CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MADDOX
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I watch as Pierce tugs Kyra against his chest and let out a growl as my feet start moving.
“Woah there, tiger.” Parker grabs my arm, stopping me. “Remember the plan.”
My fists clench.
“Security! Get these men out of here!” her father screams.
Oh yeah, about that.
Connor Barrett’s security team has been briefed not to interfere.
“Happy for them to stand back while you get your girl, but if anyone looks like they're about to get hurt they'll step in,” Connor said to me on the phone last night.
Fair enough.
Out of the corner of my eye, Travis takes a few steps to the right to intercept Derek Fox as he approaches.
“Just give the bride a minute to decide,” he warns him.
“The fuck—”
“Listen to him,” Killian says, flicking a knife around in his fingers.
“They’re armed!” someone yells and people start piling out of the building.
We expected this.
A couple of Barrett Security guards appear and start guiding people out, telling them to remain calm. One of them shoots me a look to say he’s unimpressed but I give zero fucks.
“I’ll go.” Parker heads over to one of Barrett’s men, Mack, and says something to him.
Mack nods but still looks fucked off.
“I told you to leave the knife in your pocket.” Travis grunts.
“You’re not my mom,” Killian says. “And I don’t trust these assholes.
“Your mom can suck my cock if we get arrested. I have a club to run tonight.” Travis hisses.
“Stop being a pussy.” Killian’s eye roll is evident in his voice as I seek out Kyra’s worried gaze.
“Go get her.” Zayne rasps behind me. “I’ll sort these two squabbling bitches.”
I almost smirk. But I’m focused on Kyra. Whatever Pierce is saying to her has her stiffening and pulling away.
Come here, baby.
Please.
I need her to come to me. That’s the only way this is going to work. Suddenly, she spins toward me and there are tears in her eyes.
Fuck.
What did he say?
She tries to pull from him, but he grabs her. A roar escapes me, and I hear oh fuck from two of the guys as I take off down the aisle.
Then the woman I love surprises me.
I’m still over ten feet away from her when Kyra stamps on Pierce’s foot with her sharp high heel. With a yell, he releases her and hops on one foot, grabbing for her.
“Get the fuck back here, you little bitch!” Pierce screams.
But Kyra is too fast. She grabs her huge skirt and begins to run.
Toward me.
Like a fucking corny romance movie.
Mine.
Time slows as I watch every expression and every emotion and see my future inside her soul. Then she crashes into me, and I wrap my arms around her, lifting her until her lips are back where they belong.
On mine.
Kyra opens to me, and my tongue thrusts inside, claiming and taking possession. Sparks consume and connect us, blocking out the world as her fingers thread through my hair.
“Maddox,” she moans.
“I’m keeping you this time,” I say against her mouth, and I mean it.
Not as her kidnapper, but the man who loves her. If it takes her time to feel the same, I’ll wait. I’ll do whatever it takes.
“Okay.” Her reply is soft and my heart bursts open.
I kiss her once more as my brothers surround us, keeping Pierce, her shrieking mother, and her angry father at bay.
“Uh uh, give them a minute.” Parker holds out his hands.
“Who the fuck are you?” Derek demands.
“How rude. Did you hear that, Trav?” Parker asks and I almost laugh, but while Pierce screams out demands, our eyes lock for the first time in over fifteen years.
It’s like a bomb goes off inside me.
The hate I feel pouring from the pores of my skin is more than any one person should feel in one lifetime. I’m bigger than him now. Strong enough to overpower him, strangle him until he takes his last breath.
Kyra’s hand on my cheek snaps me out of the moment and I drop my eyes to her.
“Please get me out of here.”
That’s when I know something is wrong. There’s something in her voice that wasn’t there before. Before I let her be taken from me.
What has he done?
It’s more than not just wanting to marry Pierce; I hear fear, and I hear pain. I recognize her anguish in her voice and my eyes fly back to Pierce.
“What did you do?” I slide her down my body and glare at him.
A smirk appears on his face.
That fucking asshole.
“Maddox. Please,” she pleads.
“Maddox,” Parker warns, turning.
Every cell in my body wants to rip the gun out of my jacket and shoot him right in his dead fucking heart.
“You want to go to jail?” He grabs my wrist. “Take your girl and let's go.”
“What did he do to you?” I rasp as Kyra’s palms flatten on my chest.
“Not here.” She tucks herself under my arm and I feel her shaking.
Mack walks over. “You need to go.”
“Take my daughter and I will be calling my lawyer.” Derek threatens.
“I am a grown woman, Dad,” Kyra says, leaning into me. “You don’t own me. I’m not marrying Pierce.”
About goddamn time.
I’m so fucking proud it takes the edge off the urge to murder Pierce. Just the sharp corners. Not completely.
“Honey, let’s talk about this.”
“Mom.” Kyra shakes her head. “Don’t.”
“Let’s go baby.” I nod at Mack and lead her out of the church.
This is going to go viral, but I don’t care. I am marrying this woman, so the world is going to work it out sooner or later.
Before we exit with Travis, Parker, Zayne, and Killian trailing behind me, I turn.
“Take any action whatsoever against me or Kyra—or any of these men – I will expose the truth. All of it.” I growl darkly, glancing from Derek to Pierce.
Derek’s face goes white, and my lips stretch into a dark smile.
I thought so. The piece of shit.
My father, still nursing his injured foot, glares at me in the controlled way he did when I was a child.
This isn’t over. I know that.
But now is not the time.
I glance down at Kyra, rip off her veil, and then turn to Killian, holding out my hand. He hands me the knife.
“Maddox! What are you—”
I cut the skirt she’s wearing above the knee. I don’t want to see her in the dress she was about to marry my father in.
“Let’s go, sweetheart.” I say, scooping her up into my arms, then just before I step through the door, I turn. “Kyra was never yours.” My voice booms through the chapel. “She is the one thing I won’t let you take from me.”
“We’ll see,” Pierce replies. “We’ll see.”
Parker pulls the doors closed and we jog down the steps to the waiting limousine.
“See, we needed a knife,” Killian says.
“Fuck you. Your club membership is revoked.” Travis gives him the bird.
“Bullshit. All the ladies would complain.” He grabs his crotch, and I shake my head.
“Ignore them.” I cup Kyra’s face as she snuggles into my lap.
“You came for me,” she whispers into my ear.
“Always.” I kiss her forehead and stare out the window, wondering what the hell happened to her.
She’s not the same woman I held just days ago.
And there will be consequences for that.