"Are you sure you want to do this? We can turn around and leave right now if you're not sure."

"He's right, Riri. We can just disappear, I know plenty of people that can-"

"Would you two stop? Of course I'm sure, I've never been so sure of anything in my life."

Irina was stood outside the church in a floor-length white gown that had a train running five metres behind her. It was custom made from Japanese silk with a sweetheart neckline that clung tightly to her body, a large diamond-studded silver necklace garnished her bare chest, small matching earrings kept the attention on her bronzed face.

Over the past three months, Irina's siblings had lived and worked in London, spending all their time getting to know Alfie and catching up with everything that had happened in their lives since they arrived in the country.

Irina had told them all plenty of times that they were free to return to Russia and fly back for the wedding, but all three of them told her that they were staying in London until the wedding, allowing no further debate to be had on the matter.

It warmed her heart to see Alfie spend time with her siblings, watching them laugh and joke like they'd known each other for years, when it had only really been a handful of months by that time. Alfie spent a few evenings down in the pub with Kirion and Arman while Irina spent time alone with Katora who simply adored her niece beyond words.

As much as Irina had loved having her siblings in London with her, she couldn't help but feel like she'd barely had any time alone with Alfie in the run up to their wedding. Both of them had hectic work schedules and by the time they fell into bed at night, they didn't have the energy to say more than three words to one another.

It had been playing on Irina's mind a lot heavier on the more recent days before the wedding, intrusive thoughts making her wonder if Alfie still even loved her, still wanted to get married. Of course, she knew deep down that he did, and their circumstances had simply worn both of them down, but it had kept Irina awake at night, wondering.

The sky was pale blue in London that morning, cloudless and pure. The air was warm and the birds in the trees were singing, a light breeze making Irina's dark hair tickle her neck as she tried to compose herself.

There had never been a moment in her life that she'd ever pictured herself on her wedding day. She had lived most of her days thinking that she would be alone forever, and quite happily at that, but of course, that was before she met Alfie Solomons.

Since their paths crossed, Irina's world quite literally got turned upside down. From losing a lover and gaining a friend, finding out what true heartbreak felt like and learning that taking a step forward didn't always have to mean leaving everything from the past behind - there were some parts you can take forward with you.

She loved Alfie more than she loved anything in the world, and she knew that even though she had never believed in true love before, that nobody else on earth could even so much as try to make her feel the way he did.

"How was Milena this morning? Was she alright?"

"Yes, Kat has her, don't worry. You look beautiful, by the way."

Irina smiled shyly at Arman as he looked down at his little sister, brushing away a strand of hair from her face.

It was true, she did look beautiful. Her dark eyes were lined with black and her lashes coated in the same dark shade. Her lips were painted red and her cheeks hollowed with a tanned bronze, a light blush lifted her face. Her dark hair was pin straight down her back, no different to how it normally was, and her nails were left natural.

"Oh shit," Kirion jumped, reaching into his back pocket, "Alfie told me to give you this to hold, since you said flowers were banned or something."

As petty as it might've been, Irina insisted on not a single flower at their wedding. When she and Alfie visited the venue and were being talked through the different options for decorations, the talk of flowers was quickly shot down by Irina, which only made Alfie burst into light laughter, though he agreed.

Kirion pulled out a long, thin parcel wrapped in white tissue paper, sealed with a black wax stamp. He carefully tore it open, revealing a large diamond crowned with a black stem, resembling a flower though not quite being one.

Shocked, but with her face pulled into a wide smile, Irina took the diamond and read the small note that was wrapped around it.

Irina,

I know you said no flowers, but I didn't want you to walk down the aisle empty-handed. I hope a diamond will do.

I can't wait to be your husband.

Alfie

"I have to hand it to him," Arman scoffed, shaking his head as he leaned over his sister's shoulder to read the note, "The man really has thought of everything. He clearly loves you, Riri."

As she clutched the stem of the diamond in her hand, Irina finally began to feel the flutter of excitement in her stomach that up until that moment, had just been nerves.

Her thoughts had been consuming her daily and of course, she wasn't the type of person to ever voice what was wrong, especially when she knew in the back of her mind that she was just over-thinking. Though reading those words in Alfie's writing, 'I can't wait to be your husband', was everything and more that Irina needed to hear to settle herself.

"Alright," she said, taking a deep breath and straightening her back, "I'm ready."

With one brother on each arm, Irina stepped inside the church. She had gone back and forth toying with the idea of having both of her brothers give her away, the thought that the tradition states there should just be one person, but to Irina, the fact she was even having a wedding was still crazy, and so bending the rules a little bit didn't bother her.

Alfie and Irina had picked out a small church around the corner from their home. Since Alfie had no family and very few people he'd consider an actual friend, and Irina's numbers were scarcely higher than that, their attendee list was small to say the least.

Sat inside were Katora with Milena, Ollie, Isaiah and Arthur. Irina held her breath as she walked, staring past the shape of Alfie at the alter and looking at the stained glass window that bright sunlight was pouring through, casting a golden glow across the entire space.

In truth, Irina was terrified to look at her husband-to-be. She knew that as soon as she lay her eyes on his beautiful face, that the moment would become real. And it wasn't that she didn't want it to become real, because every bone in her body was aching to be able to finally say that Alfie Solomons was her husband, but still, fear from every corner of their past together was creeping in through tiny cracks, making each step heavier than the last.

"Mama!"

Irina was pulled out of her daydream by the sound of her daughter's playful voice calling her name, dragging her gaze away from the window and down to her perfect little face, her bright blue eyes shining the exact same way her father's did, though her ebony hair was clasped back with a white bow that matched her dress, a miniature version of her mother.

Smiling at the sight of her daughter's smile, Irina blew Milena a kiss, handing the diamond to Kirion as she unlinked her arms from her brothers, both of them placing a kiss on either cheek before shaking Alfie's hand.

It was then that Irina finally looked at Alfie for the first time that day. When Arman gave her a reassuring nod after leaving her stood before Alfie, noticing the way her hands were shaking ever so slightly as she kept her lips pulled into a thin line. Anybody would've thought that Irina was walking to her death, but her brother's knew that she was simply aware that her world was about to change all over again, and the thought of that, despite it being hand in hand with Alfie, still terrified her.

"Fuck me, you look fucking beautiful, my love. Absolutely breathtaking."

As Irina gazed into Alfie's warm eyes, she felt herself begin to tear up. The weight of a lump rising in her throat made her skin hot and her eyes burn, though not out of sadness, out of pure love. Her heart was thumping against her chest as she felt the heat of Alfie's gaze piercing into her own, the radiance of eternal devotion that he was about to give her pulled a sudden wave of the heaviest emotion she'd ever felt over her, drowning her in an endless moment of happiness.

The look of love was something that she had only ever thought she might've seen in Alfie's eyes. She'd seen the way he looked at her when they made love, and the way he looked at her across a dinner table or when she nursed their daughter, but as the stood opposite each other that day, hand in hand, Irina knew for certain what love really looked like.

"Don't cry," he whispered, laughing quietly and biting down on his lip, squeezing her small hands inside his own tightly, "You alright?"

Irina sniffed, blinking a few times to dry her eyes before looking back up at Alfie, nodding her head with a tempting smile that made his heart beat that little bit faster.

"That's my girl."

The ceremony was short and sweet, just the way that they had both wanted it to be. When it came for the time to exchange the rings, it was only then that Irina locked eyes with Thomas Shelby for the first time.

He had been Alfie's best man, which made as much perfect sense as it also made no sense. Tommy and Irina hadn't spoken in a long time and he still had never met Milena, though Irina couldn't help but smile as she watched Tommy pick up her daughter and carry her over to her parents.

"Shall we give Mummy and Daddy their rings? Yeah? That's a good girl," Tommy held Milena on his hip, allowing the child to hold each ring in her grasp as he guided her small hand to one parent at a time.

As he helped Milena hand her mother Alfie's ring, he looked up at her with a small smile, the type of smile that for Thomas Shelby had come from the very bottom of his heart. His eyes were lifted and bright and he had one brow raised ever so slightly as he looked at her. He had made peace with everything by then, and although he too thought she looked like perhaps the most stunning creature he had and would ever lay his eyes on, her happiness was his happiness, and he knew that she and Alfie were soulmates.

Leaning in and kissing her cheek, Tommy's lips lingered by Irina's ear, "Congratulations, Irina. You really do look beautiful," he whispered, his smile not fading as he eventually turned his gaze to Alfie, shaking his hand before sitting back down with Milena.

"Alfie," the vicar spoke, "If you'd like to read the speech you've prepared?"

Panic flashed in his blue eyes as he reached into his back pocket quickly, nodding and unfolding the piece of paper. He pursed his lips as his eyes scanned over the page, narrowing for a split second before he tucked the paper away again, reaching out and taking Irina's hands back inside his own, taking a step closer to her and resting one hand on her cheek.

"I love you," Alfie said, his voice so quiet Irina wasn't sure that anybody else could even hear him, but she didn't mind, "You are everything to me, Irina. I can't imagine a world without you in it, and I hope to never live in one. I know I'm not perfect, and I know I've made mistakes, but you've shown me that throughout everything, love comes out on top, every single time. I don't think there's anybody else in the world that feels what we feel, that loves like we love. I feel like time stops when I'm with you, like the world around me is completely slowed down and there's nothing else that matters at all when you look at me the way you're looking at me right now. I'm so fuckin' lucky that you're mine, Irina, and I promise to treasure you for as long as you let me. Every single part of me, every fucking bit, is completely in love with your existence, and that will never change. I'm yours, always."

With a shaking hand, Alfie slid the ring onto Irina's finger, fighting hard to resist the urge to just kiss her like it was the last thing he would ever do. She looked like an angel in her white dress, a colour she never usually wore, though that made it so much more special for Alfie as he looked at his bride, knowing that he would never forget the way she looked on their wedding day.

"And Irina, your speech, if you will."

She wasn't sure how she hadn't yet shed a tear, completely mesmerised by Alfie's words and the way he came closer to her, making her feel like it wasn't a speech in front of their family and friends, but a personal confession to her and only her. He had done everything perfectly, and she was only moments away from finally being his wife.

Alfie tried to take a step back, but Irina grabbed hold of his hand, keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. His lips broke into a smile and he set his hands on her waist, licking his lips as he looked down at her, her hands finding their way up to the lapels of his black suit jacket.

"I lived in a world where I didn't think love existed. I lived for myself and my own happiness, giving myself the life I wanted, and I was happy thinking that I would continue to live like that forever. But you, Alfie, you showed me that it's okay to let go of the reigns. That losing control and giving your heart to someone isn't always a bad thing. In fact, giving my heart to you has turned out to be the best decision I've ever made. You've proven that a woman like me is capable of being loved, and not only that, but that I am capable of loving, too. And I am forever grateful for the lessons you teach me about myself and the world every day, and I too, Alfie, will love you for as long as you let me."

Alfie swallowed as she slid the silver band onto his finger, his soul suddenly melting, feeling overcome with emotion at the simple gesture, though the way she looked at him with watery  love direct from the chambers of her heart pouring from her eyes made him feel like he was floating.

Neither of them heard what the vicar said after that, his mumbling or virtues was just white noise to them as they stared at one another, just waiting, longing to hear those words.

"Mr Solomons, you may now kiss your bride."

With no hesitation and barely any gap to close, Alfie grabbed his wife's face and kissed her lips like it was air he needed to breath. She clung to his body as she kissed him back, their lips smiling against each other's as his arm wrapped safely around her waist, her's around his neck.

The sound of their small audience of family and friends applauding with happy jeers pulled them apart, though they still didn't dare to let go of one another, nor look away.

"You told me you were the Devil," Irina smirked, running a hand through her husband's hair, "I didn't think the Devil was capable of being in love."

Alfie just laughed, kissing her hard once more before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her down the steps towards the aisle.

"That was because he'd never met you, my darling."

an;;
ahhh I am CRYING I love Alfie so much!!!! there is ONE chapter left folks sorry to announce, keep your eyes peeled for the final update very soon, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know your thoughts as usual!!