Page 26 of Forbidden Vows

Ronan shakes his head. “Honey, we talked about this.”

“It’smylife!Mywedding! She can do her thing at the hospital and meet us later at the reception,” she says. “I worked so hard on those menus,” she whines.

“We’ll set another date,” I say, though there is zero intention behind my words. She’s small and perky, and she looks up at me with doe eyes. Any man would fall prey to that gaze of Ciara’s. Not me. I tried. But then Eileen unwittingly reminded me that I don’t belong with her stepsister. “I’ll let the guests know. In the meantime, I’ll pay for the restaurant and tell them to head over there and enjoy the menu and the drinks, on me, for their trouble.”

“Oh, Anton.”

“I insist. Today is not a good day. Eileen’s episode must’ve been a sign from above,” I reply, tapping into Ronan’s spiritual side. The man still goes to Sunday services. I know what buttons to push.

“He’s right,” the old man says, looking pale. “We should just pull the plug on everything and regroup. I need to head to the hospital to check on Eileen. You should come with me, Ciara.”

“No, I’m fine.” She crosses her arms, sulking.

“He’s right, Ciara. You should go with him and see your stepsister,” I gently suggest.

She raises an eyebrow at me. “I’ll see her when she gets home.”

“Ciara…” Ronan tries to plead with her, but the princess has made up her mind.

Yet another reason why this won’t work. I can’t end it here, though. I need to talk to Andrei. I need confirmation from the hospital, as well, one way or another. Eileen would never tell me, and the situation is far too delicate for me to take a Karpov hammer to it.

“It’s alright,” I tell them both. “You go to the hospital, Ronan. Let me know how Eileen is faring. And you should have a doctor look at you as well. You look rather out of sorts, my friend.”

“I’m fine. It’s just this whole wedding nonsense. I’ve got one daughter disappointed and the other in the hospital. I’m trying to figure out a way to fix everything.”

“You can’t; not today, anyway,” I reply. “Let’s take it one day at a time.” I turn to Ciara. “You should go to the restaurant, at least. Have some of the pink champagne you like, and we’ll talk tomorrow. How about that?”

Here come the puppy eyes again. “Aren’t you coming with me?”

“I have some business issues to deal with. Might as well get it out of the way so I can fully focus on us in the weeks to come.”

Ciara doesn’t like being told no. But there’s no wedding band on my finger yet, so she knows to contain her displeasure to mere passive-aggressiveness.

I leave Ciara with her father, then make my way back to the Karpov offices, where Andrei is already waiting. He and Laura left as soon as Eileen was taken by the ambulance—both knowing full well that there would be no wedding to attend today.

“Well, this day didn’t turn out the way I’d expected,” Andrei says, comfortably seated in the guest chair by the window of my office. “How’s the bride-to-be faring?”

“Petulant and fussy, as usual.”

I pour myself a double whiskey, then offer my brother one as well. He takes the glass with an appreciative nod. “I’ll have Demi drive you and your car back to your place if you need him,” Andrei says. “Might as well finish this bottle while we’re here.”

“It’s not really professional, but for once, I agree with you,” I say as I sit down at my desk.

I run my fingers along the glass top, fully aware that my brother is watching and analyzing my every move. “Why is that?” he asks.

“Why’s what?”

“Why do you agree with me? You rarely drink at the office, Anton. Are you really that miffed about your wedding day?”

I shake my head slowly. “No, I’m relieved.”

“Okay, you’ve got my attention,” he chuckles. “What’s going on?”

“I’m going to blow it all up.”

Andrei stares at me for a long confused second. “Blow what up?”

“The marriage agreement.”

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