An heiress for his empire

Misha, looking dapper in his own tux, and Ana, beautiful in her rose-pink suit, came in behind James. Maddie’s father wore a traditional morning coat and ascot, but Vik was in breath-stealing Armani.

James’s parents were there, too, along with the second cousins who had been at the family engagement dinner. Vik’s aunt, his father’s younger sister by ten years, and her two teenagers had flown in from New York. Frank hadn’t made it.

The cousins from Russia had extended their stay in California, though, so they were here as well.

Enough family to please Misha and Ana’s need for traditions to be observed, Maddie hoped.

But really? As far as she was concerned, no one else mattered, not when Vik came to stand in front of her, his expression hungry, approving and supremely satisfied all at once.

“Ti takAya krasIvaya.” Vik reached out to touch her, but his hand hovered in the air between them, not quite connecting.

“He is telling you that you are beautiful,” Misha informed her.

Maddie nodded her understanding, but couldn’t look away from the intensity in Vik’s espresso gaze.

“I have come to ransom my bride,” he said in formal tones clearly meant for her father, but Vik’s attention never strayed from Maddie.

“Your father tried pawning this one off on us,” Misha said, pointing at James. “But my grandson is too observant to be fooled.”

Because anyone would have mistaken her tall, male cousin for her.

But Maddie laughed because it was supposed to be in fun and she found she enjoyed this Russian tradition very much.

Vik offered an open Tiffany box with a sapphire-studded tiepin and cuff links resting on the cream satin.

Her father accepted it with what sounded like genuine thanks, but then he shook his head. “This is not enough.”

And she knew that was part of the ritual Misha and Ana wanted to see observed.

Misha made a production of arguing the merits of the gentlemen’s jewelry, but Vik never even cracked a smile. His powerful focus was entirely on Maddie and she felt a connection to him that was more spiritual than humorous.

Finally, Misha came between them, offering her another Tiffany box. This one contained a five-strand pearl necklace and perfectly matched pearl studs in a vintage inspired gold setting.

Her gaze flicked between the pearls and Vik and then to Romi, because Maddie’s SBC had convinced her to go without a necklace. “You knew.”

Romi nodded, her brilliant smile watery.

Maddie reached up and removed her mother’s diamond earrings and handed them to Romi, who she now realized had left her own ears bare just for this. It was right that Romi would be wearing something of Helene’s at Maddie’s wedding.

Vik helped Maddie put on the earrings and the necklace, the moment unbearably intimate. When he was done, he bent down and placed a barely there kiss against her lips before carefully dropping her veil back into place.

“Now, there can be a wedding,” Misha said with hearty satisfaction.

CHAPTER TEN

THEY TOOK TWO LIMOS to the church.

Maddie didn’t pay attention to who went where except that she had Vik on one side of her and Romi on the other.

The Holy Virgin Cathedral looked like it had been transplanted right out of Russia, with its cross-topped triple-domed spires and white facade. The inside was awe-inspiring, with its domed ceilings decorated with iconography and the ornate public altar area.

She lost herself in the beauty of the service, but nothing was as moving as the moment before the crowning ceremony when Vik sidestepped tradition and lifted her veil to kiss her again and whisper that now even God knew she was his.

The words might be considered irreverent by some, but they settled in Maddie’s soul. He left her veil folded back so that when the crown was placed on her head signifying the sacrament, Maddie felt both bound and freed at the same time.

They skipped the civil ceremony that would have been required to make the wedding legal in Russia because it wasn’t necessary in America. Consequently, they broke crystal glasses at the reception in front of a few hundred of her father and Vik’s nearest and dearest.

Both glasses shattered into rubble, though there could be no doubt that Vik threw his with an impressive force beyond what Maddie used. Everyone cheered.

“It will be a long and blessed union    ,” Misha announced loudly.

She was a little surprised to discover the man hired to be toastmaster was a well-known Shakespearean actor, and one of her favorite up-and-coming performers sang for the guest’s enjoyment.

They ate, cut the cake and toast after toast was made to the happy couple.

It was all sort of overwhelming and amazing. Nothing about this wedding felt like a business arrangement. When she mentioned that to Vik, he smiled.