Page 101 of A Devious Arrangement

His brows pull together, and a tiredness descends over his features.

“You don’t have to do any of this.” I gesture to the room around us currently teaming with the Everette family’s men. “I’m not a little kid anymore. You don’t have to keep giving things up to take care of me.”

“I never felt like I had to give things up for you, Ana.” Nikolai turns sharp eyes on Bash. “Questionable decisions aside, you’ve always been more than capable of taking care of yourself. And if you really do love this guy…I’m happy for you.”

Warmth rolls through me, and I lean my weight into Bash. “I really am happy. But are you really okay with taking over the Romanov organization?”

“They did a lot of shady shit, and there’s even more to atone for. It’s my job to root out all of the poison from our family.” His voice is dark, menacing. Nothing like his usual tone.

I lower my jaw, looking up at him. “Is it your job though? You don’t have to take responsibility for any of this.”

A shadow crosses his eyes as he replies. “You got your revenge on our grandmother. It’s time for me to go find mine.”

Epilogue

Bash

My fingers tap against my leg as a jittery sensation builds under my skin. There’s sweat on the back of my neck, but it has nothing to do with the strength of the beating sun. My gaze is fixed down the aisle, pinned on the door where Anastasia is supposed to emerge. The growing sound of children’s voices as they grow frustrated from sitting too long is quickly followed by Matthias’s chastising tone for them to behave.

My lips tip up when that backfires on him, all five of them climbing from their seats, now arguing with my older brother. Xander laughs on my left when Matthias promises ice cream if they can just make it through the ceremony.

That works. They all sit still, quiet like angels I know they’re not.

The moment of distraction doesn’t last long, and I’m back to my stare as tension grows under my skin and my neck prickles under my collar. A quick glance tells me she’s fifteen minutes late.

I’m gnawing on the inside of my cheek when Xander taps his shoulder against mine. “Maybe she came to her senses and ran away.”

“You can fuck right off,” I shoot back, ignoring the queasy, swirling sensation that grows in my gut. My jaw twitches. I can’t put it past her, but she’s delusional if she thinks I’ll let her get far.

“I texted Misty. You’re fine,” Damon reassures me from his spot as the officiant.

Relief flows in my veins, relaxing my shoulders like an anesthetic. “I wasn’t worried.”

“Uh-huh…sure,” Xander replies, and I’m about to elbow him when the music kicks on and the door finally opens.

Misty steps out first, followed by Scarlet. I’m sure they look amazing, but all I can see is Anastasia. She’s chosen a simple silk slip-like dress that skims below her knees and hugs every one of her curves. Her hair’s free around her shoulders, bright red catching in the sunlight, making her look wild. Like an untameable flame that’s willingly tying herself to me.

My breath catches, and my lungs collapse inward with each of her agonizingly slow steps as she closes the distance between us that I’ve grown to despise. If I had it my way, we’d never be more than a few feet apart.

My throat grows thick, and the back of my eyes burns as she comes to stand in front of me. I exhale in a whoosh when blue eyes glinting with tears burn into mine.

Her chin wobbles when she lets out a soft “Hi.”

I spent days preparing exactly what I’d say at this moment, but she’s wiped all my thoughts, leaving only one left. “You’re beautiful.”

She gives me a watery smile, so sweet that I can feel my own tears forming at the corner of my eyes. I reach out, twisting a long strand of her crimson hair around my finger, my gaze focused on her mouth.

Damon clears his throat, breaking the moment. “Let’s get this over with.”

That earns him a sharp look from Misty.

If this fucking bastard thinks he’s going to ruin this day… I glare up at him, but he gives me the knowing wink of a man who’d been just as impatient to marry his own wife.

“Sebastian, you have something prepared?”

My nose crinkles at the sound of my full name coming from Damon. There’s only one person who manages to make it sound good.

Anastasia’s fingers curl into mine, and their slight tremble has me snapping back to the present.

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