Chapter Six
TODAY WAS THE day I was supposed to marry Samuel—or so everyone believed. I smiled, alone in my secret, a secret too dangerous to share. As I stood in the bridal room, surrounded by relatives, my heart wasn’t pounding with the excitement of my nuptials but with anticipation of what was to come.
“Oh, Hadleigh, you look so beautiful,” Lizzie gushed, scanning me from head to toe. “And Samuel! He’s even more handsome than I remember. You’re so lucky, Hadleigh. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
I managed a tight smile, knowing well where Samuel’s gaze truly lay—not on me. But that was a truth I harbored closely and would never reveal. My escape from this farce of a wedding was moments away.
The room buzzed with the chatter of my female relatives, their eyes gleaming with pride. But their smiles were soon to disappear.
It was time.
“Mother,” I managed to say, keeping my voice steady. “I need some fresh air because I feel faint from all the excitement. Can I slip out to the garden for a moment alone, just to collect myself?” The private garden was part of Samuel’s sprawling estate, secluded and perfect for what was planned next.
“Take Lizzie with you, dear,” my mother suggested, “in case you need help with your dress.”
I couldn’t have that, but I couldn’t argue it would look suspicious. “Okay,” I agreed, masking my desperation. I needed to ditch Lizzie—fast.
As we stepped into the coolness of the garden, I reassured myself that everything would go as planned. I wouldn’t need help with the dress because its train remained unattached, allowing me more freedom to move—and to flee.
Making idle conversation, I steered Lizzie towards the garden’s ornate swing. “Lizzie, could you grab me some Tylenol from inside? I’m starting to get a headache,” I said, feigning a wince.
“Of course, be right back!” she replied, her smile unwavering. She hurried off, thankfully more gullible than I had hoped.
No sooner had Lizzie disappeared than the sharp crack of gunshots pierced the air. My heart leaped into my throat as the bushes before me parted. A man with an eye patch, wearing a suit, appeared, signaling urgently. “This way, now!” he hissed.
My legs, fueled by a mix of fear and adrenaline, carried me after him through a labyrinth of tunnels. He finally halted, shoving the door open to reveal sunlight. “Run straight through those trees toward the road. A van will pick you up and whatever you do, don’t slow down,” he barked, giving me a slight push.
I burst into the clearing, my veil flapping wildly behind me. The promised van barreled towards me, slowing just enough for a hand to reach out and pull me inside. I collapsed onto the floor, laughter bubbling up from my relief that everything went as planned.
As the van sped away, a familiar voice cut through my exhilaration. “Haddie?”
PLAYER, TEACH AND I sat in the van waiting on Patch’s command to move, each of us buzzing with the kind of tension that comes when you’re flirting with disaster. The mafia wasn’t known for forgiveness; if they caught us, it’d be a bullet, no questions asked.
“It’s time,” Player announced from the driver’s seat, revving the engine and slowly pulling out of our hiding spot towards the designated meeting point.
As we approached, I could see a panicked figure running towards us, her elaborate wedding dress flowing around her legs. “Now!” Player yelled, and I threw open the van door and reached out to grab the woman’s hand, yanking her into the vehicle.
She stumbled and fell in a heap of lace as we sped away, her laughter ringing sharp and wild. A chill shot through me. That laugh... it was all too familiar. As she tore off her bridal veil, revealing fiery red hair, her face peppered with freckles, my heart stalled. “Haddie?” I whispered in disbelief.
Her eyes, wide with shock, met mine. “Kaven?”
A surge of happiness washed over me, quickly poisoned by the bitter sting of reality—she was supposed to be someone else’s bride. Jealousy clenched my jaw tight. “You two know each other?” Player’s voice cut through, eyes flicking to mine in the rearview mirror.
“I thought I did.” My words felt heavy, watching the hurt cloud her face as she retreated, her gaze wounded and questioning.
I fought the urge to pull her close, to feel her against me like before. But it was clear, whatever I felt back at that waterfall wasn’t mutual. The van thrummed with the murmur of conversation from Player and Teach up front; the road stretching before us as we sped to the next phase of our plan. Haddie and I sat in silence, our eyes locked on one another until the van slowed down.
“We’re swapping rides. Get ready,” I announced as we rolled to a stop.
Haddie nodded, her face a mask as she followed me to the new vehicle. Patch was already there, scanning her with a keen eye. “Any trouble?” he asked.
“Smooth as whiskey neat,” Player threw with a grin. “Girls got a set of legs on her,” he chuckled, throwing her a wink.
Haddie offered a small, fleeting smile, which faded as she caught my stern look. Patch barked, “Let’s move,” and climbed into the driver’s seat.
As Valley made to sit next to Haddie, I stepped in, claiming the spot with a silent claim of possession. My heart was a traitor, still bound to her despite the anger.
“You don’t have to shove,” Valley grumbled, settling behind us.
“I’m Valley and you are?” He reached over, tapping her shoulder.
“Hadleigh,” she returned, her smile lighting up the dim interior.
Valley nodded, his tone friendly but cautious. “Looks like Midnight and I are watching over you while you’re here.”
Haddie’s eyes flicked to mine, hardening slightly. “I’ll try not to be any trouble.”
“Just don’t run,” I said low, for her ears only. “Seems you’ve got a knack for it.”
“Like you have a knack for acting like a jerk,” she shot back, her voice soft but fierce.
Silence fell, thick and unresolved, as the van hurtled down the highway back to the clubhouse. And as I looked at her from the corner of my eye, looking at her in that wedding dress, that huge diamond gracing her finger, the hurt built up even more. She knew all along that we couldn’t move forward, but didn’t tell me, and let me fall for her.
That fucking pisses me off and makes me so damn angry at her.
Dread hung heavy in the van, my head spinning with a clutter of thoughts. I could feel her presence beside me, her tension matching mine. Player turned up the radio to drown out the silence, but it just bounced back, more stifling than ever. Each passing minute seemed to drag out into an hour, making the ride feel longer and more excruciating.
We arrived at the clubhouse as the sun was going down; the building was standing tall amidst the wooded landscape. “Home sweet home,” Patch grumbled, swinging open the van’s door. The rest of us shuffled out, relief that the job went off without a hitch, well for them maybe, but for me not so much.