Page 83 of Lies He Told Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 1)

“As if you’d …” She trails off. “You were lying before, about having lived on the streets. Right?”

“What do you think?”

She searches my face, too long, then turns away. After a minute or so, she says, “We better get going.”

I gesture her forward. “After you, my wife.”

As she turns away, something passes over her face. When she looks at me again, she’s transformed.

I can only stare. It can’t be real, how fast the happiness leapt onto her face. Yet, with the way she beams at me and says, “With pleasure, my husband,” I can’t believe it’s fake either.

Once we reach the cameras, I do my bit. “Here she is, ladies and gentlemen: Mrs. Joy Vaknin.”

I step away to leave Joy to it. But it’s too fast, too much, too sudden.

She smiles unconvincingly. I clench my hands together. It’s not right.

“I …” she stammers. “I …”

She’s flailing. Floundering. She won’t be able to—

“Thank you, everyone,” Joy says with sudden confidence. She smiles big and wide. “I just wanted to say how overcome I am. How it’s an honor, really, an honor …”

And then the show begins. I can only watch with mounting shock. She’s … she’s …

“Sensational,” Mario murmurs from beside me with an awestruck look.

Only now do I notice him and the others there beside me. Ludmil has the same mildly stumped expression on his face, like he’s missed something integral. I certainly feel like I have.

Joy isn’t just passable—she’s perfect. Funny. Sweet. Lovable. By the end of the twenty minutes (ten was the original allotment), the press is begging for more.

“C’mon, Joy, tell us honeymoon details. Where are the Vaknins going?”

“And what about the reception? You hardly mentioned anything about the reception!”

My hands clench together. It was easy enough to make some excuse and avoid a lavish reception. Ludmil thought Joy wasn’t ready for that kind of extended exposure yet. Still, part of me wonders how she would’ve done with it. How it would’ve felt to twirl her on that dance floor and know that she was mine …

Enough.

“Bye now!” Joy calls as her arm slips into mine.

Behind us, cameras are flashing and voices are clamoring from every direction.

“A final smile, Mrs. Vaknin!”

“That’s it, Joy!”

“JOY!”

“Over here, Joy!”

As we make our way back to the car, my hold tightens on her hand. I don’t need to exchange a knowing glance with Ludmil to know: they love her.

19

Gavril

“Give it to me,” I tell Rudy. “I want to know.”

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