It didn’t take long before we were announced husband and wife. We kissed, but I didn’t feel it and counted the seconds until it was over.

I turned with Thomas to face the guests and a loud cheer went up in the air. I chanced another look at where Dash had been standing only he was no longer there. I no longer felt strong because he took my strength with him.

When it was time to walk down the aisle, I cried. I didn’t bother to conceal my tears because the guests mistook them for tears of joy. I looked straight ahead and refused to make eye contact with anyone.

The large, wooden doors opened up to the street and the sunlight beamed down, temporarily impairing my vision. When my eyes had finally adjusted to the sunlight, I was brought to a jarring stop.

Dash stood at the bottom of the stairs wearing a fierce expression. His hands were shoved in his pockets, but I could tell they were clenched. Behind him was the limo, my new mother-in-law insisted we get… with Keiran and Keenan sitting on top of the car as if guarding anyone against getting near it and looking far too smug. Lake and Sheldon with Kennedy in her arms stood off to the side trying their best to appear innocent.

I wanted to scream and demand an answer, but Thomas’ father beat me to the punch.

“What the hell is going on? Have you no respect?” Spittle flew out of his mouth and his face turned red and purple. “Pipe down, old man,” Keenan called out.

I let go of Thomas because I couldn’t bear to have him touch me with Dash watching so intently. I held on to the rail and made my way down the steps to stand in front of him. “What’s going on?” I whispered.

“I didn’t come all this way to not do what I came to do and leave empty handed.”

“Which is?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“I came for you and I’m not leaving without you.”

“No,” I protested. “You are not doing this.”

“I already am.”

“What about all that stuff you said about letting me be happy and marrying the man who loves me?”

“And I meant it. The only one who will be making you happy is me.”

“Have you forgotten that I just got married not five minutes ago?”

“Did you?”

“You were at the fucking ceremony.” A smile threatened to break free on his lips and I knew he was laughing at my cursing him. I only cursed when riled and when I was riled, horniness usually followed.

“Oh… right. Father Casey is not a father after all. Oops.”

“Come again?”

“He’s an aspiring actor.”

“You son of a b—”

He gently cupped the back of my head as a warning before I could finish that sentence. “You didn’t want him.”

“You don’t know that.”

“It doesn’t matter. Did you really think I would let you marry him while you carried my child—or at all, for that matter?”

“You can’t do this.”

“I already am,” he stated with authority.

“What is going on here? Say, man, please remove your hands from my wife.”

Dash’s eyes trailed from me to Thomas, darkening with every passing second.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

DASH

I COULDN’T BELIEVE it took me as long as it did to come after her. Five months and not a moment too soon, apparently.

She had actually been ready to marry another man with my kid inside her. If she weren’t pregnant, I would have surely strangled her.

I finally realized Willow was prone to make fucked up decisions though she meant well, and this one took the cake.

I never would have even known if Keenan hadn’t overheard Sheldon on the phone with Lake discussing how they could talk her out of it. I hadn’t even known they kept contact, but I wasn’t surprised. Those three could bounce back from anything as if it never happened it seemed.

Me? I clung to my resentment for warmth at night until I couldn’t take it anymore.

I plotted how to convince her to come back to me, but nothing ever seemed good enough. Keiran gave me the idea to simply take her from that prick’s hand if I had to. Though the idea appealed to me, the chance to fuck with her and punish her appealed to me more.

So I showed up and pretended to be okay with everything all the while planning her wedding’s demise. Starting with her original officiator.

Turns out priests could be bribed after all.

The plotting took little effort.

Seeing her again spurred me to go through with it.

It was seeing her walk down that aisle and fake marry that prick that had nearly done me in. When it was time for the kiss, I high-tailed it out of there, ignoring the dirty looks from the other guests.