“Maybe I should help find you a bride instead,” she countered sweetly.
Alexei looked horrified.“Cruel woman.”
She laughed for real then.To her surprise, Alexei laughed too before finally releasing her hand as the music ended.
Immediately afterward, Maksim reclaimed her, frown on his face.It was as if he disliked her being out of reach even briefly.The thought gave her an unexpected thrill.He slid his hand firmly against her lower back as he pulled her close.
“You okay?”he asked quietly.“Did Alexei say something to upset you?”
Lena smiled softly.“You don’t need to worry,” she assured him.
Maksim searched her face carefully anyway before apparently deciding she was telling the truth.Then he kissed her again, deeply enough that applause erupted somewhere nearby.
Lena laughed against his mouth.Her husband.The word still felt surreal in her head.
However, when Maksim looked at her like this, like she was the center of his entire world despite all the darkness surrounding them, she thought perhaps impossible things really could exist after all.
Unfortunately for everyone else at the reception, Maksim’s patience finally snapped about twenty minutes later.
It happened somewhere between another champagne toast and a distant cousin of Dimitri’s attempting to pull Lena into conversation about honeymoon destinations in Greece.
Maksim appeared at her side abruptly, and slid one hand possessively around her waist.
“We’re leaving,” he told her.
Lena blinked.“Right now?”
“Yes,” he confirmed.
“You do realize this is still our wedding reception?”
“I’m aware.”His gaze dipped meaningfully toward the neckline of her dress before returning to her face.“I can’t wait any longer.”
Heat climbed instantly into her cheeks.
“Maksim,” she hissed softly while trying not to laugh.“People are staring.”
“Let them.”
Before she could protest further, he bent and simply lifted her into his arms.Lena gasped, bouquet nearly slipping from her hand.
“Maksim!”
He ignored both her scandalized whisper and the laughter erupting around them as he carried her through the ballroom like some over-possessive king claiming his prize.Wolf whistles followed immediately.Alexei looked delighted.Dimitri looked deeply unsurprised.
“You are unbelievable,” Lena muttered while wrapping one arm around Maksim’s neck anyway.
“And yet you married me,” he reminded her.
His mouth brushed briefly against her temple as he carried her through the grand entrance doors and out into the cool night air.
A sleek black car already waited at the curb with the driver standing nearby pretending not to notice the fact the Bratva groom looked one step away from dragging his bride into the nearest dark corner.
Maksim slid into the backseat with Lena still firmly in his lap.The second the door shut, his possessive and restless hands were on her again.He slid one large palm against the bare skin of her thigh where the slit of her gown had fallen open.Lena shuddered in anticipation.
“You’ve been tormenting me all day,” he murmured against her throat.
Lena laughed breathlessly as his mouth moved lower.“By existing?”