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I close the distance between us before Laila can refuse. With one arm banded around her lower back and a hand cradling her cheek, I lower my mouth to hers.
The regret is instantaneous. The second she gasps against my lip, her full mouth parting to give me better access, the beast I thought I tamed is wild again. One night with her wasn’t enough. A million nights with her might not be enough.
This poor priest is witnessing the most unholy union ever made.
I drag Laila’s body against mine, the child we created protected between us, and dip her low. I sweep my tongue into her mouth, tasting her for the first time in way too fucking long.
I’m waiting for her to claw my face or send a knee between my legs. To hiss, to scream, to fight. Instead, her hand fists in the collar of my shirt… and she pulls me closer.
I do, her touch says.I take this man.
I’m seconds away from absolutely ravaging her right on this rickety excuse for an altar… when someone coughs.
Laila’s tongue dances across my bottom lip and her fingers are snaking up my neck, but I force myself to break the kiss. I grip her hips and gently ease her back, making sure she’s on steady footing before I release her and step away.
Her eyes are glassy, her lips swollen. I was right to stay away for so long. This thing between us is too messy. Too dangerous to touch.
It would be so much easier if I could hate Laila the way I hated Natascha.
She presses a hand to her lips. “I…”
Her voice trails off and she lets the sentence slip away unfinished. Then she turns, finally making a run for it.
Too late for that, though. The damage is done.
Dominik steps into her path and puts his hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”
If she responds, I don’t hear it. She hurries out of the room without a backward glance.
Father Orlov is beyond ready to leave this chaos behind. He’s white-knuckling his Bible like he’s never seen such devil-minded heathens before.
He might be right.
I show him to the door. “Thank you for being here on such short notice, Father.”
“Thank you for giving me the… honor.” He takes one last look around the house. “The last time I was in this house, your mother was still with us. It’s nice to see that you’ve left it as she intended.”
“Father, it goes without saying that what happened here tonight?—”
“—is confidential,” he finishes. “I understand that. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He’s halfway out the door when he turns back. “Your mother was a fine woman, Arsen. She would have been happy to know that you were married by a priest. It was always so important to her.”
I incline my head and watch him leave. If my mother was right and there is an afterlife where she can look after me, I hope she was looking the other way.
When I walk back inside, I hear low voices in the living room. Gedeon and Dominik are close together, speaking softly. Their voices cut off when I enter the room.
“Don’t stop on my account,” I drawl. “In fact, head on up and wake Laila. I’m sure she’d love to get in on this, too. Since you are all so close.”
Dominik’s hands clench into fists. “Where do you get off being pissed at me?”
“Alright now.” Gedeon steps between us. “It’s late. None of us have slept in a long time. Maybe we should table this conversation until?—”
“You gave her no freaking warning!” Dominik explodes. “You dragged her out of bed without an explanation and coerced her into marriage!”
“My wife is none of your business.”
“You might be right there,” he spits. “But my friend is my business.”
