vegas, it didn’t mean they couldn’t have the wedding dress of their dreams. Lily came along too. She needed a maid of honor dress.

Nikoli rented out the premier wedding boutique in Los Vegas, and the three of them were able to shop in peace and quiet.

No crowds.

No one who would touch Lily.

And an entire staff to see to the needs of two pregnant women.

When Nikoli found out she was pregnant, he picked her up and swung her round and round, thanking her for his new nephew. That boy was crazy.

The entire Kincaid clan was near to bursting with joy when it became the announcement of not two pregnancies but four. Sara Jane was pregnant with twins, racing right behind Angel for a due date. Viktor was thrilled he was having boys. Lily was pregnant as well.

And the one thing that meant was these kids would grow up together in a tight-knit family who would love and protect them. Who would teach them the real meaning of family.

Every time she thought about the family her child would be born into, she couldn’t help but remember the home she’d been born into. A home full of fear, pain, hunger, and depression. A home that wasn’t a home, but a prison of terror. Her child wouldn’t go through any of that.

And she was grateful, but she missed the one person besides Dimitri who meant anything to her, her brother. She wanted Jackson here, to walk her down the aisle, but that was impossible.

“You okay?” Lily asked. She’d chosen to sit by Becca because she knew Becca wouldn’t accidently touch her. She was very aware of Lily’s phobia because of her own.

“Yeah, just thinking about my brother. I wish he was here to walk me down the aisle.”

“Who is walking you down the aisle?”

“The same person who’s walking me down the aisle,” Angel piped in between sips of pineapple juice. Becca couldn’t stand the smell of it, but Angel drank it by the gallon.

“Who?”

“Conner.”

Lily’s mouth dropped open. “He, uh…he’s…”

“Scary?” Becca offered.

Lily nodded.

“Conner’s Conner. He’s family and a friend. He’s helped us all, and he’d do anything to keep us safe. Look at how he helped Kade and Angel retrieve…”

“Who is refusing to leave the hotel room.”

“Really?”

Angel nodded. “The hotels…”

“I get it,” Becca said. “Trust me, I get it more than anyone but Lily, but it’ll be okay.”

“Viktor promised to stay behind and stream the wedding in the room.”

“Given everything that’s happened, it’s probably for the best.”

Angel nodded, but Becca knew how sad she was.

“No more tears, ladies,” Sara Jane announced. “We’re here. We all need to get changed, and then hair and makeup, and then on to your men to claim you like the highlanders of old who rode in, swooped up the girl he wanted, and took her home forever.”

“Uh, Sara Jane…are you working on a historical romance?”

She grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, it’s been in my head for days, and I forced myself to stop writing today so I could focus on y’all.”

The limo came to a stop, and the women piled out. Not one car in the small chapel lot. Nikoli had bought out the venue. She knew the men were in there, and she longed to feel Dimitri’s arms around her, to help calm her nerves, but she forced her nervousness away, rubbing her belly.

“Don’t worry, Buggy, your daddy isn’t going anywhere. He loves us.”

Sara Jane hugged her, and it helped. It was a trick that really helped to ease a panic attack. Just hug someone hard and let them feel your body heat and hear your heartbeat, and it calmed them down.

“Better?”

“Yes.”

“Ready to go get gussied up and knock our men’s socks off?”

Becca nodded and allowed Sara Jane to drag her inside through the side door and toward the room set aside for them.

Dimitri paced back and forth. He’d flipped off the Elvis poster more than once. He wanted it gone, but Becca and Angel thought it was funny and demanded he leave it alone.

“What is taking so fucking long?” he muttered to Conner.

“Women take time to get ready, asshole.”

“Language!”

They winced when they heard their mother screech at them. Turning, Mason was behind him, his iPad aimed at them with their mother’s very angry face.

“You are in a church! No cussing.”

“Uh, Mama, I’m pretty sure this doesn’t count as a church.” Conner took a step back when Babby appeared with her wooden spoon.

“You!” She waved it at him. “I say no bad words at church. You did same thing at Nikoli’s wedding. Don’t make me get on a death trap to come whack you!”

Conner looked horrified, but the rest of them snickered, remembering Nik’s wedding. Poor Viktor had been trying to hush them up, but all their babushka heard was the curse words falling off his lips. He’d been stalked and whacked with that wooden spoon all day.

Thank God she was in Russia and unable to whack any of them.

“Uh, Babby , that was Viktor, not me.”

Her eyes narrowed and she shook her wooden spoon at him. “ Da , I know. You and he do and think the same.”

Dimitiri hid his laugh behind a cough, but it garnered his grandmother’s attention.

“I see what you think, Dimitri. I will get on the death trap to whack some manners back in you.”

Dimitri found himself backing away from his grandmother and her wooden spoon. He half expected her to reach through the screen and whack him.

“No more booty calls for you, Dimitri. Becca is a good girl and not a booty call!”

“Mama!” Irinia Kincaid gasped. “Do not use that word.”

Babby waved her spoon dismissively. “He needs to know we’re watching him!”

“Witch, leave the boy alone. He’s got enough to worry about without you threatening him.” Ronin Kincaid took his wife’s place. “Congratulations, son. I’m happy for you, even if you’re getting married in an Elvis chapel.”

“I told you why, Papa.”

“And I told you I understood, boy. You do what you need to do to keep your woman feeling loved and safe. If that means the Elvis minister, then that’s what she’ll get.”

Dimitri blinked back sudden tears. He had no idea why the urge to cry hit him, other than his father’s absolute acceptance of Becca with all her flaws, and he loved her like his own daughter.

“This was a good idea.” Ronin nodded. “We can be there, even when we can’t. You tell Rebecca how much it means to us we were able to attend her wedding.”

“I will, Papa.”

Ronin Kincaid did something then that scared that scared the hell out of Dimitri. No one saw it but him.

He coughed, and blood trickled out of his mouth.

He wiped it away quickly.

“Papa…”

“It’s fine, son.”

He knew better, but just then the chaplain, dressed in all his Elvis finery, came in and announced the women were ready.

“Go take your place, Dimitri. It’s time to greet your bride.”

He didn’t want to leave until his father explained what was going on, but he couldn’t do it because Rebecca was coming.

“Go, Dimitri,” Ronin said softly. “We’ll talk when you get back from your honeymoon. I promise.”

Dimitri pursed his lips but nodded instead of arguing.

Becca came first today.

But his father was going to explain that trickle of blood.

He took his place at the altar, and Mason stayed where he was so their parents could watch the wedding procession.

Not that there was much of one. Viktor was back at the hotel playing babysitter.

Delia hadn’t wanted to come either, and she was probably trying to convince her new Papa to let her watch Adventure Time .

Dimitri had let her watch it, not knowing she was banned from the show.

Sara Jane gave him an earful. Not a mistake he’d make again.

He shook his head to clear it of those mundane thoughts.

Sara Jane and Lily walked down the aisle, smiling for all to see in their deep blue dresses. He paid no attention to them but kept his eye on the double doors instead, waiting for his woman, who was carrying his child beneath her heart, to come to him.

Finally, he was going to stamp his name all over her.

Everyone would know who she belonged to.

Hell, he might even convince her to let him tattoo his name across her back.

No, he’d best leave that idea alone. Becca wasn’t a girl for tattoos.

Finally, she appeared.

Conner stood in the middle of both women and walked them down the aisle, but Dimitri only had eyes for the woman on the left. Her dress was loose and flowy, just like her. It was also sexy as hell, and he was going to strip her out of it…no, he’d fuck her in it first to claim her, then he’d…

Kade kicked him, and he blinked.

Becca laughed from where she stood waiting for him to take her hand.

Fuck, he was in trouble.

She leaned in and whispered so only he could hear. “Get your head out of the gutter, Dimitri Sean Kincaid. We have hours yet.”

Hours?

Fuck that. As soon as the I-dos were said, they were going straight to the hotel room.

Minister Elvis cleared his throat and began the service.

All his brothers were here. His parents were here, and…

he glanced at Mason, who was filming. He hoped Becca’s brother would be able to watch the service.

He knew how much it would mean to her, and they’d all been doing everything they could so Jackson would be able to at least be here for a few minutes via video. It was harder than it sounded.

Dimitri vaguely heard the minister and his, “We are gathered here tonight.” He fixed his gaze on Becca, who was glowing. Her brown eyes shone with a brightness he’d rarely seen, and it was all he could do to not pull her close and kiss her until she had to be to come up for air.

“Kade, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for all the days of your life?”

Dimitri shook his head and saw his brother smile widely.

“I do.”