Chapter 48
Alessandro
Night has fallen. The past hour has been a whirlwind of photos, cake cutting, bouquet tossing and mingling with our guests. Now we’re dancing beneath strings of fairy lights in the middle of the courtyard with round tables on the outskirts.
A light breeze is coming off the water. I’m finally holding Lennon in my arms. Her head is resting on my chest. We’re swaying to some romantic song the band is playing, but all I can think of is getting her back home, peeling off this dress, and claiming this goddess in my arms for the first time as my wife.
Other couples have joined us on the dance floor. Lennon’s friend Brick is dancing with the receptionist from her work. Rocco is dancing with Sloane. Gunnar is dancing with my baby sister, twirling her under his arm and making her laugh. He’s always been protective of her.
I catch Killian standing at the edge, a drink in his hand. He’s glaring at someone. I follow his gaze to Sully, who’s dancing with Sam. Interesting. I chuckle to myself.
Killian doesn’t understand that if Sam was really interested in Sully, she wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.
The woman has trust issues and zero interest in a relationship.
I’m not sure what her deal is. Just that my father sent her here from New York and told me to keep her on the payroll with cash.
“How much longer do we have to stay before I can be inside my wife?” I whisper.
Her body shakes with laughter. She shifts her position, wrapping her arms around my neck, and looks up at me with those sexy green eyes glistening with happiness and champagne. She presses her soft, warm body against my whole length causing a moan to slip out of me.
“Your wife is ready to go when you are, husband.”
Suddenly there’s a pop and a thud. Then raised voice, chaos and a scream.
I pull Lennon to the ground and lean over her, scanning the area.
Sully, Killian and Gunnar are stumbling off the dance floor in the same direction, heads down, weapons out.
I pull my Beretta from my side holster with a steady hand, despite the adrenaline spiking my heart rate.
“Get under a table,” I growl at Lennon. “And stay there until I come get you.”
Scrambling to her feet, she presses a kiss to my mouth and then obeys.
After she’s hidden, I push through the guests, who are panicking, bumping into each other in their rush to get to safety. The band has stopped playing, presumably to take cover.
I catch Killian’s white-blond hair through the commotion and rush toward him, reaching him as he and Sully fall to the ground in front of their father.
Mac’s sprawled out on the grass, blood seeping through the front of his white dress shirt.
I catch Gunnar’s eye. “Cover us.” I rip open Mac’s shirt. “Fuck.” His chest is ghostly pale, as if he already belongs to the dead, making the vivid red pool of blood all the more jarring.
“Feck, he’s been shot.” Killian reaches over and presses his fingers against his father’s neck. “He’s still alive,” he chokes out.
Pulling the decorative handkerchief from my breast pocket, I press it against the seeping gunshot wound, listening for any more gunshots over the panicked crowd.
I haven’t heard any. Then I glance over at Sully.
His stare is locked on his father’s face, his eyes dark with deadly intent.
“Keep pressure on it. I’m going to find Dr. Sam. ”
Killian grabs my arm, his green eyes blazing with fury. “Where’s Lennon?”
I glance back at the table she’s under. “She’s hiding. She’s safe.”
He gives me a single nod, his jaw clenched. “We don’t know if the shooter’s done, so be careful, mate.”
I motion for Gunnar to follow me. We both have our guns gripped tight, on high alert as I yell Sam’s name.
I can’t let Lennon’s father die. Especially not on our wedding day.
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