63

Avrora

"I now pronounce you man and wife," Leif announces with a proud smile. And just like that I become Avrora Scarfoni. "You may now kiss the bride."

Anatoli leans in and kisses me.

The kiss, as soon as it touches my lips, feels different in all the right ways. It holds the passion we've shared mixed with lust and a promise for later.

It's a real kiss. Something I know my father wasn't expecting.

Can he tell it's real?

I know Lorelai can.

I'm all sorts of nervous, but this kiss takes me out of reality.

I wondered how I would feel today getting married to Anatoli. Not Mikhail.

What I feel is that thrill. Like I'm flying close to the sun again, but I don't want to turn back. I haven't even thought about being bound to the Knights. Even though Anatoli is in his tunic, I feel like I'm truly married to him, and this is the first time my heart hasn't been conflicted.

We pull apart and our few guests clap. Dad doesn't. He keeps his hands at his sides and his face stern.

Ehlga is the first to hug me. Lorelai next.

"There are refreshments in the dining room," Leif announces, pointing to the reception room with the stone arched doorway. "Please help yourselves."

Anatoli glances at my father when he approaches and leans down to my ear. "I will allow you some time with your father, then we're leaving."

"Thank you."

Lorelai gives me a quick glance before Anatoli ushers her and Ehlga away. Zane follows them, but I notice that Jayce stays behind.

I expected Gytha to be here with them, and I'm glad she's not. With the wedding being so small I'm sure I would have gone up in flames from her infernal stare.

I look back at my father, noting how haggard he seems. Although he's scrubbed up well, his bloodshot eyes and obvious weight loss give him away. His suit looks almost too big for him, and I felt smaller arms when we hugged as we met under the arch before the wedding march.

"Should we go and sit?" Dad motions to the stone garden bench next to the water fountain.

"Yes."

Dad slips an arm around me and that feeling of safety he always provided covers me like an old familiar blanket you reach for when you need comfort. I curse myself for the feeling and becoming the daddy's-little-girl Anatoli accused me of being weeks ago.

Although things are so different now, and we're different, it's a relief to see Dad and see he's okay. But all my angst and questions are still with me. I don't know how I'm going to speak to him knowing that if he gives me answers, the truth will hurt me more than the ignorant bliss of not knowing.

We sit facing each other, and he reaches out to touch my face as if he's memorizing me.

"Just making sure you're real."

"I'm real." I can't help but smile.

"You look so much like your mother."

My heart knots. He never talks about Mom. Never. Even when people said how much I looked like my mother, he never commented. Not even before she died.

"Thank you."

Tension slides into his expression and he straightens. "You looked taken with him. Anatoli."

He noticed the kiss was real, and from the tone of his voice, everything else.

"Yes." I won't deny it. There's no reason when it's true, and no point.

He leans forward, cutting a glance in Jayce's direction. "What has he told you?"

"Just enough to scare the shit out of me when it comes to you. Crimes against the Knights, Dad? Crimes that could kill us both?" I keep my voice firm so he knows he can't just brush me off like he usually does.

"Avrora, I have done terrible things. All of them unforgivable."

The knife already plunged deep in my heart twists. "And you did something to Anatoli too, didn't you?" I'm surprised when hope sparks in his eyes. My question shouldn't have given him anything of the sort.

"Hasn't he told you?"

"No."

"Then that is either a kindness I don't deserve, or the same type of punishment as giving you, my daughter, away to him."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't want him to tell you."

I understand the hope now, but that sickening feeling churns again, telling me what I don't know is so much worse than what I do. I'm sick of being kept in the dark.

"Tell me what it is. Tell me something true, Papa." That's what I used to call him when I was younger. I stopped when kids made fun of me at school.

I'm hoping the endearment will reach the father I thought I knew.

"I love you. That is true." He pulls in a deep breath.

"I love you, too. But I know you've lied to me many times before. Let it stop today."

"Everything I told you was because I love you."

"Lies destroy people."

"Sometimes the truth does worse."

I stare at him for a long moment, realizing he's stalling. I know what that means. I'm used to it. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"Avrora, some things are better off unknown."

I bite down hard on my back teeth to keep my rage in. "Like my nightmares? I know Anatoli went to see you about the crest."

"Your nightmares are just nightmares. It has nothing to do with anything."

"I don't believe you."

"I'm sorry you don't. But this isn't the time to be arguing when we haven't seen each other in so long." He swallows hard. "I'm going back to Russia in a few months. I have business I'm planning to set up there, and I'll be closer to the vineyard."

I haven't thought about the vineyard since Anatoli and I spoke about the email last week. I'm sure my father isn't going to like that I've changed my mind about giving it to him.

"I'm keeping the vineyard as it was intended, between me and my husband."

His face pales, then the blood rushes back to his cheeks and his nostrils flare. "Why?"

"Dad, if we can't be honest with each other, then you don't deserve anything from me."

"This is him, isn't it? He's poisoned your mind against me."

"No, you did that. He just opened my eyes."

He grabs both my hands and brings them to his heart. "Do not put all your trust in him, Avrora. Please don't do it."

"Who am I to trust? You?"

"My love for you is real. You and Anatoli began in hatred and revenge. It won't end any other way. Let's talk about the vineyard properly another time, when we're allowed to see each other again and things are less heated between us. You might not think I deserve it, but that's all I have left. I don't even have you anymore."

My heart aches at his accusation and I wish I could deny it. But this isn't on me. I'm merely caught in a game of thrones.

"We'll talk about it again, then."

Out of the corner of my eye I spot Anatoli walking out of the reception hall. He's changed into his normal clothes. The black biker jacket and black clothing. Dad notices him as well and goes rigid.

"Remember what I said. Don't trust him. To him, you are my daughter. That will never change and he will always hate you for that."

I ignore the pang in my heart and stand.

When Anatoli approaches and takes my hand, I give it. He doesn't say anything to Dad. They both just look at each other like mortal enemies.

We walk away, and I glance over my shoulder back at Dad, who's still looking at me with that warning in his eyes.

As soon as we turn the corner and I can't see Dad anymore, that vulnerability I first felt when all of this started hits me again. It's the opposite of how I hoped to feel today of all the days.

Then again, what did I expect?

And Dad is right. I'm his daughter, and it's enough to condemn me.

I suppose this beautiful venue is as special as today will get.

We reach the parking lot, walking in silence until we reach Anatoli's Ferrari. It's the car he drives least. He has so many I can't keep up and is mainly on his motorcycle.

He opens the door for me, and I get in.

When he slides into the driver's seat, I expect him to gun the engine and drive away. Instead, he looks at me.

"What did he say to you? You look upset." He searches my eyes.

I shake my head and blink back tears. "He didn't tell me anything, and that's the problem." Telling me not to trust my husband didn't help either, when I feel like Anatoli and I are just fooling around. "You don't tell me anything either, so I don't know why I bother. Let's just go home. I have a paper to write."

"No."

When he chuckles, I glare at him. "Why?"

He cups my face and I try my best to remember the warning I was issued not two minutes ago, but it's so hard.

The corners of his lips curl into a sexy smile and he kisses my nose. "Because we'll be late for our flight if we don't leave now."

My pulse jumps. "Flight? What are you talking about?" I actually thought he'd drop me off home with Ehlga and go to work.

"We're flying to Miami where we'll link up with my ship. Then I will sail you around the Caribbean."

My mouth drops and all I can do is stare at him. Did I seriously hear him right?

"The Caribbean?" Like the cruise I was supposed to go on with Mikhail. Except... "You're sailing?"

"We're sailing and believe me, it's better than any cruise." He laughs, giving me a real laugh, and I see what he's like when he's not evil. When his laughter fades, he brushes my cheek and looks at the ring on my finger-the wedding band. "We just got married, Valkyrie. Forget what your father said, and what he didn't say. Let's forget all of this for two weeks."

"Two weeks? Anatoli, I don't have any clothes."

"We won't need clothes."

He guns the engine and we drive away.

But once again I catch sight of my father, and he looks as broken as he did the last time I was taken away.