Alexandr's Cherished Submissive (45 page)

Once the room was emptied, Catrin whipped around to face Jessica. “Your future father-in-law wishes to speak with you.”

“What?”

Clutching her laptop, Catrin nodded. “Jorg Novikov is on Skype. He said he wishes to see you on your wedding day.”

“Does Alex know?”

“No. Mr. Novikov demanded I go directly to you and forbid me to tell anyone.” Catrin’s lower lip quivered. “I-I can tell him I couldn’t find you.”

Catrin would obviously rather chop off her arm than tell Alex’s father no, so Jessica took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him. Better to face him now than later.”

“I will stay with you,” Catrin said in a determined voice.

“Thank you.”

Moving to a table with cushion-covered chairs made of ice, she set out a placemat and placed the laptop on it. Catrin arrived a moment later with Jessica’s stole. “Here. I don’t think he’s going to say anything mean. He seemed…happy? I don’t know. I’ve never seen the man happy, so I could be crazy.”

“Catrin, would you open the chat please?”

“Oh, yes, of course.”

She leaned over and opened her laptop, and after a few clicks, an older, thinner version of Alex stared back at her, complete with the famous Novikov gray eyes. Jessica had seen him before and researched him extensively, but to actually be—virtually—face to face with him was another matter. She could feel the power rolling off the mature man in the elegant black suit. He was seated in what she would assume was some kind of library by the books lining the wall behind him. From off camera came the noise of someone moving around, and Jorg watched them before returning his attention to his computer.

She knew the moment her image came through because he gasped and said something in Russian before switching over to English, “Jessica. I see now why my son has fallen for you. Your beauty is enchanting.”

Flushing, really wishing there was a mirror around, she smiled in relief that he hadn’t started out with calling her a gold-digging whore. “Thank you. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Novikov.”

His gaze softened, turning to the familiar, affectionate light gray that she recognized from Alex’s eyes.

“Americans. Interesting people, but your roots are Irish. My second wife, Dimitri’s mother, was part Irish and had hair lighter than yours, a beautiful flame-red to your deep garnet. Alex always loved her hair and would sit with her while she brushed it before bed, telling my children stories before they fell asleep.”

The look on his face became slightly confused for a second, “She’ll be cross that we missed your wedding, but we must stay here and protect you from afar. Our enemies are everywhere, but we will not let them harm you.”

Alarmed by his abrupt shift in attitude and angry tone, she darted a glance at Catrin who looked equally worried. Not wanting to upset the man, but needing to talk to Alex about him, she said in a soothing tone, “We’ll miss you, but please know that you’ll be here in our hearts.”

“Kind girl,” he murmured as he studied her through the computer screen. “That is why my spies have said about you. Kind, sweet, a good woman. You are too fragile for our world,
prinsessa moya
, and I fear my son cannot protect you from our enemies. My wife wants me to bring you here, to our home, where it would be safe for you and Alex.”

“She does? That’s...that’s very kind of her.”

From the other side of the computer screen, out of Jorg’s sight, Catrin had gone as white as a sheet and had her fingertips pressed to her mouth, which was not helping Jessica keep her composure.

“Alex, of course, will not hear of it.” He flapped his hands like it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. “No matter, we will work together to keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” she whispered again, not able to form any more words than that.

This was bad, really bad. She knew Alex’s father had some mental issues, but she had no idea the man was delusional. He was talking as if Alex’s mother was still alive, when she’d been dead for years. There was a knock on her door, but she needed to get more information from Jorg so she ignored it.

“When will you see your wife again?”

His brow twitched. Then he gave an almost puzzled from. “I don’t know. She is busy with her social calendar.”

Not wanting to agitate him, she smiled. “When you speak to her next, please extend my thanks and let her know I look forward to meeting her.”

“She will like that.” His frown deepened. “I must go. My headache is getting worse. Goodbye, sweet Jessica. Make my son happy.”

“I will. Thank you.”

She closed the laptop so hard it rocked on the table. When her gaze met Catrin’s, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He thinks his wife is still alive.”

Catrin slowly nodded. “What do we do?”

“I don’t know.” The knock on the door came again, and she darted a glance at it. “We wait until after the wedding. I’m not letting his father ruin this.”

“Agreed,” Catrin said right away, her hands clasped nervously together. “You need to think happy thoughts.”

“Why?”

“Because right now you look like you’re about to throw up.”

She felt that way too, but stood and forced herself to take some deep, calming breaths. “Okay, I can do this. Today is about Alex and I, not his father, not any of that bullshit.”

The walk into the ice chapel was a blur, as was her walk down the aisle on Uncle Peter’s arm. She was still trying to come to terms with the bombshell from Alex’s father, and the surprise that she still had to reveal to him, when Alex took her hand. The instant he did, all her worries fled, and for the first time, she became aware of a lovely melody played by a piano and harp.

Beautiful and ethereal, the music wrapped around her while she lifted her face to look at Alex. When she smiled it was bright enough that the light reflected back at her in Alex’s gaze. He wore a tux, with a navy tie and handkerchief in his breast pocket. His citrus and sandalwood scent filled her, warming her even as the air chilled her cheeks slightly. She was vaguely aware of the audience watching them, and more people standing out in the doorway, but her attention was focused solely on Alex.

The priest did his thing, reading in both Russian and English, binding them together forever in front of their friends and family.

Soft and slightly scratchy, Alex’s goatee rubbed against her skin as he kissed her long and hard in front of the cheering crowd. When he finally let her up for a breath of fresh air, she placed a hand on his chest to steady herself, laughing at his totally satisfied grin and her pink lipstick smeared over his mouth. Still laughing, she tried to clean him up, only to have him kiss off the rest of her lipstick. Once they managed to tear themselves away from each other, they finally turned and walked down the aisle together, their gazes locked on each other. The minute they were outside of the chapel, they were both grabbed by their makeup team and cleaned up for photos. With her new husband at her side, she stood and thanked an endless parade of people who wished them well, never letting go of his hand tightly clutching hers.

By the time they made it into the actual reception, she’d almost forgotten about Alex’s father, but she didn’t forget about her surprise, especially when, during a round of toasts, someone handed her a shot glass of vodka. Panicked, she tried to figure out how to get rid of it without drinking it, but everyone was watching her. They were at a long, elevated table at the end of an enormous ice ballroom. The silver candelabras gleamed, and the scent of delicious food filled the air. Alex had done half a dozen shots by now, and she knew that he’d noticed her refusal to take one.

Then Dimitri offered a lovely toast, talking about how happy he was to have her in his family, and held up his glass in expectation to her.

She raised her glass as well, trying not to wince when he boomed out, “To Jessica and Alex.”

Everyone drank their shots, and she accidentally-on-purpose knocked hers over and drank from her water glass instead.

An older woman, wearing lots of jewels and a black fur jacket, took the microphone next and began to speak in Russian. While she was speaking, Alex leaned over and placed his hand high on her thigh, right below her hips. His gaze slowly traveled up her, and she was pretty sure he paid extra attention to her belly.

“Something you have to tell me?”

“Uh-yeah, but not here.”

When his eyes met hers again, they shone with joy, and she knew he’d guessed. He raised his eyebrows, his gaze darting between her belly and face, before she slowly nodded. With shaking fingertips, he placed his hand on her lower belly. “My baby?”

Leaning closer to him, she gently held his face in her hands and finally shared the news that she’d been wanting to shout at him from the moment he returned home. “Yes, Alex, I’m pregnant.”

From two seats away, a very drunk Kisha slammed down her wine glass then yelled, “Holy shit, Jessica, you’re pregnant?”

In the silence that followed, Alex said in a loud voice, “
Radost moya. Moya krasivaya. Ya lyubb-lyu tebya vsem sertsem, vsey dushoyu. Ya budu vsegda lyubit tebya. Vsegda
”

Complete chaos erupted that ended with everyone giving them a standing ovation. Jessica was crying at the outpouring of love, and Alex had her clasped to him so tightly she was having trouble breathing. The clapping continued, and soon, the chiming of glasses filled the air.

“What is that?” Alex asked while he gently peppered her face with kisses.

“American tradition asking us to kiss.”

“With pleasure, my wife.”

Then he kissed her so well that she once again forgot where she was, and who was watching, as she kissed her husband back hard enough to make his knees weak. When they broke apart, soft music started to play from the band across the room and Alex smiled, holding out his hand. “Come with me.”

She gladly slipped her hand in his, once again feeling like they were the only two people in the room. They passed tables full of friends and family, gazing into each other’s eyes when they finally came to the dance floor. With a smile, she bent and gathered up her train, looping it around her wrist so she could dance without tripping on it. When he pulled them together, his erection pressed into her, and she had to stifle a giggle against his neck, being careful not to get her peachy pink lipstick on his collar.

“What is funny?” he whispered against her hair as he expertly led her around the dance floor. They often danced together at home when they were alone, and he taught her all the different moves to dances she didn’t know people actually did anymore. To her surprise, she’d picked it up quickly and often sought him out for a dance when the mood struck her. She had no problem flowing in the steps of an old waltz, her amusement growing as his cock hardened further against her.

“Alex, you better get control of that thing. We’re being videotaped, and I don’t want our first dance to be something we can’t show our children.”

He laughed and held her closer. “We will just keep dancing.”

“People are going to want to eat the wedding cake.”

“They can wait.”

“For what? Your cock to go down?”

“No, for them to become drunk enough that they don’t care. Get ready for wild night. They will go someplace away from your family, but Catrin is greedy as ever and wants to play with you. I told her that you are mine on our wedding night.”

She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. “My life is weird, but I love it.”

To her surprise, he dipped her, and the crowd applauded as he followed that dip with a kiss. After pulling her back on her feet, he chuckled while she stumbled for a second, overcome by her desire. So far, for her at least, being pregnant was awesome. She was fourteen weeks and beginning to show a bump that wasn’t super noticeable thanks to her long frame, but she had noticed her friends giving her belly a considering look when she was dressing.

Alex pressed his erection into her again, slowing their moves as they shifted into another style of dance, this one much more intimate. The band picked up on their mood and swung into a sexy style of American jazz, and their families joined them on the dance floor. Many of Alex’s friends were already drunk, and she spotted Dimitri flirting with one of her younger aunts, a widow who was giving Dimitri cougar eyes.

“That is why I cannot stop my dick from getting hard. The thought that you are carrying my baby is very arousing. I cannot wait to see your body full and round. Your breasts are already bigger, and the bump of your belly that I thought was so cute is more than a bump.”

She grinned. “That’s what tipped me off. All of a sudden it looked like I’d been blessed with a new set of boobs overnight. Then I got a pooch.”

He rubbed his chest against hers in a sinuous move, stealing her breath. “I love your breasts and tiny belly. The thought of you growing round with our child arouses me unbearably. I cannot wait to get my mouth on you.”

“Stop, everyone is watching us.” She looked up into his eyes, her muscles relaxed as he gentled his touch, their bodies just swaying together now while she carefully studied him. “Are you really happy about the baby?”

He beamed at her then gave her a squeeze. “I am beyond happy. Is boy or girl?”

“I’m fourteen weeks pregnant, so we don’t know yet, but we should be able to tell soon.”

His grip on her tightened. “Healthy?”

“Very. I didn’t know I was pregnant until three weeks ago, but you were…gone, and I wanted to tell you in person.”

He closed his eyes and held her close, their bodies unmoving as everyone danced around them. “I am sorry,
prinsessa moya
, but I promise you that I am working hard to keep you safe. Will be worth it in the end.”

“I know, Alex, I know.”

She didn’t admit that she was constantly stressing out about his safety, about someone doing something that hurt her baby. Already she didn’t care if she lived or died, as long as the tiny life growing inside of her survived. The strength of her maternal instincts still caught her by surprise, but she’d had three weeks to become accustomed to her little passenger. The baby books said that she might begin to feel ‘flutters’ soon as the baby moved, and every time she felt anything in her stomach, she’d freeze and wait to see if she could tell if it was the baby or not.