Page 72 of Cruel Redemption

“Are you going to wear the white dress?” he asked.

I laughed. “The crumpled one on the bedroom floor? No. I have something else.”

“Nothing? We could do a naked wedding.” He chased me to the shower.

“Get out,” I squealed at him. “We’ve already seen each other and had sex before the wedding. The least you can do is let me surprise you.”

“Fine.” He stepped back from the shower. I saw it in his eyes. It was what I was feeling. I didn’t want him to leave either. Even for a minute. Somehow, he carried himself out of the bathroom and got dressed for our wedding.

* * *

It was small. It was simple. It was fast. By 10:15 we were married. The justice who had met us at the Noctem Global offices seemed nervous to perform the ceremony. I wondered if he knew who we were or if was usually nervous. This place was fitting. It was where we had signed all our contracts. It made sense we would sign the one that would last the rest of our lives there too.

Katya stood next to me, while baby Enzo slept in a bassinet in the corner of my office. Nothing could wake that baby up from a nap, not even a wedding. Ciro hovered by the door, not thrilled with the plan, but not willing to miss it either. Barbara had brought a small cake and a bottle of champagne.

We exchanged the vows required by the state, knowing that the ones that really mattered were the ones we spoke to each other in the dark when no one else could hear. The intimate words. The private words that represented who were really were to each other. This legal document didn’t do it justice.

Barbara popped the champagne and filled glasses for everyone. Katya sipped hers.

“I’m glad you are officially my sister.” She hugged me. “I don’t know why it took him so long to propose.”

I eyed Luka across the room. He and Ciro were discussing something.

“I think the timing was just what everyone needed.” I smiled. We had everything ahead of us. The baby cooed in his sleep. I looked at him wistfully. Was that what was next? A baby in the office? Maybe two babies in the office.

“Thank you for bringing the dress.

“Of course. I’m surprised you didn’t want a big wedding.”

I shook my head. My husband winked at me. “No, this suits us much better.”

She exhaled. “I’m going to get more champagne and then Ciro promised to drive Enzo and me back to the house.”

“Good.” I drifted over to Barbara to thank her for putting everything together so quickly. Luka had entrusted her with the flowers.

“I hear you’re going to France for a couple of weeks.”

“Luka seems to think that since Crescent Towers is open it’s the perfect time before we break ground on the next project.”

Barbara shrugged. “If I had just married that, I’d go wherever in the hell he wanted me to go.”

I laughed. “I agreed.”

Our glasses clinked together in a toast. Thirty minutes later and the cake was packed up and the champagne was empty. Ciro carried the baby gear for Katya and she followed behind him with the baby.

Luka and I watched them leave in the elevator.

“Dinner tonight at Crescent Towers and then we leave for Paris in the morning.” Luka made it seem like a statement instead of an invitation, but I knew he was excited. He had been planning this surprise wedding attack for months.

“All right. But I need to pack. I’ve got to go to my house. It was sweet of your sister to bring me the dress for the wedding, but I can’t ask her or Bella to pack for the honeymoon.”

“We’ll buy all new clothes in Paris.”

I laughed. “That sounds great. But I have a pair of pajamas I want. And my toothbrush.” I eyed him.

“You’re not going to be wearing any pajamas on this honeymoon.”

He snaked his arm around my waist. “I’ve got to go. See you for dinner?”

---