Page 127 of Till Death Do Us Part

I stared at her a minute before I broke out into a smile. “You’re welcome to try it, small fry.”

She slapped my back good-naturedly. “Once it’s not your wedding day, I’ll remember you said that.”

I chuckled as I turned back to the door, striding over the wood floor, off to see my wife.

Off to live a life with her.

And to be happy.

elaine

It wasn’t like I’d married Vera for the money. I mean, I’d married her to not get murdered, but it wasn’t like I’d stayed with her for the money.

But admittedly, I didn’t mind getting flown to Paris for a wedding.

The hotel was beautiful and luxurious, and I’d had an incredible morning waking up next to Vera—the woman I was going to profess my love to and reaffirm my love for in a proper wedding this time—in the most stunning hotel room I’d ever seen, with a classical Parisian balcony wrapped in ivy with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

We went out to have a luxurious breakfast at a restaurant across from the hotel, and then the next thing I knew, I was getting whisked through the wedding preparations, a team bigger than I’d ever imagined gathered to make me beautiful for my wife.

I teared up seeing myself in the wedding dress—the dress Vera had bought me back when we’d first met, fitted with more fabric and beautifully shaped to make the most stunning vintage-style wedding dress. And Caitlyn, there with me for the fitting, smiled sweetly at me in the mirror.

“You look beautiful,” she said.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whispered. “I can’t believe…”

“That you’ve come this far?”

I nodded. She squeezed my arm.

“You’ve always had this in you. I know you have.”

I wiped my eyes. “Caitlyn… you know better than anyone how it feels like everything’s changed so quickly.”

She laughed, eyes misting. “The thing that changed was that now you have a family that appreciates you.”

“It’s so strange that… I don’t want her here, but to know Mom isn’t attending my wedding…”

She nodded, looking down. “I know. But…”

“And that I have to find a way to explain to Matt why this is so luxurious without admitting I’ve married an assassin.”

She laughed. “I already had the chat. He thinks Vera runs an investment banking firm.”

“I think that’s worse. But at least it’s legal.” I wiped my eyes again, turning back to the mirror. “I don’t know how I’ve gotten here. But this is where I want to be.”

“Then let’s go,” she said, squeezing my hand. “I’m glad I get to see you marry the woman you love.”

“I’m glad… I get to have my family here for it. You and everyone else.” I took a long breath, and I turned to her. “Speaking of which, I meant to ask you something. When I asked her why she’d suddenly made a huge donation to my old library in the middle of all the wedding preparation, she just told me to ask you…”

She laughed, shrugging. “Who knows?” she said, a gleam in her eyes. “I can’t quite figure out your wife.”

She definitely knew something she wasn’t letting on. But I didn’t get to question her any longer before we were both whisked along to finish getting ready, and before I knew it, I was waiting in the wings with my heart pounding. The hotel terrace, a stunning space full of flowers and drapery and a close-up view of the Eiffel Tower, was alive with activity, and it didn’t make sense how nervous I was for a ceremony to marry the woman I was already married to.

“Ms. Whitner,” a voice said, cutting through the nerves, and I looked back at where Yulia strode into the room, smiling slyly at me. “Pleasure to see you here.”

I stood up taller. “Yulia—I thought you couldn’t make it to this.”

“I convinced my patrons to see reason. This is an important diplomatic event. And it won’t do to neglect the patronage between Whitecliff and Penumbra. To that end, I’ve brought you a gift.”