"I know that." He spooned against her. "But if the day ever comes that I don't, I'll be honest with you. I'll look you in the eyes and say, 'Tatyana, I don't want you.' There'll be no confusion. I give you my word."
That day would hurt. She should end it now before that pain increased. She couldn't. She loved him too much. "Kiss me, Nikky." She didn't want to think anymore.
An hour passed before Nik calmed down enough to talk to Chan without emptying a clip into that thick head. He found him in the back yard, on a lounge chair, looking almost as pale as Tatyana had been. "You need your medical team?"
"Fuck off, Kaerta." Although Chan's face was hard, it was challenging to look tough with a multicolored afghan draped around his shoulders and a dainty cup in his fingers. "This is all your fault. My lady doc said no excitement."
"Then why did you involve yourself?" Nik sat in the chair next to him. Why would he? They weren't friends. No matter what happened between them.
"You'd rather I let her walk?" Chan sipped his tea.
"No." Nik shifted, uncomfortable with the thought of owing Chan. "I guess I should thank you."
Chan grinned. "I guess you should. This time. We're even, Kaerta. Next time she runs, something will happen."
He'd ensure she didn't run again. He wouldn't allow Chan to touch her. "Is that what you wanted to tell me?" This threat?
"No." The man's chuckle was weak. Why was Chan so bad off? It was a clean hit to the shoulder. "As I was cleaning house, we checked the call history on the phone the assassin had on him. Public phones in New York City."
New York City. Igroek. "Shit."
"Should I be concerned, Kaerta?" Chan's hands trembled as he set his cup down.
Paranoid bastard. "It is nothing to do with you, Chan." It was all about Tatyana. Fuck. Igroek was supposed to be the solution, not the problem.
"Good." Coughing. "My situation is messy as it is." Chan doubled up, his lungs sounding congested.
Nik slapped his back as he stood. "Should I call your woman to look after you?"
"Wei?" A flash of pain. "Only if you truly want me dead. Turns out she went to college with my wife. They were sorority sisters."
He had a right to be worried. "I'll send one of your men in." One of the few men Chan deemed loyal to him, his staff uncharacteristically lean. "Don't die, Chan. The pleasure of killing you is mine." But before that happened, he had to clean up his own mess.
Igroek. Fuck . Igroek. That was a mess. Would he have to protect Tatyana from her own grandfather, one of the most powerful men on the east coast?
"Interesting outfit, Brat." Nikky wrapped his arm around her.
She smiled. She knew he'd appreciate it. She was clad from head to toe in a white Victorian-style gown, the picture of innocence. "I'd rather be naked."
He chuckled, low and deep. "That would make for an interesting dinner."
"We could skip it." This dinner scared her. Nikky was nervous about it, wearing his best suit, and she had a feeling that this guest of his grandfather's brought change with him. She didn't want change. She wanted Nikky.
"Courage, Tatyana. I'll be by your side." He walked with her into the restaurant.
Everyone turned as they entered, including the two elderly men standing next to Nikky's grandfather. Tatyana plastered a welcoming smile on her face. One of them must be Igroek, judging by the security around them. She'd guess the shorter one. He oozed power, holding himself with stiff-spined pride, even while he looked like a wizened gnome.
"Grandfather," she addressed Nikky's grandfather, looking for an introduction.
None came. The room fell quiet.
"My God." The shorter man backed up, hands raised, palms facing her. "No." He shook his head. "She's dead. You're not her." Was he talking to her? Tatyana frowned. "You're a fraud." A fraud? She glared at this so-called guest of honor. "Kaerta, you bastard." He turned to Nikky's grandfather, accusations in his eyes. "My brother said you might pull something like this, but I thought even you wouldn't sink so low. To use my dead daughter against me."
Dead daughter? This was the man they were trying to impress? He was a fruit loop.
"I had to be sure, Igroek," Nikky's grandfather rumbled. "BeforeȄ"
"Before what?" A sharp question from the stranger.
The two old men faced off against each other. Tatyana's money was on Nikky's grandfather.
He loomed head and shoulders over the gnome.
"Before I married Tatyana." Nikky stepped forward. He knew? He knew the man would have this strange reaction? "Are you okay?" Nikky examined her, his eyes soft.
Had everyone lost their damn minds? "Why wouldn't I be okay?" What the hell was going on? "I'm not the person mumbling fucked up nonsense."
"Language, Brat." If Nikky told her that one more time... "Since we're now sure, let's do it."
He raised her hand and kissed her ring, her engagement ring.
Now sure? "Do what?" Go back to his room and have sex? She was game. That, at least, made sense.
"Get married."
What the hell? Tatyana stared at Nikky. "Married? For real? Tonight?"
"Married, for real and why not?" He shrugged nonchalantly as though he got married every damn day. "I want to marry you. You want to marry me. You're in a white dress and it'd solve the room problem. You don't like sleeping alone."
"I don't." Married. This wasn't exactly the declaration of undying love she dreamed of, but who knew if she'd ever get that from the ass. "Why not? I've got nothing better to do." She forced her casual tone. They were getting married. They'd no longer be alone. They'd have each other. The two of them against the world.
"Good." Some of the severity eased out of his profile. "If anyone wants to attend, Tatyana and I will be getting married in the casino chapel in..." Nikky checked his watch. "Half an hour. I reserved it for then." This was said to her.
Reserved. He planned
