Page 113 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

I’d laid my claim on her since the first time I saw her at that funeral. I knew right then and there that I wanted her, and I was going to do whatever it took to get her. The pregnancy scare only intensified my need to make sure she was bound to me.

“Whatever.” She waved her hand, the ring glinting in the overhead light. “Don’t forget I only agreed to this marriage because you promised to help me find the people responsible for my father’s death.”

I’d made that promise, and I was going to keep it.

Contrary to what she thought, I’d not only decided to marry her to fulfill my own needs and possessiveness. I’d done it because it was the best decision I could make to keep her safe.

Without this marriage, she was just the girl who had a clue about the shipment everyone was trying to lay their hands on. To the outsiders, she would be nothing but my prisoner and an easy target for them to track down and use to their advantage.

But Andrei Yezhov’s wife, even the sound of her name, would make our enemies tremble with fear. Only a madman would try to get their hands on her, knowing what I was capable of doing to them for touching what was mine.

It was now also legally my responsibility to find her father’s killers and help her get her revenge on them. Plus, keeping her close came with its own advantage; she would have no choice but to help me find the Tyfun-1.

Our marriage was all pros and no cons.

Egor wasn’t going to be overly excited about this, however. He had been concerned that I would get distracted, but I reassured him that wouldn’t happen.

“You have my word.”

A skeptical look fluttered in her eyes as she watched me, but she didn’t protest. “And my mother…I don’t want her to find out about this wedding. She won’t take the news too well, so Iplan to visit her in Oregon and explain things to her after all of this is over.”

“I already made sure of it.”

“Thank you.” Her eyes were cloudy with sadness. “I always thought Dad would walk me down the aisle, and we’d at least have a dance at my wedding. Now look at me, getting married only weeks after his funeral and not having even my mom or best friend present.”

A lump formed in my throat to her sadness. She was supposed to be happy today—as happy as I was.

I couldn’t make her wish come true. I couldn’t bring her father back, but I was going to find the people who took him away from her and make them pay for what they did; that was a promise.

She exhaled loudly, and her tongue darted out, swiping over her lips. “The wedding is starting in an hour; you need to leave.”

I raised my shoulders, completely clueless as to why she was asking me to leave.

She hissed, “You’re the groom. You can’t see the bride while she gets ready for the wedding. It’s tradition.”

I threw my hands up, feeling defeated. “Fine, I’ll leave. I already know you’ll look gorgeous in that wedding dress anyway.”

I winked at her, and she shook her head.

A smile curled on my lips as I left the room.

***

Beautiful.

Jaw-dropping.

Stunning.

Those three words didn’t hold a candle to Giselle’s beauty as she walked toward me, beaming with a smile.

Her gown flowed around her like a wisp of cloud, the delicate lace clinging to her curves. The sunlight glinted off the intricate embroidery, making her look ethereal.

Her dark hair cascaded in soft waves, a veil draped over her shoulders, but it did nothing to hide the radiance of her face.

Breathtaking.

That was the only word I could use to describe her. Nothing compared to her beauty today, not even the afternoon filtering through the delicate canopy of flowers arching over the altar or the bouquet of white roses she was holding.