I made sure we had a photographer, because I wanted to remember every moment, right from when she got out of the black cab, holding her bouquet and climbed the steps to come inside and meet me.
She was beaming ear to ear, looking perfect and stylish and far, far too trendy for me in a little fifties style dress that nipped in with a broad belt at the waist and hugged her hips, shoulders bare like some kind of film star. Lipstick red to match her shoes. A little hat instead of a veil.
She looked like a million dollars and change. I was the luckiest man alive.
Next to her, Cassie had on dress pants and a silky blouse and even Mitch had squeezed himself into a suit and tie.
The registrar explained all the legals bits and asked us questions ahead of funneling our small party into the ceremony room. We read out legal vows from a piece of paper. No one mentioned that it was odd Elizabeth already had my surname.
Maybe it should have meant less than it did, being a civil ceremony in the town hall, but those vows were like a magical spell, and they had power running right through them.
When I said I’d have her and hold her, in sickness and health until death do us part, I felt the gravity of it all go right through me. Grounding me, binding us together. Elizabeth welled up, pretty dark eyes glinting up at me.
“Christ, Love, don’t cry.”
She sniffed hard, wiping her tears away and shook her head, laughing at herself. “I’m just so happy.”
“Me too.”
We said I do, and Cassie let out a shout and there was a cloud of rose petals showering down.
Somehow we were jogging down the steps, wrapped up in each other’s arms, ducking for cover under an umbrella Mitch held out because the heavens had decided to open.
Elizabeth stopped right there in the middle of the Kings Road and kissed me, long and deep until I pulled her hard up against me, hands at the small of her back, wanting to pull her so close there was no distance between us at all.
“You know what this is?” I asked her, and Elizabeth shook her head.
“God’s crying, because I’m your husband now, and I bet you he was hoping to keep you for himself.”
CHAPTER 38
Maxim
“You’re going to need to find another torpedo, Valentin.”
His face went very still and he leaned forward towards the screen, swishing the glass he had in his hand. The amber coloured liquid looked like cognac and if I knew wealthy Russians, it would be. No one keen to show off their wealth and status drank Vodka in the motherland any longer. Other spirits were preferred. They showed a more discerning palate, demonstrated a bigger bank balance. “I think I didn’t hear you properly, Maxim.”
“You did. I need to reevaluate my career choices.”
Valentin frowned at me through the screen, and I was quite glad we weren’t in the same room. The man clearly had a few choice words he would have shared, if he thought threatening me was worth it, but that became harder to do over such a distance.
“It’s this girl, yes? All of my best men are finding love.”
“It’s more than that, Valentin. I’m going to be a father.”
His eyes lit up and he raised his glass. “Congratulations my friend!”
I nodded, unable to keep the proud smile from stealing onto my face. I had a long history with Valentin and I could tell he was truly happy for me, despite the fallout that came with the news.
“You will want time off, of course. We can arrange that. There is no need to cut everything off completely, Maxim. We understand these things. You are like family to us.”
“I know. I owe you a lot. But I won’t be able to work out of London any longer. Elizabeth has to leave. I will go with her.”
“Where to?”
“I have some options.”
Valentin’s frown wrinkled. “No. This will not do. You will go to Miami. Enjoy the beach. Elizabeth will have the baby. You will spend time together. She will recover. Everyone goes to Miami. In two-three months, you will be desperate for me to send you another name.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so, Valentin.”
“No? You will, what work a security job? So do that for us.”
“I don’t want to travel around all over the place. I want to see my child grow up. ”
He let out a breath. “I understand. That’s disappointing. Timoshenko will be sad to hear that.”
I nodded. “It’s a shame. We’ve worked well together.”
He let out a controlled breath and he rubbed at the back of his neck, leaning forward. “Is there anything we can do to change your mind, Maxim, brother to brother. I would hate for you to step out from under our roof.”