"Who is Mrs. Volkov, Nikolai?" I finally had the courage to ask. We are on our way to god knows where. I sat far from Nikolai and I know that he noticed my sudden change in mood.

He did not answer me. He just placed his hand down his chin while crossing his thigh over the other. It could not be his mother. Perhaps it's Yelena's mum? But I have never heard of her before. What if my hunch is true? What if Nikolai has a wife? What does that make me? Please, not his wife. Please god, not his wife.

"She's my wife." He finally answered without any hint of playfulness in his voice.

I swallowed the lump in my throat that has been slowly suffocating me. After everything that we have been through, he's just going to drop this bomb on me?

"Pull over Boris!" I said as sternly as I can but the man kept on driving.

"I said pull over!"

Nikolai is on his phone, texting someone. Nobody seems to hear me. I tried to unlock the car door but to no avail. I then remember Alexei. I know he will come to my rescue. I quickly dialed his number. In just two rings, he answered.

"Princess."

"Alexei can you come to fetch me?"

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm kind of busy preparing for a very special night with my very special girl."

Alexei has a special girl and he can't come to me. Wow, I never thought I would be this hurt hearing Alexei having a special girl.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you Alexei." I quickly canceled the call.

Oh god, if you are playing some kind of a joke on me, please I want this to end. We arrived at the cemetery. Nikolai tried to carry me in his arms but I held on to my seat as tight as I could.

"No! Don't touch me Nikolai!"

He instantly sported a smirk on his face. How could he!? He just said to my face that he has a wife! Why does he look like he's enjoying my misery?

Nikolai manhandled me out of the car while I was trying to grab the car seat but the Russian Mafia Boss was able to scoop me out of the SUV. My bum is on the side of his head, flying in the air. I'm trying to wiggle off from him but his arms are holding my thighs and legs tightly.

"Nikolai! I hate you so much!"

"I love you too baby." He retorted arrogantly.

"I said I hate you! I did not say....."

I was halted when all of a sudden, I saw candles in small glasses along the way, making two perfect lines on the sides. Oh my god, what is happening?

He made me stand in between the graves of Vyacheslav Roustam Volkov and Yelena. We are surrounded by candles inside cute jars of different colors and some are inside small glass lanterns. There are also a couple of candles on top and around the graves. There's a beautiful bouquet of red daisies on Yelena's grave while a lit cigar and a bottle of vodka on top of Vyachaslav's grave.

To my surprise, I saw Alexei appear next to Nikolai. His hands are in his pockets while sporting a smirk on his face. What is he even doing here? I thought he's with his very special girl?

Nikolai cleared his throat to get my attention. His beautiful green eyes are looking at me intently as he slightly loosens his tie.

"Baby, I want to formally introduce you to my father Vyacheslav Roustam Volkov and to my beloved sister, Yelena Vyacheslav Volkov. Papa, my baby sister, this is Belle. She's the one I I told you about. Isn't she perfect?"

At this point, I am trying so hard to hold back my tears. So this is his plan all along. To introduce me to his father and to his sister Yelena.

Nikolai turned to Alexei and hugged each other like brothers that they really are. And then, Alexei handed Nikolai a small black box while a smile plastered on his face.

Oh. My. God.

My lips parted when Nikolai knelt in front of me while slowly opening the small box that was handed to him by Alexei. I feel like everything around us moved in slow motion. Everything turned so warm and surreal. The wind is blowing my hair on my face. I removed some strands from my cheeks and mouth as I remain speechless.

"Baby..."

Nikolai is holding in his hand a vintage ruby ring. He then slowly took my left hand. "With my father Vyacheslav, my sister Yelena, my brother Alexei and the Volkov family as my witnesses, Mary Arabella Galves, will you be my Mrs. Nikolai Vyacheslav Volkov?"

Nikolai proposed to me. The man who gave me my every first is now kneeling in front of me, asking me to be his wife. Nikolai Vyacheslav Volkov's wife!

I blink a couple of times just to make sure that I'm not imagining what's happening right now. I can feel my face turn crimson as reality slowly sinks in. Nikolai is looking up at me while waiting for my answer.

"Yes Nikolai. I would love to be your Mrs. Volkov."

He slowly inserts the ruby ring around my finger. It fits me perfectly and it's so beautiful. He then kissed the ring and stood up as I quickly wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

"Nikolai, you are really mean."

He softly chuckles in response, "That's exactly the reaction I was expecting."

I smack him on his shoulder, "I really thought that you have a wife that I do not know of."

"I love you, my future Mrs. Volkov."

"I love you too Nikolai, my future husband."

I blush as I refer to Nikolai as my future husband. I can't believe this is happening so fast. Just a few weeks ago, I'm just a simple girl from a land a thousand miles away from New York and now, I am Mary Arabella, soon to be Volkov. Soon to be married to the Russian Mafia Boss. So this is what it feels like to finally belong to somebody?

"Let's get married tomorrow." He said out of nowhere, and he looks like he's not kidding at all.

"Nikolai, you still have to meet my parents." Just the thought of going home to face papa and tell him that his daughter is getting married makes my stomach churn.

"Right. Do you think they will like me?" I giggled because he sounded uncertain. Well this is a first.

"Of course, just prepare your bulletproof vest just in case." I teased him. Although I'm sure that's not far from reality. I cringe just by thinking about how papa would react.

"That bad huh?"

I just nodded at him.

"I would go to hell and back just for you baby."

I hugged him even tighter and looked him in his eyes. "I know Nikolai."

~

Nikolai, Alexei, and I are in the car on our way home. I am in the middle while Nikolai is to my left and Alexei is to my right.

I rest my back on Nikolai's side while a permanent smile is plastered on my face.

"I regret not taking a video of you holding on to your seat. Damn, that was priceless." Said Nikolai teasingly.

"I hate you Nikolai."

"I love you too."

I just shook my head in defeat. And then I remember what Alexei did. I quickly moved to his side and leaned forward.

"You!" I wiggled my index finger as I pointed it to his face. Alexei lets out a chuckle in response. To my surprise, he bites my finger making me gasp in surprise.

"You allowed her to cut her hair brother?" Said Alexei while looking at my hair.

What is up with them and my hair? "Alexei, I did not cut my hair, look." I slowly removed the pins Amy placed on my hair. I struggled to remove them at first. After a few pulls and painful unpinnings, I run my fingers through my hair to let all the strands down. "There--happy now?"

"Yes." Nikolai and Alexei said in unison.

I rolled my eyes at them. These two are so difficult.

"Come here baby." Nikolai gestured that I sit on his lap. I scooted over and wrapped my arm around his neck.

"Did you like the ring?"

"Yes Nikolai, it's perfect." I said, looking at the ring around my finger.

"My father gave this to me. He said I shall give this ring to the woman who will give him two dozens of grandsons, give or take." He then smiled naughtily while Alexei let out a chuckle. Two dozens? Is he kidding me?

"Nikolai, you should have told me about that tiny little fact before putting this ring on me. I could have renegotiated with your father."

"I'm not kidding. My father was a lot of things but he doesn't kid around when it comes to blood. I suggest we get started already so my father won't rise up from the grave demanding two dozens of grandsons."

At the exact moment that Nikolai said that, the car pulled over in front of the house. My heart suddenly jumped when Nikolai abruptly scoops me and wrapped my legs around his waist.

"Let's go make my father happy." Said Nikolai while looking at me wickedly.

-

(steamy parts intentionally removed)