Mike

I told her to stay in bed and of course, she didn’t listen to me. Zane stares at me like I’m a lunatic or something. Brianna pretends that she’s occupied with preparing breakfast and Axel drinks two glasses of water one after another. Right. There’ll be an audience but fuck that. I have to do what I have to do.

“Zane,” I start. “This is going to be serious. It’s about your daughter.”

Zane shoots Daisy an angry glance. “I heard. She punctured your tyre. What else did she do?  And how old are you, Daisy. Like five?”

“Zane,” I growl. “Listen to me, brother. You’re not going to like what I’m going to say to you.”

Daisy freezes and all the eyes stare at me.

“Zane,” I say and take a deep breath. “I fucked your daughter.”

Zane looks at me like I’m crazy. He’s stunned. “You did what?”

I raise my hands. “I fucked your innocent little girl. Last night.”

“You did the fuck what?” Zane’s voice has a high-pitched crack and his face turns red as a vein pops up on his temple.

Axel lowers his head to hide his wide grin, and Brianna drops a mug. It shatters into pieces. Daisy slides down the doorframe and sits on the floor, bursting into tears.

“You heard me, Zane,” I say. “I—“

Zane leaps towards me and sweeps his arm. His fist slams on my jaw. I step back as blood spurts from my nose and red sparks dance in front of my eyes. Not that I didn’t expect that.

Zane punches me in the abdomen and I fall on my bottom. The women squeal quietly.

“My daughter?” Zane rasps. “In my house? You sick fuck. My little daughter.”

“Let me finish,” I say as I rasp out blood.

“Get out of my house,” Zane says. “It’s fucking unbelievable.” He turns to Axel. “Fucking unbelievable.” He turns to me. “I’ll fucking kill you.” He leans forward and brings his fists up to his chest.

“I want to put a claim on her,” I say.

Zane steps forward and leans towards me. “You want the fuck what?”

“You heard me,” I say. “I want... No, I will marry her. As soon as possible.”

“Over my dead body,” Brianna says as Zane sweeps his arm but freezes at Daisy’s scream of primal fear.

Daisy darts towards me and she falls into my arms, sheltering me with her body.

“She’s your daughter,” Brianna yells.

“She’s your daughter,” Zane yells.

“There’s no tragedy,” Axel says and barely manages to stifle his laughter.

“Shut up,” Brianna and Zane yell with one voice, turning to him.

More of the people gather in the kitchen. I see Athena and Jax then Sive and Takis.

Daisy wraps her arms around my neck.

“You really want to marry me?” she asks.

“As soon as possible,” I say. “Now, start packing your clothes.”

She nods at me and kisses my cheek.

So, we’re are sitting in the middle of the kitchen as more and more of my family members surround us. Daisy wraps her arms and legs around me and strokes my hair. Zane paces around the kitchen as Rey walks in and brings peace to us.

“When is the wedding exactly?” Rey asks.

Chills go down along my spine. Rey is a fucking witch. She can cast a spell on the whole family with just one sentence.

Dimitri walks in. “What the fuck is going on? Everybody’s yelling.”

“We’re going to have a wedding in the family,” Rey says.

“Whose wedding?” Dimitri asks in a sharp voice.

Right. I didn’t ask for his permission.

“Daisy and Mike’s,” Rey says. “Wonderful, isn’t it?”

Dimitri freezes. His eyes darken as rage starts burning in his gaze. His face turns dark red. A nasty Russian swear word rolls off his tongue.

“Where is my machete?” Dimitri rumbles.

Daisy clings to me as though her life depends on it.

“Grandpa, please, don’t kill Mike,” she sobs. “I love him.”

Daisy

I raise my eyes to Mike’s. We’re standing at the bottom of the mountain. A chilly breeze ruffles my white satin dress and bites my skin under the faux fur cape thrown over my back. I shake, but my heart is on fire.

Grandpa Dimitri has organised everything within five days. He’s so nice to me.

He wanted to chop off Mike’s head with his machete, but I protected Mike with my own body.  My dad is still pissed off with Mike, but they are not fighting at least.

They’ve been drunk for the last five days—Mike in the shed behind the house and my dad in the basement—both unconscious for the majority of the time. I haven’t talked to Mike—my mom didn’t allow me to see him. Well, my mom has guarded me day and night—she slept in my bedroom and watched my every movement. We went shopping two days ago and she allowed me to choose my wedding shoes. She chose everything else for me.

She wanted me to change my mind, but I didn’t. I want to be Mike’s old lady. My mom is angry even though she’s trying to mask it with her smile.

Today, I’m the happiest girl on the face of the earth though. Blaze is acting as our officiant. We’ll just have to pop in the registration office and make our union legal. One day when we’re law abiding citizens not outlaws hunted by other criminals. Anyway, this ceremony must be enough. And it is.

Blaze finishes his speech.

The man of my dreams has just become my husband. He looks like he’s spent a lifetime in dungeons, but he’s shaved his face and smells nice. I don’t need more.

A wave of hoots, howls and chants wafts through the air as Mike grips my arms, leans in and crushes my lips with his.

I’m dizzy. My knees buckle and I sway. Mike scoops me up in his arms as laughter, shouts and growls resound around us.

“I love you, Mike,” I say.

I’m all love for him.

He shoots me a wolfish grin and carries me to the house. I’d want him to tell me he loves me too, but he must be occupied with carrying me in his arms.

My eyes sweep over the satin dresses in all shades of green and the women’s mouths in all shades of pink. Our men are wearing their cuts and jeans. I love it.

Maria and Amanda have been cooking for two days. Sol and Tete decorated the living room with balloons and garlands.

My mom is nervous as hell today and everyone keeps their distance so as not to piss her off more.

Rey is happy for me. Her joy is visible in every glance she shoots me.

Mike

I sit her in the chair and take my seat beside her. All the people start gathering around the table. I turn my face to that kid who has just become my wife and ice fills my veins. What am I going to do with her?

I want to fuck her again no doubt, but the thought that I saw her grow up freezes me. I’m an old man. I have needs. That kid beside me is just a kid.

I married her because she’s my brother’s daughter and that was the right thing to do. I love her. Yeah, I really love her but I can’t let that kid enter my grim fucked up world.

As my eyes slide down to her cleavage, I know exactly what I want to do with her. To her. I’d put my dick between her tits then I’d drive it into her mouth.

My heart flutters. No fucking way. She’s Daisy, my little rat. I can’t drive my dick into her mouth.

I lean towards her. “Daisy, we’re leaving after the dessert.”

She bobs her head at me, her eyes full of childish admiration.

I feel like a really bad man. No, I am a really bad man. I fucked an eighteen-year-old. I just married an eighteen-year-old.

Axel rises to his feet with a shot of vodka in his hand. “To Mike and Daisy.”

“To Mike and Daisy,” the family repeat.

I down my shot of vodka and kiss my wife’s lips. Fucking hell, I can’t tear my mouth off hers.

Maria and Carrie deliver the wedding cake to the table and Daisy reaches for a knife to cut it. I help her with my hand on top of hers then Carrie finishes the job for us. The plates start floating. The scraping and clinking follow.

I finish my food and nudge Daisy’s chest with my elbow. “Go change your clothes.”

She plants a kiss on my cheek and rushes upstairs.

“So,” Axel says and grins at Zane. “First kid in the family married.”

“We’ll see what trouble your kids can get into,” Zane snaps.

Brianna holds my hand in hers as her eyes bore through me. “Daisy needs a hat and a scarf in winter. And a warm coat. Remember about vitamins and some fresh air every day.” Her chin trembles. “And her black rat. She sleeps with that black rat.”

“She’s sleeping with Mike now,” Takis says as Jax clutches his shoulder in a warning gesture and Athena’s face turns as red as a tomato.

She hisses something into Takis’s ear and gestures furiously.

Silence layers the room as Zane emits a few choking sounds.

Tyler, Daisy’s brother, bursts into laughter, but Brianna’s piercing glance silences him. She grits her teeth and inhales deeply.

“She reads a lot,” Brianna continues her monologue, oozing now a stoic calm, but I know she hates me in this moment. “And she has hay fever in summer. You have to remember about the sprays. Air the bedroom. And wash her clothes properly.”

Boulder starts laughing, but Amanda nudges his chest with her elbow.

“I’ll be a good boy, mommy,” I say.

Brianna attempts to kill me with her glance. “She’s my daughter.” Icy coldness coats her voice and she’s a Bratva princess now, a woman who can kill if needed. “Remember this.”

I nod several times.

“Are you going to take all her plush rats?” Cindy, Daisy’s sister, asks from across the table and clings to Rey.

Hawk, Blaze and Takis guffaw.

I want to go back in time and prevent this circus from happening.

“If Daisy as much as says a word,” Dimitri starts.

“She’ll be happy with me,” I say. “I give you my wolf’s word.”

What a hypocrite I am. I’m no wolf. I stopped being a wolf a long time ago when Dimitri asked me to help keep his family safe and I failed him.

They didn’t kill me after they’d learned about Daisy and me because they trust in me I’ll look after Daisy properly. They trust in me, yet they shouldn’t.

Dimitri bows his head at me. Zane looks at me like he’s going to rip my throat out then he downs a shot of vodka.

Daisy returns and it’s time to say our goodbyes.

Right. I’m gonna look after this kid out the best I can. I turn my face and my glance meets Daisy’s. There is a wild fire in her eyes. She really is in love with me.

I don’t deserve to be loved.

I don’t deserve to be happy.

I don’t deserve it that the most beautiful girl in the world is my wife.