It's finally here, Nick thought to himself as he gazed around the room with a small smile. The day I get to marry the love of my life.
A tap on his back interrupted his thought train. He glanced over his shoulder at Joe, his Best Man with a raised eyebrow.
"It's been ten minutes," Joe whispered, his eyes moving between the groom and the closed door at the end of the aisle.
Nick turned back toward the audience and clenched his fists together slightly, swearing quietly under his breath at Joe for reminding him. He looked at the twins in the front row, Mackenzie sitting on his mom’s lap wearing a light blue dress with white and silver flower accents on it and Darien sitting on Roxanna’s mom’s lap in a gray tux with a light blue tie.
We'll just keep waiting, he thought to himself, his eyes burning into the wood of the room's large doors. Something's just holding her up right now. She wouldn't just leave me hanging. I know she wouldn't.
The bridal tune continued to play softly in the background, the audience slowly becoming aware of the bride's nonappearance. Nick's eyes widened in happiness as he caught sight of the doors opening. The guests’ attention quickly moved toward the door, as well. They soon narrowed in confusion as Victor Sarmiento stood at the end of the aisle alone. Nick took in his, hopefully, future father-in-law's wide eyes and took a few steps in his direction.
"Victor..." Nick began.
"She's gone!" Victor cried out as he ran down the aisle toward Nick. "I went to go get her, but she wasn't there. There was blood...and glass on the...she's gone."
Nick grabbed Victor's arm and tugged him closer. He glared into her father's pure silver eyes, his mind not fully processing what he said.
"What do you mean she's gone? Why is she alone?" Nick growled out through clenched teeth.
"She wanted a few minutes to herself. I just went to the bathroom. I didn't go but four minutes," Victor explained. "Nick, I don't know what happened."
"Papi, did you call the police?" Roxanna’s older sister asked, throwing her ivory bouquet onto the floor as her red eyes stared at her father's.
"Demi, they said fifteen minutes."
Nick stumbled back from Victor as his eyes blinked rapidly. A thousand images ran through is mind as he gazed unseeingly at Victor and Demi. He silently mouthed the word "police" before a tear slowly ran down his cheek. "This can't be happening again," he muttered to himself. He turned to Victor and wet his lips before speaking. "She's really gone?" he asked softly.
"I checked everywhere. I don't know what happened, Nick, I truly don't. Something...bad happened to her."
Nick slowly shook his head side to side, his hands tightening into fists at his side. He clenched his teeth together as he swallowed deeply. He turned to face the audience, his eyes roaming over every person in attendance.
"The wedding's off until we find Roxanna and bring her back where she belongs," Nick announced, his voice tight with pain and heartache.
He bowed his head after his announcement and made his way down the aisle toward the double doors, ignoring the guests’ startled exclamations and questions. The wedding party, along with Rosalinda and Abrianna, followed Nick out of the church, leaving the guests in a state of shock and disbelief. The group made their way to the room Roxanna was last seen in. Nick slowly opened the door and stared around the room with wide eyes. The cream colored futon was overturned onto the floor in front of the floor length mirror, and Roxanna's white heels were placed in front of the bathroom door. Her shoes were eerily undisturbed from the rest of the chaotic room. The wide bay window was shattered on the opposite side of the room, blood-stained glass scattered on the ground. Nick slowly walked toward the window and looked down at the street. He could barely make out the faint drops of blood on the sidewalk below him. He closed his eyes as he braced himself next to the jagged edge of the window. He took several long, deep breaths.
"This can't be happening again, Victor," Rosalina muttered under her breath to her husband.
A couple more minutes passed with the family members quietly talking amongst themselves, no one moving as they didn't want to disturb the scene. Nick turned around from the window just as three knocks sounded on the open door.
"My name is Detective Saymen. Someone called about a possible kidnapping," a male policeman stated as he entered the room, two more officers behind him.
"Yes, sir. My youngest daughter, Roxanna, was in this room alone for no more than five minutes and when I came back to get her, she was gone," Victor explained.
"Okay. We need to clear this building right now before anything else can happen. Coleman, get everyone in the chapel’s name and then get them to leave the premises," Saymen ordered to the tall female officer. "Jamieson, start taping the room and check around. Everyone else, follow me to the chapel."
The group left the room after the lead officer, leaving Nick and Jamieson standing behind. Nick stared down at the blood-stained glass in front of him, his teeth and hands clenched together tightly.
"You better find him before I do," Nick ground out as he moved his glare to the man standing before him, "because if you don't, there won't much of him left to prosecute."
Nick ignored the stunned look on Jamieson's face and stepped over the glass and walked toward the bathroom. He picked up her heels, cradling them in the crook of his arm, and turned toward the door.
"We'll do everything we can to bring her back, sir," Jamieson began, an indignant tone to his voice stopping Nick in his tracks. "But I don't think you should talk to me like that. I am a police officer and that means you have to respect me."
"I'll respect you when you bring my fiancée back."
Nick walked out the room, leaving Jamieson behind in shock.
"…any idea who did this?" Saymen finished saying as Nick walked to