I flicked the Zippo open. I had already turned the flame up as high as the lighter would allow. “You weren’t misinformed, Alejandro.” I then shouted to Mary, “Now!”
It all happened at once.
Mary dove for the floor as I flung my entire glass of vodka onto Alejandro. He reeled back. Shock turned to horror as he looked at the alcohol splattering his front and then the trail splashing across the table leading right back to me.
Staring the dead man straight in the eyes, I dropped the Zippo. A flash of blue flame rose the moment the lighter touched the vodka. With a whoosh it raced across the table, leaving a fiery path before igniting Alejandro’s clothes. The man was engulfed in flames before his guards even knew what was happening.
It was just the distraction we needed.
I threw my body onto Mary, protecting her as my own men crashed through the doors and windows, taking out Alejandro’s guards as he screamed in agony. He stumbled around the room, igniting the thin tablecloths and wooden tables.
I picked Mary up into my arms and bolted for the exit. Racing with her to the safety of my car, I set her as gently as I could in the passenger seat before getting behind the wheel and peeling out of the parking lot.
After I had put several miles between us and the crime scene, I pulled over onto a quiet street. I got out of the car and circled around. Yanking open the passenger door, I caught Mary as she flung herself into my arms. I held her close as I ran my hands over her body, searching for any sign of injury or broken bones.
I cupped her face and gazed at her intently. “Did that bastard hurt you?”
She shook her head, then pointed to her eye. “His man hit me with a gun, knocking me out, but they didn’t… they didn’t… touch me. I’m not hurt, just shaken up.”
I closed my eyes as a wave of relief almost drove me to my knees.
“Emma?”
I swallowed as tears threatened to fall. My voice was hoarse with emotion. “She’s fine. You saved her. My God, Mary. I’m so sorry. We had no idea the safehouse had been compromised.”
She placed a cool palm on my jaw. “I know, Vaska. I know.”
I could feel every cell in my body recoil from what I was about to do. A primal scream welled up in my chest in defiance, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I had been too selfish assuming I could hold on to her. That I could live in hell but keep my taste of heaven. Tonight’s events had proven that to me. I would have to let her go.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Mary cut me off. “The answer is yes.”
My brow furrowed. “What?”
“The answer is yes. I will marry you.”
I stood there stunned.
She continued, “I mean technically you didn’t officially ask me, it was more of a demand, but—”
My mouth cut her off as I kissed her with all the fierce love I felt for her.
I pulled back slightly, rasping against her lips, “Are you sure, Mary? Because this is it. There will be no turning back.”
She gave me a watery smile. “You rescued me by referencing the Buffy episode where Angel goes all vampire nuts and Giles attacks his lair by lighting a table on fire with a flaming arrow. That was fucking brilliant! If I wasn’t in love with you before, I sure as hell would be now.”
God, I fucking loved this woman.
Taking her hand, I knelt down on the side of the road.
“Vaska, what are you doing?”
“Giving you a proper proposal. Mary Katherine Fraser, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Mary’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “Hmmm… I’m thinking.”
I rose and snatched her back into my arms. I said with a playful growl, “You better say yes, krasotka, or I’m going to take off my belt.”
She shimmied her hips against mine. “Promise?”
I gave her cute ass a smack.
She cried out, “Yes! Yes! I will marry you. You insufferable, brutish, stubborn, obstinate, mule-headed, arrogant, high-handed—”
I cut off her tirade with another kiss.
Epilogue
Mary
Las Vegas, NV—One month later
“How in the world did you talk Vaska into this?” asked Emma as she watched the makeup artist finish pinning the final victory curl in my hair. We were in a side room of the chapel getting ready.
Putting the finishing touches on my red matte lipstick, I surveyed my reflection in the mirror. “I shamelessly guilted him into it.”
I rose and smoothed the cream satin of my mermaid-cut wedding dress over my hips and adjusted the Cartier panther brooch.
“Still, I thought he’d want a church wedding,” persisted Emma as she also rose and fluffed the black crinoline under her red rockabilly-style bridesmaid dress.
I reached for the open bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila and poured us each a shot. I held one out to her. “We are having a church wedding… sort of.”
She laughed. “Oh, boy, you have that man wrapped around your little finger.”
I winked, a habit I’d picked up from Vaska. I raised my glass. “To the schoolteacher and librarian and the bad boys who love them!”
Emma toasted, “To our bad boys!”
We both drank.
Emma handed me my rose bouquet as we headed for the door. I took a deep breath.
Emma took my free hand and squeezed it. “Ready?”
I nodded.
The moment the door swung open, the pianist started playing ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love.’ If ever there was a theme song to my relationship with Vaska, that was it. I looked down the short aisle. Vaska looked so handsome standing there in his tuxedo, with Dimitri to his left. Against my better intentions and good sense, I had fallen head over heels in love with the man, and I knew deep in my heart I would never regret my decision to become his.
As I walked down the aisle, my gaze shifted to the man standing to Vaska’s right, then back to Vaska. He followed my gaze then looked back to me and shook his head as he let out a resigned sigh. I burst out laughing.
As I took his arm, he leaned down and whispered, “Hello, beautiful girl.”
I rested my head on Vaska’s shoulder as the Elvis impersonator said in his best Elvis accent, “Dearly beloved…”
The end.
About Zoe Blake
USA TODAY Bestselling Author in Dark Romance
She delights in writing Dark Romance books filled with overly-possessive billionaires, taboo scenes and unexpected twists. She usually spends her ill-gotten gains on martinis, travel and red lipstick. Since she can barely boil water, she’s lucky enough to be married to a sexy Chef.
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