Page 99 of Mistaken
“And Ekaterina?” I know this is dangerous territory, but I have to know.
Maksim leans back, running his finger over his upper lip. “She was consulted about an alliance between our family and the Toscanofamigliaby marriage to Giovanni. He flew to St. Petersburg to meet her.”
“Really?” I shocked. I’ve learned enough about alliance marriages now to know most couples don’t meet until the engagement party.
“She agreed to the marriage,” he continued, “they were quite taken with each other.”
Now, the hardest question. “Would you have married her to Dante?” It’s hard to look at him, the rage I’d seen that day on his face…
Maksim waits until I can finally look up. “I would have never allowed that marriage, even if it plunged us into open warfare with the Toscano Mafia. But his brothers knew he wanted to steer their organization into the Red Trade. They already knew they would have to remove him. But…” he huffed, I don’t know if it’s in irony or humor, but he continued, “Giovanni, the next eldest, is a principled man. He insisted on giving Dante every opportunity to change his mind before he took the necessary step.”
Aaand there goes my big mouth. “Is that what we’re calling murdering your terrible brother these days?”
But he only shakes his head at me.“????????.”
The waiter delivers a domed plate for our dessert and backs away hastily. The rooftop around us is quiet, though I’m sure there’s bodyguards all around us.
Maksim lifts the cover to display a perfectly created marzipan cake with beautifully crafted flowers and… my wedding ring. It sits in the middle of the cake, gleaming under the fairy lights and casting its own glow.
He’s elegantly hitching his trousers and kneels - hekneels- in front of me. “You are the only person I have - or ever will - kneel to. I know you believe that I told you that I loved you as part of the night you asked for, but…” Maksim’s brow furrows. “I did not think I had any love left to give to anyone, aside from my family. But being with you has somehow created more love than I deserve to offer. But let me say it again, clearly. I do love you, Ella. Truthfully. Completely. More than I could have imagined possible. I have much to atone for, for how I treated you. But I would ask you to give me the chance. If you think that you might one day return my feelings, I would like to ask you to marry me. Properly.”
I am so grateful no one is filming this. My jaw has dropped and I know I look like a simpleton. He’s holding up the ring and it takes me three tries to blurt out, “I would love to. Yes. Thank you. That’s good.”
There’s a cinematic moment.
It doesn’t matter, Maksim is grinning and he slides my ring back on my finger and kisses it. “Thank you,????????.I love you, I do.”
Chapter 25 – So Much Sweeter the Second Time Around
In which Ella and Maksim discover there is such a thing as second chances.
Ella…
Well, when Maksim makes a move, the manmoves.
“Where would you like to be married?” he asks, “We’ll fly there tomorrow.”
“What- are you serious?”
“Yes, Ella, I am.” He’s seated me on his lap and he’s feeding me marzipan cake. Because my husband knows that the only thing that can improve this beautiful moment is cake.
“Well, Maksim…” I think about it for a moment and burst into laughter.
“What are you thinking, Ella?” He’s looking mildly concerned.
“You’ve recreated our meet cute into something lovely, right? And it is,” I give him a quick kiss, smearing vanilla cream on his lip. “Thank you, it is. So… what do you think about recreating our experience at your hunting lodge?”
His brow rose. “That, I did not expect.”
“Well, think about it,” I’m wiggling a little because this is exciting. “To be honest, when you weren’t trying to kill me, you were the most playful at the lodge that I’ve ever seen you. How about renewing our vows there - maybe just Tania and Yuri - and spending the weekend there alone?”
“Really?” Maksim asks, looking amused and a bit distracted, but I think that is because my wiggling has made him hard.
“Really. If we’re remaking our memories, that’s the next move. One thing?”
Yeah, he’s really distracted now.“Yes, ?????????”
“Are you attached to all those dead animal heads?”
