Page 89 of The Healing Touch

“That came out wrong, Rebecca. I’m sorry. No, I’m not marrying you for any of those reasons, even though they are valid ones.” He held up a hand when she went to argue. “I want to marry you today for the same reason I asked you a year ago. I love you. I can’t breathe without seeing you when I wake up and feeling myself inside you at night. I’m not whole without you,Krasivaya. I’m possessive. I’m dominant. I want my name and stamp all over you. I like my marks on your body the same way I like that engagement ring on your finger. I want my wedding ring to rest there. I want everyone to know you belong to me and only me. I want them to understand how much I love you and the depths I would go to make you happy and safe.”

He stood and went to her, placing his hand on her stomach. It had never really been flat, so he hadn’t noticed the slight rounding of it. He loved that she wasn’t flat as a board. He loved her curves.

“I want you because you’re my heart, my breath, my life. My soul, Rebecca Joyce Rhodes. You are the soul that gives me a reason for being. That’s why I want to marry you.”

Tears streamed down her face, and she brushed them away. She knew he’d had a reaction to her news, and she knew he’d go all alpha male on her, but hearing him now, hearing her best friend she fell in love with, she forgot his earlier comments.

He was her soul too.

“Please, Becca, marry me.”

“I can’t do a big Catholic wedding, Dimitri. The crowds…I can’t.”

He hugged her to him.

“Then we won’t have a big Catholic wedding. We’ll go to Vegas and get married late at night at an all-night chapel. No crowds. Just you and me.”

“Uh, I think your family might have something to say about that,” Kade interrupted. “Mama would cry for years if you got married without her being there.”

“She’s still mad that we didn’t renew our vows.” Angel came in and started taking out plates. “Sorry for cutting your moment short, but this little girl is demanding food.”

Dimitri grinned wide. Their family never had girls, and now Angel was about to give birth to the first daughter, niece, and granddaughter.

“How’s my little Ariel doing?”

“She’s a future soccer player. I swear she kicks like a pro athlete. Especially when she’s hungry.”

“Feed my daughter, woman.” Kade lightly slapped her on the ass, and Angel rolled her eyes, but she did start dishing out food.

“Maybe there’s a way for your parents and grandmother to see the wedding.” It was a thought that occurred and took root. One she felt she could handle. Being around Dimitri’s family didn’t cause her panic attacks. It was just crowds of strangers.

“How?” Dimitri perked up and started helping Angel dish out the food. The two of them ate more than the entire Kincaid clan. She wasn’t shocked at the amount of food on Angel’s plate, but she sure was at the heaping plate Dimitri shoved her way.

“Feed my kid, woman.” Dimitri mimicked Kade’s earlier command, a hard look in his eyes. This pregnancy was going to bring out the overprotective asshole she loved to rile up.

“What’s this idea?” Angel shoved a forkful of rice in her mouth and moaned. “So good!”

They took a seat at the eat-in kitchen table and bench.

“Well, what if we have Mason stream it live so they can watch? Maybe my brother can watch too, if the prison will allow it.”

She knew Dimitri was uncomfortable with Jackson being in prison, but it was part of who she was, and he was dealing. Not well, but he was.

“We could all go, Mason could stream, and you’d be surrounded by family, on camera and in person.” Angel nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

“Well…” Dimitri shot a look at Angel’s bulging stomach.

“What?” she asked suspiciously.

“Mama called me the other night.”

Angel groaned. She’d confessed to Becca the men’s mother had walked in on her and Kade having sex. Since then, Angel was convinced the woman wasn’t her biggest fan. Hell, not even her tiniest fan.

“You know Mama’s religious…”

“Get to the point.” Angel put her fork down and glared.

“Well, have you thought of renewing your vows? I know Kade said your first wedding wasn’t what you wanted…”

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