Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 76915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Again, I was struck by a profound jealousy. I wanted that with Mishka. I wanted to please her. To protect her. To watch over her, making her wellbeing and happiness my priority for the rest of my life.
Long may it be.
I had never concerned myself with such things before. Life was life. I valued mine, and my brothers, but no one else’s, other than Anastasia. No one else’s existence was of consequence.
That was changing though. For example, I had cared about her father. That had surprised me, though it shouldn’t have. And I cared about the old man’s life now more than ever.
But there had been a spark of goodness inside me.
I stepped outside to FaceTime her father. My heart was hammering in my chest. He looked good, and happy to see me.
“I had intended to speak to you in person, and for that I apologize. I do plan to bring Mishka to see you on our journey home, but I do not want to wait. I am asking for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Before the man could speak, I launched into a set of plans I had for her. For us. For our future.
“My intention is to insulate Mishka from the unsavory side of the business, while also removing myself from those elements. My brothers will be happy to assist in this transition. I propose a traditional marriage, with Mishka free to pursue her music, and have children if she chooses to do so. I will leave that decision to her. I only wish to be with her, for the rest of my life. With your blessing of course.”
“Have you discussed this with my daughter?” Barlov asked, trying and failing to look severe. He was too jovial. And I knew that the old man liked me.
I could see his answer in the crinkling of his eyes at my next words.
“I believe she will be amenable. She is… fond of me,” I said, choosing to be chivalrous and not let the man know that his daughter had spent the morning in naked splendor with me. There was no need to spell it out for him. With the way I had spoken it was implied.
His daughter was fond of me. Of that I had no doubt. Did she love me? I believed that she did. Was she as in love with me as I was with her?
That was simply not possible, so I did not worry about it.
A man should love his woman more. It made sense. I would protect and care for her tender heart and beautiful soul. I promised all of this to Barlov and more until he was smiling and saying yes.
I promised again to take care of her. We said goodbye, knowing we would be shaking hands in person in a manner of days, if not hours. Our next flight would be to Switzerland, then home. I would take Mishka on a honeymoon after our formal wedding in Moscow.
With the matter of her father settled, I tried very hard to ignore the matter of my father. I had no idea if he would care one way or the other, but if he did, there was a very good chance that all hell would break loose.
Thus, the hurried wedding in a barn, on a beautiful, sunny day in Northern California.
Next, I had to speak to Preacher.
And my brothers. I was certain that they would be happy for us. Once Alexie got over losing the bet. I grinned suddenly, remembering Andrei’s predictions. I had not doubted them, even back then. Somehow it had all sounded like the natural order of things coming to fruition. I had not resisted, or scoffed, or panicked, the way so many confirmed bachelors might have. I just listened, and a part of me answered, deep inside me, with a resounding ‘yes’.
And now now it was time to put that mystical ‘yes’ into full three-dimensional reality.
“Preacher, do you have a moment?”
My brother’s both perked up in their seats. They were drinking heavily, bloody Mary’s and straight vodka from what I could tell, but they both knew something was up. They followed Preacher and I out into the sunshine.
I was making a habit of having serious conversations lately. Today in particular. Not that I was ever really lighthearted before, but right now? I was as serious as a communist era tax collector.
And yet I was smiling.
“Feel like officiating an impromptu wedding?”
“Now? Today? You and that pretty little Russian doll?”
“Yes. And keep your eyes, and your hands, off her.”
“And your lips,” Andrei added. We all knew Preacher’s history of kissing brides and interfering at weddings. That was all before he met the lovely Cynthia, of course.
“Goddamn it. I love that damned horse,” Alexei added. Andrei cracked a smile. I tried to hide mine. My brothers could easily afford the wager. It was just juicy enough to sting a bit.