The Promise (Darkest Lies Trilogy Book 2) by Bethany-Kris (fiction book recommendations .txt) 📕

“You may kiss your bride.”

He lunged at a laughing Karine who had already pulled her hands from his to reach back for him. Engulfing her in his arms, he pulled her to his broad chest, crushing her there in the hard wall of his hold. Staring up at him, he realized—not for the first time, but certainly in the most significant way—how much smaller she appeared against him, barely toppling five-foot-three without a pair of heels. But she liked it—he saw that in her stare when those hungry eyes of hers locked on his mouth.

She liked being swallowed by him, inside his embrace, close to his heart. Always watching up at him through thick, lowered lashes. There, he thought she felt safe. He hoped it was always that way.

“Well,” Karine whispered the moment their lips started to graze, “kiss me.”

He made it good, too.

Bruising and breathless.

Undoubtedly uncomfortable for the other two people in the room watching, although he gave them credit for the fact they didn’t stop clapping until he finally pulled away from his grinning, new wife.

Karine weaved her fingers in his hair, her lips grazing the side of his stubbly cheek as she said, “This is not how I pictured my wedding day.”

“Someday, we’ll do it again—exactly how you want it.”

He took her hand in his, and brought it to his mouth to give her fingertips the gentlest of kisses.

She shook her head, tugging her fingers out of his to run them over his mouth and chin. “That’s not what I meant, Roman.”

She, too, had seemed to have forgotten about the others in the room. Or maybe they were just more important.

“What I pictured as my wedding day was going to be the end of my life. What little of it that I had. This is not what I was told it would be, and this was perfect.”

Well, then ...

Never one to be at a loss for words, he framed her delicate face with both palms, and said the only thing that really felt appropriate after her admission. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Roman.”

Karine kissed him that time—leaning up to her tiptoes to press her lips to his before nipping at his tongue when he dared to taste her.

His hands travelled down the deep cut in the back of her jumper, the pads of his fingers dancing dangerously low on her silken skin. Enough to make him hard. Just to know he was touching his wife. This was his wife. The baser part of his nature reveled in the idea that she was his to adore, spoil, enjoy however he wanted to, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it.

The rational side of Roman reminded him there were still people watching, and he didn’t care to let them see what came next.

“Come on, let’s get outta here,” he said, groaning the words against Karine’s teasing kiss.

With the very last of his control ...

She at least took mercy on his soul.

• • •

Roman carried Karine over the threshold of the room he’d booked for their honeymoon—it only seemed fair to keep some traditions. Even if they were being silly, it made her smile and laugh. That’s all he wanted.

Karine was beyond fascinated with Las Vegas, and as things were going well—there were no apparent dangers—Roman felt like they could do anything. Within reason. If anything, maybe for a few days, the two could live like nobody was watching.

Wouldn’t that be something?

He had booked them one of the best suites at The Venetian Resort with a view some people would have killed for. More than anything, he just wanted to give Karine everything her heart could possibly desire while they still had the chance to enjoy it.

She kept her arms locked around his neck when he carried her in. Tipping her head back to look up at the intricately engraved ceiling of their suite, she marveled at the many details covered in gold leaf.

“I don’t think I have ever seen anything as beautiful as this,” Karine remarked.

“No, I haven’t, either.”

When she met his stare again, he’d not once looked at anything but her.

Karine’s smile bloomed instantly, her next words bubbling out with a laugh. “You keep saying you don’t know anything about weddings, and yet you know exactly what to do to make it all perfect.”

Roman spun a slow circle in the middle of the large room with her still cradled in his arms. “I don’t know much about weddings—that doesn’t mean I don’t know anything about loving you the right way. I’ve had some great examples of love in my family.”

He put her down, but Karine clung to him sinking into his body. Never too far away, he knew. She didn’t like that at all. His hands traveled down her back until he cupped her ass.

“Your mother and father, you mean?”

“My grandparents, too,” he added. “Not that I ever really understood it before you. That’s okay, though. I’m not sure I was supposed to.”

She nuzzled her face in his chest, breathing deeply like she was sucking in the very scent of him directly to her lungs. He stroked her hair, staring out through the glass wall that overlooked the view of the Las Vegas strip. God knew he had better things to consider, but he couldn’t ignore the sinking of his stomach.

Karine wouldn’t know he dared to do it.

That he let his mind go there.

For a few moments, he allowed himself to think about the fact that this was not forever. This feeling, no matter how good and wanted—like they were invincible and their journey together would be easy just because they had each other—none of it was permanent.

Or even real.

Their current circumstance was not forever. The truth was harsh, and too concerning for him to put the weight on Karine’s shoulders when he was sure she already had enough to handle. Roman didn’t know what the future held for them. Everything could go tits up tomorrow, and that alone stayed like a