Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I stare at him. I want to believe. I want to believe so much. But I’m not sure.
“I had thought we would have a marriage in name only. For appearances only. We’d have separate bedrooms. I’d let you do your thing, and you’d let me do mine. But meeting you felt like destiny. And then I didn’t care what method fate used to bring us together, I wasn’t going to walk away from a gift like you.“
Tears spill down my cheeks, and I suck in a sobbed breath. I clap a hand over my mouth to hold it in.
“I’m so fucking sorry I hurt you, Lara. Please forgive me.“
There’s a question in his gaze, but before I can answer, he says, “Brash is dead, but I’m not giving you up.” A fierce expression settles on the hard lines of his face.
“I don’t want you to give me up,” I choke.
“Oh, baby. Malyshka.” He rises a little to cup my face. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, Baron.” I throw my arms around him, knocking him down to the floor of the van. He takes me with him, pulling my body over his, so he can wrap his arms around me.
“Marry me, Lara,” he murmurs.
I smile. “We’re already married. Or was that a lie, too?”
Baron rolls us to our sides, so we’re nose to nose. “Not a lie. We’re married. You're mine. But I want a do-over. Call me a modern guy, but I want my bride willing. Consensual weddings are all the rage now.”
“You want the wedding with the white dress?” I tease him, remembering what he said to me the day we married.
We’ll have a do-over later. You get to have the ring you want. And the dress you pick out. Flowers. All your friends and family there to celebrate.
He kisses the bridge of my nose. “I want it all with you. A proper courtship. A wedding. Mad love. I want to know all your secrets. To be your best friend.” He swallows. “To be the father of your children.”
“You want kids?” I’m suddenly catapulted out into space. No earth is under my feet. No gravity. Just stars winking from every direction.
He nods, searching my face. Looking like he’s holding his breath.
I see it–a future with Benjamin Baranov. The future I never imagined. A real marriage with true love and children. The kind of love my parents have. Ben would make an incredible father. He’d move mountains to make sure his children had everything they could ever need. He’d sacrifice his life to keep them safe and happy. Just like I know he’d do for me.
“Yes,” I whisper.
A boyish grin splits Baron’s face. “Yeah?”
I laugh. “Did you think I’d say no?”
Pain clouds his eyes. “I wasn’t sure. I was afraid I’d lost you forever.” His brows slam together. “Not to Brash–I wasn’t going to ever let that man have you. But after I got you free…” He exhales. “I didn’t know if you’d forgive me. You got jacked around hard by your dad and me. That’s a lot to forgive and forget.”
A tight band closes around my throat.
“Not to mention the fact that you had a life in Paris. If you want to go back to it, I will–” He swallows, and I can practically see the quick calculations taking place in that brilliant brain of his.
“I will figure it out. I’ll move there to be with you. Leo can run Baranov House. You’re what matters.”
My chest gets tight. He would give everything up for me. Everything he’s built–an entire kingdom. People he feels responsible to protect. His business enterprises.
“I don’t want to leave Baranov House.”
I realize it’s true. Even when I ran from Baron, I knew I’d be back. Knew that was where I belonged. Baranov House with its lively occupants is home for me now.
I needed space in that moment, but I wanted him to fight for me. To make it right. To convince me to come back and rule by his side.
I love this man. In a miniscule amount of time, he’s become my everything. My present and, yes, I can see it now–my future.
Joy ignites in Baron’s expression, and he kisses me hard. “I love you, Lara.”
His lips feel different.
When he breaks the kiss I touch them lightly with my fingertips. His lower lip is split and swollen. “How did you get this?”
Baron shakes his head dismissively, like he doesn’t want me to worry about it. “Brash’s men. After you left.”
Anger thrusts up my throat. While Brash was whisking me to the airport, he left his men to beat my husband. I wish I could’ve killed him myself. Brash was pure evil. How did I not see it?
Baron sees my distress and strikes my hair back from my face. “It’s over now.”
“He’s over,” I say. “We’re just beginning.”