Rafael takes my chin between his fingers. The corner of his lips tilts into a barely-there smirk. “Are you fishing for compliments now, Vasilisa?”
“Maybe?” I sniff.
“You are so beautiful, that every time I’m with you, I have the urge to pinch myself to prove you’re real.” He pulls my face closer to his. “And you’re pretty on the outside, too.”
Something between a laugh and a whimper escapes me. Setting my palms on his cheeks, I slam my mouth to his. “I will never forgive you for letting yourself get shot. And I’ll never forgive my father.”
“Don’t be so hard on him. I would have done the same in Roman’s place.” He bites my lip. “Does he know we’re married?”
“Nope.”
“I’m sure he’ll be beyond thrilled.”
“He’ll grumble a bit, but—”
“WHAT?!” A loud male yell explodes outside the room. “That сволочь made my little girl MARRY HIM?”
The door flies open with such force that it slams into the adjacent wall, and my father steps inside. Irate doesn’t even come close to describing the look on his face. Unbridled rage. Savage indignation. His breathing is deep and slow. A sound akin to a bull’s snort leaves his chest with each exhale. The picture is made more perfect by the way his nostrils flare with each gasp.
“You!” he roars. “You scheming”—inhale—“lying”—inhale—“stealing . . . motherfucker.”
“Roman!” My mother’s squeal erupts somewhere behind him, and, a second later, she squeezes between my father’s body and the doorframe. Then, she presses her palms to his chest. “Leave them alone!”
“I’m going to kill him!” Dad yells while Mom tries to push him out of the room. “I’m going to skin him alive and hang his hide over my office window as a curtain!”
“Don’t mind him,” my mom chirps, grinning at us over her shoulder. “He’s just really excited about the news and can’t find words to express his happiness. Aren’t you, kotik?”
“I won’t be using a knife, oh no,” the pakhan keeps roaring while Mom maneuvers him backward. “I’ll use a fucking potato peeler. You’re going to make amazing burlap drapes, De Santi! And every time your remnants rustle in the breeze, I’ll remember your screams of agony!”
“We’ll come back later,” Mom whispers with a slightly comical, irritated look and slams the door shut in their wake.
I look at Rafael.
He has a very smug grin on his face. “Well . . . I don’t think we’ll be heading out fishing together anytime soon.”
I laugh and kiss him.
Epilogue
One month later
The two-story modern white house looms before us, bathed in the soft glow of the sunset. My father-in-law’s home. I park the car in the empty spot next to the flower bed and turn off the engine.
“Remember what we agreed on,” Vasilisa says as she checks her makeup in the sun visor mirror. “You will not rile my dad up. He’s still mad at you for ‘stealing’ my wedding day. This will be our first . . . um, normal gathering with my family, so let’s keep it civil.”
“Sure.” I take the mascara tube from her hand and throw it onto the seat behind me.
“Hey! What—”
“I’ll behave. But I think I need some incentive.” I push my seat back, then wrap my hands around her tiny waist and lift her over the console and onto my lap.
“Rafael, we’re not having sex in my father’s driveway.”
“No?” I unfasten the first button of her silky blouse. “In case you forgot, my doctor said I’m still recovering. No stressful situations whatsoever are allowed. And one part of my anatomy feels rather stressed at the moment.” I push the sides of her blouse apart and nip her breast.
“We can work on calming your cock after dinner,” Vasilisa murmurs.
My hand trails down her ribcage, then lower, to cup her exposed pussy. Her satin panties were left discarded somewhere on my plane. Guiding my thumb between her slick folds, I find her sweet bud and start circling. A couple of light strokes at first, then I apply slightly more pressure before sliding my finger inside her heat.
“Changed your mind?” I keep teasing her clit with my thumb while listening to her soft little moans of pleasure.
“Yup,” Vasilisa chokes out, riding my finger and unzipping my pants.
I’m hard as a fucking rock, to the point of pain. I almost come when she wraps her hand around my cock to pull it out. The degree to which I’m obsessed with my wife is unparalleled. She only needs to touch me—or simply threaten to slice my throat—and I’m a goner.
Slipping my hands under her ass, I position her above my dick and start slowly lowering this incredible woman in my arms. My brain is fried before I’m even halfway inside her.
Two dark eyes bore into mine from between the long black strands covering her face. Piercing. A little feral. Mine.
It’s still somewhat unreal that I get to have her as my own.
“I’m not sure I can ever show you how much I love you, Vasilisa.”
“You already have, you lunatic,” she whispers, taking more of me inside. “Try pulling another stunt like that, and I swear I’ll strangle you to death.”
My cock twitches violently inside her pussy, and I barely contain my imminent orgasm. I thrust into her from below, filling her completely, and capture her lips with mine at the same time.
