Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“Tomorrow’s your wedding. Are you ready?” my father asks. That’s a dumb question and he knows it, but I think he enjoys teasing me. After all, it’s the rehearsal dinner, and we have a bunch of guests around to try and mess with me.
“Of course. I live with the love of my life, and all I want to do is make sure she’s mine in every way. Well, in almost every way. One day we’ll start a family, but I’m in no hurry for that.”
“One day, we’ll all be ready for grandkids, but I’m glad you’re waiting because your sisters are driving me nuts and I can’t imagine them having boyfriends yet. Beast is enjoying the subtle digs about them finding husbands the second they turn eighteen.”
“Yeah, well, it’s better than them sleeping around at sixteen with some limp little bitch in high school who is just going to dump them and move on to the next girl. I get that Melanie is too young to get married, but it’s not going to change a thing.”
“It will take time for him to get used to it.”
“Will, may I have a word with you?” Beast asks, stepping up to us. He’s in a well-tailored suit. It’s truly a wonder he is in the Riders in the first place, having been an attorney all these years.
“What’s up?” I say.
“I saw the bracelet, but her necklace is gone. Please tell me it isn’t because of the attack.”
“It is, but the bracelet is made of the same material, and they can’t strangle her should someone dare lay their hands on her again.”
“You can’t think like that. She loves that necklace; you know that, and I know it. Don’t let the fears get to you. As a man obsessed with his wife, I’ll tell you that there will always be times you’ll worry, but it doesn’t mean you take away the things that make them happy.”
“I can’t let her be hurt like that again. They nearly choked her to death because of it.”
“No, they probably wanted to choke her. The charm could have been broken, but they didn’t bother doing so. I’m happy that you love her, even if it’s a bit unnerving how strong that love is. Still, her happiness matters most to me.”
“Understood.” I nod, and then he pulls me in for a hug.
“Congratulations, son,” he whispers. I stare at my beloved Melanie over his shoulder, who smiles radiantly.
****
The veil covers her face and hair, sending a growl through my chest and out my throat. I don’t like her covered up in my presence. As she reaches the altar, I lift the offending thin fabric from her gorgeous face, and I’m so stunned by her natural beauty that my heart nearly stops. They’ve styled her short hair into a pixie cut, and it’s dyed close to her natural black hair color. “Wow, you are perfect, Melanie.”
“You’re just saying that because it’s our wedding day.”
“I’m saying what I see. Now marry me, woman, before I lose my mind.”
She blushes so perfectly that I can’t wait to get this over with so I can show her what she does to me. “Well, Mr. Steele, I’m waiting.” She turns to the priest and takes my hand.
"If anyone objects to the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace."
“I object,” a woman’s voice comes from the back of the church.
“Beth?” Melanie gasps. She’s dressed in a white dress that’s so damn similar to Melanie’s I could swear it’s the same one. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you not to marry him.” She’s holding a bouquet of flowers, but I don’t trust it. Dusty is right behind her. I nod to him. “You were supposed to choose Damon, and you didn’t. I threw him in your face for months. I made excuses. If that stupid bitch Chrissy didn’t get in the way, my plan would have worked, and you wouldn’t have taken my man. You just have to have everything, don’t you, Melanie? Well not anymore.” She stretches out the arm of her bouquet, but Dusty tackles her to the ground. The gun flies out of her hands and across the church to the altar. Beast snags it and tucks it away.
“So now you know who else was involved,” he tells me.
“You thought someone else was in on my kidnapping?” Lanie gasped, clutching my arm.
“It just didn’t make sense that they knew where you were. You told me that you went to get coffee and, well, they couldn’t have anticipated your detour.”
She gasps, allowing reality to sink in. I hold onto the love of my life because there’s no way in hell I’ll let her crash now. She looks up at me and smiles. “Thank you, but I promise, Mr. Steele that I am perfectly fine.”
Law’s deputy arrives five minutes later to take Beth out of the church in handcuffs. As the commotion begins to settle, Beast says, “Well, no offense, but since these two have waited long enough, how about we get this show on the road?”