The Master (34 page)

Máxim took in my appearance.

I’d knotted my hair in a high, loose bun and looped my pearls around my neck to make a choker. Matching pearls adorned my ears. I wore minimal makeup. Against the color of my unforgettable
dress, my eyes appeared amber, so I played that up with a smidge of soft tawny eye shadow.

But would he approve of my gown? “Well?”

When the designer had first suggested yellow to highlight my tan and my eyes, I’d scrunched my nose, predicting a more conservative crowd here. Then I’d tried on the simple,
strapless sheath dress and fell in love.

Máxim’s gaze turned heated, his lips parting. “You are . . . exquisite,
solnyshko.
”

Seeing his reaction and knowing his past, I was glad I’d chosen vibrant and bold.

He met my eyes. “And you’re
mine.
”

I swallowed. He’d meant every word last night.

Just when I got excited, he said, “Give me ten minutes, Miss Marín.”
Miss.
“Let me grab a shower, and we’ll go down.”

“I thought I’d go see if Natalie and Jess needed anything.”

Tension stole through his body. “Are you . . . are you avoiding me after what I told you?”

I leaned down to cup his face. “
No.
” I kissed him, brief, hard. “They asked me to be there two hours ago, but I held off. Then I started getting worried about
Jess’s wedding coordination today. I need to make sure that Natalie has a wingwoman. After all she’s been through, she deserves to have the most fantastic wedding.”

“Ah. I see.” He stretched his arms over his head, making my mouth water. “I’m glad you hit it off with them. Go. I’ll see you soon.”

Out in the lodge, I headed toward the pavilion. I found the bridal party in an adjoining drawing room by following the sound of laughter. Inside was crowded. I skirted past bridesmaids and
friends, hair stylists, makeup artists, photographers, and a videographer to get my first look at Natalie. My jaw dropped.

Her ivory gown must’ve been taken straight from a fairy tale. The dramatic, backless work of art had a skirt of flowing silk chiffon, with tints of pink that made her pale skin shimmer.
She wore her long red hair up, loosely pinned and dotted with pearls, wisps curling around her beaming face.

I exclaimed, “
Dios mío, tan guapa!
You’re so beautiful!”

She blushed and waved me over. “You’re one to talk—you should always wear this color! I’d hug you, but Jess has forbidden me to touch anyone wearing makeup. Or to follow
anything shiny. Or to sweat.”

“Is there anything I can get for you?”

“It’s all good, just as long as Jessabel doesn’t catch me eating.”

I saw Jess then. She wore the same soft pink dress as the other bridesmaids, only hers had a plunging neckline to reveal cleavage.

She pointed at me. “You are smokin’ hot in that dress,
mamí.
Come give me sugars. That limo’s walking as bowlegged as Polly, amirite? Fucking Russians. Grab some
bubbly. Catch up.”

I guessed we’d smoothed over our tiff. One day, though, I
would
make her understand the law of diminishing returns.

I snagged a couple of flutes off a server’s tray, handing one to Natalie. After a sip, I knew champagne remained a no-go for me.

“Were you eating a pastry?” Jess demanded of Natalie. Stern Jess was a force of nature. “Don’t you
dare
touch that gown with your grubby Natalie paws. You might
have no appreciation for couture, but I spent tens and tens of thousands of your dollars on this! You could at least be appreciative.” She turned to snap her fingers at Polly. The girl
tripped over herself and everyone else to get to Jess—who promptly tugged her bodice down to a sexier height. “What are we? Fucking Amish, like Cat?”

No longer! I stuck out my tongue at her.

Rebecca wended through the packed room to reach Natalie. Her eyes watered at the sight of her daughter. “My little girl.” She sniffled.

“Oh, Mom,” Natalie said in an aggrieved tone, but she was grinning widely.

When Rebecca’s tears began to fall, Jess snapped, “She’s not walking the plank; she’s merely getting married—to a shady Russian mail-order groom. Did you take the
pill I gave you? Take the pill. And I will tongue-check you.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes behind her glasses. “Just to stop you from haranguing me, Jessica!” She plucked something out of her clutch, holding it up with a defiant look.

Jess’s eyes went wide. “Hold up—”

But Rebecca was already washing it down with champagne. “It’s just a Valium, right?”

Jess shook her head
no
as she said, “Yes, absolutely. In theory.”
Oh, Dios mío.

Rebecca thought she was joking. “Now can I cry over my little girl?”

“Ask me that again in twenty, Becks. . . .”

After that, we all chattered about nothing in particular, everyone excited, spirits high. I wished I could have had an experience like this, surrounded by friends and family for such an
important event.

“All right, ladies.” Jess clapped her hands. “T minus fifteen. Bathroom? Anyone? Speak now—or forever hold your piss.”

Polly dashed out like she was taking fire, Rebecca followed her, unsteadily. Jess was right on her tail.

Shortly after, Jess returned to pull me out into the hall. Rebecca was leaning against the wall with a dreamy expression on her face.

“What’s up?” I asked.

In a hushed voice, Jess said, “Natalie does
not
need to know this, but I might’ve accidentally given her mom the molly I was saving for tonight. You’re officially on
Rebecca Is Rolling duty.” She turned to the woman. “See, Becks? Doesn’t everything feel
softer
now?”

Mierda.
“It’s not a problem.” My mantra. On the bright side, the woman’s tears had dried right up!

“Can you take her to the pavilion?”

“On it.”

As I was leading Rebecca away, I heard Natalie say, “Has anybody seen my mom?”

Jess loudly said, “Hot
mamí
’s with her. They’re already on their way.”

I smiled up at the starry-eyed lady. “We’re almost there, Rebecca. Here we go. We’re turning left—our
other
left. Okay,
muy bien
.”

The pavilion was spectacular with its sky-high pitched ceiling, arching rafters, and gleaming wood floor. Peonies, lilies, and lavish orchids graced the area, scenting the air. Past the immense
plate-glass windows was a lit courtyard with hanging lanterns reflecting off the snow.

When I found Tom, he took Rebecca’s hand with a frown. She petted his tie.

“Everything okay?” he asked me.

Bob and weave. “She had some champagne?” As I said that she licked his face like a stamp.

Baffled, Tom said, “Uh, Cat, will you please stay with her while I walk Natalie down the aisle?”

“You got it. Not a problem. Rebecca, we’re over here.” I tugged her to the front pew, eventually getting her to sit. I gazed around for anything to keep her attention—or
possibly a pacifier and a glow stick. Coming up empty, I pointed at her dress hem. “Oh, look, Rebecca. It’s the end of your dress! It’s frilly frilly frilly.”

She grew
fascinated
with it.

This whole weekend was turning out surreal. I was at the wedding of a Russian mobster’s daughter to a cherished hit man, sitting next to a mother-of-the-bride who was tripping balls.

My . . . boyfriend (shivers) was in the
mafiya
as well. Oh, and a billionaire.

Aleks and three groomsmen entered then from another drawing room, taking their places at the altar. They were supposed to line up and wait for the bridesmaids. So where was Máxim?

Natalie’s groom was dashing in his crisp tux, yet he still looked dangerous with his tats and close-cropped hair. He was also clearly nervous, pulling at his collar, craning his head,
trying to get a look at Natalie.

His nervousness made me go
aww
. A man who ate bullets for breakfast truly was afraid—that she’d get away.

Then . . . Máxim entered.

When I got my first look at him in a tux, I sucked in a breath, my arm flying out to the side, as if I’d been in a car wreck.

Un hombre magnífico.
He could not have looked more gorgeous.

When his eyes found me, he gave me a cocky grin, knowing he looked fucking magnificent—knowing I was
floored
by him. The dark promise in his eyes made me melt.

He took his place beside Aleks, both men so tall and strong. The strain I’d sensed between the two had eased a little more. He clapped his brother on the back, razzing him about
something.

As the wedding song began playing, I helped Rebecca to her feet. One by one, the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. When Jess traipsed by, she winked and blew me a kiss. My gaze slid to
Máxim; he scowled at that. Rebecca pointed at the ceiling and whispered, “
Ohhh.
”

Then Tom escorted Natalie down the aisle and everyone sighed at the beautiful bride. Except Aleks. He adjusted his stance, as if he’d just caught himself from reeling.

Natalie looked totally at ease, ready to be married. To start a new life.

Even after Tom had given Natalie away and we’d all sat, Aleks still appeared awestruck by his bride. I thought his hand shook as he took hers.

I could hear Natalie say to Aleks, “You turned up hot, Siberian. I think I better put a ring on it.”

His brows drew together, and he nodded earnestly.

As I tugged Rebecca to sit, I tried not to stare at Máxim. But my eyes only wanted to look at him.

Going to a wedding like this, with a man like him, was dangerous to my heart. At every turn something reminded me of a fairy tale; how long would it be before I started yearning for one of my
own?

Once the bride and groom began to exchange their heartfelt vows, Máxim pinned me with his piercing gaze. Everything else faded until I could swear we were the only ones in the room.

His expression made my breath hitch, as if he was making his own promises to me. After his confessions this morning, I knew he wanted more from me—and he was willing to
bare his entire
soul
to get it.

But the fact remained that as of right now, I was a married woman—and I’d let him believe I wasn’t. I’d let
everyone
believe that.

No, I didn’t speak lies.

I just lived them.

P
or Dios, don’t let Máxim catch the garter.
I adjusted my sweating grip on the bride’s bouquet—the one
I
had
caught.

Earlier, Jess had forced me into the crowd of single women vying for it. Though Polly had all but warmed up for the event and more than one girl had a fervent glimmer in her eyes, I’d been
standing off to the side, feeling like an imposter, with no right to be there.

The flowers had hit my chest, dead center. If I hadn’t caught the bouquet, it would’ve fallen to the ground.

All the girls congratulated me, some more believably than others. (
Really, Polly, sour grapes? Here. Take them
.) Natalie had hugged me, while Jess had declared herself my wedding
coordinator: “Dibs, bitches!”

Máxim had wrapped his arms around me, eyes lively. “How
interesting
.”

I’d plastered a smile on my face for all of them, never more aware that my life was a lie.

Everything had been going so well until then. On a back bench, I’d sat in Máxim’s lap, with our fingers intertwined. We’d talked about Rebecca’s recent drug use
(about four more hours to roll, Becks), and how little I’d had to drink (champagne was dead to me), and how little he’d had to drink (“I’m a wingman. I hear these positions
are to be taken seriously”), and how much his brother had relaxed now that Natalie was officially his.

Well, for a while, he’d been relaxed. Yet as the night wore on and Natalie continually teased her groom—with little glances and not-so-secretive touches—it became clear that
Aleks was ready to get to the consummation of his marriage.

Now, as he knelt before Natalie to remove her garter, the desire between the two could be measured on a Richter scale. His hands shook with anticipation as he tugged down the creamy lace
band.

Máxim and other single men had gathered. The swaggering devil winked at me. If I’d been single with no worries, I probably would’ve swooned. Now it was everything I could do
to smile back.

When Aleks slingshot the garter over his shoulder, I watched it as if it were a Hail Mary pass. Slo-mo . . .

Máxim caught it—because of his height advantage.

Jess bustled me to a chair. “Come on,
mamí
and Maks!” I sat with the bouquet in my lap, and he knelt before me. Everyone crowded around, clapping and laughing.

All too happy to place the garter on me, Máxim appeared very lusty himself.

“Look at that, he’s about to get to first base,” Jess said. “You won the girl this round, Russian. But you better take care of her. I have a Taser, and I don’t know
how to use it!”

When he smoothed my dress up my legs, his gaze darkened even more, and his hands began to shake no less than his brother’s had. As his touch ascended, Máxim murmured, “Do you
think fate’s trying to tell us something?”