Page 105 of Untamed

And then there are the guards.

Armed men stand at every corner and entrance, their black suits pressed and sharp, not even bothering to hide their guns.

Well, then. I guess this is how we roll now.

They’re not subtle. Neither is the Bratva wealth that exudes from the entire setting as well as every person here—the stretch of imported cars, the perfectly curated lawn, even frozen in mid-winter.

Rodion steps out first and adjusts his tie. My god, why is that so sexy? My romance-cultured brain short-circuits at the sight of him dressed in a tux I had barely processed before now. We were so rushed, and I was so nervous. He fills out the suit with perfection, his tall, lithe, powerful form barely contained. The tiniest hint of a tat peeks out from under his collar, his eyes somehow both serious and dancing.

My heart swells. I love that about him. I love that so much.

He holds a hand out to me silently, palm up. It feels oddly symbolic. I wish I could capture it in a picture. For now, I’ll have to commit it to memory.

His hand is rough as I place mine in his. The warmth of his touch is the only thing grounding me as I step into the cold air.

Every eye is on us. I know somewhere out there, Shawn takes in every detail.

I hope he notes myfuture husbandin detail.

Rodion’s grip tightens as he leans down to whisper in my ear, “Smile, little queen. Everyone’s watching.”

I lift my chin, my heart pounding against my rib cage, and let him lead me forward.

“Ember. I’m Ekaterina Romanova. Welcome.” A woman with a swath of silver hair tucked into a bun smiles at me, her eyes sternyet welcoming. Ah. A woman with a spine of steel but with heart. I like that. I suppose it’s a combo that would serve a woman of the Bratva well.

She extends a hand, and I take it gratefully. Next, she turns to Rodion. “And welcome, Rodion. I’ve heard you two have quite the circumstances surrounding this whole ordeal.” Stepping back, she leans into my ear. “I love romance too, Ember. It’s so…escapist,isn’t it?” With that, she turns and gestures for us to follow her.

“Fortunately, we were in full preparation for tonight’s gala, so a simple wedding ceremony was easy to pull off.”

She goes on about flowers and food, a simple guest list and plans, while I follow Rodion, his family trailing behind us.

I can feel the tension beneath Rodion’s calm exterior, his pulse rapid.

“It’s freezing out here. They didn’t all have to come out,” I say in a small voice to Rodion as he opens the door.

“They came out in case they’re needed.”

Ah. So beneath those elegant, sleek clothes, they’re all armed to the teeth.

Yana winks at me, and little Zoya squeezes my hand as Ekaterina leads us into an elegant living room. I barely notice the details.

I’m about to be married.

“Aren’t there… legal things we need to do?” I ask Rodion.

“Taken care of.”

I give him a half smile, and he snorts under his breath. “Competency porn?” he whispers.

“Mhm.”

At the sight of the officiant, however, I freeze.

This is real.

I’m going to be married.In real life.

Into the Bratva.

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