Page 22 of Pregnant Bratva Wife
“What thing?” I whispered back, trying to ignore how warm his hand felt through my dress.
“Looking like you’re planning an escape route.”
I forced on a bright, fake smile, not wanting him to see how terrified I was, and turned to face him. “I’m not a coward.”
He leaned in, laughed right into my ear, and whispered. “Good. Then you can take the guards head-on when you try to make your grand escape.”
I felt a shiver creep down my spine. He stood so close, so deliciously close.
“Are you threatening me on our wedding day?” I took a step back, but kept my voice sweet.
“Just making conversation,” he shrugged, one side of his lip curving up.
“Well, get better at it,” I hissed, wiping the smile off my face.
Before he could say another word, a group of well-wishers surrounded us, passing on their congratulations and telling us how lovely the ceremony was. One even went so far as to say they never thoughtThe Federico Lebedevwould ever settle down.
Guess that explained it. He was tired of how people viewed him. Bad for business, he had said. So, he decided to buy a wife.
What a privilege it is to be rich,I swear my thoughts grunted.
Just then, a woman with mahogany-colored hair, wearing enough perfume to bottle and diamonds to fund a small country’s economy, swooped in, pulling me into a hug.
“Darling,” she exclaimed, as if we were long-lost friends. “Simply gorgeous. Federico, you’ve been keeping her all to yourself!”
She leaned in and kissed both my cheeks, leaving behind the scent of perfume that made me want to sneeze. Her lips barely grazed my skin, the kind of air-kiss I’d only seen in movies about rich people.
“Margaret,” Federico nodded politely. “Thank you for coming.”
“As if I’d miss it! The most eligible bachelor in New York, finally tamed.”
She laughed, a tinkling sound. “Now tell me, dear, where did you two meet? Federico’s been so secretive.”
I opened my mouth, suddenly realizing we hadn’t actually agreed on our cover story.
“She hit my car,” Federico said smoothly, his arm sliding around my waist. “Best scratch I ever received.”
Margaret’s eyes widened. “How... interesting.”
“What can I say?” I shrugged. “I make quite an impact. Although I would suggest trying a different strategy if you’re looking for romance. Could’ve ended up costing me a lot,” I shrugged, genuinely honest.
“Oh, darling.” Her eyes widened as she looked at me like I was dirt. “Let’s not talk about money. It’s so unbecoming.”
So…unbecoming?
“What the hell does that mean?” I muttered.
Fortunately, she didn’t hear. Federico’s fingers tightened on my hip. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Margaret, I need to introduce my wife to the family.”
As we walked away, I let out a sigh. What was wrong with the people here? It was like they were a breed from another planet.
“Is everyone here that... sparkly?”
“Sparkly?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You know what I mean. Like they bathe in money.”
He literally closed his eyes and laughed. The crinkles around his eyes. God. Why hadn’t I noticed them before?
