Page 38 of Bedazzled
“The Russians are very imaginative,” she said bitterly, “especially when it comes to revenge. The only way to keep you safe is to marry Yuri. Right now.”
Chapter Thirteen
In which Tania is sweating like a sinner in church
Tania…
“Oh, hellno!”
Okay, I might have said that a little too loud because the door opened and Ivan came in, gun raised.
“Ivan, we’re fine,” Ella said, rubbing her eyes, “thanks for brandishing your weapon, though. It brings back all those memories from my wedding.”
Nodding, he backed out, pulling the door shut.
“Tan honey, I know this is not ideal, but-”
“Are you kidding me right now? Do they really think I’m going to marry Yuri when he clearly hates my guts in some ceremony in the- what hell was that? The narthex? Whatever I thought I was trying to do, I did it all so wrong,” I groaned, putting my head in my hands.
She put her arm around me. “If you’d told me what you were planning, I still would have told you to do it. Maybe not at the wedding, but yeah.”
“We ran out of time,” I sighed.
“We?” She turned to look at me. “Who’s we?”
I opened my mouth and then closed it again. Telling her would put her in the middle between Maksim and me, it wasn’t fair to make her keep secrets from-
“Tania!” Ella said sharply, “You obviously didn’t do this by yourself, sneaking into a Bratva wedding?”
“It was Patrick,” I caved instantly. “He came to my apartment and showed me a letter and an engagement ring. Yuri was going to propose the evening when he got shot. He flew me out here and smuggled me in. If you tell Maksim…” I shuddered, “Patrick knew he was going against the family by helping me. He said it was the only way to save Yuri from giving up his life and his happiness. You can’t tell them it was Patrick.”
“I won’t,” she promised, “though I think after everything calms down they’ll figure it out and it will be fine because it all worked out and Yuri is with the woman he’s supposed to marry.”
“How’s that magical thinking working for you, bestie?” I asked, shaking my head. “This is a fucking disaster.”
“Well, it’s not great,” she admitted, “Look, I know Yuri loves you. You love him. You’re actually working with better raw material than Maksim and I started with.” She bumped my shoulder with hers.
“I can’t do this!” Standing up, I walked over to the window. Could I get it open? Jump out and make a run for it? “Yuri doesnotlove me, and now he’s forced to marry me to save my life? How is this any better than Bala- Baba- Balbon- that girl? I know mob marriages are for life, Els. So eventually he’ll pick up a mistress or two because he hates my guts. This is complete bullshit.”
“Hey, do you recall that big pep talk you gave me when we were hiding in the bathroom at my wedding?”
“Yeah?”
“I was pretty freaked out like you are now,” she admitted, “so I don’t remember all of it. However, here were the key points.” Ella held up one finger. “You’re not getting out of this. Two, I have never met a man whose will to live you couldn’t break. You will own Yuri within two weeks, I know you! And three, you have me, your emotional support animal.”
“The reality here is that youaregetting what you want. Not exactly the way you want, but you’re getting it.” She smiled, trying to straighten my dress, “There’s no point in trying to bolt because I’m pretty sure the priest would marry you two even if you said ‘no,’ so let’s brush your hair and touch up your makeup because we probably have five minutes before Ivan’s coming through that door again, okay?”
Yuri…
“Do you remember that time we were climbing trees in the forest around the estate and your branch broke? You fell and as I remember, landed on your head?”
I sighed, cracking my neck irritably. “Is this story going somewhere, brother?”
“Your expression right now is identical to the one you had then, flat on your back, lying in the pine needles,” Maksim supplied helpfully.
“Thank you, that is very uplifting,” I said dryly.
“You are quite welcome.” He slapped my back.
